A colleague commented early today, “Gee, you seem very awake this morning, Katie.” And I swear I’m not a coffee drinker or a Red Bull pounder. But I respond well to motivation, and I was nothing if not motivated at the Bradford White Breakfast during Network ’08. Besides getting some great swag (including a Georgia-themed gift basket with grits, peach cookies and pecans), but VP Sales & Marketing Bruce Carnevale presented the company's “Perfect Candidate Campaign” for its brand of heating equipment.

No, new president Nick Giuffre doesn’t have his eyes on Capitol Hill, but the company has cleverly taken a political-theme approach to getting their products in the hands of its customers. Including presenting their “platform,” and asking for the PHCC members’ “votes” with their purchasing choices. “Here is where we stand on the issues,” Bruce said tongue-in-cheek, and those issues of course include economy, energy … hey! just like the national campaign, right? (OK, I won’t get into all that, I promise.)

But President Nick stated firmly that plumbing professionals should take heart: The new sophisticated products that will save on energy and ultimately save end-users on utility bills “can only be sold, sized and installed by the professional.” And that Bradford White will continue to support the professional chain. “We’re asking for your support as well.”

Day Two at ISH was quick to heat up for me. Right after breakfast it was off to the GWCC to hear Julius Ballanco speak on water reuse and reclamation ― greywater. But, aha! Did you know all those words don’t mean the same thing? (I didn’t.) Julius explained exactly how the codes define the semantics, which really makes a significant difference in the way the water can be used and where. “What I talk about today should scare the bejesus out of you,” Julius told the group of more than 26 seminar attendees. Since the 1920s in America, we've been protecting the health of the nation through codes and proper sanitation ― clean water ― and now with the installation of some lavender-colored pipe we’re having to rethink all our principles! (Well it’s more complicated than just coloring the pipe, but PM will continue to write-up the specifics within its pages soon.) Plumbers will actually be actively using water that’s, well, really not “up-to-snuff.” Amazing where “green” has taken us, isn’t it? It’s not exactly back-to-the-outhouse, but it certainly could be considered a shake-up.

At the Stevens Pump booth, Geoff Stevens (above) had a working model of its newest sub-pump system.

On the show floor I continued to visit more booths and press more flesh. To be honest, I’ve still not made it to many of my heating buddies on the other side of the show floor. But there’s still Friday, so there’s more to come. First on my stops was with Stevens Pump. I commiserated with Geoff Stevens about the local flooding problems that occurred in our home state of Illinois a few weeks ago. While neither of us flooded personally, we saw first-hand its damages just blocks away. But Geoff also acknowledged the problems faced by hurricane survivors and the rest of the Midwest’s flooding in the spring. The company (celebrating its 50-year anniversary) is currently meeting the nation’s demand for its submersible back-up pump systems. He touched on the challenges facing professional plumbers as well, and revealed that he believes professionals need to continue to upsell during these times. “If customers are upgrading toilets, faucets and everything else in the home, why not the sub-pump as well?” he told me. I agree. This is the perfect time to show customers how Stevens’ new DC3010AL model can give them peace of mind. Especially with its built-in alarm systems.

Every time I see the Eternal Hybrid from Grandhall at a tradeshow I learn something new. This go-round was no different. At ISH I learned it is both flow and temperature controlled, and that its exhaust temp rarely rises above 155 degrees F, which Fred Hoffmann and his team told me was a good indication of efficiency (all the Btus are absorbed and reused into the water). Its minimal to no pressure drop was also the top selling point for this type of unit, according to my conversation at the booth.

The company also gave me a scoop, which I always appreciate: Eternal’s new Factory Authorized Service Technician (FAST) training is a new program being developed to get contractors trained on the installation of Eternal. It should roll-out soon at various places around the country. I’ll be sure to pass on dates/locations when they’re available. (Click here to sign up for my Radiant & Hydronics e-News, where I’ll break the news.)

Happy Birthday to Ken Cornwall with ProVent Systems. He was working the show on his special day, and I hope he had time to celebrate. But I’m glad he was there, because Ken introduced a PVC Whisper-Quiet shell pipe to me ― even quieter than cast iron! The company’s single-stack system fits 3” and 4” stack sizes, allows for pipe expansion, and reduces labor and materials costs. With just two rings that snap over the stack and a two-piece sleeve system (again, just snapped in place) it results in a noise level 8x less than PVC and 3x less than cast iron.

The 'candlestick' ROMAX Compact press tool offers ergonomics and maneuverability.

Ready to talk tools? Dan Lucy with Rothenberger showed me the ROMAX Compact press tool, a lighterweight, non-drill-type model that is more maneuverable on the jobsite. It presses up to 1” fittings, and you can swap-out the jaws to press PEX fittings, too. Want bigger fittings? The tools are also RIDGID compatible, so it will work with existing jaws from previous press tool investments. Rothenberger’s new camera offering is able to handle those tougher, larger pipe inspections. It has 325-foot cable and 200-foot cables, which helps a lot, since typical manholes are 100 yards apart. It has a color monitor and a transponder built into it, so a locator can be used. It doesn’t have internal recording capabilities, but perhaps it has something more useful: one option is a personal media player attachment that allows you to record on-the-job, and then instantly playback and show the client what you’ve discovered.

Bryan May and associate at the MEPJobs.com booth.

Finding the right people for your business team continues to be a concern for contractors ― even as work slows. Find them on the Internet with a specialized online job board for mechanical, electrical and plumbing pros. MEP Jobs VP Sales Bryan May believes that a proactive, ongoing recruiting strategy will keep your company open to future growth opportunities. “Contractors understand that it’s their people who will ultimately differentiate them from their competition,” Bryan told me. “The right people know what to do in the tough times: how to sell, how to seek-out leads, how to form relationships.” MEPJobs.com has a holding bank of more than 22,000 resumes, and boasts more than 70,000 unique visitors to its site each month. The current job board fluctuates between 2,000 and 5,000 job postings. And what’s the hottest job right now? (You know I had to ask.) Controls and building automation, according to Bryan. Techs trained in the alternative energies (solar, geothermal and more) is also a big request.

Yep, that's me; trying out the new Sta-Tite system from Bemis.

As the day wore on ― and my feet began to ache ― it was nice to sit and talk with the folks at Bemis. But we didn’t rest long: They put me to work! After a great presentation from Bob Davis on the company’s breakthrough Sta-Tite Commercial Fastening System, I was on my knees installing and securing a toilet seat. “We took years researching the cause of loosened toilet seats,” Bob said. Loose seats are a major call-back problem, as you commercial service companies well know. Sta-Tite, however, gives the proper torque. Its glass-filled nylon nut reduces the friction during tightening compared to traditional stainless-on-stainless. According to the company’s lab testing, this new system provides as much clamping force at 80 to 100 in/lb as stainless steel does at 200 in/lb. Best part: when the exact torque is achieved, the lower section of the nut shears away ― I simply couldn’t over- or under-tighten. And let me assure you, that’s one secure seat.