Organization: MCAA

Find the Latest from EVAPCO, Inc. and Viega 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:

EVAPCO, Inc. - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
EVAPCO, Inc.
Using the power of capacitive deionization technology, EVAPCO Water Saver makes it easy to improve your water efficiency, lower your operating costs, and deliver a recovery rate of up to 90 percent. EVAPCO even manages the system’s routine monitoring for you.

Learn More

Viega - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Viega
When it comes to your work, “good enough” isn’t good enough. With your reputation on the line, you don’t trust just any press system. You want the original ProPress®. Viega. Connected in quality.

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

Sign Up Today for the 2020 Sales Masters Program!

The MSCA Sales Masters program is a highly customized program for intermediate to advanced HVACR and plumbing sales professionals looking to take their careers to the next level. The intensive nine-day program is designed to provide industry-specific training not found in any other sales program. The course is broken up into two weeks.

Week 1, May 11—15, 2020 at The Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook, IL, is taught by industry leaders with decades of HVACR sales experience. Participants will work through “real world” sales opportunities. Attendees will roll play through cold-calling, prospecting, qualifying, surveying, proposal development, and delivering a presentation as a sales team.

Week 2, November 8—138, 2020, at the University of Houston in Houston, TX, is taught by leading professors from the world renowned Sales Excellence Institute at the Bauer College of Business on the campus of the University of Houston. Attendees will master communication, negotiation, time management and other skills necessary to preform at the top of their game, while still remaining very specific to the HVACR and plumbing industry.

Ongoing follow up is provided by University of Houston sales experts after the class is complete to ensure new skills are being applied and goals are attained.

Class size is limited to provide optimal learning environment, so make sure to register today!

MCAA 2025 Annual Convention

The MCAA Annual Convention is the highlight of the association’s year. With a reputation as the industry’s premier educational event, the MCAA Convention offers something for all members. Attendees will experience a first class trade show featuring the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council, social functions that never cease to amaze and delight, exceptional education seminars and the chance to network and connect with industry peers. Don’t miss the opportunity to see what your trade association can do for you.

2026 NCPWB Annual Technical Conference/Committee Meeting

The NCPWB Technical Committee Conference is held annually to provide a forum for exchanging technical information among attendees and to offer presentations on topics related to pipe welding. The committee meeting portion of the event covers topics such as policy and producers regarding the joint UA/NCPWB welder certification program and addresses chapter inquiries. In addition to the annual event, chapter operation seminars are held every other year to educate chapter administrators about the policies/procedures associated with maintaining welder qualification records.

Hiring a Summer Intern? Apply for the NEW Internship Grant Funded by MCERF

MCAA’s student internship grant process has changed! For 2020, the focus is on the intern to give them the best opportunities possible with MCAA member companies. Five-hundred-dollar grants will now be offered directly to students who accept internships or full-time positions, with funding from the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF).

Having MCAA interns working at member companies is a win-win for the mechanical contracting industry. Employers get top talent and build a pipeline of future employees. Students gain experience, create connections, develop skills and further their interest in mechanical contracting. In paying the student instead of the employer, MCAA’s goal is to increase the overall number of interns and drive the overall number of talented employees accepting full-time positions with MCAA member companies after graduation.

Be the Next Internship Success Story

In 2019, MCA of Indiana member Freitag-Weinhardt, Inc. used an internship grant for Indiana State University student Jonathan Dang. He will join the company full-time following his December 2020 graduation.

Jonathan noted that, “one of the things that made a career in the mechanical industry so appealing is the investment in students and their futures.” The new 2020 internship grants help further show a company’s investment in young talent like Jonathan.

Read more about Jonathan’s experience as an intern with Freitag-Weinhardt here.

How does the new grant application process work?

The MCAA member company will first ensure a prospective intern is in good standing at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or technical school. While MCAA encourages its members to give priority to students from the MCAA Student Chapter Program, this is not a requirement to receive a grant.

Each MCAA member company can submit up to two internship grant applications per year. Once an application is reviewed and accepted, MCAA will send a $500 Visa Gift Card to the member company so it can present the Gift Card to the student at the start of their internship.

MCAA will follow-up with each company and intern to ensure the process and overall internship was successful.

Start your search for top talent today!

MCAAGreatFutures.org gives members access to student profiles and resumes. The profiles are searchable by university, desired location, and even a specific skill set, like BIM or AutoCAD. A keyword filter allows users to zero in on students who fit the bill.

Not finding a match? Try reaching out to our 60 MCAA Student Chapters. The chapter advisors are a great resource to help find the right person. And, MCAA members have exclusive access to post job openings on our job board.

Help build our industry’s GreatFuture – apply for a grant!

Explore the Latest from Johnson Controls, Inc. and NIBCO 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:

Johnson Controls, Inc. - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Whether you’re building from scratch or retrofitting an existing facility or plant, Johnson Controls has nearly everything you need, with the most comprehensive line card in the industry.

Learn More

NIBCO INC. - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
NIBCO INC.
NIBCO offers the only CSA certified press fittings for use in copper tube systems for natural gas and compressed air applications!

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

Kent State Graduate Reflects on Career Success, MCAA and MCA of Cleveland Involvement

Alex Berman, a 2019 Construction Management graduate from Kent State University and a past MCAA Student chapter member, has found success in the industry as an Estimator and Project Assistant at MCA of Cleveland member Geauga Mechanical in Northeast Ohio.

“I really enjoy my role here. I get to work on bids and takeoffs, but also work on projects as they are being built. My role as a project assistant consists of equipment tracking, submittals, and quality control/punch lists. Since it is a family company, I have worked at Geauga during summers throughout high school and into college. I officially was an estimator and project assistant intern the summer before my senior year.”

At Kent State, Alex was involved in the MCAA Student Chapter – even serving as its president her senior year. She says, “It was a great opportunity to work on the projects with my peers and get additional real-world bid experience. The industry professionals are great at giving support and taking us on project site tours to see mechanical elements in real life. The student chapter really gave us great opportunities to network and intern in our area.”

Alex has stayed involved with MCAA through the MCA of Cleveland. “I started attending the Cleveland Chapter meetings as one of the representatives for my company. Through this I joined our local technology committee and attended the MCAA Technology Conference in San Diego. I am looking forward to learning more about technology in the industry and sharing that information with others in our local chapter.”

Be the Next Success Story – Apply for the NEW Internship Grant Funded by MCERF

For 2020, MCAA has updated its student internship grant process to focus on the intern and give them the best opportunities possible with MCAA member companies. Five-hundred-dollar grants will now be offered directly to students who accept internships or full-time positions, with funding from MCERF.

Having MCAA interns working at member companies is a win-win for the mechanical contracting industry. Employers get top talent and build a pipeline of future employees. Students gain experience, create connections, develop skills and further their interest in mechanical contracting. In paying the student instead of the employer, MCAA’s goal is to increase the overall number of interns and drive the overall number of talented employees accepting full-time positions after graduation.

Here are a few success stories

MCA of Metropolitan Washington (MCAMW) member The Bowers Group, also known as W.E. Bowers, hired Andrew Nguyen, a junior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, for a summer internship. Read the story here.

In 2019, BMWC Constructors, Inc. used an internship grant to for Purdue University Senior Madelyn Conway’s summer internship. She will join the company full-time following graduation. Read the success story here.

How does the new grant application process work?

The MCAA member company will first ensure a prospective intern is in good standing at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or technical school. While MCAA encourages its members to give priority to students from the MCAA Student Chapter Program, this is not a requirement to receive a grant.

Each MCAA member company can submit up to two internship grant applications per year. Once an application is reviewed and accepted, MCAA will send a $500 Visa Gift Card to the member company so it can present the Gift Card to the student at the start of their internship.

MCAA will follow-up with each company and intern to ensure the process and overall internship was successful.

Start your search for top talent today!

MCAAGreatFutures.org gives members access to student profiles and resumes. The profiles are searchable by university, desired location, and even a specific skill set, like BIM or AutoCAD. A keyword filter allows users to zero in on students who fit the bill.

Not finding a match? Try reaching out to our 60 MCAA Student Chapters. The chapter advisors are a great resource to help find the right person. And, MCAA members have exclusive access to post job openings on our job board.

Help build our industry’s GreatFuture – apply for a grant!

Beyond the Classroom – Working for a Manufacturer/Supplier

In this month’s Beyond the Classroom, meet MILWAUKEE TOOL’s Territory Manager, Hyojon Robbins, who highlights the unique opportunities available to students who choose careers working for a manufacturer/supplier. Upcoming Beyond the Classroom videos will showcase how MCAA student chapter members and MCAA members alike are benefiting from the program. They will also share the opportunities available to students who choose careers in the mechanical industry.

Advanced Leadership Institute Course 20 Now Accepting Applications

MCAA is currently accepting applications for its flagship executive education program, the Advanced Leadership Institute. Designed specifically for mechanical contracting executives, the ALI is focused on developing the talents and business networks of leaders in the industry.

The intensive, team-oriented, two-week residential program includes lecture, individual coaching sessions, and the development and presentation of final a team project.

The ALI is offered annually at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. The dates for ALI Course 20 are September 13-17, 2020 and November 1-6, 2020.

The application process is competitive, and applicants must provide the endorsement of their CEO/President. While the deadline is May 29, 2020, the course fills up quickly, so early submission is recommended.

For additional program details and application criteria, download the application form.

High Degree of BIM Use by Mechanical Contractors Leads to Multiple Benefits, New Study Shows

A new Dodge Data & Analytics study of mechanical and HVAC contractors using BIM shows that most mechanical contractors that use BIM experience benefits such as improved cost and schedule performance, lower labor costs and greater productivity. MCAA partnered with Dodge to produce the report, which includes input from many MCAA members.

The Business Value of BIM for Mechanical and HVAC Construction SmartMarket Report based on the study’s findings provides a comprehensive examination of the benefits that mechanical contractors experience when using BIM as well as the challenges they face in expanding BIM use.

The study demonstrates that mechanical contractors are sophisticated users of BIM software who have seen the benefits from that use. However, the study also shows that the ability of these contractors to fully leverage the value of modeling technologies is hampered by training and manpower issues, along with the challenge of getting other project stakeholders equally engaged in BIM.

One of the biggest benefits reported by contractors is the ability of BIM to improve the fabrication process. Many mechanical contractors are frequent users of offsite fabrication for their systems, and the study shows that nearly half use BIM on 50% or more of the assemblies they prefabricate, demonstrating that BIM is an essential tool for this process. Benefits from using BIM to aid prefabrication are widely reported, with over 80% of mechanical contractors who use it to prefabricate reporting that they see improvements in the material waste generated, labor costs, quality of installed work, avoiding the purchase of extra pipes and fittings and schedule performance.

Other top benefits reported by contractors using BIM in general are increased labor productivity, increased profitability, better utilization of resources and improved cost performance.

“BIM is an increasingly important and incredibly complex part of the building process. It requires additional coordination, planning, and design expertise, and MCAA members are embracing the tools and technology to rise to the challenge. This new process is still in its infancy, and mechanical contractors—especially those that are already using BIM—have a lot to learn from this report.”

–Sean McGuire, Director, Innovative Technologies, at MCAA

By using BIM, mechanical contractors have also been able to leverage the technology to conduct more analysis on their projects.
• Over 70% report that they use BIM for shop drawings and spatial coordination on half or more of their projects.
• Nearly two thirds (61%) report using BIM for constructability evaluation on more than half of their projects.

“Use of BIM for spatial coordination and constructability evaluation provides these contractors with a clear advantage,” says Steve Jones, Senior Director of Industry Insights at Dodge Data & Analytics. “They can address issues before construction begins, which saves both time and money, and can even help improve safety by avoiding rework.”

However, there are still challenges that prevent these contractors from fully leveraging the use of BIM. The biggest challenges include training needs for employees and lack of available manpower to create BIM models. In addition, these contractors struggle with full engagement with BIM across the project team, with lack of support for BIM from other important trades, the issue of other stakeholders on their projects not using BIM and poor-quality BIM use by other stakeholders also presenting significant challenges. Addressing these issues will allow even more contractors to more fully experience the benefits of using BIM collaboratively on their projects.

Discover the Latest from Watts Water Technologies and Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® 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:

Watts Water Technologies - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Watts Water Technologies
Time is money. And with Watts Learn & Earn program, you can earn tokens for swag in less than 10 minutes. Learn about Watts products on demand from any device, collect, and get on with your day.

Learn More

Trimble - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® a Member of Morris Group International
We designed this labor saving floor drain stabilizer assembly with multistory building construction in mind. Multiple floors mean multiple drains and an increased risk of some of those drains falling over or being knocked out of position prior to and during the pour. Simply mount this assembly directly onto the “fly-away” form and you eliminate the need to spend time and manpower going from floor to floor resetting misaligned drains.

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

MCA of Indiana Student Chapter Member Finds Full-time Position with Freitag-Weinhardt, Inc.

Jonathan Dang has accepted a full-time position with Freitag Weinhardt, Inc., in Terre Haute, Indiana. He is interning for the company while he completes his studies at Indiana State University, where he is pursuing a B.S. in Safety Management with a minor in Construction Management. He will join the company as an employee after graduation in December 2020.

Jonathan, who is the president of the MCAA Student Chapter at Indiana State University, noted that “one of the things that made a career in the mechanical industry so appealing is the investment in students and their futures.”

He went on to describe the experiences that led to his career choice. “When I started to pursue my college degree, I did not know what I wanted to be. Until I was given the opportunity to go to my first MCAA GreatFutures Forum in 2018 in Anaheim. I never understood how amazing MCAA and all its members can be. From the latest technology to the passion of all the individuals there, I was awestruck and, at that moment, I was all in.”

Jonathan met Bob Moreland and Mark Ungar from Freitag-Weinhardt, Inc. at an MCA of Indiana event during MCAA19 in San Antonio. “They offered me an internship at their office, and I took it,” he said. “During my internship, I have learned how to do estimating, subcontracts, POs, and change orders, and I understand how people operate in the field.”

Jonathan also attended the 2019 MCAA GreatFutures Forum in Washington, D.C. He said, “No matter how many MCAA events I attend, I am always blown away by the fact that MCAA is willing to invest much of their resources in college students like me. I look forward to the future that MCAA is building.”

You can find student chapter members like Jonathan at mcaagreatfutures.org.

Verify Now That Your Company is in Compliance with OSHA’s Silica Standard

Federal OSHA recently informed its regional and area offices that the agency is implementing a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica. The NEP targets specific trades in the construction industry. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code# 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors) is being targeted. This means that OSHA’s compliance officers nationwide will be emphasizing inspections/enforcement where respirable crystalline silica could be generated in our trade.  MCAA recommends that you verify that your company is in compliance with the OSHA standard… Respirable Crystalline Silica.

LEARN MORE

MCAA has several safety resources to help you protect your workers from overexposure to respirable crystalline silica and comply with OSHA’s silica standard, including:

  • Safety Bulletin on OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard
  • Mechanical Industry Guide to Silica Safety
  • Model Program on Silica Exposure Control Plans
  • Worker Silica Safety Training Video with Accompanying Training Materials

SILICA SAFETY RESOURCES

 

 

Apply for the NEW MCAA Internship Grants Funded by MCERF!

For 2020, MCAA has updated its student internship grant process to focus on the intern and give them the best opportunities possible with MCAA member companies. Five-hundred-dollar grants will now be offered directly to students who accept internships or full-time positions, with funding from MCERF.

Having MCAA interns working at member companies is a win-win for the mechanical contracting industry. Employers get top talent and build a pipeline of future employees. Students gain experience, create connections, develop skills and further their interest in mechanical contracting. In paying the student instead of the employer, MCAA’s goal is to increase the overall number of interns and drive the overall number of talented employees accepting full-time positions after graduation.

How does the new grant application process work?

The MCAA member company will first ensure a prospective intern is in good standing at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or technical school. While MCAA encourages its members to give priority to students from the MCAA Student Chapter Program, this is not a requirement to receive a grant.

Each MCAA member company can submit up to two internship grant applications per year. Once an application is reviewed and accepted, MCAA will send a $500 Visa Gift Card to the member company so it can present the Gift Card to the student at the start of their internship.

MCAA will follow-up with each company and intern to ensure the process and overall internship was successful.

Start your search for top talent today!

MCAAGreatFutures.org gives members access to student profiles and resumes. The profiles are searchable by university, desired location, and even a specific skill set, like BIM or AutoCAD. A keyword filter allows users to zero in on students who fit the bill.

Not finding a match? Try reaching out to our 60 MCAA Student Chapters. The chapter advisors are a great resource to help find the right person. And, MCAA members have exclusive access to post job openings on our job board.

Help build our industry’s GreatFuture – apply for a grant!

Genie Lifts Safety Notice (Immediate Action Required)

Genie has been notified of three instances where the bottom turntable rotation bearing bolts in specified machines have come loose causing the separation of the turntable from the chassis. Separation of the turntable from the chassis can result in a machine tip-over or other structural failure.  Use of all affected machines must be stopped immediately until appropriate corrective action is completed. Affected models and serial ranges are:

Machines with a year of manufacture 2019 up to the release date of this notice:

Model                                     Serial Range
S-65                                          S60H-39903 to 40455

S-60XC & S-65XC                 S60XCH-45009 to 46426

S-60XC & S-65XC                 S65XCH-45007 to 46425

S-60X                                       S60XH-39397 to 40454

Machines with a year of manufacture between 2015 and 2018:

Model                                    Serial Range 
S-65                                           S6015H-35001 to 35031

S-65                                           S6016H-35032 to 36172

S-65                                           S60H-36400 to 40438

S-60 TRAX & S-65 TRAX     S60TX16H-35555 to 36014

S-60 TRAX & S-65 TRAX     S60TXH-36581 to 40150

S-60 TRAX & S-65 TRAX     S60TX16H-35463 to 36161

S-60 TRAX & S-65 TRAX     S60TXH-36437 to 40198

S-60 TRAX & S-65 TRAX     S65TXH-40225 to 40225

S-60X                                        S60X16H-35034 to 36171

S-60X                                        S60XH-36401 to 40456

S-60XC & S-65XC                  S60XC16H-35119 to 36114

S-60XC & S-65XC                  S60XCH-36472 to 45011

S-60XC & S-65XC                  S65XCH-45001 to 45010

LEARN MORE

Find the Latest from Daikin Group and Trimble 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:

Daikin Group - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Daikin Group
Daikin North America LLC (DNA) has announced the launch of VRV IV-S-series heat pump – The next generation “Mini-VRV” for residential and light commercial applications.

Learn More

Trimble - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Trimble
By connecting key workflows between estimating, design and installation, Trimble helps MEP contractors reduce project risk while increasing overall productivity and efficiency.

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

Technology Conference Delivers Ideas and Innovation

Every year, the MCAA Technology Conference brings ideas and innovation to MCAA members. This year’s event was no exception. Take a look, and plan to join us next year. MCAA thanks our title sponsor, Trimble, and our event sponsors: Autodesk, DEWALT and Rhumbix.

Kim Bassett and Charles Bacon Are Recognized for Their Commitment to Safety

Kim Bassett, President and CEO of Bassett Mechanical, and Charles A. Bacon, III, CEO of Limbach Facility Services, have been named to Safety+Health magazine’s list of 2020 CEOs Who “Get It.” This annual recognition is presented to safety leaders who go the extra mile to protect employees both on and off the job, as nominated by readers. “I do many things in my role as president and CEO,” Kim said, “but doing my best to keep our associates safe is by far the most important.”