PH&I acquired by First Supply

First Supply LLC has acquired the assets of PH&I Supply Co. With the addition of the PH&I location in Kenosha, Wis.; the First Supply family of locations
grows to 24.

PH&I Supply Co., also a Wisconsin-based plumbing distribution company, has been in business for more than 60 years. Joining with First Supply, which is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, ensures PH&I’s Southeastern Wisconsin customers continued years of outstanding service.

Joe Poehling, chairman, and Dick Adix, president, of First Supply, recently met with
PH&I employees and welcomed them to the First Supply family. “I am very
excited about our future as one company and I am personally looking forward to working with each of you,” Poehling told them.

As a member of First Supply, Michael (Mick) Medvecz, former president of PH&I, will
stay on in the new role as director of sales for the Kenosha area. First Supply now offers Southeastern Wisconsin eight convenient locations to better serve its customers. The Kenosha facility will be under the direction of Kevin Miller, general
manager of the Southeastern Wisconsin locations.

This is First Supply’s second acquisition in recent months. First Supply acquired H.W. Theis Co. in May.

First Supply LLC is a regional wholesale distributor that started in La Crosse, Wis., in 1897 as La Crosse Plumbing Supply. First Supply, now with 24 locations in the upper Midwest and employing over 500 people, is a family-owned, single source provider of plumbing, heating, cooling, municipal, waterworks, pump/well & septic, builder and industrial supplies.

(source)

Two Plumbing Companies Battle Over 867-5309

Possibly the most well-known phone number among music fans, especially those raised during the 1980s, is 867-5309–you know, Jenny’s digits. 

These seven numbers became famous in 1982, thanks to the Tommy Tutone classic. Now, 25 years later, it’s still etched in our minds. And, apparently, the minds of a couple of plumbers.

According to MSN, in a piece of news that’s stranger than fiction, two plumbing companies are duking it out over use of the number. Two years ago, Gem Plumbing & Heating of Lincoln, R.I., trademarked 867-5309 after its original owner, Brown University, handed it over after tiring of prank calls. The number works in the 401 area code in Rhode Island, as well as the 617 area code in southern Massachusetts.

But Clockwork Home Services in Florida, another plumbing company, uses a toll-free version of the number in New England and wants exclusive rights. Gem won round one of the legal fight, but something tells me there will be many more rounds to come. I don’t know what’s funnier–that people still remember this silly song, that people are still calling the number or that it’s two plumbing companies, of all things, that are dying to have it.

Either way, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, and with any luck, a few people will stroll into their local record store and pull the Tommy Tutone album from the back of the shelves. I doubt the singer would mind that, but he does find this whole thing pretty silly. “It’s ridiculous,” he told the Boston Globe. “If I wanted to get into it, I could probably take the number away from both of them.”

Beats sending them both to their rooms.

Triskaidekaphobia

Happy Friday the 13th everyone. Here are some interesting and fun links for the weekend.

All of us have at one time or another seen them, wanted to order from them or just thought “How cool would I be to have one of these”. Are you ready for a throw back? The guys over at Comic Vine have really done a fantastic job of putting together this  list of notable comic book ads. Check this out, sit back and enjoy. 

If you need some help weeding out those pesky clichés, try this handy cliché search I found. It’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Picture of the week .

Cool Etch-A-Sketch art!

Visuwords™ online graphical dictionary — Look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Produce diagrams reminiscent of a neural net. Learn how words associate.

If you have anything you’d like to share please e-mail me and I will add to next Friday’s menu.

Have a great weekend!!

Lead Found in Drinking Fountain?

Here’s the story,….

“High levels of lead have been found in the water fountains of several elementary schools in Albany.
The school district says the discovery was made during last month’s testing of 400 faucets and fixtures.
Those drinking fountains were immediately taken out of service. They’re being repaired and will be tested again before being turned back on.
Schools with the faulty fixtures include School 19, TOAST, Giffen Elementary, Arbor Hill Elementary, North Albany Academy and Pine Hills Elementary School.3

see video

What they don’t say is it’s actually lead in the water supply. This makes it look like the fountain is the problem. (good thing that’s a Sunroc fountain).

Do you think this will impact what you do as a rep in the field? Will you have to work extra hard?

Grainger Unveils Plumbing Supplies Catalog

Continuing its push to delve more deeply into its product lines, Lake Forest, IL-based maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) marketer W.W. Grainger introduced a 318-page catalog devoted to plumbing products and supplies in March.

The new catalog’s product line includes water heaters and coolers, pipes, valves, fittings, fixtures, faucets, and water filtration systems.

“We bolstered our offering in several key categories this year, including plumbing, material handling, fasteners and security products,” says Steve Dahl, product manager for plumbing. The company expects to expand its offering by 25,000 SKUs, which will cost Grainger $3 million-$5 million.
“Prior to this year, we had 4,000 items [dedicated for plumbing supplies], and we’ve added 12,000 items,” Dahl says. Sales of plumbing supplies account for 9% of total sales at the $5.9 billion Grainger. Grainger expects the product expansion (across all channels) to add 1%-2% in sales. Business-to-business conglomerate Grainger mails catalog titles ranging from industrial suppliers marketer Lab Safety Supply, agricultural maintenance provider Ben Meadows, and AW Direct, a direct marketer of equipment for towing companies and service stations.

“Every [MRO] customer has some sort of plumbing need,” says Dahl, adding that contractors, facilities managers, and procurement executives need access to a broad array of facilities maintenance supplies across multiple product categories. With the new plumbing title, “We’re trying to make Grainger a one-stop source for our customer,” he says.
Grainger’s new plumbing supplies is not mailed, however. It is distributed by the company’s field sales representatives, who leave it with customers as a reference. Grainger has 1.7 million active customers.

Haws Corporation Celebrates Centennial

On October 28th, the Haws Corporation officially celebrated its 100th Anniversary at a gala celebration held at the Siena Hotel Spa & Casino in Reno, Nevada. The black-tie event was attended by 350 Haws customers, sales representatives, past and present employees, suppliers and other special guests. Beyond the regal setting, sumptuous cuisine, live musical entertainment and libation, guests were treated to a special “Hall of Haws” display. This unique exhibit unveiled, first time ever, the company’s product museum of vintage Haws plumbing and emergency equipment products assembled into a living timeline of Haws’ innovation throughout the years. That display was also supported by a 1,900 slide video tribute to the generations of “Haws people” who have made quality, value and customer satisfaction synonymous with the Haws brand.
Highlighting the evening was an appearance by the company’s founder, Luther Haws, the inventor of the first commercial drinking fountain. Haws’ invention became the core product of the Haws Sanitary Drinking Faucet Company after his original invention in 1906. Luther Haws (phenomenally played actor Larry Elliott) walked the assembled guests through the history of the company, supported by museum products and appropriate visual references. “Luther” concluded by telling the group he was “damned proud” of their accomplishments and that he couldn’t wait to see what new heights they attain in the coming years!

During the formal program, Century Awards were presented to:
Customer of the Century — The Berkeley Unified School District — Berkeley, California
Vendor of the Century — Commercial Enameling Company (CECO) – So. California
Domestic Representative of the Century — Specification Sales – So. California
Distributor of the Century — Cal Steam — Hayward, California
International Distributor of the Century — Can Aqua, Quebec Canada
Global Sales Excellence — Modern Plant, Dublin, Ireland

Color Coded Signage

MULTILINGUAL WORKFORCE BENEFITS FROM USE OF COLOR CODED EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Writing for Occupational Hazards, Casey Hayes, engineering manager at Haws Corp. of Sparks, Nevada, says that many employers are not prepared to communicate important emergency information to a multilingual work force that does not speak or read English. He cites as an example the use of signage to identify the availability of things like fire extinguishers and emergency eyewashes. So, how does a concerned employer respond?
Hayes suggests the adoption of the industry-accepted standard for color usage. He states: “ANSI Standard Z535.1 establishes standardized safety color codes for industrial purposes, while ANSI Standard Z535.2 establishes environmental and facility safety sign guidelines aimed at uniformity, including consistent color use and visual layout.” When properly used, this type of scheme can assist in minimizing reliance on signage wording. Safety green, for example, is used to designate the location of first aid and emergency response equipment, including drench showers (pictured) and eyewashes. Hayes notes that there are numerous reports of accident rates declining by as much as 40 percent when a color identification program, with training, is put into place.

For a list of the safety color codes and their intended applications, as well as a discussion of the other basic issues of conveying emergency information to a multilingual work force, see Hayes’ article–”Emergency Response for the Multicultural Work Force”. (Image courtesy of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)

OSHA’s 100k Club

1409 One Tough S.O.B (stand/skate on basin)

Model 1409 is a wall mounted, barrier-free drinking fountain made of white powder-coated cast aluminum. Unit includes recessed push button valves with front-accessible flow adjustments, polished chrome-plated brass bubbler heads locked to the bowl and solid chrome-plated brass waste strainer. Unit also includes a vandal-resistant bottom plate and a 1-1/2″ NPT trap. Unit complies with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and adhere to ANSI/NSF 61, Section 9, California Proposition 65 and the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Features and Benefits
Tough Construction
• Powder coated cast aluminum design provides the durability required in vandal-resistant applications without the weight of cast iron.

Wheelchair Accessible
• Designed specifically with a smooth vandal-resistant bottom plate providing less obstruction to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines when installed at the proper height.
Vandal-Resistant Bubbler Heads
• Haws model 5703M bubbler heads are designed specifically for vandal-resistance with chrome-plated forged brass castings and a locking design that maintains the head position, even under heavy twisting forces.

• The 1409 is also available (option) with Haws’ exclusive, patented 5725 EnviroGard™ bubbler heads that incorporate a stainless-steel water activated pop-up canopy the protects the bubbler from outside contaminants when the bubbler is not in use.
Vandal-Resistant Waste Strainer
• Haws model 6454 flat waste strainer is designed specifically for vandal-resistance with a chrome-plated solid brass casting that incorporates locking lugs, washer, locknut and a slipjoint tailpiece.

Applications
Perfect for schools, sports venues, shopping malls and other high traffic areas where height and durability matter. The 1409 offers a solution for wheelchair access while providing robust vandal-resistance. When installed at the appropriate height, the heavy duty, yet lightweight design meets all current guidelines in the Americans with Disabilities Act without the need for installation reinforcement needed for significantly heavier cast iron fountains. The vandal resistant bottom plate and waste strainer also bring added peace of mind.

Options:
Bubbler Head: Model 5725 EnviroGard™ with stainless steel water activated pop-up canopy that protects the bubbler head from outside contaminates when not in use.

Filter: Model 6426, 12” x 2”, in-line with lead removal element that reduces lead from incoming water supply.

Chiller: Model HCR8 chiller provides chilled water under continuous demand.

Do You Have an Eye-Pod?

Model 7501 portable gravity operated eyewash features a 9 gallon capacity, FDA high-density green polyethylene tank that provides full pattern flushing at .4 gpm for a full 15 minutes . The fold-down eyewash arm has a positive upper limit stop that also covers and protects the spray outlets when not in use. Tank has handle on top to allow for easy handling. A wide-fill opening with threaded cap permits easy inspection, cleaning and filling. Model supplied with wall bracket and eyewash preservative to permit storage of water for up to six months. Measurements: 14-1/2″ high, 22″ wide, 10-1/8″ deep.

Unit can be wall hung or can be used with optional model 9008 cart. This same cart can also be used an option on models 7601.31, 7500 and 7500EB. Haws also offers model 9009 waste water container. It features a stable assembly mobile enough for short range positioning or transferring equipment over long distances. Powder-coated and constructed of heavy duty 1″ square steel tubing. Velcro strap included.

Model 7501 is certified by CSA to meet the ANSI Z358.1 Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment.