Product News

GF Building Flow Solutions Americas (formerly Uponor North America), a global provider of Uponor-branded products, is introducing the latest advancement in PEX-a piping technology with the launch of Uponor ServicePEX™ for water service applications.

Designed for both new construction and the replacement of outdated service lines, ServicePEX delivers clean, safe water from the main to the structure, offering a modern, dependable solution that prioritizes health, safety, and top-tier performance in every installation.

Available in sizes from ¾” to 2″, the pipe is tested and proven to the highest industry standards and is fully compliant for water service applications to prevent costly errors, rework, and penalties.

• Certified to AWWA C904 Standard for water service
• Tested for up to 12 months of UV exposure
• 200 psi at 73°F (13.8 bar at 23°C) rating at 0.63 design factor
• Highest chlorine resistance rating of ‘5’ per ASTM F2023
• Meets ASTM F876, CSA B137.5, NSF 14, and NSF 61
• Approved for use with AWWA C800 CTS compression fittings and valves
• Backed by a 25-year transferable limited warranty on pipe and ProPEX^® expansion fittings

The highly flexible PEX-a product minimizes connections, reduces kinking, and allows for kink repairability for faster installs, less time in trenches, improved efficiencies, and reduced jobsite waste.

“We have a strong legacy of providing our customers with quality, reliable, polymer piping solutions that bring greater efficiencies and performance in plumbing, heating, and cooling applications,” says Anna Picchetti, vice president of Marketing and Strategy at GF Building Flow Solutions Americas. “Launching Uponor ServicePEX extends our solutions even further to provide the benefits of PEX-a from the water main to the home.”

The pipe is designed and manufactured to withstand the rigors of installation, resisting damage from impact and abrasion during backfilling and trench compaction. Plus, it is extremely resilient in freezing conditions and resists corrosion, rust, scale buildup, and stress cracking for long-lasting, reliable service.

To learn more about Uponor water service solutions, visit uponor.com.

Bradley Company now combines space-saving access to both tempered water and tepid water with its 2-in-1 Navigator^® Thermostatic Mixing Valve. Engineered to deliver safe water temperatures to both commercial faucet applications as well as emergency safety eyewash fixtures, this model provides a complete and efficient single mixing valve solution.

With its innovative combination of two valves in one, the Navigator TMV saves on installation time and conserves space under sinks. During regular faucet use, the TMV delivers tempered water for uses such as handwashing; in an emergency, the valve delivers tepid water to the emergency safety eyewash to meet the ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 standard for the required 15-minute flush.

The Navigator TMV is ASSE 1070 and 1071 Certified, and includes a 3/8″ compression fitting to faucet. A reliable liquid-filled thermostat ensures safe water temperature to the eyewash, and a separate wax filled thermostat delivers safe water temperature to the faucet.

With its built-in safety features, the cold water bypass on the eyewash assures cold flow if hot water fails. Navigator TMV also offers anti-scald protection with positive shutoff of hot supply when cold supply is lost.

Designed for reliable precision, Navigator TMVs deliver accurate temperature control to within ± 3° and features an adjustable set point within temperature range.

Ready for easy direct mounting to walls, all materials are 100% factory assembled and tested.

Bradley Halo Eyewash Solutions

Pair Bradley’s 2-in-1 Navigator TMV with Bradley’s industry leading eyewash solutions. Halo^™ eye and eye/face wash arms users with the most effective emergency relief available. Halo provides 20 percent better protection than any model on the market. With a more uniform and complete spray pattern, and exclusive features that increase hygiene, users attain the greatest contaminant relief and protection available.

Further optimize space in your workspace or laboratory with Bradley’s new combined Halo^™ Swing-Activated Faucet and Emergency Eyewash. This dual design features a gooseneck faucet for regular use, such as handwashing, and a built-in emergency eyewash featuring Halo technology.

Whichever eyewash or faucet model you choose, Bradley is the only manufacturer that can provide a single valve to provide both tepid water and tempered water to faucet/eyewash applications. All other manufacturers require two different valves for the application, which costs more money, time, and space under the sink for these types of applications.

Learn more about Navigator Mixing Valves.

Check out Bradley’s Full Selection of Industrial Solutions.

RefrigiWear, a 70-year pioneer in safety apparel and insulated PPE for extremely cold work environments, now delivers its popular PolarForce® Sweatshirt in high-visibility orange.

An expansion on the popularity of high-visibility lime and solid black colors of the original PolarForce Sweatshirt, this new high-visibility orange work hoodie is designed to protect construction, transportation and logistics professionals in dark, gloomy warehouses or on high-traffic job sites.

Three Layers of Protection Against the Cold

Lightyears ahead of box store hoodies that can’t stand up to hard use, the HiVis PolarForce Sweatshirt is made with three warm and durable layers.

The outer layer stands up to scrapes, snags and strenuous work with a durable 310g fleece blend fabric. Rather than feeling stiff, this layer includes built-in stretch for unrestricted movement. Under the outershell, a 120g layer of industrial-strength polyester insulation holds heat close to the body and blocks out frosty winter weather. On the inside, a 170g soft jersey lining is breathable to prevent sweat from pooling near the skin and adding to the chill.

Feature-Rich for Maximum Functionality

More than just a hoodie for work, the HiVis PolarForce Sweatshirt is loaded with features that make it a productivity powerhouse.

Performance-Flex panels at the elbows allow accordion-style stretching for maximum range of motion without bunching or riding up, keeping the core and vital organs protected from the cold.

Grip Assist dot patterns on the inside wrist of each sleeve prevent boxes, tools, equipment and other objects from slipping during handling. Thumbholes in the cuffs make it easy to create a seal around insulated gloves, blocking freezing air and moisture from creeping up the sleeves.

The kangaroo pocket does double-duty for stowing small tools and work essentials and for adding an extra layer of abrasion-resistance when leaning over equipment or brushing against rough surfaces. A handy 2-stall pencil pocket on the left sleeve provides quick access to a penlight, a stylus, or pens and pencils.

The new HiVis PolarForce Sweatshirt in high-visibility orange is also perfect for protecting rail workers, road crews and utility linemen because it provides added contrast between the worker and the grass, trees and background foliage in which they operate.

Extended Sweatshirt Sizes Available

Available in extended men’s sizes from small to 5XL, the HiVis PolarForce Sweatshirt adds a layer of protection from wintry conditions without compromising safety or mobility.

Coordinates with Top-to-Toe Coverage

For full-body protection against frigid temperatures, the HiVis PolarForce Sweatshirt in high-visibility orange coordinates with the full PolarForce collection of insulated PPE from RefrigiWear, including high-visibility and standard insulated jackets, snow bibs, work pants, safety toe boots, touchscreen-capable gloves, and thermal beanies.

Learn more about outfitting your team with the insulated comfort and cold weather protection of the new HiVis PolarForce® Sweatshirt at pro.refrigiwear.com.

A smaller 6″ and larger 10″ model round out the product assortment

After much anticipation, KNIPEX Tools has released two additional TwinGrip pliers to the North American market. The original 8″ TwinGrip Pliers was released in 2021 and quickly became one of the most popular tools used across a wide range of industries. With its popularity came requests for additional sizes to tackle an even larger array of tasks.

3 Pc. Set (00 20 06 US4).

Both new models offer the same functionality as the original with varying capacities. The smaller 6″ TwinGrip (82 01 150) easily grips stripped screws and bolts with front & side gripping capacities of 1/8″ to 5/8″ while the larger 10″ TwinGrip (82 01 250) grips from 3/16″ to 1 1/16″. All models feature pushbutton adjustment – three adjustments for the 6″ and seven for the 10″ – allowing users to adjust the tool once and it stays. Other great features include a slim head for working in confined spaces, reliable front gripping of flat workpieces due to the three-point gripping system, and a pinch guard.

Peter Grable, KNIPEX Tools North America’s Senior Product Manager, played a large role in developing the original 8″ TwinGrip. “After spending time with tradesmen to better understand what gaps they had in their tool bag and how their standard pair of slip joint pliers could be better, we knew the TwinGrip would be a popular tool.” He continued, “The response was even better than expected so we quickly got to work with our colleagues in Germany to select the next sizes in the assortment”.

6″ TwinGrip (82 01 150)

The new TwinGrip’s are available for purchase individually or in a 3 Pc. Set (00 20 06 US4).

Two additional items are included in this month’s roll out from the pliers experts. First, a 12 Pc. 1000V insulated EV Kit (9K 00 80 168 US) was developed in partnership with EV auto mechanics and includes twelve of the most commonly used tools for EV work. Next, the 8 1/2″ PreciForce® Crimping Pliers (97 52 42) for solar cable connectors MC4/MC4 EVO 2. All new items are now available at select distributors across North America.

More information about the latest innovations can be found on the KNIPEX Tools North America website and YouTube channel.