Whether you’re bringing on new team members or looking to build a more cohesive group within your current team, the first box you need to check is whether or not you’ve clearly defined each role. This foundational step not only keeps everyone on the same page and working toward the same goals, it also makes your team easier to manage.

Businesses are facing major changes in the way they operate and the way they interact with clients, partners and suppliers. These changes, which are rooted in uncertainty, often challenge our business confidence as leaders at the highest level.

Are you struggling to move on from past mistakes? Many leaders in the trades find themselves in this position at some point in their careers. It can be difficult to let go of what's happened and focus on the future, but it's essential for your continued success. This month, I’m sharing some tips on how to move forward despite past mistakes.

In order to be an effective leader, you need to first understand what leadership actually is. Many people mistakenly believe that leadership is simply overseeing a group or organization. However, there's much more to it than that. Effective leaders possess a number of qualities that allow them to successfully navigate through challenges and inspire others to do the same.

The most effective leaders understand that leadership is more than just giving orders and dictating how things should be done. It’s about understanding the unique needs of everyone in your company (or department) and finding a way to lead in a fair and compassionate manner.

As service business leaders, we often focus blindly on the results — key performance indicators, sales targets and other specific goals. But when it comes to success in any industry, relationships are often much more important than simply reaching a result-based goal. This is especially true for plumbing contractors who need trust and cooperation from our manufacturers, distributors, clients and other partners to succeed call after call, day after day.

For business leaders in the plumbing contracting industry, it is crucial to understand that problems always hold solutions. Instead of shying away from them or seeking ways to avoid bumpy roads and obstacles, we should embrace challenges.

 A concept gaining widespread interest is that of the self-managing company. The aim? To liberate leaders from operational minutiae, paving the way for strategic foresight and innovation.

The service industry needs both data and emotion. Emotional intelligence is crucial to balance them. Strive to understand the 'why' behind the numbers, promote emotional intelligence, pilot programs, open feedback channels, and keep an eye on the long game.

There’s no doubt about it, concern over water quality is becoming more prevalent. One just had to walk the trade show floor during the 2022 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) to see plenty of new water filtration and management systems, some even dispensing sparkling water by user preference.

Franklin Water Treatment provides products, services, and system solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial point-of-use and point-of-entry water treatment products, in a wide variety of markets and applications.

Appendix M of the IAPMO Uniform Plumbing Code, or the Water Demand Calculator, was integrated into the California Plumbing Code on July 1. It provides a new method for sizing water pipes in residential buildings. For Villara Corp., a leading plumbing and HVAC contractor in Northern California, it remains business as usual, having used the calculator for over five years to construct over 5,000 single-family homes.

After working together at a national plumbing franchise, Jeff Morgan and Bob Miller knew there had to be a better way to treat plumbers. So, in 1997, they decided to leave and start their own company, and Morgan Miller Plumbing was born.

REHAU’s EVERLOC+ R-20 manifold connectors for hydronic applications support leak-free reliability in a one-piece assembly including an EVERLOC+ insert with a pre-installed O-ring and swivel nut.

Key actions at the plant in Hutchinson included focusing on electricity consumption, energy efficiency and the use of green electricity since 2021. These measures have reduced the site’s emissions by about 94% as compared to the baseline year 2019. 

This facility marks NSF's first laboratory within continental Europe, offering in-house certification testing for NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 (Drinking Water Chemicals – Health Effects) and NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 (Drinking Water System Components – Health Effects) standards.

 The 71st Annual Meeting of the Membership will be held as part of the PMI25 Manufacturing Success Conference from Nov. 3-6, 2025, at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago. 

REHAU’s proprietary compression-sleeve fitting technology expands with EVERLOC+ R-20 manifold connectors for hydronic applications. R-20 connectors support leak-free reliability in a one-piece assembly.

The Vitocrossal 200 CI2 is the most advanced, compact floor-standing gas condensing boiler designed for large residential and commercial applications.

Armstrong introduces Design Envelope Permanent Magnet pumps (up to 60hp), delivering 20% lower operating costs and highly accurate flow metering (+/- 5%).

The global CEO of Edelman talks about PR’s strong performance in Cannes, his agency’s financial year, areas of interest for acquisitions and much more.

The Weber Shandwick CEO talks about why she decided to retire — yet stay far away from “retirement” — this fall and discusses her agency’s success across categories at Cannes.

The founder and CEO of the Acceleration Community of Companies drops by a special Halloween edition of PRWeek’s podcast.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity of visiting the Mostra Convegno Expocomfort show in Milan, Italy. It ranks right up there with the famous ISH show in Frankfurt, Germany, as a “bucket list” event for those who are passionate about hydronic heating and plumbing.

As businesses and homeowners across the nation wrestle with inflation and stretching their dollars for maximum value, one area that can’t be overlooked is the heating system.

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.

Right-sized, on-demand packaging solutions empower companies to optimize their processes, reducing waste and minimizing their carbon footprint.

PACT has developed a specially designed, corrugated crate that some customers have been able to use over one hundred times.

Industry-wide competition celebrates greatest achievements and innovations at SuperCorrExpo.

With every new consulting client, I begin our work by asking the following: “How are you judging your staff’s performance?”

You may think you are too small to have a fleet manager, or so big you need a full-time fleet manager, and neither of those things is necessarily true.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal recently announced Uponor North America is the 2020 Manufacturing Sustainability Award honoree recognizing the commitment to conserving water, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency and empowering labor.

Energy independence, anti-dumping laws aid slow return to power.

Infrastructure will continue to be an issue in 2018 and beyond.

A ‘differentiation standard’ can help you stand out from the rest as a top contractor.

Confined space work is not limited to descending into compact areas, so it’s important to be prepared for safety both above and below ground.

In 2016, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) empowered miners with a new wearable device according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NIOSH researchers have documented that a continual personal dust monitor has created a 90% decrease in dangerous levels of dust for miners reducing pneumoconiosis (black lung).

Compared to 10-15 years ago, companies are safer. Whether it’s tighter regulations, more awareness, enhanced experience, technology improvements or other factors, companies are doing a better job keeping their employees safe at the workplace. However, that number has plateaued over the last couple of years—the total incident rate per 100 workers has not changed significantly since 2017.

A manufacturing plant has been dealing with hot machinery and punishing Texas heat. The buildings are made of tin with little insulation. That means it gets really hot. They solved this issue with evaporative coolers.

Exhibitor applications for A+A 2021, International Trade Fair with Congress for Safety, Security and Health at Work, are now available online at www.aplusa-online.com. The deadline for reserving exhibit space at A+A 2021 is December 1, 2020. The event will be held from October 26 – 29, 2021at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Protective Industrial Products, Inc. (“PIP^®”), a leading supplier of hand protection and PPE to the industrial, construction, and retail markets, proudly announces the acquisition of Primax Manufacturing & Trading, Inc. (“Primax”) and its innovative Caiman^® brand, headquartered in La Mirada, CA. PIP^® is a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity (“Audax”).

The company is accused of failing to protect workers from dangerous silica dust, leading to serious health issues.

Cold stress may not be as well-known as heat stress, but when the temperature drops, it can pose a significant danger.

Metal stamping manufacturing processes can quickly and cleanly create solid metal parts for a wide range of needs and industries. Small metal parts make up some of the most important pieces when creating larger scale items.

True to its reputation of providing unparalleled protective welding gear for over 90 years, the John Tillman Company announced its new MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding glove.

These new services join a comprehensive suite of consulting services offered by J. J. Keller, a leader in safety and regulatory compliance for 70 years. 

Contractor Management is a standalone solution that works within KPA’s Flex software suite for an all-in-one solution to manage compliance and workplace EHS.

The advisory board of A+A, the leading international trade fair with congress for safety, security and health at work, will soon be under new leadership. 

Final Fit Safety was founded by Mr. Howard Leight, long considered a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of ear plug-type hearing protectors for over 50 years. 

With such a strong desire to be connected, why don’t we feel this same need to be connected through the safety equipment at work?