Category: Uncategorized

Har-Con Saves Time and Materials With MIFAB’s Quick Hub Couplings

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.

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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

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and Morris Group International 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
There are a number of power supply options available to run Sloan touch-free sensor faucets. Explore the options to find the right choice for your facility.

Morris Group International
Advances in Plumbing Design for Healthcare addresses problems healthcare facilities face in construction/renovation with ligature-resistant, infection prevention, and bariatric products.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

Find the Latest from Morris Group International 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:

Morris Group International
Each and every Controls Command Station® system is factory-assembled and welded to a mounting frame for easy installation—and labor savings—at the job site.

Trimble
The Trimble Ri robotic total station is easy to operate with extended layout capabilities and provides longer laser range, focusable EDM, eye-safe laser pointer and improved target tracking.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

Find the Latest from Reliance Worldwide Corporation and Marking Services, 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:

Reliance Worldwide Corporation
RWC launches Cash Acme EB25 Plus to help contractors save money and time. EB25 Plus replaces a parallel system or series installation with a single valve, providing faster setup and maintenance.

Marking Services, Inc.
MSI’s AIM Mobile Technology delivers on-demand 24/7 access to critical asset information. Our QR coded tags provide instant access to critical documents in the field. AIM will greatly increase productivity and efficiency in the field providing Asset and Document Management (O&M, Commissioning, Startup, Warranty, Submittals, etc.) to meet your turnover package needs.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

The Cost of Not Training – Tyfoom Explains How Training Makes Employees More Productive, Profitable, and Committed

Training is key in driving desired systematic improvement in any organization. Yet many businesses see training as an optional cost rather than as a necessary investment with a significant return. Consequently, training often drops to the very bottom of companies’ priorities. Prioritizing training, however, makes your employees more productive, more profitable while at work, and more committed to your organization.

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

Learn How Decisions Made in the Field Impact the Project and the Company from NEI Instructor Mark Rogers

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Mark Rogers, President of West Chester Mechanical Contractors, an HVAC, service and plumbing contractor that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Mark sheds light on how interactions and decisions made in the field impact all areas of a company.

Over the past eight years, Mark has voluntarily presented the “Real Cost of a Manhour” over 125 times to more than 20,000 UA Members. He has also taught sessions on jobsite profitability at MCAA’s Field Leaders Conferences and leadership sessions to the UA Business Managers/Agents and at MCAA’s Advanced Institute for Project Management in Austin, TX.

Mark has taught classes on a variety of mechanical contracting subjects to audiences of various sizes. His Field and Foreman Leadership Development (FFLD) seminars shed light on how interactions with coworkers, other tradespeople and the end users can help (or hurt) the direct cost of union tradespeople.  The series will also cover how decisions impact safety, insurance, profits and overall company culture at every level of a project and will educate ALL sides on what the other is dealing with on a daily basis. This better understanding of how their roles can be improved through leadership, communication and education sets the tone for the success of any organization.

Like our other NEI instructors, Mark brings his 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.

Connect With the Latest Training from Watts Water Technologies and Aquatherm LP 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:

Watts Water Technologies
Watts eLearning system provides access to a wide selection of products and solutions from our family of brands. Courses can be accessed anytime, anywhere; perfect for your busy schedule!

Aquatherm LP
As the leader in polypropylene piping systems, Aquatherm offers comprehensive heat-fusion installation training at our Utah HQ, at partner sites and jobsites across North America, and virtually upon request.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Key2Act 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
Stop resources from draining away with Smith Labor Saving Roof Drains! Engineered to save installation costs, we have several styles to fit different applications.

Key2Act
Key2Act is the construction and field service technology leader, focused on mechanical and non-mechanical specialty trades, facilities maintenance and other large asset or equipment-centric industries.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

W.D. Manor Partners with Morris Group International to Expand Reach of Dialysis Box – Novel System Cuts Installation Time and Labor Costs

W.D. Manor Mechanical Contractors devised a better, safer dialysis box plumbing system, and now they are partnering with Whitehall Manufacturing, a division of Morris Group International, to manufacture and market the system. The W.D. Manor All-In-One Modular Dialysis Box by Whitehall® (model numbers 8193 and 8194) is easier and faster to install than traditional systems. Banner University Medical Center of Phoenix, AZ, installed the All-In-One Modular Dialysis Boxes in a major expansion project, saving hundreds of hours compared with traditional dialysis systems.

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

Learn to Run More Productive & Profitable Jobs from NEI Instructor John Koontz

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your company or local association thanks to instructors like John R. Koontz, MCAA’s Director, Project Management Education. He gives project managers and field leaders a grounding in planning and time management, cost controls, scheduling documentation, and people management skills to help them run more productive and profitable jobs.

John has logged hundreds of days on the road each year since the NEI’s inception. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he has brought his unique blend of academic and practical experience to virtual courses, a new NEI offering.

A former tenured associate professor in Purdue University’s Department of Building Construction Management, John has been teaching since 1992. Before that, he spent 15 years in the employment of MCAA contractors in roles including senior project manager, project manager, project engineer, and estimator.

His Fundamentals of Project Management (FPM) Seminars feature topics that will help project managers run more productive and profitable jobs, from planning and time management to cost controls, scheduling documentation and people management.

The Field Leaders Education (FLE) Seminars for Construction offer a similar grounding for those in field leadership.

Finally, his Other Seminars (OS) for Construction explore how to forge strong foremen/project manager partnerships, improve operations, and provide an appreciation of MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime publication.

Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Even during the COVID-19 era. Visit the NEI website for more information about any of these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.

MCA of Chicago Starts WiMI of MCA of Chicago

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago hosted its first Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) meeting on August 29, 2022. The Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago is proud to host its own WiMI committee and provide these resources to the women in its membership, such as professional, networking, and educational events. MCA of Chicago looks forward to better supporting women involved in the organization. The Chicago WiMI committee will ensure women in the MCA of Chicago always have a seat at the table.

2023 MEP Innovation Conference Tours Are Selling Out – More to Come!

Event Dates: January 11 – January 13, 2023 | Austin, TX

2023 might seem like a far way off, but early registrants are not only taking advantage of the early-bird rate, but also spots in the facility tours. After a week of registrations, contractors have nearly filled the first release of tours at MCAA and SMACNA member Dynamic Systems Inc. The tour will include an explanation of DSI’s VDC operations and its integration to its sheet metal, plumbing and piping fabrication. 

Our facility tours are a new feature of the MEP Innovation Conference scheduled for January 11-13 in Austin, Texas. Attendees have the option to go offsite before the Opening General Session, or to participate in a set of optional pre-conference sessions at the hotel including product demonstrations, case studies, and hands-on workshops. Once the conference begins, it will bring together approximately 500 of the most innovative MEP contractors from around the country for the next two days. If you missed out on the initial release of the tours, don’t worry. More are being developed as we get closer to the conference and will take place at manufacturers, software developers, training centers and other contractor facilities.

Register now to network with peers from multiple trades across the country and learn about industry advancements for the future of the MEP trades. Secure early bird pricing and register today!

Event Contact
Have questions or need assistance? Contact us at eventregistration@mcaa.org or 301-869-5800.

Thank you to our conference sponsors:

General Piping Flies Through Installation With NIBCO’s Grooved Butterfly Valves

General Piping, Inc. counted on NIBCO grooved butterfly valves to meet the strict deadlines of a high school renovation project. “NIBCO’s grooved butterfly valves were easy and fast to install, and they’ve performed well,” said Justin Richardson, project manager, who led the renovation of Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, IN.

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

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Unit Pricing

Unit prices are difficult to establish and even more difficult to utilize to establish a fair and equitable price for changes to contract work. MCAA’s Unit Pricing highlights the pitfalls of this pricing method and provides guidelines to help you avoid them. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • The inequities of unit pricing
  • Guidelines for the preparation of a base unit price schedule
  • The importance of contract stipulations
  • What to consider when establishing correction factors

Find the bulletins referenced in the Foreward in MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime—A Primer for the Construction Industry.

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.

Connect With the Latest Training from Victaulic and A.O. Smith 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:

Victaulic
From one-hour seminars to full-day events, Victaulic University Continuing Education courses provide training on key industry concepts, including piping movement design, grooving and installation fundamentals, and gasket technology, as well as Victaulic HVAC and fire protection solutions. Request an instructor-led course or enroll in an online course today!

A.O. Smith
We offer top notch training, available 24/7. You can learn about our Residential, Commercial, and even Tankless. Training includes items like How it Works, Installation, Application, & Service tips.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and AB&I Foundry 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
Smith Labor Saver® fixture supports for water closets, lavatories, and urinals help you complete jobs faster and more efficiently—saves 15-20 minutes on installation time per support!

AB&I Foundry
AB&I Foundry manufactures cast iron soil pipe & fittings for DWV Plumbing Systems. Visit the website to see how cast iron is made right here in America.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Business Writing for Success

Effective written communication is focused, clear and aims to accomplish a purpose. MCAA’s Business Writing for Success provides guidelines to help you consider and deliver messages that achieve the desired result. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • The basics of good business writing
  • Choosing the right message format for the job
  • The importance of beginning with the positive
  • Building a logical argument
  • Special considerations regarding email and texting

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.

Welcome New Manufacturer/Supplier Members!

Enhance your strategic supply chain with the five newest members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Allow them to introduce themselves:

ClickSafety is a supplier of online safety training. Our online learning management, compliance and documentation solutions help organizations execute their training objectives and build world-class safety cultures. Our parent company is Ascend Learning. Ascend Learning is the leading provider of technology-based educational, curriculum and assessment solutions for healthcare and other vocational industries, and specializes in delivering higher-performance results for students and professionals.

Liberty Pumps is a leading U.S. manufacturer of pumping products for ground water and wastewater removal in residential and commercial applications. We are a family and employee owned company, proudly producing over 90% of our products in the U.S.A. utilizing US and globally sourced components.

OpenSpace provides next-generation 360º construction photo documentation and mapping software. We are the fastest, simplest, and most advanced tool out there, and we can prove it.

Novarc Technologies is a Vancouver-based full-stack robotics company specializing in the design and commercialization of cobots and AI systems for robotic welding applications. Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot (SWR) is the world’s first-of-its-kind in pipe welding applications. As a proven pioneer in the field, Novarc has dedicated a team of engineers and scientists to solve challenging welding automation problems that improve customers’ bottom line.

ServiceTitan is the operating system that powers the trades. Trusted by over 12,000 of the most successful contractors in the industry, our platform’s comprehensive capabilities CRM, ERP, FSM, Fintech, Accounting Integrations, and more) enable complete control of your entire business from one place. By optimizing workflows, improving cash flow, and maximizing profits, we empower commercial contractors to modernize and elevate their businesses.

The members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council stand ready to help you enhance your productivity and profitability and retain your competitive edge. Meet them in person during many MCAA events and virtually through Smart Solutions, Manufacturer/Supplier Training, and the Virtual Trade Show.

Welcome New Manufacturer/Supplier Members!

Enhance your strategic supply chain with the five newest members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Allow them to introduce themselves:

ClickSafety is a supplier of online safety training. Our online learning management, compliance and documentation solutions help organizations execute their training objectives and build world-class safety cultures. Our parent company is Ascend Learning. Ascend Learning is the leading provider of technology-based educational, curriculum and assessment solutions for healthcare and other vocational industries, and specializes in delivering higher-performance results for students and professionals.

Liberty Pumps is a leading U.S. manufacturer of pumping products for ground water and wastewater removal in residential and commercial applications. We are a family and employee owned company, proudly producing over 90% of our products in the U.S.A. utilizing US and globally sourced components.

OpenSpace provides next-generation 360º construction photo documentation and mapping software. We are the fastest, simplest, and most advanced tool out there, and we can prove it.

Novarc Technologies is a Vancouver-based full-stack robotics company specializing in the design and commercialization of cobots and AI systems for robotic welding applications. Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot (SWR) is the world’s first-of-its-kind in pipe welding applications. As a proven pioneer in the field, Novarc has dedicated a team of engineers and scientists to solve challenging welding automation problems that improve customers’ bottom line.

ServiceTitan is the operating system that powers the trades. Trusted by over 12,000 of the most successful contractors in the industry, our platform’s comprehensive capabilities CRM, ERP, FSM, Fintech, Accounting Integrations, and more) enable complete control of your entire business from one place. By optimizing workflows, improving cash flow, and maximizing profits, we empower commercial contractors to modernize and elevate their businesses.

The members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council stand ready to help you enhance your productivity and profitability and retain your competitive edge. Meet them in person during many MCAA events and virtually through Smart Solutions, Manufacturer/Supplier Training, and the Virtual Trade Show.

Find the Latest from Xylem Inc. – Bell & Gossett and Galloup 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:

Xylem Inc. – Bell & Gossett
The next generation of variable speed ECM smart circulators is here. The ecocirc+ 20-18 replaces up to 70 pumps for heating, cooling and potable water applications and is the most reliable, efficient and easy-to-install smart circulator available today.

Galloup Company
Galloup is a premier industrial distributor of pipe, valves and fittings, dedicated to service and support. Serving Michigan, Indiana and Ohio with nine facilities, including two distribution centers.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!