Washtenaw Community College (WCC) welcomed a record United Association contingent of approximately 3,000 union plumbers and pipefitters for the UA’s annual Instructor Training Program Aug. 13-19. The week includes classroom instruction, an International Apprentice Contest, certification exams and demonstrations and a graduation ceremony in which 154 will be honored for their completion of the certificate program and an additional 40 will earn associate degrees from WCC. Photos by Nicole Krawcke/Plumbing & Mechanical.

For the second year, National Backflow Prevention Day on August 16, 2022, recognizes the role of backflow prevention and cross-connection control and those who install, maintain, and test backflow preventers. It marks the day in 1933 when a backflow incident occurred at a Chicago hotel resulting in 98 deaths and 2,000 illnesses. The incident led to the founding of the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research and to new safe plumbing regulations for backflow assemblies. Plumbing & Mechanical marked the day by asking for backflow prevention “selfies” and photo submissions. Take a look.

ServiceTitan hosted its first user conference since the COVID-19 pandemic at the historic Los Angeles Coliseum in late April. The annual user conference brought contractors across North America together to harness the power of technology and supercharge their business to reach the level of success they deserve. The event included more than 30 sessions, during which thousands of contractors learned how to tackle the most pressing trade industry challenges, including digital transformation, hiring and retaining top talent, developing unique marketing strategies, building a financial roadmap to success, and more. Attendees also received a sneak peak at the latest and greatest products and features of ServiceTitan’s software through informative demos and a keynote by Vahe Kuzoyan, co-founder and President of ServiceTitan.

Nexstar Network hosted its first-ever Networking Retreat March 23-25 in Incline Village, Nevada, beside gorgeous Lake Tahoe. The three-day event was limited to about 300 plumbing, HVAC and electrical contractors, and included motivation, networking and fun. 

The 2022 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) took place Feb. 8-10 in Orlando, Florida. The combined efforts of the NKBA and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), continuing their nine-year partnership to produce Design and Construction Week (DCW), brought forth the first and one of the largest in-person events since the beginning of the pandemic. Together, the connected shows featured 1,200 exhibitors, occupying 750,000 net square feet of exhibit space with 70,000 attendees. Check out some of the coolest products from the show floor.

The 2022 AHR Expo returned last week to Vegas after a forced hiatus in 2021. After two years of uncertainty and a longing to reunite the industry, the event represented an eagerness to return to business drawing 30,678 attendees. Check out some of the coolest products from the show floor.

Plumbing & Mechanical traveled to Switzerland and Liechtenstein to be one of the firsts in the industry to see Hilti unveil its all-new Nuron 22V cordless platform with built-in connectivity.

Posted: January 12, 2022

After taking a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PHCC members were thrilled to meet face-to-face at the annual PHCCCONNECT event, held Oct. 20-22 in Kansas City, Missouri.

In September, Navien invited engineers and reps to learn more about its products and tour its Seotan Factory in South Korea.