Category: Uncategorized

KEY2ACT Outlines Best Practices for Updating Mobile Operating Systems

One of the issues that mobile-equipped companies struggle with is how to handle operating system (OS) updates. When to update depends on business needs, but you should only push out OS updates after evaluating risks and if they bring significant value to your business.

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Looking for Other Ways to Keep Your Business Running at Peak Efficiency?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

Plus, 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.

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Sloan Offers Low-Maintenance, High-Tech Approach to Commercial Restrooms

Knowing when to service or replace aging plumbing equipment is critical to maintaining a clean, operational commercial restroom. Like regularly changing the oil in your car, consistent preventive maintenance helps avoid critical, costlier repairs down the road.

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Looking for More Tips to Save You Time and Money?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

Plus, 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.

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Icon Mechanical Streamlines Inventory Management and Cuts Costs with Milwaukee Tool’s ONE-KEY™ App

In search of a way to track equipment efficiently, Icon Mechanical took advantage of Milwaukee Tool’s ONE-KEY™, the first digital platform for tools and equipment. Now, it has a full picture of the company’s allocation and location of equipment and has experienced a noteworthy increase in tools being returned.

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Want More Ideas for Enhancing Efficiency?

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

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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CFI Mechanical, Inc. Contributes to MCERF

CFI Mechanical, Inc., of Houston, TX with its recent $2,500 contribution to MCERF, has now contributed a total $42,500 to the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF). CFI Mechanical, Inc. President, Chuck Fell, says hopes his company’s support will help “…MCERF to continue its support of industry education and internships for years to come.”

Mark Rogers, MCERF’s President, thanked Chuck and all of CFI Mechanical Inc.’s many employees for their strong support of the Foundation.

For more information on MCERF, contact Dennis Langley (dlangley@mcaa.org).

MCA of Kansas City Contributes to MCERF…Again!

The MCA of Kansas City, Overland Park, KS, one of MCERF’s most steadfast supporters, has contributed an additional $10,000 to MCERF, raising their total contribution to the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) to $305,000. Robert A. Looman, Executive Director of the association, says that everyone at the MCA of Kansas City supports MCERF’s educational and research efforts, especially its efforts to recruit and retain great young people for the mechanical contracting industry.

President of MCERF, Mark Rogers, thanked the leadership and members of the MCA of Kansas City for their support of the Foundation. He added that, “Our friends at the MCA of Kansas City have always made it a priority to support the Foundation, and we can’t thank them enough for that support.”

For more information on MCERF, contact Dennis Langley (dlangley@mcaa.org).

Erickson Incorporated Gives Hill Group a Big Lift

Thanks to Erickson Incorporated, a global provider of innovative aerial services, The Hill Group saved around $45,000 on several heavy lifts along the downtown lakefront of Chicago, IL, in one day. They also shortened their project timelines considerably.

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Looking for Other Ways to Save Time on Your Projects?

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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Hiring An Intern? Read THIS Before You Hire!

Building a Successful Internship Program

Internships are an opportunity to identify and evaluate potential full-time hires for your organization. Building a structured internship program will provide the opportunity for your firm to recruit talented students and provide a flexible, cost-effective labor force without a long-term commitment. Providing good internship experiences can increase your company’s visibility when the intern returns to his/her school. An internship program should be considered a critical marketing tool to recruit and retain talented Construction Management and Construction Engineering graduates.

But successful internship programs don’t just happen out of good intentions and hoping for the best. Contractors need to plan them like they plan everything else in their business. Professor Mostafa Khattab, Head of the Construction Management Department at Colorado State University and a Faculty Advisor to MCERF’s Board of Trustees, has written a white paper entitled Building a Successful Internship Program to help you do just that.

MCERF President Mark Rogers is asking every contractor who plans to hire an intern and to apply for an MCERF internship grant to read this short paper and make sure their intership program is designed for success.

MCA of Cleveland Completes One MCERF Pledge…Begins a New One!

The MCA of Cleveland has contributed $5,000 to the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) which is the final payment of a $25,000 pledge made in 2012. But they were not content to stop there; they immediately made a new pledge for $30,000 which they they will pay in $6,000 installments for the next five years. This new pledge brings the association’s total MCERF contributions to $136,000.

Thomas J. Wanner, Executive Director of the MCA of Cleveland, said that, “We have a long standing commitment to the Foundation and we appreciate all of the work it does for our industry.”

Mark Rogers, President of MCERF, extended sincere thanks to the MCA of Cleveland, its Board, and all its members for their extreme generosity and for their long-term support of the Foundation and its industry goals.

For more information about MCERF contact Dennis Langley.

De-Cal Improves Productivity 30–40 Percent with Miller PipeWorx 400 Welding System

By taking advantage of the multiprocess capabilities of the Miller® PipeWorx 400 welding system, mechanical contractor De-Cal, Inc., was able to change its pipe welding processes to significantly improve productivity—by as much as 30–40 percent—while also growing business.

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Looking for Other Ways to Improve Productivity and Grow Business?

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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Pan-Pacific Mechanical Combines Expertise with Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. Flexibility to Meet Challenges

With customized solutions from Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co., Pan-Pacific Mechanical (PPM) met the challenges of the California Building Code and their client’s demand for a visually pleasing building. Jay R. Smith’s willingness to provide products that adapted to PPM’s custom approach ensured that construction of the new Kaiser Permanente San Diego Regional Medical Center (KPSD) went off without a hitch.

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Curious About Other Custom Solutions?

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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Registration is Open for MCAA’s GreatFutures Forum

What do the best mechanical contractors in the industry and students from across the country have in common? They’ll be at MCAA’s 2017 GreatFutures Forum!

This conference is all about connecting future professionals with MCAA members and future internship and full-time employment opportunities. Set in Indianapolis, the forum gives MCAA Student Chapter members the opportunity to network with industry leaders and learn about the ongoing changes in the field and the advantages of working in mechanical contracting.

MCAA’s 2017 GreatFutures Forum will open with the best recruiting opportunity anywhere for MCAA members—a job fair called Futures Fest. Participating members will each have a booth with facilities to display company information and to welcome visiting students with job and internship opportunities.

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University Mechanical Use of Uponor Radiant Flooring Leads to LEED Platinum

To help San Diego State University’s (SDSU’s) Associated Students reach its goal of making all its buildings LEED® certified by 2020, University Mechanical installed an Uponor in-slab radiant heating and cooling system in the new student union. Now, the three story Aztec Center is not only highly sustainable, it is also LEED Platinum certified.

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Want More Examples of Green Projects?

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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DSI Uses CADDY Products to Gain an Edge in the Competitive Austin Market

Faced with the need to minimize noise and limit work to daytime hours for a hospital remodeling project, Dynamic Systems, Inc. (DSI) prefabricated as much as possible, calling on CADDY products from Pentair to get the job done and also saving time on the jobsite. The project called for DSI to add a floor to the hospital while the hospital was still serving patients.

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Looking for More Ways to Save Time on Your Projects?

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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Victaulic Helps A.T. Chadwick Renovate a Philadelphia Icon

To meet the coordination challenges and compressed timeline of an historic building renovation in downtown Philadelphia, A.T. Chadwick turned to Victaulic’s drawing services team. The speed of installation of Victaulic grooved piping systems would also prove crucial to meeting deadlines, as well as reducing costs.

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Facing Challenges on Your Projects?

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

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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Egan Company Earns High Marks for University Installation of Daikin Rebel Comfort Control

By installing Daikin Applied highly efficient Rebel rooftop units, Egan Company overcame time challenges and space constraints, providing Bethel University with a more effective, energy-saving solution to its HVAC needs.

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Looking for More Ways to Save Time on Your Projects?

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

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Mechanical Contractors Association of Kentucky Contributes to MCERF

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Kentucky, Inc., Louisville, KY, has contributed an additional $3,500 to MCERF, raising their total contribution to the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) to $28,500. Matthew Hammond, Executive Director of the association, says that his members support MCERF’s educational and research efforts. They are especially behind its efforts to recruit and retain great young people for the mechanical contracting industry.

President of MCERF, Mark Rogers, thanked the leadership and members of the MCA of Kentucky for their support of the Foundation. He added that, “Matt’s members could have decided to support any number of causes but they made it a priority to support the Foundation. I personally appreciate that spirit.”

For more information on MCERF, contact Dennis Langley (dlangley@mcaa.org).

GreatFutures Forum Celebrates Our Industry Champions… Present and Future

MCAA’s 2017 GreatFutures Forum (September 28-30, Indianapolis, IN) will bring together students from across the U.S. and Canada with MCAA members who want to hire them. Their mutual interest in our industry and its potential to grow and thrive will electrify this exciting conference.

The centerpiece of the Forum and the kick-off event is Future Fest, an exhibit of MCAA members—mechanical, service and plumbing contractors and manufacturers and suppliers—who want to hire the best students majoring in mechanical engineering, architectural engineering, construction management and other disciplines related to our industry for either internships or full-time positions. MCAA members who hire students during the Forum will also have the opportunity to apply for a from the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) for each student hired and they will receive a $500 gift card.

That’s not all! The program features must-see speakers that include MCAA President Greg Fuller, industry consultant Kevin Dougherty on the importance of communication in the field and world-renowned futurist Thomas Frey on future career changes coming for today’s new professionals. The annual mini competition (including Forum Frenzy), a presentation by the Student Chapter of the Year (University of Missouri-Columbia) and the announcement of the 2017-2018 Student Chapter Competition will keep you guessing and engaged.

As a special treat, we’re taking over the NCAA Hall of Champions Friday evening for dinner, a tour and an evening of fun, relaxation and interactive games.

This is a conference for everyone, especially for MCAA members who want to hire bright, well-qualified students from the best universities and colleges with engineering and construction programs and their students who want to work for industry champions. All the Forum details are included in the colorful brochure (follow the link below). Registration is opening shortly; watch for the announcement and then sign uip.

Please contact Harlee Gallo with questions.

Download the Brochure

Rawal’s APR Control Modulates Humidity, Stops Mold Invasion in Mixed-Use Space

To combat the signs of mold and mildew growth, a Southeastern U.S. house of worship installed the APR Control manufactured by Rawal Devices, Inc. to eliminate the humidity causing the problem. Thanks to the new control, the organization avoided major health effects and was able to restore its facility to full use.

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Looking for More Smart Solutions to Your Customers’ Challenges?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area to see 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 features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

“Juice Up” Your Recruiting Efforts at the 2017 GreatFutures Forum

If your professional recruiting efforts could use a boost, then plan to show off your company and its attributes during Future Fest, the kick-off event for MCAA’s 2017 GreatFutures Forum in Indianapolis, IN, September 28-30.

Future Fest (September 28) brings MCAA members—the champions of the construction industry—together with students from across the U.S. and Canada majoring in construction management, engineering, architectural engineering and other disciplines related to our industry to explore potential full-time employment or internship opportunities. There’s no fee to exhibit, and each company’s booth will be equipped with a draped table, chairs and electrical power, if needed.

That’s not all! For every student hired, MCAA members may apply for a $1,000 Student Internship Grant from the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF); the two-grants-per company limit for 2017 will be waived. And, MCAA members who hire students for either a full-time position or an internship during the Forum will receive a $500 gift card.

Students get a hiring bonus too! Once they land either an internship or a full-time position at the Forum, they will receive a $500 gift card.

To further support members’ and students’ career development efforts, an interviewing area will be available throughout the Forum for more private employment discussions.

Plan now to take part in this excellent recruiting opportunity. More details are coming soon, but get a head-start by asking Harlee Gallo to add your company’s name to the list of exhibitors.

Ready…Set…Go! MCAA’s 53rd Student Chapter at Robert Morris University

Congratulations to the MCA of Western Pennsylvania and Robert Morris University for organizing and establishing MCAA’s 53^rd student chapter! Chapter representatives of the Robert Morris Student Chapter will receive their charter at MCAA’s 2018 convention in San Antonio, TX.

The seeds for the new chapter were sown when MCA of Western PA members decided to approach a Pittsburgh-area university about creating a resource for well-educated future professionals for their businesses. The faculty at Robert Morris University not only liked the idea of an organization that prepares students for a great career, but took the extra step of creating additional classes in its mechanical engineering department to ensure students are well-qualified for professional positions in the mechanical contracting industry. Currently, 18 to 20 students have applied for internships with MCAA members in the Pittsburgh area.

For more information about creating an MCAA student chapter in your area, contact Harlee Gallo.