Several Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) members and PMI’s federal government affairs consultant will address the industry’s most urgent water and regulatory issues at the 2022 Emerging Water Technology Symposium (EWTS). The event will take place from May 11-12, in San Antonio, Texas. Early bird registration runs to March 15.

Once again, Martin, the spokes-gecko for Geico insurance company, is rambling on about their amazing customer call center, immediate, on-the-job appraisals, replacement value and tremendous low rates. We hear the same tired story from Allstate, Progressive, State Farm and all the insurance companies. It’s at the point where they never say the word insurance.  That is because they are not selling insurance, they are selling peace of mind. Should anything happen to you or a member of your family they will make it all better. You have nothing to worry about.

One of the father-daughter activities myself and said daughter enjoy is listening to music on car rides, specifically anything in the 1970s-1980s genre. Apparently, my daughter is a teenager going on 40 years old. Her tastes range from The Carpenters to Twisted Sister and Vanilla Ice. Like father like daughter. As we were listening to a recent Motley Crue song, she indicated the band had a lot of hidden gems on B-sides of albums. Who would have known? That a today’s teenager knows what a B-side album is, now that’s impressive. “Too Young To Fall in Love” is one of my favorite underrated Crue songs, though I’m not sure if that was a B-sider or not.

In October 2021, OSHA released preliminary data for the top 10 most-cited standards in fiscal year 2021. The data includes violations cited between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021. The preliminary data was presented at the 2021 NSC Safety Congress and Expo by Patrick Kapust, deputy director of the Directorate of Enforcement Programs at OSHA.

NIBCO announced its Wrot Racer “Start Me Up” promotion to celebrate its next generation of push fittings that it recently launched. The multi-faceted promotion centers on the Wrot Racer C8 Corvette that will tour the U.S., making stops at distributor locations that have qualified. 

Ferguson's Business Development team recently donated nearly $520,000 worth of new tools to SkillsUSA state chapters, Rebuilding Together affiliates and Good360.

Backflow Direct has announced the launch of its updated and improved eCommerce store. This new site allows customers to order the products they need, but now with an even better user experience. 

HVAC RepCo received the “Crescent Cup” from John Erwin, Apex Tool Group market development director, when he announced HVAC RepCo won the Crescent Tools 2021 Rep Agency of the Year Award, during Crescent Tools National PHVAC Sales Meeting held at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas during the 2022 AHR Expo. 

Reed Manufacturing in Erie, Pennsylvania is celebrating 125 years of supplying industry with pipe tools and vises for the professional trades. Carl Reed, scion of one of Erie’s pioneer families, along with three partners, started the business in 1896. REED started by manufacturing pipe wrenches and plumbing supplies, as is still the case, but also scales, bicycles, and laundry machinery. 

SupplyHouse.com has made a $30,000 contribution to the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) Educational Foundation, plus provided another $30,000 in support for training and workforce development projects.