The Mechanical Contractors of America has teamed up with PM and Ecoflex as co-sponsor of a tour of the world's largest plumbing and heating trade show.

The Mechanical Contractors of America, through its Plumbing Contractors of America (PCA) subsidiary, has teamed up with PM and Ecoflex as co-sponsor of a tour of the world's largest plumbing and heating trade show. The ISH Fair will be held in Frankfurt, Germany, next March 27 to April 1. More than 230,000 visitors from around the world are expected to see more than 750,000 sq. ft. of plumbing-heating exhibits.

PCA, formerly the National Plumbing Bureau, will be holding its first annual educational conference Sept. 21-23 at the St. Louis Airport Marriott. Plumbing-specific topics include job costing, safety and marketing, and there will be a tool display at the opening session. Ecoflex will sponsor a continental breakfast at the opening session Sept. 22, with a short presentation promoting ISH 2001 and MCAA's partnership with the tour.

The PM/Ecoflex/MCAA guests will stay on a riverboat hotel docked on Frankfurt's Main River, within walking distance or a short cab ride from the exposition. This is no small consideration, for the ISH show typically fills up all hotel rooms in the vicinity of Frankfurt. Better hotels in proximity to the show site charge upwards of $400 a night for rooms often inferior to our riverboat accommodations.

For 2001, Ecoflex has rented the Amadeus, a boat even bigger and more luxurious than the comfortable facility where guests stayed in 1999. The Amadeus includes spacious cabins, a gourmet restaurant, full bar, gym facilities, Internet access, television and telephone services.

Other highlights of the PM/ Ecoflex/ MCAA tour:

• The end of the tour will include spending Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, in Prague, one of Europe's preeminent business, cultural and architectural centers.

• The daily schedule in Frankfurt will consist of an on-board breakfast program with industry speakers, followed by transport to and from ISH.

• Each night will be filled with entertainment and dining experiences in the cosmopolitan city's leading international restaurants and hofbraus.

All accommodations, travel within Europe, breakfast and evening meals, entrance fees to ISH and sightseeing excursions are included within a single price of $2,500, or $3,900 for double occupancy rooms. Airfare to and from the United States is not included, but assistance is available for helping guests obtain reasonably priced air tickets.

Prime on-board rooms with a river view and other amenities will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis to those who sign up for the tour with a deposit. To register or for further information, contact Ecoflex representative Anne Coffelt at coffelt@well.com, or 707/939-9410.

For background about ISH or other industry-related information, contact PM Editorial Director Jim Olsztynski at wrdwzrd@aol.com or 847/297-3714.

For information about PCA, call 301/869-5800.