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Kohler’s Arizona manufacturing facility receives award from U.S. Department of Energy for decarbonization project

Selected as one of 33 projects in the U.S., the funding will be matched by Kohler investment to support the Electric Boiler & Microgrid project at its manufacturing site in Casa Grande, Arizona.




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Ranpak’s Cut’it!™ EVO Multi-Lid allows four unique branded lids on a single machine

Packaging solution automatically shortens cartons to match their highest point of filling and then glues a lid securely in place, reducing material usage and costs.




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FDA: Some PFAS Used for Food Packaging No Longer Being Sold in United States

In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration obtained commitments from manufacturers to cease sales for food contact use of grease-proofing substances that contain certain types of PFAS.




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Al Levi: Sharpening the axe before you need it company culture

It was still hot and sweaty in the midday sun just a couple of days after Labor Day in New York, and at first glance, you’d think we were out in the yard in the dead of winter.




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Al Levi: Distance learning works

I’ll admit it. I was skeptical that distance learning could be a worthwhile experience for service contractors. 




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Al Levi: Marketing needs great testimonials

When we see a testimonial, we know someone else has already tested the waters for us. Especially in today’s crowded marketplace, you need something that sets your contracting company apart.




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Bridging the gap with virtual training

Located in Louisville, Kentucky, Zoeller’s state-of-the-art training facility, the Center for Excellence, has been drawing contractors, engineers and distributors in for product training over the past five years. 




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PEX pipe and tubing freeze-break resistance and benefits addressed in new technical report

The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) published a new technical report related to the break resistance of PEX pipe and tubing when fluid inside becomes frozen.




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Tips on maintaining high-efficiency boilers

Popular high-efficiency boilers tend to be more expensive at installation, but lower utility bills pay customers back over time. 




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PM Profile: Uponor's Aaron Stotko, Andrew Koppi and Stephanie Radel

Uponor North America launched its new Complete Polymer Solution for commercial-piping applications in the U.S. 




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Plumbing & Mechanical Top 20 Products of 2021

Each year, Plumbing & Mechanical editors receive thousands of product releases from industry manufacturers. The 20 products highlighted here have earned the distinction of being PM’s Top Products of 2021 based on the number of page views on pmmag.com. Congratulations to those products on this year’s list.




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Contractors create in-house training facilities to home-grow plumbing, HVAC techs

Every industry in the United States is currently feeling the constraints of the labor shortage. Employers continue to struggle to bring in new workers and keep existing ones. Job openings far outnumber individuals looking for work — in March, there were 11.5 million jobs to fill, and not enough workers to fill them, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. 




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UA builds toward the future with 68th annual Instructor Training Program

The week includes classroom instruction, an International Apprentice Contest, certification exams and demonstrations and a graduation ceremony in which 170 will be honored for their completion of the certificate program and an additional 45 will earn associate degrees from WCC.




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Informe audio de CNH no disponible

Informe audio de CNH no disponible




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Nicole Krawcke: Doing good is good branding

Businesses don’t succeed in a vacuum — and that is true in all industries, including plumbing, HVAC and electrical contracting businesses. Thankfully, contracting business owners are not on their own and don’t have to learn to “reinvent the wheel.” There are a number of industry associations and best practice organizations available to help.




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Nicole Krawcke: Industry focuses on training the next generation of plumbers




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Nicole Krawcke: Help the plumbing industry recognize young talent

BNP Media’s Plumbing Group, which includes Plumbing & Mechanical, PM Engineer and Supply House Times, is launching our inaugural Next Gen All Star —Top 20 Under 40 contest.




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Nicole Krawcke: Americans care about drinking water

I was lucky enough to be able to take a week off from work at the beginning of July. Though we attended so many family functions and get-togethers, I almost felt I needed another vacation to recover from my first vacation. Ever had one of those?




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Nicole Krawcke: Industry focuses on training the next generation of plumbers

According to a Gallup study, only one in three workers in the U.S. strongly agree that they received recognition or praise for doing good work in the past seven days. At any given company, it's not uncommon for employees to feel that their best efforts are routinely ignored.




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Nicole Krawcke: The war on fossil fuels

As members of Congress debate the very science behind “climate change,” there are a slew of cities — and now one state — taking matters into their own hands and enacting natural gas bans for new construction buildings.




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Nicole Krawcke: Recruiting the next skilled trades workforce

As I write this month’s column, I’m attending Plumbing Manufacturer’s International annual Manufacturing Success conference in Louisville, Kentucky. PMI has done a great job with its programming content this year, especially with keynote presenter Andrew Winston, a corporate environmental strategist and author, who discussed how today’s companies are now expected to take a stand against the world’s social and environmental problems — and in doing so, earn a profit.




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Nicole Krawcke: Technology and trends to watch in 2023

Does anybody else feel like 2022 just flew right by, or is it just me? It seems too early for Christmas decorations and music — just a few short weeks ago, Michigan was still having 70-degree weather! But ‘tis the season!




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Nicole Krawcke: Plumbers can do their part to protect water for future generations

As the water receded from Lake Mead this past year, all the major news headlines focused on the human remains it revealed. Very rarely did any mention the ecosystem in crisis as trees, fish and other aquatic creatures, birds and other species are dying out as they are left out to dry.




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Nicole Krawcke: Empowering women in the trades

When I first started working for Plumbing & Mechanical’s sister publication, The ACHR NEWS in 2014, I was often the only woman in the room at industry events. Those first few conferences were just a bit intimidating. In fact, it wasn’t until a HARDI annual conference that I first met other women in the industry — shout out to Colleen Keyworth, director of sales and marketing for Online-Access and immediate past president of Women in HVACR, for her immediate friendship then and for all the years since!




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Nicole Krawcke: Discussing bath and kitchen trends with the pros

BNP Media’s Plumbing Group is finally settling back in after a whirlwind of travel this past month. We’ve been racking up those frequent flier miles attending NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), IMARK Plumbing, the AHR Expo and the WWETT show. While there was a ton to see at each event, for the purposes of this column, we’re going to focus on KBIS.




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Nicole Krawcke: The war on forever chemicals

Last month, the Biden-Harris Administration announced it is proposing the first-ever national drinking water standard for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The proposal, if finalized, would regulate PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants, and will regulate four other PFAS — PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX Chemicals — as a mixture.




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Nicole Krawcke: Saluting the plumbing industry's next generation

Many of us have heard the term, ‘The Great Resignation,’ in describing the massive amount of employee turnover the last few years. In 2021, federal data shows nearly 50 million workers left their jobs for various reasons — higher pay, new career opportunities and more. With an already strained job market in the skilled trades, employee retention is more important than ever.




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Nicole Krawcke: ChatGPT: Revolutionizing the plumbing industry

A few weeks back I was having a conversation with a plumbing and HVAC contracting business owner. During the beginning of our discussion, he abruptly told me, “I just use ChatGPT to do your job.”




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Nicole Krawcke: Use exit interviews to strengthen your plumbing company

In my years in the workforce, I’ve had jobs with amazing bosses and managers. On the flip side, I’ve also had terrible managers who made me question whether or not I wanted to stay in that organization.




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Driver’s training for the trades

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the number of teenagers who have driver’s licenses have declined. You wouldn’t think this matters to the home service contracting industry, but it does.




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Contractors should prioritize giving back to their communities

Generosity is the new marketing. In this era of social media, charitable companies can earn an enhanced brand reputation as being a “good” company and will make people want to do business with them.




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ICC celebrates 30th Anniversary in 2024

Dive into 30 years of plumbing safety with the ICC! The code gurus celebrate their anniversary and sponsor "American Plumber Stories" to inspire future generations.




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Ensure clear, effective communication with customers and your team.

I reached out to some of the best coaches in the industry for some perspective on communicating clearly and effectively with customers and each other and best practices for how contractors should handle communication breakdowns.




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Inflation Reduction Act marks second anniversary

Last month marked the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the most significant U.S. federal action on climate change. With over $369 billion allocated to energy and climate programs, the IRA has driven unprecedented growth in renewable energy, boosting solar, wind, and battery storage, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions and lowering energy costs.




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Morris Beschloss: Millennials help shape housing market in 2018

Meanwhile, the fate of the estate tax could affect small businesses for years to come.




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Marketing Magic: 8 local SEO tips for plumbing and mechanical contractors

Many plumbing contractors ask the question: “What is the best way to advertise my business locally?”




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Training to be a plumber in Ghana

Despite not having electric tools, these young plumbers make it work.




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Dan Holohan: Electrification may become more mainstream, but not overnight

Morris had me on the phone. It was 1974 and he was calling from Brooklyn, New York. I had a waxed handlebar mustache that year, and my workmates at the manufacturers’ rep were calling me Rollie Fingers because he was pitching for the Oakland Athletics in the World Series.




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Dan Holohan: The importance of training and educating yourself on the equipment you work on

It was one of those days at HeatingHelp.com when the old guys had the floor. One of the regulars, a retired (and understandably crotchety) fella from Canada had this to say:




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Women can work in mechanical rooms

Another photo appeared and this one had a woman in it. She was holding a long wrench and the business end was attached to one of the risers to the boiler’s drop-header.




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Longtime Plumbing Group columnist says goodbye

Hello, old friend. I’m writing today to say thanks, and to say farewell. This will be my last column.




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How to deliver in-depth safety learning

Deloitte (2014) describes the modern learner in its infographic, “Meet the Modern Learner.” The infographic shows multiple constraints employees face when developing necessary skills. Many writers and training professionals interpret this to say that people today learn differently. Learning has evolved with the office.




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ISHN 2014 Readers' Choice Awards — Winning products announced

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for today's top safety products in ISHN’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the second-annual list of winning entries.




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ISHN 2015 Readers' Choice Awards winning products announced

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online March 1 - May 1 in ISHN's 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the third-annual list of winning entries. All 42 category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media as well as a glass award commemorating their category achievement!




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NIOSH to offer free black lung screenings for coal miners

The screenings are designed to support the early detection of black lung disease, a serious but preventable illness caused by prolonged exposure to coal mine dust.




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Maintaining hygiene regulations in food processing

This relentless commitment to cleanliness is critical in navigating the complex regulatory compliance landscape, ensuring your facility stands out for all the right reasons. 




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Advisory committee unanimously recommends OSHA advance proposed heat safety rule

As part of the rulemaking process, the agency will seek and consider input from a ride range of stakeholders and the public at-large as it works to propose and finalize its rule.




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NIOSH offers free heat-stress prevention resources for employers and mine workers

Mine workers are experiencing an increase in dangerous health effects from heat exposure as surface temperatures get hotter and underground mines get deeper.




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$10.5M in gov funding available to support mine safety, health training, education

Grant applications must be submitted by August 20, 2024, and grants will be awarded on or before Sept. 30, 2024.




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Silica protocols should include proper ventilation and cleaning process

Silica is released into the air during the construction process and breathing it in can lead to cancer. Use this guide to learn how to work safely with silica in every setting.