The chips segment has grown quite lively over the past year, with new product areas emerging and others, like apple chips, seeing considerable growth and maturation. Snack producers are also starting to grow beyond potatoes, offering sweet potato, beet and parsnip chips.

Florigo (from tna) has announced the launch of a new continuous potato chip fryer that features patented opti-flow technology for improved frying performance.

The flexibility to produce different flavors, shapes, sizes and types of products is high on the list of qualities that snack and bakery makers are seeking from manufacturers offering griddle equipment and fryers.

Combining heavy duty performance and energy savings technology, Vulcan has announced the launch of the CEF Countertop Electric Fryers, including the industry’s first ENERGY STAR certified countertop electric fryer.

Heat and Control delivers another 2-Stage French Fry fryer system out of its Hayward, USA manufacturing facility to make batter coated French fries.

Providing restaurants and food service operations with both productivity and durability, Vulcan introduces the 35-pound, ENERGY STAR certified VEG Series. It’s a value-priced fryer that truly checks all the boxes.

Fryers continue to see ongoing improvements related to hygienic design, oil management and energy efficiency. Equipment suppliers are also offering models that occupy a smaller physical and carbon footprint, and that include adaptability to handle a diverse array of products.

Quick changeovers, smaller products, sanitation needs, oil quality and temperature control are all top-of-mind for customers of griddle and fryer equipment used for key snack and bakery applications, including doughnuts and frozen breakfast products like waffles and pancakes, as well as fried snack items, like chips.

PPM Technologies has updated its Snack Frying System.

Heat and Control, Inc., an equipment manufacturer and food processing industry supplier, recently released the OilSaver Filtration System to its Oil Management System lineup.

VITO Fryfilter, Inc. recently released an intensive cleaner individually packed as tabs, for an effective cleaning of commercial deep fryers: the VITO tab.

Bakeries and snack makers in the market for ovens, proofers, fryers, and dryers have a healthy list of features and benefits in mind. These include capabilities for customization and flexibility, reliability and consistency, temperature control, faster processing times and continuous production, and automation that operators can control and monitor remotely.

Snack and bakery companies looking to purchase new or improved ovens, proofers, fryers, and dryers have a long list of requests when it comes to features and benefits, according to manufacturers of those types of equipment.

VITO AG has announced the launch of a new product to fulfill the rising need for high-quality and easy to use filtration systems for deep fryers: the VITO VL oil filter system.

Other priorities include frying more than one product concurrently, handling both older and newer snack and bakery formulations.

 
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 RAFAEL WATCH/WARNING ADVISORY NUMBER 15
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 348 AM EST THU NOV 7 2024
 
 .HURRICANE RAFAEL
 
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 THE LATEST PUBLIC ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FOR
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 COAST...AS WELL AS THE APPROXIMATE LATERAL EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES
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 HILARY WATCH/WARNING ADVISORY NUMBER 20
 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL     EP092023
 207 AM PDT MON AUG 21 2023
 
 .POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE HILARY
 
 CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF
 TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE
 THE LATEST PUBLIC ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FOR
 THE PRECISE LATERAL EXTENT OF WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ALONG THE
 COAST...AS WELL AS THE APPROXIMATE LATERAL EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES
 AND WARNINGS. THE PRECISE EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS
 CAN BE FOUND IN THE NWS NATIONAL DIGITAL FORECAST DATABASE HAZARD
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The ‘Roaring Twenties’ were a time when all participants had their act together.

People commonly misconstrue the work of a writer/historian.

The essence of plumbing is its mechanical genius.

The nature of plumbing is such that its most clever innovations usually are obscure to the public eye.

Plumbing and mechanical contracting companies have been the birthright of generations.

These are the Dead Men that PM columnist Dan Holohan holds in high esteem.

Plumbers have given way to scientists as modern inventors.

One of the legacies of the old Trade Extension Bureau that remains alive today was its effort to standardize industry vocabulary.

The debate over who Thomas Crapper was - or even if there was a Thomas Crapper at all - continues.

American plumbers have accomplished more in two centuries than the Romans did in 10.

People take for granted devices such as the T&P valve, kitchen disposal, flush toilet and so many of our industry's other useful gadgets that have made lives safer, healthier, more comfortable and convenient.

Every year on March 11, the international plumbing community comes together to celebrate World Plumbing Day. The day aims to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers in protecting public health and improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities. 

“I don’t think people care that I’m young, or female. They care about what I know.”
Those words, spoken by Baylie Frost, a virtual design and construction (VDC) lead at Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating in Bozeman, Montana, must be music to the ears of an industry that is seeking to attract more talented young people to its ranks.

It’s no secret that MEP contractors deliver massive value on every project out there. In 2019 alone, MEP contractors generated 46.3% ($70 billion) of total revenue delivered by the ENR Top 600 Specialty Contractors.

Hot water has been around since man first harnessed the power of fire, but when at elevated temperatures, it is dangerous and even deadly. Today’s hot water heaters offer a diverse range of technologies that perform leaps and bounds ahead of their predecessors, but what temperature should they deliver?

The ongoing transformation of the plumbing industry has been driven in part by the evolving expectations and priorities of homeowners and consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced existing concerns about hygiene and public health, pushing the demand for hands-free technology and automated features that reduce contact with germs and bacteria. 

Not too long ago, the plumbing industry relied strictly on analog processes. Every job was manual, from installation and repair to dispatch, invoicing and accounting. In 2022, the plumbing profession now runs on advanced technologies that range from thermal-imaging leak detection to smart water heaters and trenchless pipe repair.

It’s no secret that efficient fleet vehicles are a vital component of any successful plumbing or mechanical business. Field service vehicles not only increase new business through brand exposure while on the road; they serve the primary purpose of getting technicians and their equipment to and from job locations. 

Let’s be honest. The trades are the inventors of 'remote work.' For decades, we’ve been dispatching remotely while technicians are awarded company vehicles to drive home each evening. They begin their mornings from the comfort of their own homes by receiving their work log for the day through walkie-talkie, text, email, slack, pager… remember those? Shoot, we’re awesome — others should take note!

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the world drastically changed as businesses shut down and employees moved to work-from-home settings. Once used mostly by the tech industry, video chat software companies such as Zoom, Go To Meeting and Microsoft Teams saw huge increases in demand as people began using these services for work, school and even to stay in touch with family members. Even doctor’s visits became virtual.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association and John Burns Real Estate Consulting’s Kitchen and Bath Market Index Report released last fall shows continued demand for residential remodel services, despite the challenges facing the supply chain and ongoing price increases. In fact, the report shows that 89% of customers are shifting toward pricier items and high-end finishes. Among these increasingly popular higher-end products lies the growing customer desire for smart plumbing — Wi-Fi-connected, voice-activated and/or touchless — products.

Several new ServiceTitan product updates and features powered by Titan Intelligence were also announced at Pantheon 2022

There’s nothing worse than coming home to find a burst pipe or malfunctioning water heater has flooded your basement. It’s perhaps why leak detection and prevention products continue to become more popular each year.

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke had a chance to sit down with Billy Stevens, founder and CEO of Sera Systems, a subscription software provider for the home service industry, to discuss current trends with contractor software.

John Wallace, owner of Atlanta-based JM Wallace Plumbing, has been offering leak detection solutions since 2007, but it’s only recently during the last few years where he’s really seen the technology take off.

ServiceTitan unveils new AI-powered solutions to revolutionize the trades industry and equip contractors with powerful tools to run and grow their businesses

Scorpion's AI Chat incorporates industry- and business-specific knowledge into each chat response, creating a personalized experience for every new conversation. 

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke spoke with Chad Salge, vice president of virtual design and engineering at The Brandt Companies about its digital transformation journey.

ServiceTitan made waves earlier this year when it announced new cutting-edge AI solutions, allowing its customers to automate, predict and optimize across their businesses during Pantheon 2023.

Uponor North America celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed Uponor Experience Center located at its regional headquarters in Apple Valley, Minnesota in September.

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke had the chance to sit down with Tina Gullickson and discuss her goals and strategies in leading Caleffi North America through this next chapter.

Trinova USA produces high-performance pinch valves and replacement sleeves, ideal for demanding environments with high abrasion. Made in the USA, these valves and sleeves are widely used in industrial settings, wastewater treatment, power generation, and other rugged applications.

As controller, my job essentially boils down to two things: support our branches and ensure that Leap Partners has the cash flow to fund further acquisitions.  I want to share with you the three fundamental lessons I’ve learned to achieve these goals.