Focus On Design

BNP Media announces the debut of Bath & Kitchen Pro, a unique publication created for a powerful audience of bath-and-kitchen installers, distributors with showrooms and designers. Unlike other magazines that focus purely on design, Bath & Kitchen Pro will provide information on installation and purchasing as well as design trends.

Bath & Kitchen Pro will be published three times in 2008; its Winter, Spring and Fall issues will be distributed at major B&K shows in addition to its 55,000 circulation drawn from the readers of PM, Supply House Times, Tile, Stone World,and Environmental Design + Construction.

Contact Publisher Bob Miodonski (miodonskib@bnpmedia.com) at 630-694-4007 or Managing Editor Kelly Johnson (johnsonk@bnpmedia.com) at 630-694-4379 or visit www.bathandkitchenpro.com for more information.

HD Supply announced that Mark Jamieson has been appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer. Jamieson most recently worked at Ryder Systems, a $6 billion global transportation and supply chain management solutions company, where he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer since 2006.  Prior to that, he worked as chief financial officer at Sammons Enterprises, a diversified holding company with interests in insurance, heavy equipment and real estate. Jamieson spent 29 years of his career at General Electric (GE), where he held numerous financial leadership roles, most recently as president and CEO of GE Insurance Co. Interim CFO Vidya Chauhan will continue to serve as vice president, Strategic Business Development and Integration.

The company also promoted Steve Chesnut to vice president, sales and market development within the Plumbing/HVAC Division. He has been with HD Supply Plumbing/HVAC since May 2005, where he first served as CFO for Apex. Most recently, Chesnut has led HD Supply’s Plumbing/HVAC organic and inorganic growth initiatives as director of strategic business development.

Dale Sturgill

Basco Shower Enclosures hired Dale Sturgill as director of customer service. Formerly, he was the call center operations manager at a Lasik Plus Vision facility in Cincinnati.

Briggs Industries hired Brian Harris as the business unit director for Sayco and Accessories lines. Formerly he spent more than nine years with American Standard in managerial, sales and marketing positions.

Morrison Supply Co. (Fort Worth, TX) hosted a grand opening party Oct. 18 at its newly remodeled 18,000-sq.-ft. showroom in Houston, TX. The redesigned “destination” showroom showcases the latest design options so builders, designers, architects, developers and homeowners can visualize how items will look in a space, according to Joel Selzer, national sales manager. Plumbing brands carried are Kohler, Dornbracht, Duravit, Kallista, Grohe, Phylrich, Showhouse by Moen, Brizo, Altmans and Bain Ultra, and hardware lines include Baldwin, Valli & Valli, Rocky Mountain and Stone River.

Ferguson (Newport News, VA) said it planned to open a 10,000-sq.-ft. showroom in Melbourne, FL, on Oct. 15. Designed to address the needs of architects, contractors, designers and homeowners, the showroom offers kitchen and bath fixtures, appliances, lighting and fireplaces. Lisa Cody is showroom manager.

F.W.Webb (Bedford, MA) opened a new 30,000-sq.-ft. location in Haverhill, MA, that includes its 23rd Frank Webb’s Bath Center. The wholesaler also opened a 60,000-sq.-ft. location in Bellingham, MA in September that includes an 8,000-sq.-ft. showroom with working displays and a 4,000-sq.-ft. education center.

Vendor News

Almo Corp. has been appointed as a distributor of kitchen lifestyle products from Italian manufacturer Bertazzoni. The company’s luxury cooking appliances will now be available throughout the Midwest, including northern Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North and South Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Basco Shower Enclosures hired U.S. Consolidated, based in Hudson, OH, as its manufacturers rep agency for Ohio and West Virginia. Jerry Sulecki and Todd Salsberry are the principals of the company.

Component Hardware Group (CHG), a manufacturer and distributor of plumbing and specialty hardware components, introduced a line of stainless steel faucets and pre-rinses at The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show, held Oct. 11-13, 2007 in Atlanta. Marketed under the Encore brand, the line was designed to minimize the amount of lead in plumbing components. The company’s stainless steel plumbing products utilize SANIGUARD, an inorganic antimicrobial treatment that retards the growth of microorganisms on treated surfaces.

The 2007 Remodeling Show moved to Las Vegas for the first time in its 16-year history. More than 300 manufacturers displayed a range of products for an expected attendance of 10,000 remodeling professionals. Full story >>

Delta Faucet is in the midst of an aggressive consumer ad campaign that uses inanimate household objects to communicate the benefits of its products. One ad bears the caption, “A Disgruntled Loofah” and another, “Commentary From A Sponge.” The campaign began in September and will continue through the fall home improvement season. The ads are expected to reach 162 million consumers.

ZOLi has unveiled a new line of sleek, modern bath elements with its Loft + Bath Series (pictured) that includes sinks, vanities and bath accessories in wood, glass, concrete, stainless steel, porcelain, leather and brass, manufactured in Spain. Among the offerings: a stainless sink with leather-wrapped cabinet and matching stainless hardware or a concrete sink atop a glass counter over a contemporary wood cabinet.

Sonia America ’s National Sales Manager, Jody Rosenberg, was presented with the President’s Award by DPHA President Jeff Robboy during the sixth annual Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association conference and product showcase, held Oct. 5-7 in Boston. Rosenberg serves on the DPHA board, has funded the memberships of many of the rep agencies that carry his lines and was said to partially fund some of his reps’ attendance at the conference.

American Standard shareholders have approved an amendment to the company’s certificate of incorporation to change its name to “Trane” in recognition of its successful heating, ventilation and air conditioning business. Full story >>

The Geberit Group has announced a training program at its training facility in Des Plaines, IL, for architects, engineers, contractors and distributors about the company’s concealed tank and carrier system with dual-flush technology for the wall-hung toilet market in North America.

SolarAttic swimming pool heaters — which use recovered solar heat energy from attics to heat swimming pools — will be sold and serviced by Carefree Pools & Spas of San Luis Obispo, CA, in San Luis Obispo, Tulare and North Santa Barbara counties under a dealership agreement. In addition, the company is free to market the product over the Internet without any geographical limitation.

Green Street

On Oct. 15, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the “California Toilet Efficiency Law” (AB 715) into law. According to the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute, which developed the AB 715 market transition plan and requested that Assembly Member Jon Laird (D-Santa Cruz) incorporate this plan into his legislation, AB 715 establishes a reasonable and workable transition to high efficiency toilets and urinals in California. Full story >>

On Oct. 1, 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its High-Efficiency Lavatory Faucet Specification.  Manufacturers may now have their products tested to earn the WaterSense label for their high-efficiency faucets and faucet accessories, such as aerators. The new specification establishes a maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm), but not less than 0.8 gpm. The WaterSense specification also includes minimum pressure requirements.

In a related announcement, Underwriters Laboratories will provide testing and certification services for high-efficiency lavatory faucets and faucet accessories for the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program. The specification applies to lavatory faucets in private use, such as in residences, and private restrooms in hotels and hospitals.

The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has joined the Green Mechanical Council (GreenMech) as a Charter Member, and Riley Sales has joined as a Helios Member. Full story >>

Jim Allen, water efficiency division manager for
Sloan Valve Co. , recently appeared as a guest speaker at the Green Building & Energy Conservation Conference in Hangzhou, China. He discussed how water-efficient plumbing systems, which can be specified within the guidelines of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, provide a cost-effective means for addressing water shortages.

Heat Transfer recently unveiled the SuperStor Contender Solar (pictured), a new line of glass-lined indirect water heaters, designed specifically for solar thermal applications. The new units store hot water from one or more solar collectors while also providing either electric or boiler backup for when the available solar power cannot meet hot-water demand. The units are eligible for a Federal tax credit when connected to one or more solar panels.

Steamist points out that a 20-minute steam bath uses less than half a gallon of water vs. the average regular shower, which uses about 2-1/2 gallons per minute. Steam baths also conserve energy and can help reduce electric bills. A 20-minute steam bath costs an average of 25 cents. While a steam bath may not replace the cleansing function of a shower, water conservation can be achieved by taking a shorter shower combined with a longer steam bath.

MJSI said its HydroClean toilet fill valve (pictured) will appear in GreenBuilding.com's GreenSpec Directory of environmentally friendly building materials. For plumbing products, the directory requires that products meet federal standards, have good performance, save at least 20% of the water utilized during use and continue to maximum performance of waste removal.

Companies that want to sell themselves as “green” and environmentally friendly must address product cost concerns, as well as put their own money where their mouth is — or else face rising skepticism with a cost-conscious and more discerning U.S. consumer, according to the third annual Shelton Group Energy Pulse study. Full story >>

Website News

Delta has launched an interactive Web site — www.SaveTheTile.com — an educational and interactive tool designed for trade audiences, including builders, plumbers, designers, and remodelers who are involved with shower specification, installation and upgrades. The site offers information on the benefits of the MultiChoice universal shower system.

Selkirk Corp. launched a new, redesigned Web site, www.selkirkcorp.com, featuring United States and Canadian content for product information, news, product registration, Web site links, the new Selkirk University Online Training program and online tools (Chimney Planners, Interactive Installation Guides, Dealer Locator).

Rheem Water Heating has reacquired two functional vintage water heaters (one pictured) — made in 1904 and 1913, respectively, by Ruud Manufacturing Co. — from consumers. Both units are tankless water heaters that did not store hot water for later use, but heated it “on demand,” as it moved through the unit, sending the water immediately to a bathtub or sink.

Adelphi Kitchens & Cabinetry announced that it was part of a recent kitchen renovation project in Reading, PA, providing custom cabinetry with lit compartments along the top of select wall cabinets, as well as task and decorative lighting, high-end GE Monogram Collection appliances, royal brown Dupont Zodiaq Quartz countertops and Limestone natural flooring. The homeowners have announced a “Decorators’ Show House” to raise money for the renovations and for charity. The event will be held Oct. 13-Nov. 3.

Several new products have been designed especially for smaller living spaces. Julien has developed the BenchToilet by Troy Adams Design (right), featuring a sliding wood panel that conceals the toilet and houses a deep storage drawer. Taking on the dual personality of a powder room bench it also doubles as seating.