Oatey Co. announced that Central Sales Inc. (CSI) is now Oatey’s manufacturer representative in Nebraska and Iowa. The change comes as a result of CSI’s recent acquisition of In Depth Marketing, which was effective January 3. All In Depth Marketing employees have joined the CSI team.

The latest people news within the PHCP-PVF industry and supply chain.

APR Supply Co. announced it has partnered with Podium to offer its contractors a solution to improve their customer experience with award-winning interaction management. Podium is a communication and payments platform that uses the simple power of texting to empower businesses to get more reviews, convert website traffic, collect payments and send promotions.

On Dec. 16, the U.S. Department of Energy officially reversed weakened showerhead standards adopted under the previous administration. Since 1994, showerheads have been limited to a 2.5-gallon-per-minute (gpm) standard, and in 2013 this requirement was amended to ensure the 2.5-gpm standard applies to fixtures with more than one showerhead. The rules adopted in 2020 allowed each individual showerhead to meet the 2.5-gpm standard (for example, a fixture with three showerheads could use 7.5 gpm), while also exempting body sprays from the standard.

Joining Plumbing Manufacturers International at the start of 2022, Uponor North America is set to work alongside other PMI members to meet challenges relating to labor, supply chain, sustainability and more.

After 56 years of significant expansion and growth, the Abeling family has transitioned 100% of the company’s total ownership to all the employees of the company through a qualified retirement plan known as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (or ESOP). All eligible employees will be granted shares of Company stock each year, at no cost, allowing them to earn ownership over time through their service to the company and accumulate tax-deferred retirement wealth. Consumers Pipe & Supply Co. joins a group of elite 100% employee-owned companies across the U.S.  

When Supply House Times reached out to me to ask if I would consider writing a quarterly column providing readers with updates on what is happening in the world of codes and standards I jumped at the chance. So beginning with this introductory column I will begin providing you with what I hope to be valuable information on codes and standards changes impacting your business.

Water heater manufacturer Rinnai America Corp. has been working for the last three years with a state department of corrections to upgrade the water heating systems in five prison facilities. This initiative, Jason Tuttle, Rinnai America’s commercial business manager for the North Central region, notes, had a goal to increase the facility’s overall efficiencies.

In October, Coburn’s honored General Manager Bill Geyser who retired after 46 years of service with the company. With Bill's retirement and with the continued growth of Coburn's, the company has made changes to its personnel and leadership in the Southwest Louisiana and Texas markets, taking effect immediately.

ASA’s monthly sales report shows November 2021 results that reflect another month of robust performance compared to the same month a year ago. The year-to-date and trailing 12-month figures remained strong when compared against 2020, a year that had multiple weeks, if not months of closures or partial closures, ASA business intelligence partner Industry Insights, which produces the monthly sales report for ASA members, noted.