Archives: News Items

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and Parker Hannifin at MCAA.org

The Manufacturer/Supplier Training area of MCAA’s website connects our contractor members with training opportunities available from the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new webinars and training opportunities across their product lines, services, solutions or web pages. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

SLOAN
Planning a new facility or retrofitting an existing one? Ideal for drought-prone regions, this webinar introduces you to the many solutions which conserve water across buildings and restrooms and make conservation efforts successful.

Learn More

Parker Hannifin
Learn how ZoomLock MAX press technology for HVAC will improve your efficiency, adding to your bottom line. ZoomLock MAX fittings delivers secure, braze-free connections in a few simple steps while providing a safer environment for your team.

Learn More

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

Be sure to visit the Manufacturer/Supplier Training area for all the latest offerings.

Learn More

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Sioux Chief Manufacturing Company, Inc. in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Morris Group International
Controls® Emergency Thermostatic Temperature Valve is certified to deliver safe, tepid water to safety systems. Use with Emergency Eye Wash and face stations, shower fixtures, and combination units.

Learn More

Sioux Chief Manufacturing Company, Inc.
The FinishLine is a complete drain and cleanout system that is adjustable before and after the pour. The FinishLine is complemented by Sioux Chief’s full offering of commercial drainage products for all types and sizes of projects. Specified by engineers and installed by contractors across the country. Why use anything else?

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

Register by Friday, September 2nd, for MCAA’s 2022 GreatFutures Forum to Get a Head Start on Hiring Your 2023 Interns and New Hires

September 29 – October 1, 2022 | Boston, MA

The fall is the best time to hire for both summer internships and full-time employment. Join us at the MCAA GreatFutures Forum, September 29 – October 1, at the Boston Marriott Newton. We’re getting back to the basics this year and focusing on all the things that make mechanical contracting such an exciting career choice.
Don’t miss your chance to meet your next great hire!

Registration deadline: Friday, September 2nd

Register Now

Nagelbush Tames Florida Heat With EVAPCO Cooling Towers

South Florida’s weather poses many challenges, so Nagelbush Mechanical, Inc. relied on EVAPCO cooling towers to withstand the heat, sea air, and high winds for residents of the luxurious three-tower Park Grove complex along the shores of Biscayne Bay in South Florida.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Invest in the People Who Run Your Jobs with MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference

Give your field leaders the skills they need to focus on growing company profits and brand when you send them to the Field Leaders Conference. They will return with an action item list, a fresh perspective on the latest tools and construction resources, and a network of other jobsite leaders to offer advice and provide support long after the class is over. The conference will be held in Kansas City, MO, November 2-4, 2022. Register your field leaders now!

Those who attend will also learn from industry experts who will share their real-life tips and tools for success on the job site, including ways you can professionally control crucial job site conversations. Attendees will leave with actionable education. Learning from some of the industry’s best, attendees will be inspired to take this knowledge and apply it to better themselves at work, and in life. 

During this intensive conference, field leaders will learn to:

  • View themselves as professionals
  • Understand how their performance is critical to the bottom line
  • Establish tangible goals
  • Appreciate the importance of customer relationships and their role as the face of the company

They will also learn what it really means to be a great foreman, giving them the skills needed to be business and results oriented leaders who focus on growing company culture, brand and profits.

Field Leaders Detroit 2019

Lead field personnel cannot afford to miss this conference! Watch the video above to hear about the conference experience from previous attendees, then click the button for your preferred location to learn more and register today.

Learn More & Register for the Indianapolis Conference
Learn More & Register for the Kansas City Conference

MCAA WiMI Committee Shares How To Start a Local WiMI Committee

Have you wanted to start a local Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) committee in your area, but weren’t quite sure where to start? The MCAA WiMI Committee has put together a comprehensive list of ideas and instructions that can be tailored to the specific needs of your area. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to wimi@mcaa.org.

Rainwater Survey Now Open to Gauge Project Readiness

With drought conditions stressing potable drinking water sources, jurisdictions are looking into the option of rainwater catchment and treatment for non-potable uses.  Through the MCAA’s membership in the Plumbing Industry Leadership Council and specifically the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, the coalition is working to help understand how the industry is currently using rainwater catchment on projects.

If you are a contractor that has worked on or is working on rainwater catchment projects, please take a moment to complete this short survey.  Responses will allow the industry coalition to understand current treatment procedures, uses and services. 

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Understanding Manufacturers’ Warranties

Standard manufacturers’ warranties can expose contractors to unexpected exposures. MCAA’s Understanding Manufacturers’ Warranties explains potential exposures and offers tips for minimizing them. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Issues affecting warranty claims
  • Tips for negotiating up front
  • Why including the general contractor can help in negotiations
  • Questions to ask to ensure a full understanding of warranty terms
DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Save the Date for MCAA’s Safety Conference: 20 Years of Safety Excellence

The 2023 Safety Conference will be celebrating 20 years in San Diego, CA, January 17-19, 2023.

Conference highlights include:

  • Participate in over 50 hours of training and education, including a CSP prep course, innovations in safety tech & product safety, and a behind the scenes update from OSHA.
  • Learn from keynote speakers, Connie Podesta on safety leadership, Josh Rizzo on mental health, and Bill Sims on safety management.
  • Celebrate 20 years of Safety Excellence on the field at Petco Park hosted by MCAA’s Board of Directors.
  • Hear from the United Association’s New Safety Health and Environmental Administrator.

Registration will be opening on September 15th, 2022.

Withum Article Explains the Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact on Tax Audits

National accounting firm Withum shares information to help you understand the potential impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law on August 16, 2022. They note that the act, which includes $80 billion of increased funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), will meaningfully increase IRS audit rates, but the impact won’t happen overnight.

MCAA’s Michele Hoffman Receives NAWIC Education Foundation’s Carol A. Kueker Construction Education Visionary Award

MCAA congratulates our very own Michele Hoffman on her selection as the recipient of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Education Foundation’s Carol A. Kueker Construction Education Visionary Award. The annual award recognizes an individual who has worked aggressively to promote construction as a viable career path, and Michele certainly fits the bill. MCAA CEO Tim Brink said, “Michele’s accomplishments are the result of years of hard work and dedication. I’m proud to have her as a member of the MCAA team.”

Since becoming MCAA’s Director, Career Development in January 2022, Michele developed the student programming for the MCAA Annual Convention in March. She is currently putting the final touches on the GreatFutures Forum, which will take place September 29 – October 1 in Boston.  This student-focused conference will include a reimagined non-traditional job fair that removes company booths and will focus on finding internship and full-time employment matches in a relaxed environment.  During the last seven months, Michele says her primary focus has been to “connect the dots” from student to contractor, student to local affiliated association, student to MCAA, and most recently peer-to-peer after graduation through the new MCAA GreatFutures Alumni group. 

Before joining MCAA, Michele spent 13 years at MCA-Omaha, where she served as the Industry Advisor for the University of Nebraska Student Chapter, which was named MCAA Student Chapter of the Year in 2015, 2019, and 2020. She also worked with their local board and committees, as well as in event management and communications roles. Appropriately enough, it was Karli Meisinger, one of Michele’s former MCA-Omaha Members and one of the Founding Four contractors involved with the rebranding of the Nebraska student chapter, who nominated her for the NAWIC award.

Michele, who has been a member of MCAA’s Career Development Committee since 2018, received the award during an August 19, 2022, gala on the final day of the NAWIC Annual Conference in Minneapolis. “I’m unbelievably honored to receive this award, an award that’s rooted in celebrating passion for education in construction and from an organization as outstanding as NAWIC,” she said.

So, what happened to Michele’s role at MCA-Omaha? Naturally, it was filled by University of Nebraska Student Chapter alumna, Ali Brown. Now that’s taking career development full circle!

Find the Latest from SLOAN and Ridge Tool Company in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

SLOAN
Sloan’s new Gravity Toilets combine Centriflo™ flush technology, simple assembly, and water-saving features into a sleek two-piece design that fits into a wide range of light commercial spaces where comfort and performance are key.

Learn More
RIDGID K9-306 with Flag

Ridge Tool Company
The RIDGID® K9-306 FlexShaft™ Drain Cleaning Machine, utilizing a full suite of specialized chain knocker accessories, quickly delivers wall-to-wall clean in 3 to 6-inch drain lines up to 125 feet.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

Get Back to the Basics – People and the Project – at the Field Leaders Conference

Give your field leaders the skills they need to focus on growing company profits and brand when you send them to the Field Leaders Conference. They will return with an action item list, a fresh perspective on the latest tools and construction resources, and a network of other jobsite leaders to offer advice and provide support long after the class is over. The conference will offer the same education in two locations: Indianapolis, IN (October 12-14, 2022) and Kansas City, MO (November 2-4, 2022). Choose your preferred city to learn more and register your field leaders now!

Those who attend will also learn from industry experts who will share their real-life tips and tools for success on the job site, including ways you can professionally control crucial job site conversations. Attendees will leave with actionable education. Learning from some of the industry’s best, attendees will be inspired to take this knowledge and apply it to better themselves at work, and in life. 

During this intensive conference, field leaders will learn to:

  • View themselves as professionals
  • Understand how their performance is critical to the bottom line
  • Establish tangible goals
  • Appreciate the importance of customer relationships and their role as the face of the company

They will also learn what it really means to be a great foreman, giving them the skills needed to be business and results oriented leaders who focus on growing company culture, brand and profits.

Field Leaders Detroit 2019

Lead field personnel cannot afford to miss this conference! Watch the video above to hear about the conference experience from previous attendees, then click the button for your preferred location to learn more and register today.

Learn More & Register for the Indianapolis Conference
Learn More & Register for the Kansas City Conference

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s How to Set Up Tax-Wise Corporate Minutes

Properly drafted corporate minutes that reflect the actual intentions of the corporate directors and shareholders can be, and frequently have been, the factor that tips the scales in the taxpayer’s favor during disputes with the Internal Revenue Service. MCAA’s How to Set Up Tax-Wise Corporate Minutes explains the bottom-line importance of these important business documents. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What properly drafted minutes should include
  • Potential alternatives to minutes
  • Areas that are particularly susceptible to IRS challenges
DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

The UA and XOi Work Together to Train the Next Generation of Skilled Labor

MCAA member XOi Technologies, a leading provider of technician-focused technology solutions, has formed a partnership with the United Association (UA) that delivers XOi’s innovative AI-based tech-enablement solution to HVACR instructors and registered service apprentices across the United States.

“XOi combines many critical functions for UA instructors and apprentices and other field professionals in a single platform,” said UA training specialist Robert Vilches. “In addition to its streamlined workflows and best-in-class data indexing and analytics, XOi keeps UA apprentices and instructors connected in the field and provides instructors with unrivaled insight into how students perform on the job. And XOi’s first-to-market virtual mentor support extends training from the classroom to the jobsite, so apprentices can continue to learn while they’re in the field.” 

XOi’s deep data cataloging capabilities, advanced AI-driven analytics, and intuitive remote support options enhance the value of UA’s training programs, giving the organization resources to help contractors close the skilled labor gap.

“This partnership is an opportunity to maximize the UA’s proven training programs and to strategically extend XOi’s position as a top innovator in the industry,” said Aaron Salow, founder and CEO of XOi. “By equipping their apprentices and instructors with our powerful solutions, the UA is empowering the next generation of skilled labor talent with in-depth, hands-on education that will help contractors face the continuing labor shortage in the service industry.”

XOi’s advanced cloud-based solution allows field service technicians to utilize, aggregate and analyze critical job data and maximize customer value through industry-leading efficiency, accuracy, and accountability. With a full suite of standardized workflows, job documentation capabilities, and technician training and enablement solutions, teams can build deep and easily accessible institutional knowledge bases that support real-time decision-making and data-based continuity. Service teams can apply these extensive data-science capabilities to analyze those foundational elements and strategically respond to evolving data trends and forecasts.

For more information about XOi, visit https://xoi.io.

For more information about the UA, visit https://ua.org.

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and The Harris Products Group at MCAA.org

The Manufacturer/Supplier Training area of MCAA’s website connects our contractor members with training opportunities available from the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new webinars and training opportunities across their product lines, services, solutions or web pages. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

SLOAN
Find out how to improve public restrooms in educational buildings based on government-provided stimulus funding.

Learn More

The Harris Products Group
Harris Products Group, maker of brazing and soldering equipment and consumables, provides NATE training on the basics of brazing, base and filler metals and fluxes, and torch safety. Includes brazing demonstrations and hands-on practice.

Learn More

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

Be sure to visit the Manufacturer/Supplier Training area for all the latest offerings.

Learn More

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Team Industries, Inc. in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Morris Group International
Quick, easy installation! Specifically designed with tilt-up concrete buildings in mind, our Stainless-Steel Cored Hole Hydrant Box can cut your installation time by at least 75%!

Learn More

Team Industries, Inc.
Designed in accordance with “Lean Manufacturing” concepts, Team’s pipe welding positioners deliver economical, high quality pipe welding. Team’s positioners are designed for the highest quality and peak efficiency in pipe welding.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

Stacy Zerr Will Join the MCA of Kansas City

Stacy Zerr will become the MCA of Kansas City’s (MCAKC) next Executive Director on October 31, 2022. She brings over 24 years of mechanical contracting experience to the role, most recently as the Director of Pre-Construction Services for The Waldinger Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa. Stacy is active in MCAA as Chair of the Innovative Technologies Committee and as a member of both the Project Managers Education Committee and the Women in the Mechanical Industry Steering Committee. “We look forward to the leadership and professionalism that Stacy will bring to the association, and we’re excited to have her join our team at the end of October,” said Greg Stanger, MCAKC President.

Model-to-Machine Fabrication Will be a Focus of MCAA’s 2022 Fabrication Conference

Registration is now open for the 2022 MCAA Fabrication Conference, powered by MSUITE. The conference is returning to Seattle, November 2-4, 2022 with a tour of one of the country’s most dynamic mechanical contractors – McKinstry Company. It will feature how innovative contractors are integrating digital information throughout their fabrication process by using a “Model-to-Machine” approach.

Digital integration has been driving a lot of productivity increases to the industry. With VDC coordination, a lot of time, energy and expense is spent building a BIM model. Fabrication has already been one of the best ways to make up ground by improving the productivity and safety on projects. Up until new software was developed, information from the BIM model could only be used to generate detailed spool drawings. It created an immediate disconnect as soon as spool drawings left the detailing department and went to the fabrication facility. 

Modern contractors have begun using software that is not only used in design and coordination, but also fabrication, communication, and manpower tracking. Fabrication facilities now use computers and large displays that can manipulate the latest drawings in 3D, track progress, update the team and even drive some manufacturing tools to cut, prep and even weld-assist on projects.

“What we are finding is that people are driving efficiency by being able to go directly from model to machine. They are able to also actually measure their efficiency directly from the machine and the shop floor using software”, as Benny Baltrotsky, COO of MSUITE puts it. 

This means that the software can now directly drive tools that can measure and cut pipe like TigerSaw or Razor Gauge. This can be applied to copper, med gas, PVC and soil pipe. The same software can also push cuts and bevels to plasma cutting CNC machines or sheet metal manufacturing equipment. It can track status on anything produced in the fabrication shop so that project managers and foremen can be kept up to speed without constantly calling the fab shop foreman. 

Many of these workflows will be demonstrated as part of the McKinstry tour, as well as in the education for the conference itself. McKinstry’s Seattle headquarters is a multi-building campus that includes fabrication, design, coordination, facility maintenance, incubator space and a public showroom for some of their services.

This is one of MCAA’s most popular conferences and it sells out quickly.  Registration is limited to 2 people per company, including those from multiple locations.

REGISTRATION OPEN