Lubbock, Texas — Simmons Pump LLC (Simmons) and Simflo Pumps Inc. (Simflo), two of the nation’s top providers of industrial, agriculture, and municipal-use pumps, have merged. The two companies will combine business operations throughout Q1 2018. The combined company will be privately held and operate under the SIMFLO name and brand. Simmons Pump LLC (Simmons) Read more
Industry News
Lubbock, Texas — Simmons Pump LLC (Simmons) and Simflo Pumps Inc. (Simflo), two of the nation’s top providers of industrial, agriculture, and municipal-use pumps, have merged. The two companies will combine business operations throughout Q1 2018. The combined company will be privately held and operate under the SIMFLO name and brand.
Simmons Pump LLC (Simmons) and Simflo Pumps Inc. (Simflo), two of the nation’s top providers of industrial, agriculture, and municipal-use pumps, have merged. The new combined company will be headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, and operate under the new SIMFLO name & brand (www.SIMFLO.com).
David Pickering, Jay Pickering, Don Pickering, and Gene Alexander (currently of Simmons) have been named executive officers of the new SIMFLO. The headquarters for the new company will be located in Lubbock, Texas, although SIMFLO will still have significant office presences in Willcox, Arizona (Simflo’s former headquarters) and in Garden City, Kansas.
All 120 employees of Simmons and Simflo have been retained. In addition, SIMFLO anticipates increasing its workforce by 10 percent this year alone and has plans of opening new locations in other U.S. markets in the near future.
“We are thrilled to join forces and merge with our highly regarded peer, Simmons Pump,” said Bob Denton, senior project manager at Simflo. “With Simflo’s renowned engineers, R&D labs and testing facilities, combined with the leadership of Simmons’ highly successful management team and industry-leading pump technologies, we are bullish in our ability to seize the green field opportunity ahead and become the market leader in our segment.”
The combined SIMFLO company will engineer, manufacture, source, and deliver best-in-class pump products and technologies for major industrial users, including municipal water services, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, chemicals, hydrocarbons, and saltwater extraction. The company’s offerings will remain American-made and manufactured.
“The combination of Simmons and Simflo is a highly strategic, value-enhancing step that brings together the unique strengths of two great companies to deliver best-in-class pump technologies and services to our customers across the U.S.,” said Troy Pickering, vice president of sales and marketing at Simmons. “We are a company built on not just quality, but principle. Our founder, Raymond Pickering, believed that each product we produce should be made state-side by American workers with the utmost attention to detail – and that holds true today. From our involvement with the foundries, to our manufacturing and assembly facilities, virtually every aspect of a SIMFLO pump is created in-house to provide the highest level of performance in the industry. Simply put, the new SIMFLO exists to ‘keep business flowing’.”
Orlando—An optimistic home building industry filled the exhibit halls of Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) hosted one of the largest turnouts in recent years at the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) Jan. 9-11. Home building professionals from around the world attended this year’s IBS–the biggest component of Read more
Orlando—An optimistic home building industry filled the exhibit halls of Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) hosted one of the largest turnouts in recent years at the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) Jan. 9-11.
Home building professionals from around the world attended this year’s IBS–the biggest component of the annual Design & Construction Week®, which also includes the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). The combined events drew more than 85,000 attendees. Of that total, about 60,000 were IBS registrants.
“Each and every year, a tremendous amount of work goes into making IBS an extremely valuable, can’t-miss event for anyone in residential construction,” said Geoff Cassidy, NAHB senior vice president of exhibitions and meetings. “And once again, the show was an incredible success with a palpable enthusiasm reflective of the momentum in the home building industry.”
Exhibit space for IBS also expanded from last year’s 569,000 square feet to this year’s 583,000 square feet, where more than 1,500 exhibitors displayed the latest in building products and technology. Many of the exhibitors noted the increased foot traffic this year.
“The show is back and we were extremely busy all week,” said Vicki Frye, director of corporate marketing for Ply Gem, a leading manufacturer of vinyl, steel and composite siding. “People are eager to know what’s new, so we had a lot of fun showing them a wide variety of real products for real projects, from entry-level and do-it-yourself, to higher price point homes.”
In addition to meeting suppliers and seeing product demos throughout the three-day show, attendees networked with peers and attended any of more than 140 education sessions led by industry experts on a wide range of industry topics.
“After attending just two [education] sessions, I already found exactly what I came for,” said Walt Schumm, a custom home builder and president of C.D., LLC in Crestwood, Ky. “I’ve made several new connections with whom I think we’ll strike up business relationships. Plus, it’s really interesting to see a huge presence from Asian and European vendors on the show floor. The products they’ve got on display are just unbelievable.”
Next year, IBS and Design & Construction Week will be held in Las Vegas Feb. 19-21, 2019.
Want to peek into the future of HVACR? Looking for ways to reduce labor, save on energy costs or be more eco-friendly? You can see it all next week at the 2018 AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition). If you haven’t registered yet, it’s not too late! The 2018 AHR Expo will be held Read more
Want to peek into the future of HVACR? Looking for ways to reduce labor, save on energy costs or be more eco-friendly? You can see it all next week at the 2018 AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition).
If you haven’t registered yet, it’s not too late! The 2018 AHR Expo will be held Jan. 22-24, 2018 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Register now at the AHR Expo registration website.
With 2,100+ exhibitors unveiling hundreds of new and upgraded products and technologies for the HVACR industry, it’s impossible to list them all. But here is a sample of the impressive variety of new and innovative solutions you can explore at the AHR Expo.
- VFDs (variable frequency drives) for HVAC applications—specifically designed for building automation applications, helping minimize energy costs and maximizing occupant comfort
- Upgraded Wi-Fi-connected thermostat technology that allows for control via iOS or Android apps, plus email notifications and advanced voice control
- A digitally controlled mixing valve that provides fast, accurate temperature control for domestic hot water applications
- New bionic impeller technology with a special blade design, modeled after the tubercles on a whale to ensure an optimized airflow angle and reduced flow separation on the blade surface
- A self-contained HVAC system for hazardous locations, designed to prevent an explosion by using only non-arcing components installed in a small, light increased safety enclosure
- An oscilloscope for testing motor shaft voltages, allowing contractors to determine if motors are at risk of premature bearing failure due to bearing currents
- New electrical test meter technology for reliable, true-RMS measurements in crowded junction boxes or along conductors with inaccessible ends points, saving time, minimizing potential errors, and greatly reducing the possibility of arc flash
- Software that allows engineers and designers to create air systems including both air handlers and rooftop units, including the tools to design complex hydronic, steam, plumbing and VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems along with control schematics
- An array of tools, including heavy-duty wire strippers built with the durability of pliers and the sharpness and precision of a wire stripper; thermal imaging technology with Wi-Fi that uses a slim IR camera with an integrated touch-screen; a handheld particle counter for indoor air quality investigations; and a copper line cleaning tool that removes contaminants from existing refrigeration and air conditioning lines
Whether you are a product designer, engineer, architect, installer, contractor or plant or building manager, the Show will provide you with a unique forum to share ideas with your peers, learn from industry experts, discover new products and find solutions to technical problems.
From complete systems engineered for large commercial and industrial buildings to labor-saving tools and profit-generating services for residential contractors, the AHR Expo will address the needs of every segment of the HVACR industry. A comprehensive, searchable directory of exhibitors and product categories is available at ahrexpo.com.
For other good reasons to attend, check out our article on the 120 free seminars, certifications and continuing education courses available from AHRAE as well as exhibitors at the Show.
The event is just days away, so make your plans now for the 2018 AHR Expo. We look forward to seeing you there.
Ontario, Calif. — The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has made available a Water Demand Calculator (WDC) that estimates peak water demand in residential buildings. The WDC will appear in the appendices of both the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code® (UPC) and the 2017 Water Efficiency and Sanitation Standard (WE•Stand). The 2018 UPC Read more
Ontario, Calif. — The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has made available a Water Demand Calculator (WDC) that estimates peak water demand in residential buildings. The WDC will appear in the appendices of both the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code® (UPC) and the 2017 Water Efficiency and Sanitation Standard (WE•Stand). The 2018 UPC and the 2017 WE•Stand are published as American National Standards.
The WDC provides an easy-to-use, statistically based method for estimating peak water supply demand for single- and multifamily residential dwellings, resulting in more accurately sized systems consistent with the lower flow rates and consumption values from water-efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances. To assist plumbing system designers and to encourage proper use and promote uniform application of the new approaches for estimating peak indoor demands, the WDC has been developed in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that can be downloaded at http://www.iapmo.org/WEStand/Pages/WaterDemandCalculator.aspx.
IAPMO initiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) and the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) to form a special task force to revise the methodology for properly estimating premise plumbing water supply demands in response to the increased use of water-conserving plumbing fixtures, fixture fittings and appliances, and the subsequent decreased demand for water in single- and multi-family residences.
The WDC eliminates the need to count fixture units and replaces an outdated design curve that does not take modern water flows into account. To facilitate easy usage, the WDC simply requires the input of the number of plumbing fixtures for the building supply or the individual branches and risers and directly computes the peak demand by seamlessly applying a complex statistical formula that works behind the scenes. Once the WDC determines peak demand, currently applied and well-established procedures that appear in Appendix A of the UPC and other model plumbing codes are followed to determine pipe sizing. Use of the WDC is estimated to provide between a 15 to 65 percent reduction in water demand estimates, depending of the size of the residential structure, when compared to current pipe sizing methods.
“I am very pleased with the outcome of this six-year study and to present the first new method for estimating peak demand since Dr. Hunter’s innovative curve from 1940 to the plumbing engineering community,” said Dan Cole, Senior Director of Technical Services for IAPMO and Secretariat for WE•Stand. “With the use of the new WDC, we are finally bringing Hunter into the 21st century. For now, the WDC is applicable for only residential dwellings from single-family to multi-family apartment dwellings. However, our work is far from done. Along with ASPE and WQRF, we are already in the planning phases for a nonresidential-use WDC and possibly an associated app so that the plumbing design community can easily access and use this new important tool.”
For specific information about the Water Demand Calculator or feedback on the results from using it, please contact Dan Cole at dan.cole@iapmo.org.
Waco, Texas—Dwyer Franchising, LLC (“Dwyer Group”), one of the world’s largest franchising companies of trade service brands, has announced the largest Women in the Trade (WITT) Scholarship class since the program was launched in 2012 by Dina Dwyer-Owens, co-chair of Dwyer Group. Eight recipients were awarded a scholarship for the upcoming 2018 spring semester for Read more
Waco, Texas—Dwyer Franchising, LLC (“Dwyer Group”), one of the world’s largest franchising companies of trade service brands, has announced the largest Women in the Trade (WITT) Scholarship class since the program was launched in 2012 by Dina Dwyer-Owens, co-chair of Dwyer Group. Eight recipients were awarded a scholarship for the upcoming 2018 spring semester for their outstanding work, experience and passion for their chosen service trades industry.
The WITT initiative is one of the most recognizable efforts to educate and promote the hiring of women for traditionally male-dominated roles in the trades industry. The scholarships are available to women working towards a career in the trades, to students studying for a career in the trades, or to front-line female employees at franchise locations for any of Dwyer Group’s service brands. To-date the WITT program has awarded a total of $49,000 to 35 scholarship recipients.
“We are thrilled to see this program continue to grow year after year,” said Dwyer-Owens. “These eight women awarded the scholarships have shown their commitment to advancing their careers in the service trades, and we here at Dwyer Group are proud to contribute to their continued success.”
The 2018 WITT spring recipients include two-time recipient Brenda Hart of Dacano, CO, who is working towards a career in HVAC. Hart has come a long way from an office worker and is now halfway complete with her HVAC certification. She credits her change of career to watching Dwyer-Owens on an episode of Undercover Boss episode, which aired six years ago.
Scholarship recipients also include: Lauren Cassa of Hamilton, ON, Cheyenne Benge of Yakima, WA, and Shelley Malloy of Bath, MI, pursuing careers in HVAC; Lubelia Gocool of Phoenix, AZ, pursuing a career in restoration; Jacqueline Chouanard of Oshawa, ON, pursuing a master appliance repair technician certification; and Kristen Vance and Mary Joan Millane of Suwanee, GA, both enrolling in courses to become Certified remodeling Project Managers.
Gocool, Chouanard, Vance, Millane and Hart are all employed by franchisees of Dwyer Group brands.
“The need for skilled service tradespeople is at an all-time high and at Dwyer Group we are focused on ways to recruit dedicated and high-quality people for these jobs,” said Dwyer-Owens. “The WITT scholarships are just a starting point for these women as they begin to make great strides within their desired trade industry.”
The WITT scholarship is open to women 18 and older interested in pursuing a career in the trades and covers tuition, books, travel and/or fees. Funds can be applied to any accredited trade or technical school or certification program in the United States or Canada for specialties including: HVAC, plumbing, electrical repair, glass repair and replacement, appliance repair, restoration, painting, landscaping, residential cleaning or handyman services.
Candidates are evaluated based upon financial needs, previous work experience and their passion for their chosen industry. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.dwyergroup.com/women-in-trades.asp or email WITT@dwyergroup.com.