Falls Church, Va. — “Use the Tools You Have” was a theme of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) Educational Foundation’s popular Essentials of Project Management class last week. Twenty-two attendees engaged in the highly interactive and intense four-day class conducted March 13- 16. The event was held at the Viega Training Facility in Nashua, New Read more
Industry News
Falls Church, Va. — “Use the Tools You Have” was a theme of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) Educational Foundation’s popular Essentials of Project Management class last week. Twenty-two attendees engaged in the highly interactive and intense four-day class conducted March 13- 16. The event was held at the Viega Training Facility in Nashua, New Hampshire, with lead instruction from Purdue University Professor Emeritus Kirk Alter.
Several of the attendees in this session were newly promoted to project management from positions in the field. “As project managers, you still must work with tools to get your job done,” said Alter. “But those tools are the software we use to document, analyze and report job information.”
Attendees of the 2024 PHCC Essentials of Project Management class conducted March 13-16, 2024. Sponsored and hosted by Viega at their Training Facility in Nashua, New Hampshire.
During class, the attendees were tasked one evening with using spreadsheets to analyze the status of a construction project just from a single monthly work in progress (WIP) report. The following morning, Alter guided attendees through how they could pull an incredible amount of detail out of the software about cash flow, profitability, the competence of management on the project, the relationship with the customer, areas of strength and exactly where things went wrong.
“This is just a spreadsheet program. It has been around for decades and every single one of you have it on your computer – but have any of you used it this way?” asked Alter. The attendees also learned how to quickly use software to build a project schedule to submit with their proposal and how artificial intelligence could simplify processes. “Now that you have seen what you can do, use the tools you have and look for others that can help you become an even better project manager!”
Viega sponsored and hosted the project management class at their New Hampshire Training Facility, providing the training room, A/V, meals for the attendees and more.
“We are very grateful to have the support from Viega for this class,” said John Zink, Vice President of Development and Communications, PHCC Educational Foundation. “Their generous hosting creates a great experience for our attendees and makes our program more accessible than other similar industry training programs.”
The Foundation will be conducting a two-day Creating Super Foremen workshop at Viega’s Training Facility May 3-4, with Kirk Alter again providing instruction. Visit https://phccfoundation.org/essentials for more information and to register.
In celebration of International Data Center Day, Watts has announced the ‘Chill and Skill Data Center Cooling eLearning Challenge.’ This 6-week, eLearning campaign, running from March 20 to April 30, is specifically designed to educate industry professionals about Watts’ family of solutions designed for data center hydronic cooling systems. Participants will have free access to Read more
In celebration of International Data Center Day, Watts has announced the ‘Chill and Skill Data Center Cooling eLearning Challenge.’ This 6-week, eLearning campaign, running from March 20 to April 30, is specifically designed to educate industry professionals about Watts’ family of solutions designed for data center hydronic cooling systems.
Participants will have free access to a wide selection of eLearning modules, averaging just 8 minutes each, across seven key categories:
- Hydronic Cooling
- Fire Protection
- Intelligent Monitoring
- Plumbing, Hot Water, & HVAC
- Drainage
- Water Quality
- Continuing Education
Upon completing modules, learners earn tokens and tickets. Tokens are accrued and redeemed for a wide variety of Free lifestyle merchandise through the Watts Learn & Earn program. Tickets serve as entries into the 150th Anniversary Sweepstake Drawings. As an extra bonus, upon completing 12 of the 147 available modules in this campaign, learners will receive a bonus: a 14 oz. 4-in-1 tumbler/cooler.
To participate, please register for your free Watts Works Online account at training.watts.com. Access is immediate and so are the benefits.
Strategic Investment Future-Proofs Manufacturing A long-awaited expansion to Taco’s Fall River, MA, plant is underway. The $20+ million project greatly enhances and expands the manufacturer’s ability to build larger tanks, heat exchangers and a wide range of other products – while also enabling them to add capacity and reduce lead times. Taco Comfort Solutions, based Read more
Strategic Investment Future-Proofs Manufacturing
A long-awaited expansion to Taco’s Fall River, MA, plant is underway. The $20+ million project greatly enhances and expands the manufacturer’s ability to build larger tanks, heat exchangers and a wide range of other products – while also enabling them to add capacity and reduce lead times.
Taco Comfort Solutions, based in Cranston, RI, began making plans for the plant expansion more than a decade ago. Groundbreaking began in early September ’23 and the project is expected to take about 18 months to complete.
“The expansion of Taco’s Fall River facility is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Taco team and our commitment to our customers,” said Cheryl Merchant, President and CEO, Taco Family of Companies. “The need for ASME certified fabricated products has grown tremendously as well as many facets of our market. When our customers asked us to increase our capacity to fulfill their demand, we said YES! Our ability to innovate and grow with our customers and partners has been, and will continue to be, a key reason Taco has remained strong and innovative for 104 years,” noted Cheryl.
The Fall River plant’s previous footprint was 60,000 square feet. With the expansion, Taco is adding 52,000 square feet.
“After overcoming COVID and supply line setbacks, countless questions about details of the project, and through economic ups and downs, we determined that the time is right for this project,” said Anthony DeMoura, VP – Taco Fabricated Products Division & PIFA Foundry Operations. “The project is finally underway.”
For more than 100 years, Taco has been committed to designing and manufacturing innovative and dependable HVAC, plumbing and industrial solutions. Taco’s Fall River plant manufactures ASME Section VIII pressure vessels used in commercial and industrial heating and cooling systems.
“At Taco Fall River we design, fabricate and test both custom and standard plate heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers, expansion tanks, air and dirt separators, hydraulic balancers and other specialized pressure vessels,” added DeMoura.
According to DeMoura, the plant was previously capable of constructing vessels up to capacities of 12,000 gallons (about 10’ w x 20’ h). Taco’s plant expansion will enable the fabrication of vessels up to 40,000 gallons, more than tripling current tank sizes. “We’ll have lifting capacity within the plant capable of lifting 60 tons. In many respects, we’re building the new facility around a massive crane system.”
World class custom engineering
Taco has grown to become a premier custom fabrication provider among global manufacturers. Their veteran team of engineers, welders, assemblers and customer support personnel carry an extensive wealth of industry knowledge, design logic and technical experience.
Customized variations of all standard designs are available. Some examples of custom projects include:
- Flash tanks
- Thermal energy storage tanks
- De-aerator tanks
- Clean steam generation
- Fully custom ASME Section VIII rated pressure vessels
According to DeMoura, the expanded plant will offer these capabilities as well:
- Plate rolling (up to 1 ¼” thick)
- Steel cutting (up to 5” thick)
- Stainless steel cutting (up to 2 ½” thick)
- Robotic welding of tank heads up to 60” in diameter
- Fabrication of vessels up to 12’ in diameter
- Unmatched welding precision and quality with over 50 ASME certified pressure vessel welders
Engineering capabilities
The engineering capabilities of Taco’s ASME design team extend even further, fulfilling custom requests to meet unique requirements. All phases of fabrication are handled by Taco. Their skill and expertise stem from a culture of pride and close attention to detail, resulting in industry-leading quality and customer satisfaction.
With ASME certified welders, certified testers and a National Board Authorized Inspector in-house, Taco offers the team and equipment needed to provide fast, flexible lead times and the ability to accommodate quick turnaround and emergency requests.
“This is exciting. Our exceptional welders, fabricators, machinists, and assemblers build some impressive products already. When this project is completed, we will be able to build even bigger and more complicated products for the global marketplace, and we are doing it right here in Fall River, MA, with some of the best tradespeople in the industry,” concluded DeMoura.
Watts has announced “Designing Robust, Efficient Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Commercial Applications” an AIA and ASPE-accredited webinar worth 0.1 CEUs. On April 2nd, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET., participants will take a deeper dive into the drainage, treatment, storage, and pumping/distribution strategies involved with designing an effective rainwater harvesting system that conserves water and manages Read more
Watts has announced “Designing Robust, Efficient Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Commercial Applications” an AIA and ASPE-accredited webinar worth 0.1 CEUs.
On April 2nd, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET., participants will take a deeper dive into the drainage, treatment, storage, and pumping/distribution strategies involved with designing an effective rainwater harvesting system that conserves water and manages stormwater outflows all while lessening the building’s environmental footprint.
Rainwater harvesting systems are ideal for numerous building necessities including irrigation and agriculture, cooling tower makeup, toilet and urinal flushing, transportation and equipment wash-down and so much more.
The webinar will help you:
- Identify the three primary elements of a Rainwater Harvesting System
- Describe two methods for sizing a rainwater cistern
- Analyze the role that pre-filtration plays in a rainwater system
- Describe the differences between direct and indirect Rainwater pumping/treating strategies
To register, click visit watts.com/RainwaterHarvestingCEU.
Trusted manufacturers will present their high-efficiency, high-performing products at Canada’s top mechanical and plumbing event in Toronto March 22-24 Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, will showcase innovative products offered by its Bradford White Water Heaters and Laars® Heating Systems brands at the Canadian Mechanical and Plumbing Exposition (CMPX) in Toronto March 22-24. “Professionals Read more
Trusted manufacturers will present their high-efficiency, high-performing products at Canada’s top mechanical and plumbing event in Toronto March 22-24
Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, will showcase innovative products offered by its Bradford White Water Heaters and Laars® Heating Systems brands at the Canadian Mechanical and Plumbing Exposition (CMPX) in Toronto March 22-24.
“Professionals in our rapidly evolving industry are looking for the kind of reliable, high-efficiency and high-performance solutions Bradford White is known for,” said Neal Heyman, director of marketing for Bradford White. “CMPX is one of Canada’s biggest and best events for plumbing and mechanical professionals, and we’re looking forward to connecting with them to share first-hand demonstrations of our proven and trusted products.”
Representatives from Bradford White Water Heaters and Laars Heating Systems will be available at Booth 517 during CMPX, along with the following products:
- Bradford White AeroTherm® Series Heat Pump Water Heater: With 50-, 65- and 80-gallon capacity units available, the Bradford White Water Heaters ENERGY STAR®-certified AeroTherm® Series offers value, efficiency and versatility. AeroTherm® Series water heaters are easy to install and maintain and feature the AeroTherm® integrated smart control panel plus five operating modes (heat pump, hybrid, hybrid plus, electric and vacation).
- Bradford White ElectriFLEX HD™: With available advanced features such as rugged Incoloy® low-watt density elements, field conversion kits to fit demanding application needs, Bradford White’s proprietary Vitraglas® lining with Microban® antimicrobial product protection, and a Hydrojet® sediment reduction system, ElectriFLEX HD™ water heaters are designed for heavy-duty commercial applications.
- Bradford White Infiniti® GR Tankless Water Heaters: The ENERGY STAR®-certified Infiniti® GR tankless water heater offers energy efficiency, high performance and cutting-edge features, including a robust stainless steel heat exchanger, high temperature setting of 180 degrees, cascade rack installation and multiple venting options.
- Bradford White eF Series® Ultra High Efficiency Commercial Gas Water Heater: The ENERGY STAR®-certified eF Series® Ultra High Efficiency Gas Water Heaters feature BMS integration, protective powered anodes, thermal efficiency up to 97%, ICON HD® controls, direct spark ignition, three-pass fire-tube heat-exchanger system, and an installed T&P relief valve.
- Laars FT Series Floor Boiler and Combi: The Laars® FT Series floor standing condensing boiler comes in combi or heat only models. This powerhouse comes equipped with built-in low loss header, top connections, multiple access panels for easy install and a stainless-steel heat exchanger for ultra-high efficiency. The combi offers industry-leading 6-plus gallon first-minute DHW delivery.
- Laars FT Series Commercial Wall Hung Boiler: FT Series commercial wall-hung boilers are available in 301 and 399 MBH sizes, have a stainless steel firetube heat exchanger, 10:1 turndown, and 95%-plus efficiency. These robust boilers can be wall-hung or floor mounted, common-vented and are BMS compatible.
- Laars LT Series Tankless Water Heater: Ideal for residential or light commercial applications with a high temp output setting (185 degrees) and the ability to cascade up to 16 units. The newest member of Laars’ water heating lineup, the LT Series has 0.95 AFUE, a unique SS heat exchanger design with 15-year warranty, and gas-fired models that are capable of meeting Title 24 requirements.
CMPX is one of North America’s largest trade shows for the mechanical and plumbing industry. Attendees can source products, information, equipment and applications for industry professionals who want one-on-one access to the latest information and hands-on opportunities to come face-to-face with tomorrow’s trends.
For more information about CMPX, visit https://www.cmpxshow.com/.
For more information about Bradford White Water Heaters, visit https://www.bradfordwhite.com.
For more information about Laars Heating Systems, visit https://www.laars.com/.