Wayne Pipe & Supply moved into a new 48,000-sq.-ft. facility on the northwest side of Fort Wayne, IN, in October. The steel building houses its office, distribution center and a bath and kitchen showroom. This move will enable the wholesaler to modernize its operations and cut transportation costs, according to Jim Wilson, president. The 113-year-old plumbing distributor serves customers within a 100-mile radius of Fort Wayne.

Denver, CO-based rep firm Marshall-Rodeno Associated announced it would host its fifth Ladies Luncheon for women in the plumbing industry on Nov. 6. Chris Nicosia, regional saleswoman from Sloan Valve, is to be the guest speaker.

Staron Surfaces, a division of Samsung, added six distributors to its team. Wanderosa (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Holdahl Co. (Plymouth, MN), Stone Connection (Norcross, GA) and Stone Source (Dallas, TX) will carry Radianz Quartz. Youngblood Lumber Co. (Minneapolis, MN) will carry Staron Solid Surface, and National Wood Products (Sacramento, CA) will carry both Staron Solid Surface and Radianz Quartz.

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True Grit: Remodeling Pros Share Survival Stories by Tim Fausch

Discovering WOW by Katie Rotella

Fluid Designs: Full-Service Design & Engineering by Don Arnold

Danze named Ron Cox regional sales manager servicing the wholesale business for its Midwest region, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Cox joined Danze's sales team in 2005. He has worked in the building materials business for more than 12 years and previously held positions at American Safety Razor and OSI Sealants.

The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (PMI) announced its slate of officers for 2010. Read more.

The International Code Council hired Shawn Martin as its new director of industry relations in its Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas (PMG) group. More on this.

A report from the U.S. Department of the Interior reveals the United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980. Read more.

Niagara Conservation says its Earth Massage showerheads ensure up to 40% less water usage than "low-flow" showerheads with traditional flow restrictors. They are available with 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0 gallon per minute flow rates. A patented, non-removable compensator device in the showerhead maintains a consistent flow rate by adjusting flow as water pressure fluctuates from 30 psi to 80 psi. Nine jets are adjustable from a gentle spray to a forceful turbo jet massage. The showerheads are available in three styles: wall mount, handheld with a 72-inch hose, and the Earth Soap & Soak showerhead in white or chrome, which gives the user control of the water's flow with a patented pause valve.

Cifial USA announced that Stephanie Marsh Fillbrandt, principal of Marsh & Clark Design, is the winner of the first annual Uncharted Waters Design Competition. The contest, open to residential and commercial interior designers, recognized professionals who explored new creative heights of interior design with Cifial products. The powder room created by Fillbrandt and her team combines design elements of French Art Nouveau and modernism, according to Joseph Pinto, president of Cifial USA. The designer selected a Cifial Brookhaven wall-mounted faucet that complements the slimness of the custom vanity.The powder room features a hand-cut marble and limestone floor, which curves up the wall in a unique arc and echoes the flare of the faucet and mirror, and a new leaded glass window.

Moen Commercial's FreeHand sensor-operated flush valves, sensor-operated faucets, heavy-duty faucets and showering systems can be found in restrooms and showers at 60-plus TravelCenters of America locations. Read more.

Changing Mindset For Luxury Consumers
When the recession is over, the luxury market that emerges from the downturn is going to be very different from the way it was before the current crisis, according to marketing consulting firm Unity Marketing . The new luxury consumers are thinking about the future and learning that conspicuous consumption is not the way to grow wealth, to achieve happiness or to make their lives more meaningful.
Affluent consumers are giving back and taking concrete steps to make the world a better place, rather than simply buying more stuff. The American culture overall is in transition from a consuming, more-for-me culture to one guided by principles that are giving, sharing and linked to more for everyone.
Luxury doesn't mean the same thing it once did.  People with money will always want the best quality, best workmanship, best style and design, but they want the emphasis on concrete attributes and values that are measurable - the facts and figures that translate into value - not image or status.  In the new normal world after the recession, luxury is turning inward. It no longer is about an outward show of status or wealth, but an inner state of being linked with personal happiness and an outstanding quality of life.

Courtesy of Unity Marketing

 Bath & Kitchen Pro, a publication created for bath-and-kitchen installers, distributors with showrooms and designers, looks at Milton Frank Plumbing's "just like home" showroom, describes how consumers are looking to achieve high style at a lower cost, and offers advice on becoming the green expert for kitchens and baths in the Spring 2009 issue.

Contact Publisher Bob Miodonski at 630-694-4007, e-mail: miodonskib@bnpmedia.com or visit the Web http://www.bathandkitchenpro.com www.bathandkitchenpro.com for more details.

Hansgrohe and its design partner, Phoenix Design of Stuttgart, have created the PuraVida line of faucets, showers and accessories featuring lacquered white surfaces paired with high-gloss chrome. Phoenix Design also created an assortment of ceramic bathroom fixtures and furnishings made by Duravit to complement the line. Pictured: The PuraVida widespread faucet, which (like the other PuraVida faucets) offers a flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute, a 30% savings over conventional faucets.

Waterless Co. LLC offers Waterless No-Flush urinals featuring the patented EcoTrap. Urine passes through the EcoTrap and through a floating layer of liquid sealant, preventing sewer vapors from escaping. The EcoTrap system does not need to be cleaned out, is inexpensive, and is easy to install and remove, the company says.

Mr.Steam has introduced an aromatherapy towel warmer that now comes standard in its 200 series collection. The aromatherapy oil well releases aromatherapy essences upon each use. The 200 series collection is available in polished chrome, satin nickel and oil rubbed bronze, and is offered in several heights to meet varying design concepts. The towel warmers are engineered in welded tubular construction and advanced heat technology. Mr.Steam also produces towel warmer accessories to complement the collection including a robe hook, single bar towel rack and triple bar towel rack.

Bradley Corp. unveiled its Boutique Accessory Series, a stylish product line that complements its lavatory systems and partitions.  Designers can choose among towel bars, towel ring, magnifying mirror, toilet tissue holder, toilet brush holder, and shower curtain rod and rings. Concealed mounting upholds a streamlined and professional look.  The Boutique Accessory Series complements a variety of upscale commercial washroom applications, such as office complexes, restaurants, stadium sites and cruise ships. 

WETSTYLE's M Collection features minimalist, modular styling for its hand-made bath furnishings. Boldly geometric and Japanese-inspired in spirit, the five components comprising the group come in an array of sizes, materials and finishes. The exceptional wood finish, comparable to a boat deck, is highly moisture-resistant and rated Level Five by the Architectural Woodwork Institute. The M Collection won the Bath Furniture Product of the Year Award at the 2009 Decorative Plumbing and Hardware (DPHA) Conference in October.    

The Plumber's Troubleshooting Guide,
Second Edition - $53.95

The updated Second Edition of The Plumber's Troubleshooting Guide shows how to solve many residential and commercial plumbing problems. It uses photographs, line drawings and charts to illustrate the easiest, most effective troubleshooting techniques for servicing toilets, sinks, and showers and repairing specialty fixtures. It offers details on new equipment, materials and working procedures.
More information or place an order. To order by phone, call Stephanie at 248-244-1275.
Visit www.aecstore.com for a huge selection of resources for the bath and kitchen, plumbing and PVF industries.