Snips articles from June 2005

Snips archives from June 2005

Budget-stretching: sheet metal alternative saves money for discount store chain.(Dixie Duct Fabrication)
June 1, 2005... The Fred's discount stores aim to provide their customers with a quality product at a reasonable price. The chain stores, which offer everything from groceries to apparel, are popping up all over the South, and with the help of...

'Sweeping' changes: convention shows evolution, diversity of duct-cleaning industry.(National Air Duct Cleaners Association )
June 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Members of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association are involved in a lot more than just clearing out ductwork. Take Midwest Environmental Solutions Inc., for example. The St. Peters, Mo.-based company removes everything from...

Getting unstuck: fixing the 'bottleneck' of duct-liner operations.
June 1, 2005... So you think your HVAC shop is going to be highly productive. You have a coil line, a plasma table, an automated design system, good duct-forming and assembly equipment, and well-trained and highly motivated shop employees. [ILLUSTRATION...

The relay race: 12 common errors in delegating responsibilities.
June 1, 2005... Ever wonder why it's so tough to get results from those highly paid employees of yours? Is it that they keep performing work that isn't "ready for prime time?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Or are they truly short-staffed and overwhelmed?...

Selecting the right system for different structures.(TECH Tips)
June 1, 2005... (The following is taken from the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association's Residential Comfort System Installation Standards Manual.) All heating or air-conditioning equipment should be selected on the basis of...

Purification system protects rare books, artifacts.(APPLICATIONS in the Field)(Florida State University)
June 1, 2005... TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State University's Seminole Indian artifacts and rare book collections are now better protected, thanks to an environmentally controlled room and new HVAC design. The university's Robert Manning Strozier Library...

SMACNA supports federal Cool Buildings Act.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... CHANTILLY, Va. -- In a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association urged legislators to support the Cool and Efficient Buildings Act. The act has the support of other...

PAHRA approves two HVACR programs.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation)(Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. in Rochester, N.Y., and Monmouth County Vocational School in Freehold, N.J., are the two latest HVACR training programs to receive approval through the Partnership for Air-Conditioning,...

Carbon Monoxide Association formed.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Carbon Monoxide Safety Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... EASTLAKE, Colo. -- The Carbon Monoxide Safety Association is a new nonprofit organization designed to promote CO safety awareness and offer training materials and programs. The new association is aimed at educating fire departments,...

PHCC welcomes new logo partners.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors National Association)(Bennette Design Group Inc. )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association recently welcomed Bennette Design Group Inc. as a PHCC Logo Partner. As a part of the program, BDG products will bear the PHCC logo. BDG specializes in...

Group announces 2005 committee leaders.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)( North American Insulation Manufacturers Association )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association has appointed new chairmen and chairwomen to lead its committees over the next two years. According to NAIMA, each committee chair will lead initiatives to promote...

Students awarded ASHRAE grants.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(American Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Twelve students were approved to receive a total of $100,000 through the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' grants-in-aid program, which will provide students with the opportunity to continue...

FMA offers salary, benefits survey.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Fabricators and Manufacturers Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Top executives and business owners in the fabrication industry earn about approximately $170,000 a year, according to a survey released by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association. The "2004 Metal Forming &...

ACCA wins Award of Excellence.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Air Conditioning Contractors of America)(Associations Advance America Award of Excellence)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Air Conditioning Contractors of America's "Heat the Country" program is the recipient of the Associations Advance America Award of Excellence. The award, from the American Society of Association Executives, recognizes...

McQuay chillers to cool 2006 Asian Games' village.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(McQuay Air Conditioning)(Asian Games' Olympic Village )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS -- McQuay Air Conditioning will supply 11 2,000-ton dual centrifugal-compressor chillers for the 2006 Asian Games' Olympic Village in Doha, Qatar. The chiller contract is estimated at over $3 million. The chillers will be used...

Ridgid announces new service agreement.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Ridgid Tool Co.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ANDERSON, S.C. -- Pneumatic tools from Ridgid will now carry a limited lifetime service agreement, which will provide free service and parts on normal-wear items, including batteries and O-rings, for the original tool purchaser. In...

Greenheck named Wisconcin Manufacturer of the Year.(SUPPLIER NEWS)
June 1, 2005... SCHOFIELD, Wis. -- Greenheck Fan Corp. is the 2004 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year, according to the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce group. The company won the top award in a competition with manufacturers that employ 800 people or...

Spectronics celebrates 50 years.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... WESTBURY, N.Y. -- Ultraviolet tool and leak detection manufacturer Spectronics Corp. is celebrating 50 years in business this year. The company was launched in 1955, and says it invented fluorescent leak detection. The company manufactures...

Mitsubishi Electric builds new facility.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Mitsubishi Electric HVAC)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Mitsubishi Electric HVAC has built a new facility in Suwanee, Ga., to house its corporate office and distribution center. "In just the past year, we've seen a significant increase in product shipments. This, combined...

Trade commission votes to keep steel tariffs.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(International Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tariffs will remain on some imported steel for at least the next five years, the Associated Press reported April 14. The U.S. International Trade Commission voted to keep the tariffs in place after the Commerce Department said lifting them...

E Instruments names East Coast reps.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... LANGHORNE, Pa. -- E Instruments Group has teamed up with several companies to represent its line of HVAC instruments throughout the East Coast. Edward R. Stephen Co. in Billerica, Mass., will represent the company in the New England...

Copper Sales to work with warranty group.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Design Consulting and Forensics LLC)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ANOKA, Minn. -- Copper Sales Inc./Una-Clad will work with Fridley, Minn.-based Design Consulting & Forensics LLC, a third-party inspection and weather-tight warranty group, to provide certification, training and on-site inspections, Copper...

February shipments up 7 percent.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- U.S. factory shipments for air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 493,589 for February, up 7 percent from the previous month, according to the Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute. Heat pump shipments of...

Trane wins contract with Asian retailer.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Carrefour S.A.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Trane recently won a bid with retailer Carrefour to supply its high efficiency R-123 direct-drive centrifugal chillers, and service and maintenance for five years, to 38 stores throughout Asia, including China, Indonesia,...

Copeland compressors ideal for R-134A use, company says.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Emerson Climate Technologies)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ST. LOUIS -- Copeland Screw compressors from Emerson Climate Technologies are now ideal for use with R-134A, an environmentally friendly, nonpolluting refrigerant, according to the company. The compressors are ideal for commercial...

PowerCold to expand international operations.(SUPPLIER NEWS)
June 1, 2005... LARGO, Fla. -- PowerCold Corp. is expanding its international operations and has signed new sales and distribution agreements for its Nauticon and PlexCoil product lines. The agreements are with Etha Engineering in Singapore, Ice Kube...

Congress names April 17-23 Indoor Comfort Week.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Congress named April 17-23 as National Indoor Comfort Week. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) and Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) and was unanimously passed April 21. The Air Conditioning Contractors of...

General contractors elect new officers.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Associated General Contractors of America)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- The Associated General Contractors of America elected its new officers for 2005-2006. Samuel P. Hunter, president and CEO of T.A. Loving Co. in Goldsboro, N.C., has been elected as president of the AGC. Harry L. Mashburn,...

CAUSE names chairman.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Contractors and Union Seal of Excellence )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... LANHAM, Md. -- John Dunleavy, executive vice president of Alexandria, Va.-based Pierce Associates Inc., has been named chairman of the Contractors and Union Seal of Excellence for 2005-2006. CAUSE is comprised of the Mechanical Contractors...

ACCA releases 2005 financial analysis.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Air Conditioning Contractors of America )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Air Conditioning Contractors of America has released its 2005 edition of "Financial Analysis of the HVACR Contracting Industry," based on a recent survey of the ACCA members. The analysis provides a look at the...

ABC continues support of 'association' health plans.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Associated Builders and Contractors )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Associated Builders and Contractors again voiced its support for the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005, and praised the House Committee on Small Business for a March 2 hearing on "Prescriptions for Health Care...

HVAC Excellence releases 'HEAT' program.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. -- HVAC certification and accreditation organization HVAC Excellence has released its new program "HEAT," which stands for Heating, Electrical, Air Conditioning Technology examination. The HEAT program is a...

Air Comfort accepted as BOMA member.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Building Owners and Managers Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Broadview, Ill.-based Air Comfort Corp. was recently accepted as a member of the Building Owners and Managers Association's Chicago division. Chicago BOMA works to represent and meet the needs of the local building industry. As an...

Contractor launches safety, recruitment program.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)
June 1, 2005... ST. LOUIS -- C & R Mechanical Co. and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Eastern Missouri brought engineering safety and recruitment programs to St. Louis high schools throughout the month of February. To coincide with Engineers...

Contractors win ACCA Excellence Awards.(Air Conditioning Contractors of America)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- Kahn Mechanical Contractors and Peaden Air Conditioning were the recipients of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America's Excellence Awards during the association's 37th annual Conference & Indoor Air Expo March 9-12 in...

Nexstar survey finds satisfied customers.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. -- Contractor training and development organization Nexstar Inc. recently conducted a customer-satisfaction survey to find the members that are supplying the best customer service. The survey looked into the customer...

PHCC members lobby on Capitol Hill.(CONTRACTOR NEWS)(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- Members of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association walked the streets around Capitol Hill April 14 to lobby for small-business issues. Several members met with their Congress members and senators...

MetalForming launches new Web site, logo.(INTERNET NEWS)
June 1, 2005... Architectural sheet metal machinery supplier MetalForming Inc. has redesigned its Web site. The new site is organized into 10 sections: 10-foot folders, 12- to 40- foot folders, shears, coil processing, portable roll formers, in-plant roll...

ARI issues brochure on mold.(INTERNET NEWS)(Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute has published "Facts about Humidifiers and Mold," a consumer-oriented brochure and white paper available free at www.ari.org. According to ARI, the brochure and white paper...

TABB improves certification Web site.(INTERNET NEWS)(Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau has redesigned its certification Web site at www.tabbcertified.org. Additions to the site include a TABB contractor database where users can find a local certified contractor. The new site has...

ACCA online bulletin covers air balancing.(INTERNET NEWS)(Air Conditioning Contractors of America)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The third in a series of technical bulletins regarding balancing residential air-distribution systems is available to members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America through the association's Web site at...

Code reference site hits the Web.(INTERNET NEWS)(Premium eCodes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The International Code Council is helping contractors find information on specific building and mechanical codes with Premium eCodes, available through the new Web site, www.ecodes.biz. Premium eCodes allows users to access the codes via...

Chicagoland group attracts 3,000 to annual trade show.(MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS)(Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. -- More than 3,000 contractors packed the Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace March 29 for the 27th annual Chicagoland Sheet Metal Contractors Association trade show. This year's show featured a seminar on the recently...

Green Building Council CEO returns to Metalcon.(MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS)(Metalcon International)(2005 Metalcon show )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The founding chairman and current president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council, Rick Fedrizzi, is set to return to Metalcon International as keynote speaker Oct. 6 in Chicago. Fedrizzi, who headlined Metalcon 2003's "Green Day"...

Associations combine convention schedules.(MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS)
June 1, 2005... FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The American Supply Association and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association will present joint training sessions during Network '05, Sept. 7-10 in Orlando, Fla. During a Sept. 9 industry-panel...

MCAA members tour fabrication facility.(MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS)(Mechanical Contractors Association of America )(Binsky & Snyder LLC)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... As part of its sold-out May 12-13 prefabrication seminar in Philadelphia, members of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America were invited to tour the 30,000-square-foot fabrication facility of Binsky & Snyder LLC. The facility...

ASHRAE meeting to highlight ventilation.(MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Ventilation strategies for maintaining good indoor air quality in diverse environments will be the focus of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' 2005 annual meeting, June 25-29 in Denver. ...

Midwest Builders Show attracts record numbers.(MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS)(Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago)(2005 Midwest Builders Show)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ADDISON, Ill. -- The Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago is calling the 2005 Midwest Builders Show in Rosemont, Ill., a success. Over 6,000 builders, contractors and building industry professionals attended the March 16-17 event, a...

RSES conference heads to Atlanta.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... DES PLAINES, Ill. -- The Refrigeration Services Engineers Society will hold its 68th annual conference Sept. 27-Oct. 1 in Atlanta at the CNN Center Omni Hotel. A number of educational sessions are planned. Speakers tentatively scheduled...

Armstrong Pumps appoints division managers.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Fluid-flow equipment supplier Armstrong Pumps recently named David McNamee value-stream manager for the heat exchanger and expansion tanks division, and Craig Toth as purchasing manager. McNamee will be responsible for production, manufacturing...

Jackson Systems.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointed Thomas W. Jackson as chief executive officer.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Zone control manufacturer Jackson Systems announced Thomas W. Jackson is now chief executive officer of the company. Previously, Jackson served as vice president and general manager for Jackson.

Reliable Controls.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointed Will McNeill as regional sales manager.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Reliable Controls welcomed Will McNeill as its regional sales manager for the Western U.S. McNeill comes to Reliable Controls with 15 years of controls experience, including involvement with Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Yamas Controls and...

Esab Welding and Cutting Products.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Esab Welding and Cutting Products named two new regional sales managers: Tim Chubbs will represent the Southeastern U.S. His territory will include Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Marty Walter will serve as territory manager...

Hypertherm.(PEOPLE in the News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Bill Smith, district sales manager for Hypertherm, has retired from the company after 15 years. During Smith's time with Hypertherm, he played a role in the company's growth in the Western U.S. At one point, his sales territory included all of...

Hansen Technologies Corp.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointed Patricia Pindel as human resources manager.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Hansen Technologies Corp. appointed Patricia Pindel human resources manager. Pindel joins Hansen with over 12 years experience in human resource services, employee development and training. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sid Harvey Industries.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Rich Carbonaro was named vice president of purchasing for Sid Harvey Industries. Carbonaro joined the company in 1993 as refrigeration-purchasing manager and has been director of purchasing since 1995. The company also recently named Terry...

Murphy Co.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointed Bill Skidmore )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Bill Skidmore has joined the Denver office of mechanical contractor Murphy Co. He will direct pre-construction services for HVAC projects, managing the budget and pre-planning process. Skidmore previously ran Skidmore Inc.

Southern Piping Co.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointed Tim Williford as chairman.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tim Williford of Southern Piping Co. in Wilson, N.C., was appointed as the new chairman of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association's Government Relations Committee. Williford will lead the committee's study of federal...

Construction Contractors Alliance.(PEOPLE in the News)(appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The PHCC-affiliated service group Construction Contractors Alliance, elected Art Dexter of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based LeDuc & Dexter, as chairman. Dexter, who is a charter member of the CCA, will serve a one-year term. The CCA also elected Les...

Guy Gast was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association's Iowa chapter.(PEOPLE in the News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Guy Gast was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association's Iowa chapter. Gast serves as president of the Iowa branch of Waldinger Corp. He also serves as chairman of...

The National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau.(PEOPLE in the News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau elected Stinson Batchelor to its board of trustees. Batchelor is president of Lithonia, Ga.-based Batchelor & Kimball Inc. and its subsidiary, K & B Mechanical Contractors. He has been an active member...

Unified Group.(PEOPLE in the News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Unified Group, a group of independent HVAC mechanical contractors based in Broadview, Ill., has hired Margaret A. Brown as its new administrative assistant.

Blau Plumbing of Milwaukee.(PEOPLE in the News)(membership of Nexstar)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Frank Blau Jr. has been given a lifetime membership to Nexstar, a professional training and business development organization for independent contractors. Blau was honored for being an advocate for teaching independent service companies how to...

Gayneill Loftin.(Obituaries)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Gayneill Loftin died Feb. 12, 2005. He was 77. Mr. Loftin was a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 406 and was a foreman at Independent Plumbing & Heating Co. in Jackson, Miss.

A few compliments to your co-workers never hurts.(SALES & Marketing)
June 1, 2005... Does your boss praise and reward you for a job well done? Does your supervisor let you know where you can improve? Do you like where you work? Do you like your customers? While it is impossible to completely change someone else's behavior,...

Determining 'productive payroll' for departments.(CONTRACTOR Cents)
June 1, 2005... In my last column, I wrote about determining your company's overhead costs. This month, I will finish the calculations so you can see what the overhead cost per hour is for each of your departments. Once you have the overhead cost for each...

Sometimes, it's time to get a new wristwatch.(MIND YOUR Business)
June 1, 2005... Threw my Timex watch in the trash the other day. Kept accurate time for as long as it worked, but failed to keep on ticking beyond the couple of years I owned it. Maybe it wasn't even broken. Maybe it just needed a new battery. But I'd...

ASHRAE updates indoor ventilation standard.(American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- An updated version of Standard 62.1, "Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality," has been published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The standard specifies minimum ventilation...

Kaydon Corp. acquires Purafil.(INDOOR Air Quality)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Gas-phase air-purification systems manufacturer Purafil Inc. has been bought by Kaydon Corp., a designer and manufacturer of products for the medical, machine tool, aerospace, defense and construction industries. The purchase...

Circul-Aire marks 40 years.(INDOOR Air Quality)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MONTREAL -- Dectron Internationle subsidiary Circul-Aire is celebrating its 40th anniversary in the air-purification and filtration-equipment manufacturing business. Dectron acquired Circul-Aire in 1998. The purchase was part of the...

Mold remediation courses available.(Indoor Air Quality Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The Indoor Air Quality Association and the IAQ. Training Institute have teamed up to offer two-day mold worker-training courses. The courses will be offered through November in various locations. According to the...

Preferred Service named to represent Jetna Fastech.(Jetna Fastech)(Preferred Services Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MELROSE PARK, Ill. -- Jetna Fastech has appointed Birmingham, Ala.-based Preferred Service Inc. as sales representative and warehousing agent for Alabama, Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle and Tennessee. The appointment will enable Jetna...

Software alliance to enhance distribution, companies say.(WHOLESALER News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... HOUSTON -- Mincron Software Systems and the Management Information Systems Group Inc. have formed a partnership to provide better Internet and software services to the plumbing, HVACR, electrical, industrial and ware-housing industries. ...

Machine tool consumption up 13.5 percent.(WHOLESALER News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- U.S. machine tool consumption in February totaled $242.1 million, up 13.5 percent from January, according to the Association for Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. Tool...

Follansbee Steel joins Metal Roofing Alliance.(ROOFING NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... FOLLANSBEE, W.Va. -- Follansbee Steel has joined the Metal Roofing Alliance in an effort to increase consumer awareness and build support for metal roofing. "The MRA has done an excellent job of creating a vehicle to connect homeowners with...

NERCA wraps up annual convention.(North/East Roofing Contractors Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Attendees of the 79th annual North/East Roofing Contractors Association convention and trade show had the opportunity to visit with over 250 vendors March 8-10 in Atlantic City, N.J. This year's general convention was sponsored by Cahill...

Firestone launches contractor roofing insurance.(ROOFING NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... INDIANAPOLIS -- Firestone Building Products Co. is now offering nationwide general liability and workers' compensation insurance underwritten by an American International Group Inc. member company and re-insured by Inner Circle Insurance. ...

Centria roofs arrive in China.(ROOFING NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Centria has provided its SRS 3 structural standing-seam roof for three buildings in New Songjiang City, one of nine cities in Shanghai officials' plan to decrease the downtown population from 9.7 million to about 8.5...

Arizona.(REGIONAL NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Arizona chapter of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America has elected its officers for 2005. Dave Jones of Midstate Mechanical will serve as president, while Louis Hobaica of Hobaica's Refrigeration will serve as vice president. Regina...

California.(REGIONAL NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Los Angeles chapter of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association has committed $100,000 to national SMACNA's New Horizons Foundation. "We are impressed by what the foundation has produced to date and we look...

Indiana.(REGIONAL NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Mechanical Contractors Association of Indiana and the Indiana State Pipe Trades Association has started a drug and alcohol testing policy for its workers statewide. Under the policy, all employees are expected to report to work free of...

Iowa.(REGIONAL NEWS)(Sheet Metal Contractors)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Three students from Iowa State University were selected by the Sheet Metal Contractors of Iowa to receive $3,000 from the Ed Lord II/SMCI Scholarship Fund. The recipients are Aaron Brace (left) from Lone Rock, Iowa; Chad Hotovec from Storm...

Minnesota.(REGIONAL NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Indoor air quality and duct-cleaning equipment company Vac Systems International was scheduled to move to a new location May 1 in Burnsville, Minn. The company can still be contacted at (800) 597-3955. A new Web site has been launched for the...

Missouri.(REGIONAL NEWS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Members of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association St. Louis chapter attended two training programs presented by Kevin Dougherty of Proof Management Consultants. On March 15, Dougherty conducted "Sheet Metal...