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December has always been my favorite month of the year. And it’s not just because it’s my birthday month! It’s also not because of the holidays — though I do enjoy spending time celebrating with family and friends. 

The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and many are planning to age in place. As the body ages, the use of plumbing fixtures changes. The aging body no longer has the strength and flexibility of the younger body.

On New Year’s Eve, 2020, many plumbers toasted the end to the unpredictable year. Everyone looked forward to a return to normality in 2021. Uh, yeah. So, what about 2022? Here are 11 predictions for the next year.

Supply chain disruptions are ever present and show no signs of going away anytime in the near — or perhaps distant — future.

As you are well aware, our incredible industry has been experiencing massive growth for the last couple of years. We have been seeing contractors post record months for both sales and profitability at unprecedented levels. It seems there has finally even been a shift from how this industry is viewed from the outside.

A young guy who was about the size of Bruno Mars came to my seminar once, and we were chatting during a break. I asked him how long he had been in the business. It’s good to see young people getting involved.

I recently reviewed a project in which a municipal building was being connected to a district heating system supplied by pellet-fueled boilers.

The shortage of skilled labor in the trades and service industries was already a chronic problem when COVID-19 emerged. The disruptions and economic consequences of the pandemic have exacerbated the issue and made it a national crisis. 

It’s hard to believe November is just around the corner. Not because the year has seemingly flown by or anything, but because Southeastern Michigan was still experiencing 80° F muggy days in mid-October. It’s been crazy!