When Sacramento-based Air Systems Service & Construction (ASSC) began shopping for new software, their main priority was improving customer experience. Within eight months of adopting ServiceTrade’s commercial service software in 2021, ASSC was already seeing significant improvements in customer communication and increasing efficiency.
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.
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 products and expertise is helping make sports and entertainment venue restrooms more hygienic, more water-efficient, and easier to maintain. Learn how these facilities achieved these results.
Penta Technologies, LLC From maintenance contracts to mobile field data collection, PENTA empowers contractors with the information they need to optimize service operations from the field to the office. Save time and increase efficiency, with PENTA.
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!
HVACR service companies that are thinking about adding plumbing to their company’s service offerings will benefit from MSCA’s new Plumbing Service 101 resource. In a series of five modules, Plumbing Service 101 highlights the benefits of offering plumbing service and investment challenges to consider before taking the leap. It also provides tips and resources that may be of interest to those with existing plumbing service operations.
The new resource, which made its debut at MSCA22, was developed in partnership with ATP Learning Solutions (ATP), an MCAA member that is part of the association’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council. It includes:
Plumbing Service 101 Workbook Module 1 – Plumbing Service Business Basics
This module reviews the pros and cons of plumbing service, how to make a sound business decision regarding starting plumbing services, and types of services that can be offered based on commitment level.
Plumbing Service 101 Workbook Module 2 – Markets for Plumbing Services
This module provides a closer look at the type of research that is needed before making a final business decision along with presenting ten specific target markets that create possibilities for the HVACR contractor looking to add plumbing services.
Plumbing Service 101 Workbook Module 3 – Finding and Developing Great Plumbing Technicians
This module addresses the difficult and challenging task of finding suitable plumbing service technicians. It identifies possible recruitment sources, outlines recommended training, and offers suggestions on how to fit new technicians into an existing work environment.
Plumbing Service 101 Workbook Module 4 – Financial Tools and Profitability
This module is designed to give service contractors an understanding of key financial concepts and factors in planning a successful startup of a plumbing service operation and methods to ensure profitable business.
Plumbing Service 101 Workbook Module 5 – Operations
This module covers many factors that must be considered, such as determining which existing HVACR service department resources might be utilized in an effective organizational structure with key personnel roles defined. Moreover, information is presented on establishing an operating philosophy which integrates plumbing service into the existing company’s corporate culture, including effectively communicating plumbing service details to employees, vendors, and customers.
Find other service-related resources in the Resource Center. Learn more about the WebBook Library, which is also home to the HVACR 101 Workbooks and videos, on the MSCA WebBook Library page.
Thank you to everyone who attended MSCA22 … it was a resounding success! We enjoyed the always sunny Huntington Beach, California, with sunset views over the ocean. We heard from inspiring keynote speakers on the topics of organizational and personal growth and making the impossible possible. We celebrated an Everyday Hero, welcomed new leaders, explored the latest products and services, and gave back to the community, all while having a lot of fun.
Beginning by Giving Back
For the past twelve years, MSCA has partnered with Convoy of Hope to help local charities in the communities where we have held our annual conferences. On Friday, October 14, numerous MSCA Board and member volunteers delivered a tractor trailer of needed supplies to the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, an organization that provides critically needed food, shelter, clothing, and services to local residents experiencing homelessness, poverty, and addiction. Thanks to your generous donations, we raised over $45,000 to assist our friends at Community Action Partnership.
Inspiring Keynotes & Annual Convoy of Hope Packing Party
Bonin Bough kicked off our conference with his inspiring success story and taught us about tools to unlock organizational growth and build more direct relationships with consumers. On Tuesday morning, we heard from MCAA President Robert M. Bolton followed by Inky Johnson who touched our hearts as he taught us the importance of personal growth during the process. Later that morning, spouses and students continued the commitment to service by participating in the 12th Annual Convoy of Hope Packing Party, packing thousands of hygiene kits to be distributed to those in need worldwide. And to end our conference we learned about five steps to make the impossible possible from Ben Nemtin.
Everyday Hero Award
Eight years ago, MSCA introduced the Everyday Hero Award, thanks to the inspiration of D.S. O’Brien Award winner Dick Starr. The award was created to recognize an employee from one of our member companies who, in his or her own extraordinary way, quietly gives of their time and skills to benefit others while seeking no recognition or compensation. Congratulations to this year’s recipient, Facility Engineer for P1 Service, Don Pardew! Don was presented with a $2,500 check for his “I HAVE A NAME” charity that brings food and supplies to the homeless community in Kansas City.
Education & Social Activities
We had outstanding educational sessions and peer-led roundtable discussions each day. There was also a special focus on mental health and well being in the office and in your personal life through the first ever MSCA+. And of course, there were plenty of social events to help us enjoy our time together.
Recognizing Outgoing Leaders & Welcoming New Ones
Mark Crockett concluded his year as Chair of the MSCA Board of Managers and introduced the new chair, Richard Happel. Rich is Director of Service for EMCOR Services Mesa Energy headquartered in Irvine, CA.
Rich joined the US Navy and learned about HVAC before attended Long Beach City College followed by San Diego City College after getting out of the Navy. He worked for Trane Company for 11 years and Carrier Corporation for 6 years, all before becoming a contractor with University Mechanical Contractors in the Seattle area for almost 20 years. In early 2022, Rich moved to Phoenix to join the EMCOR Services Mesa Energy team.
Rich’s first piece of business as the MSCA Chair was presenting Mark Crockett with a certificate to thank him for his commitment to MSCA and all the time and effort he has devoted to the association over the years. He then introduced the 2022-2023 MSCA Board of Managers members who work tirelessly to provide MSCA members with resources and educational programming to help grow their companies and prepare them for future success.
They are:
Rich Happel, Chair EMCOR Services Mesa Energy Systems, Inc. Phoenix, AZ
Renee Fiorelli, Vice Chair Peterson Service Company, Inc. Medford, NJ
Adam Wallenstein, Treasurer Neptune Plumbing & Heating Co. Cleveland, OH
Mark Crockett, Immediate Past Chair Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. Lanham, MD
David Geith EMCOR Services Mesa Energy Systems, Inc. Irvine, CA
Lindsey Grilec Southwest Town Mechanical Frankfort, IL
Drew Harrison Harrison Energy Partners Little Rock, AR
Al May North Mechanical Services, Inc. Indianapolis, IN
Michael McHenry Enginuity, LLC Mechanicsburg, PA
Michael Rosone Arista Air Conditioning Corporation Long Island City, NY
The next MSCA conference is shaping up to be just as exciting, so mark your calendar for October 22 – 25, 2023, and plan to join us at the beautiful JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida. Details will be announced on mcaa.org and in the weekly National Update as we get closer to the meeting date.
A new report by Independent Project Analysis (IPA), an independent international construction project engineering and research firm, shows that union mechanical contractors were 15% more productive than non-union contractors, with a more than 40% reduction in risks of cost and schedule overruns. It further reveals that the total cost of union projects was 4% less than non-union projects. The report is based on an analysis of 1,550 capital projects on industrial facilities across the United States over the past 20 years.
The United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) and Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) joint press release on the topic provides additional details and project background.
The report was included as an attachment to MCAA’s comments on FAR Case 2022-003, Federal Acquisition Regulation: Use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for Federal Construction Projects. Read those comments here.
You can download the full report, including methodology, here.
Faced with limited space in a new fabrication shop, Shinn Mechanical workers designed an articulating weld boom. MCAA’s Articulating Weld Boom provides details about this innovative device that lets fabricators perform any type of welding, including TIG, without any cords or hoses on the floor. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.
The bulletin covers:
What the articulating weld boom is and how it was built
Benefits of the boom, including improved safety, ergonomics, and air quality
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:
CNA CNA’s Driver Selection Guide – Mitigate risk and enhance safety with a well-designed process.
Morris Group International Wash Your Hands One More Time outlines proper handwashing techniques for healthcare and food preparation; explains sanitation problems with sinks; and describes how to select appropriate sinks.
Limbach Company LLC of Eastern PA, an MCAA and MSCA member, has been recognized as one of Philadelphia’s Top Workplaces by the Philadelphia Inquirer. This is the company’s fourth year in a row on the list. This year’s list recognizes 178 companies and organizations in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. “We are being recognized for something I have always known about this branch: we really do live out our core value of ‘we care’ – collectively and individually. We care about the work we do, the people we are, and those that we serve. This award goes to each of you for caring so deeply about our family here at Limbach,” Andy Wiegand, the company’s Vice President & Branch Manager, said to the team. MCAA congratulates everyone at Limbach.
MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Kathryn Crosby, owner and founder of C2 Consulting, Inc. Kathryn gives field and office leadership teams the good operational practices and solid procedures they need to deliver less problem prone projects, reduce duplication of effort, and allow your company to measure tangible results.
Kathryn has more than 30 years of industry experience, including time as the Vice President and CFO for a mechanical contractor. A past member of the MCAA Board of Directors, Kathryn now focuses on education and training. She serves on the faculty of MCAA’s Institute for Project Management (IPM), the Construction Education Institute, and the UA’s Instructor Training Program.
Her Job & Company Operations (JCO) Seminars give field and office leadership teams the good operational practices and solid procedures they need to deliver less problem prone projects, reduce duplication of effort, and allow your company to measure tangible results.
Like our other NEI instructors, Kathryn brings her unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.
Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*
*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.
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 The Controls® Omega® Thermostatic Tempering Valve is ideal for both hot water distribution and point-of-use applications. It can exceed temperature control accuracy requirements of ASSE 1070 and 1017.
Raken Crews in the field can record quantities of materials with cost codes from any mobile device. They can also add photos and notes to track progress in the field while the office sees the data in real-time.
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!
For decades, plumbing contractors have used inflatable or plumbing test balls to perform drain, waste, and vent (DWV) testing for new pipe installations, as required by plumbing code. But those traditional DWV testing systems often slow the plumber’s job down and can put them at risk of physical harm. In today’s world of labor shortages, plumbers and contractors need the best technologies available to get the job done efficiently and safely.
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.
Retention of company records is critical for many reasons, especially the potential for litigation involving a construction project. MCAA’s Records Retention provides guidelines for establishing or refining a company’s records retention policy. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.
MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like C. Richard Barnes and Casey Elford, experienced mediators and trainers. Richard and Casey help emerging and high potential leaders build the skills they need to succeed in mechanical contracting.
Richard is the founder and president of C. Richard Barnes & Associates, LLC, a consulting firm which provides leadership training and development, dispute resolution services, dispute resolution systems design, facilitation, coaching and negotiation skills training to a cross-section of industry, labor, private, public, and service organizations, both nationally and internationally.
Casey is a California attorney, mediator, and corporate skills trainer who specializes in conflict resolution practices. She is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University School of Law where she teaches courses in Mediation and Employment Disputes.
Richard and Casey teach those who attend the Leadership Access Institute (LAI) to:
Communicate better
Solve problems
Negotiate
Understand diversity in the workplace
Handle conflicts
Understand better business etiquette
Richard and Casey’s backgrounds make them ideally suited to address these topics.
Like our other NEI instructors, Richard and Casey bring a unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a relatively new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.
Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*
*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.
The future of MCAA is fundamentally linked to the quality of the individuals who serve on its Board of Directors. MCAA members who would like to be considered for one of three vacancies are encouraged to learn more and complete the application. Applications should be returned no later than January 13, 2023. Candidates and their spokespersons will be scheduled for interviews at the 2023 MCAA Annual Convention. Those who are selected will begin their terms in March 2023.
F+F Mechanical Enterprises, an MCAA member, has been recognized as one of Connecticut’s Top Workplaces by the Hearst Connecticut Media Group. This is the company’s first year on the list, which includes 59 employers in a variety of sectors. Recognition is based on employee feedback. The survey results determine whether an organization makes the list and where it ranks on the list. “We are honored to receive this recognition and want to thank all our employees for their continued support and dedication to our mission of customer satisfaction,” said John Ferrucci, LEED AP, the company’s Vice President and MCAA board member. MCAA congratulates the entire F+F team.
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:
MSUITE Track. Manage. Share. FabPro is the fabrication industry’s first cloud-based software created by mechanical contractors and proven to meet the needs of the fast-paced, ever-changing construction environment.
QuoteSoft by ConstructConnect QuoteSoft BIM and Estimating Solutions – Increase Takeoff speed and bottom line with cost and labor estimating software for mechanical and HVAC contractors. Call for web demo today!
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!
National accounting firm Withum’s thought leaders will explore relevant topics to help your business stay agile and dynamic in the fast-changing business world during Withum’s Business and Finance Symposium: Future-Proofing your Business in an Era of Unknowns (November 9 and 16, 2022, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET). The online program will cover trending Tax and A&A concepts and discuss cryptocurrency, supply chain, transaction readiness, navigating turnover, and more.
Since the beginning of 2022, Har-Con has played a crucial part in a school expansion project, using MIFAB’s Quick Hub couplings and fixture carriers to stay on track. “The quick coupling is a great product that has saved Har-Con time and money through material cost and labor savings,” said Travis Welch, Har-Con project estimator.
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.
As we make the final arrangements for the MCAA 2022 Fabrication Conference, we want to take a moment and announce the volunteer event details and pre-conference session schedule as a new option this year.
MCAA is working with McKinstry’s preferred community organization, Food Lifeline, to organize a community service event at their Hunger Solutions Center on November 2ndfrom 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. The volunteer effort will be unboxing and packing food for the local communities experiencing hunger. Busing will be provided by MCAA to the Hunger Solutions Center, departing the hotel at 12:15 PM and returning at 3:30 PM.
Participants will be given a commemorative sweatshirt and have the opportunity to work with McKinstry leaders, Nate Smith (Business Unit Manager, Manufacturing) and Mike Cleek (Director of Shop and Field Operations). Participation requires advanced registration, so please complete the registration form below. Guests may participate as well but require separate registration.
Participation in the optional pre-conference sessions on November 2nd takes no advance registration, but attendees must check in onsite and receive their badges prior to attending.
ST. HELENS ROOM
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM MSUITE Cloud Spooling: How to Bring Your Models to the Cloud and Spool with Ease
Come learn about the latest and greatest with MSUITE Cloud Spooling. Michael Schinn, Product Manager at MSUITE will cover how your fab and field teams can leverage data rich BIM models to create and view Spool drawings in the cloud without needing Revit power.
Presented by Michael Schinn, MSUITE
Presented by Erin Blomme, MSUITE
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM Technology Implementation Tips and Tricksfor the BIM and Fab Shop
Implementing a new technology can seem daunting, especially on a busy shop floor. Gleaning off years of experience implementing MSUITE customers, Erin Blomme, Sr. Product Manager, will be onsite to discuss industry best practices when implementing a new technology with your BIM and fab shops.
2:15 PM – 2:45 PM The Power of Analytics and KPI’sfor the Fab Shop
With so many moving parts in a fabrication shop, it can be hard to manage the flow of data to know which parts of your fab shop are most efficient. Andries van Heerden, Product Manager at MSUITE, will walk through the various analytics and KPIs you can track in your fab shop, and how they will have a dramatic impact on your profitability.
Presented by Andries van Heerden, MSUITE
Presented by Julianne Mattecheck, RM Mechanical
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Scaling Up Initial Fabrication Operations
Whether you work for a small company or a large one, the industry is pushing for more fabrication. With many teams connected to the fab shop, how do you grow the number of hours/dollars? How do you get foreman/site buy-in? And what does this look like financially? Learn how to bring all your operations departments together to run a successful fab shop that can grow with your business.
OLYMPIC ROOM
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Leveraging Technology: The Right Data, for the Right Person, at the Right Time
Learn about the importance of making data accessible to ensure your teams, subject matter experts, and management stakeholders have the information they need to manage and execute projects efficiently and effectively. Data that is lightweight and easily available, along with rich models and augmented reality, will greatly improve your project execution.
Presented by David Derocher, Trimble
Presented by Jonathan Marsh, Steel Toe Consulting
2:15 PM – 2:45 PM Field Orderz – Field Centered Prefabrication
Field Orderz is a digital field-centered prefabrication tool that is simple, intuitive and fast. The tedious nature of tickets has made the idea of field-lead prefabrication impractical, but now with Field Orderz, you can order, sketch, track and report from one platform. It provides a fully digital solution to the time-consuming task of sending orders and sketches to the shop. Eliminating the common obstacles of bad handwriting, incorrect parts, and labels. This tool calculates material lengths and automates the sketching and reporting process.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Future of Pipe Welding and Automation
Novarc Technologies is the leader in development of cobots and AI systems for the welding industry. We developed the first Spool Welding Robot (SWR™) and have helped our customers combat their existing welder shortage issues, but we haven’t stopped there. Join us for a conversation to see how Novarc Technologies is continuously pushing the boundary to help the industry advance and get a sneak peak at our Artificial Intelligence product called NovEye™.
Nearly 70 volunteers from the Madison Area Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (MSC) and United Association (UA) Steamfitters Local 601 serviced the homes of 59 veterans during the 34th Annual Heat’s On event on Saturday, October 8, 2022. The annual event ensures the safety of those who served our country.
During the event, service technicians discovered a furnace in need of replacement and a few that will require follow-up visits. MSC member 1901 Inc. is coordinating with the veteran homeowner to schedule the furnace replacement. Hooper Corporation will be replacing a water heater and following up on several other part repairs. All labor and supplies are complimentary to the homeowners. Temperature Systems Inc. is providing the furnace replacement and First Supply will provide the water heater.
“I really appreciate stuff like this; people doing stuff for the military,” explained U.S. Air Force Veteran Stan Hook. “It’s nice to know you are appreciated. There’s a lot of vets that probably can’t afford to have this done on a regular basis and this is just something that helps them out and makes sure they have heat throughout the winter. I want to thank those that participated; really appreciate their commitment to military people.”
The Heat’s On event has checked and serviced over 2,600 homes in Dane County since the event’s inception in 1987. The event originated when two elderly individuals froze to death when the temperatures dropped because their furnace was not working properly. The association and local union initially created the program to help the poor and elderly stay warm throughout the winter. In 2015, Heat’s On began checking furnaces for veterans.
Contractors participating in this year’s event were: 1901, Inc., Air Temperature Services, Bassett Mechanical, Butters-Fetting, Hooper Corporation, Ideal Mechanical, and JM Brennan. The Waldinger Corporation, TOTAL Mechanical, Trane, and Zone Mechanical provided trucks for the technicians to use to service the furnaces. First Supply, Gustave A. Larson, Johnstone Supply, and Temperature Systems Inc. donated the materials used to repair any broken furnaces.
“We were overwhelmed with the support we received from our volunteers this year and are proud to see how the program can grow in the future,” said MSC Executive Director Julie Walsh. “This continues to be my favorite day of the year! The gratitude and appreciation we receive from the veterans is priceless!”
The service technicians volunteered their Saturday morning to service the veterans’ furnaces. Many of the technicians have participated in Heat’s On year-after-year.
“I don’t know a better way, with the skills that we learned through the union, and trades to serve the veterans that gave us the freedom that we have now,” said Army veteran and 1901 Inc. steamfitter Mike Johnson.
The event lets service technicians hear stories from our veterans, giving them a new appreciation for all that the homeowners have done for our country. “It’s not about cleaning the furnace on a day like today,” explained The Waldinger Corporation’s Dan Swanson, who is also currently serving in the Army National Guard. “It’s about the interactions with the veterans.” Sixteen of the service technicians who volunteered for Heat’s On are veterans themselves.
The annual Heat’s On event gives the veteran homeowners comfort and the peace of mind for the coming winter. In some cases, the event is lifesaving.
