Wolseley plc (Theale, England) announced that Fenton Hord, president of Stock Building Supply (Raleigh, NC), the company's U.S. building materials business, will retire July 31. Joe Appelmann, senior vice president of operations, will take over as president of Stock effective Aug. 1. Full story >>

David Kohler

The Kohler Co. announced that its board of directors elected David Kohler executive vice president of Kohler Co., a corporate officer responsible for the company’s Kitchen & Bath Group and Technical Services, effective May 1. He reports to Herbert V. Kohler, Jr. , chairman, CEO and president of Kohler Co. David Kohler has served as president of the Kitchen & Bath Group since 1999. In his new position, he will be responsible for developing global business strategies for the Kitchen & Bath Group. Within Technical Services, he will assure the support of operations, information technology development, and procurement and architectural requirements throughout the global corporation.

John Burgoon

Basco Shower Enclosures has announced that John Burgoon , director of quality assurance, will now be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company’s Full Service Centers in the Cincinnati, Chicago, and Baltimore areas. In this new capacity, his responsibilities include facility management, installation and administration. Burgoon joined Basco in 2005. Prior to joining Basco, Burgoon worked for Xomox where he held a variety of positions, including engineered products supervisor and lean manufacturing engineer.

Supply New England recently presented its 2007 Manufacturer of the Year Award to Kohler Co., a worldwide leader in quality plumbing products. Each year Supply New England’s employees select a Manufacturer of the Year based on products, technical support and sales service provided and this year Kohler Co. was chosen. Pictured (center) are David Corcoran, president of Supply New England, and Christina Fournier, Kohler’s Boston Branch senior sales executive – showroom. Representatives of Supply New England and Kohler Co. are pictured with them.

Event Coverage

News From K/BIS

A record-breaking number of attendees from North America and abroad packed the conference rooms and the aisles in all three expo halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 7-10 at this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS). More than 44,000 kitchen and bath industry professionals previewed the newest trends, designs and products displayed in over 1,000 exhibits by the world’s leading manufacturers.

Owned by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) for more than 40 years, K/BIS has been the premier showcase for the very latest and greatest in the kitchen and bath industry. Full story >>

Dellon Sales , a manufacturers rep firm based in Albertson, NY, hosted a party for customers, business associates and friends May 9 during K/BIS in Las Vegas. Pictured here from L to R are: Timothy E. O'Keeffe, signature accounts manager, Symmons Industries; Scott Dellon, president, Dellon Sales; and Scott Franz, publisher, Supply House Times.

DuPont Surfaces and Building Innovations and Supply New England were awarded top honors at the Storehouse of World Vision ’s annual Crystal Vision Award Gala, during K/BIS in Las Vegas. The Storehouse is a non-profit that makes donated building materials, school supplies, and personal products available to organizations serving in low-income communities.

DuPont was presented with the Crystal Vision Award in recognition for the 2006 Fab4000 event, an effort to aid more than 4,000 families and non-profits through the donation of new DuPont bathroom vanity tops.

Supply New England, a plumbing products distributor, was given the first Distributor of the Year award from the Storehouse of World Vision after donating $.5 million in new products last year. Pictured here, Supply New England President David Corcoran accepts the Distributor of the Year Award from Chuck Dowd, retired group vice president of Masco Corp.

The gala also highlighted the contributions of donor companies who have contributed for five and 10 years. These companies are: (5) The Great Indoors and Your “Other” Warehouse; and (10) Grohe Americas, Jason International, Kohler, Elkay, Moen and Delta Faucet.

Grand prize winners of the fourth national kitchen design competition sponsored by Broan-NuTone were announced during a special ceremony at K/BIS May 8 in Las Vegas. Glenn Meader was the professional winner and Crystal Hanson the student winner.

Meader, Kitchen Concepts, Inc., Norwell, MA, won airfare and hotel accommodations for two to Rome, Italy (near the Best manufacturing facility). Meader’s prize-winning wall-mounted ventilation design included a Best by Broan® K4248SS chimney hood.

Hanson, Lakeland College, North Battleford, SK, submitted a wall-mounted ventilation design which included a Best by Broan KER22248SS chimney hood for which she won a $10,000 scholarship from Broan-NuTone.

Vendor News

Axor , the designer brand from Hansgrohe, recently introduced its newest bath collection and in collaboration with the internationally celebrated French designer and architect Jean-Marie Massaud at a special reception at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. The new collection, called Axor Massaud, includes bath faucets, showers and accessories — more than 60 items in all. The May 19 event featured a joint presentation by Massaud and Axor Brand Manager Philippe Grohe, who told attendees of their close collaboration over the past several years in creating Axor Massaud. Following the reception, Massaud and Grohe brought attendees to view the new collection at the nearby Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where it made its New York debut at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair on May 19-22.

During 2007, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC is celebrating its 75th anniversary and has launched a national search for plumbing contracting firms who have reached or exceeded the same 75-year milestone. Eligible firms can complete a brief entry form by logging on to www.gerber75years.com between May 15 and Sept. 15, 2007. They can also complete a printed entry form available from their nearest Gerber wholesaler or rep. All eligible plumbing contracting firms participating in the campaign will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize of $2,500 in Gerber product purchased through a Gerber wholesaler. They will also be featured in a national press announcement to all trade publications, including a photo of the $2,500 check presentation. Five additional prizes of $250 in Gerber product will be awarded to participating contractors.

Green Street

Kaldewei recently hosted a customer and media event in New York City to officially introduce its eco-friendly bath and showertray products to the U.S. market. Kaldewei showcased nine bath models and four showertrays amidst flowers and plants, representing the green design standards of the brand. Kaldewei baths are crafted from 100% recyclable, patented 3.5 mm enameled steel. Green packaging, manufacturing and transport methods are exclusive to the company, and offer high-performance products for builders worldwide.

Omer "Butch" Gaudette

Whirlpool Corp. has been selected as the only appliance manufacturer of the Consensus Committee for the National Green Building Standard™. As part of the committee, Whirlpool Corp. will help transform the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines into a national green standard, certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Omer “Butch” Gaudette, director of trade relations for Whirlpool Corp., will represent the company on the Consensus Committee as a member of the Water Efficiency and Indoor Environmental Air Quality task group.

Additionally, Whirlpool received the ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Dept. of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in both 2006 and 2007. The award was extended to Whirlpool for exhibiting outstanding environmental leadership year after year, while sustaining product and marketing excellence.

This month, Environmental Design & Construction magazine reported online on a survey by Texas A&M University, et al., that asked 79 facility managers about their experiences using waterless urinal systems, such as those produced by Waterless Co., LCC. To report and explain their findings, the researchers created an “imaginary” elementary school with 300 males. The university compared waterless urinals to those using one gallon of water per flush. The imaginary school was open 180 days per year, and each male used the eight urinals approximately twice per day. Want to know more?

Rep Update

Elkay ’s plumbing products division has named The Joyce Agency, Inc. as the new sales representative agency in the Washington, D.C., metro area, Maryland and Delaware. The Joyce Agency, Inc. is based in Springfield, VA, and managed by its founder, Gary S. “Skipper” Joyce, Jr.  The Joyce Agency, Inc. recently partnered with Elkay in an effort to further enhance Elkay’s leadership presence in the plumbing products industry.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has announced the publication of the Professional Resource Library , featuring nine new hardcover volumes that offer comprehensive coverage on topics including design, products, residential construction, mechanical systems, business practices, drawing, installation and more. Authored by recognized industry experts, each book has been thoroughly reviewed by top technical editors and peer professionals. The first five volumes were unveiled on April 21 at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago. The remaining publications will be available mid-year. All are available for purchase or pre-order at www.nkba.org.

Martha Orellana, VP of marketing at Mr.Steam, took part in a discussion on April 6 about how sauna technology is improving and the benefits of steam purification as a way to keep a youthful appearance. Click here to access the full podcast.

Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath received top billing in Designers’ Best ’07, an annual survey recently published by HOUSE & GARDEN, in which 30,000 architects and interior designers named their favorite products, people, and resources for the home. Jacuzzi ranked first in the category of favorite “Soaking Tubs for Two.”

Basco Shower Enclosures introduces its Preceria Shower Door — a sensual, sleek, “curved” shower door that adds a contemporary look to any bathroom. Preceria features a slightly curved door and a solid, elliptical-shaped header that suspends 1.5” inches over the door and attaches to it via clips. The 75” tall door features an oversized 8” elliptical-shaped pull handle and is centered between two panels. Preceria is 5/16” thick, and the door offers the flexibility of swinging both in and out. It can fit virtually any size opening, and is only available in a panel-door-panel configuration. Available in silver, brushed nickel and 15 powdered-coated finishes. Currently, Preceria is available in clear glass.

The distinctive Kobe Basin from Bristol and Bath is pure fun with its unexpected tire motif that is sure to make men and car enthusiasts sit up and take notice! The appeal of the Kobe Basin is its simplistic design — an ordinary car tire transformed into something both hip and whimsical. The rubber tire is set with a aluminum basin and accessorized with galvanized steel mounting hardware and towel rack. It can be installed indoors or out, and is perfect for a special garage, game room or car collector’s studio. The basin’s wall-hung design allows for easy wheelchair access, making it a great option for commercial establishments as well, such as nightclubs, restaurants and hotels. Shown in electric blue, the single wall mounted basin tire component comes in a variety of colors. A matching mirror adorned with tire wing nuts completes the look. Kobe is also available in a double basin and a stacked 4-tire pedestal depending on the desired look.

Oceania , a leading manufacturer of acrylic baths and showers, has announced the debut of the deluxe walk-in sit-down bath Dignité at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show 2007 in Las Vegas. Two additional Oceania baths, the Sérénité and the award-winning Sakura, both from the Estime collection, were also among the 16 models featured in the Oceania booth. The newest member of Oceania’s Estime collection, the Dignité bath, which measures 51 x 30 x 36 inches — twice the depth of a regular bathtub — allows bathers to easily seat themselves in a contoured 15-¼-inch high seat, seal the water-tight door, and quickly fill the bath with warm water.

Swanstone has announced its new Decorative Wall Panel brochure containing the most up-to-date selections in wall paneling for shower walls, shower floors, decorative walls, wainscoting and kitchen backsplashes. In addition to Swanstone’s panels that can be cut to any specification, the company now offers two new decorative wall panel kits created for a wider variety of tub and shower floor sizes. The brochure features this expanded line, as well as style and size options.

Steamist , a leading manufacturer of steam baths and saunas, has announced a new steam bath system that makes relaxing quicker and easier than ever before. The new InstaMist generates steam in less than a minute. Unlike traditional steam bath systems that can take up to five minutes to generate steam, InstaMist features a stainless steel strip heater that allows the generator to preheat the water. On average, InstaMist preheats the water to 180ºF. Based on this average preheated temperature, the time required to produce steam ranges from 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the generator model.

AEC Store Featured Product

Thoroughly updated with the assistance of 17 master plumbers, the third edition of Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation introduces readers to all aspects of the commercial and residential plumbing trade, including home building. An excellent study guide for plumbers preparing to pass the “master plumber” exam, this edition features updated coverage of all current plumbing codes.

For other plumbing products that will help increase your knowledge, skills, and profits, visit AECstore.com or call Stephanie Weingartz at 248-244-1275.