Archives: News Items

Connect With the Latest Training from Mueller Industries, Inc. and Trimble 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:

Mueller Industries, Inc.
Streamline® PRS Copper Press Fittings | Installation Instructions
Watch this video to learn about the installation process of the Streamline® PRS Copper Press Fittings.

Trimble
Trimble’s services don’t end after the sales transaction has completed. We are committed to partnering with your business to ensure that you are on the path to success. We offer instructor-led classroom and onsite experiences that blend product demonstrations with hands-on exercises and virtual instructor-led training to help you maximize the benefits of your new software as fast and as easy as possible.

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 FastEST, Inc. and Morris Group International 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:

FastEST, Inc.
FastPIPE®, FastDUCT®, and FastWRAP — accurate, fast, and easy-to-use mechanical estimating software.

Morris Group International
The ConTrols® Omega® Mixing Valve is installed at point of use to temper water for sinks, baths, showers, and lavatories. ConTrols is a division of Morris Group International.

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!

Xylem Illustrates How Smart Technology Streamlines Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is crucial for ensuring the reliability and efficiency of pumps and motors, which are essential components of commercial HVAC applications. An effective maintenance program can reduce unplanned downtime, decrease maintenance costs, and extend asset life. All of these drive business value, which is especially important in today’s competitive and challenging commercial building environment, when building operation teams are being asked to do more with less.

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.

MCAA24 Early Bird Registration Countdown!

December 31 marks the deadline for Early Bird registration for the 2024 MCAA Annual Convention, so register today to take advantage of the discounted rates. 

The stunning JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Orlando will serve as the backdrop of MCAA24 to be held March 17 – 21, 2024. We have an incredible line up of general session speakers that you won’t want to miss as well as a wide array of education seminars that will attract the convention veteran and the convention newbie alike. And, of course, no one wants to miss a private concert with one of the most popular bands of the 90s, The Barenaked Ladies, who will be performing exclusively for MCAA24 attendees the night of March 20. 

Hotel rooms are going fast so don’t delay…register today at www.mcaaconvention.org.

We can’t wait to see you in Orlando!

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s PIPES (PROCESS INFORMATION PORTAL ENABLING SUCCESS)

Looking to gain efficiencies, the BP Group undertook a high-level process reengineering process that resulted in the development of an online tool. MCAA’s PIPES (PROCESS INFORMATION PORTAL ENABLING SUCCESS) provides details of the solution to inspire others looking to undertake a similar project. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • The background of PIPES
  • An overview of the development process
  • What PIPES does
  • Efficiencies gained
  • A template of PIPES

You may also be interested in the following:

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.

Learn How Your Peers Are Advancing at the 2024 MEP Innovation Conference

The MEP Innovation Conference is renowned for selling out every year, and with good reason – it’s co-produced by three industry pillars: MCAA, NECA, and SMACNA. Join us in sunny Orlando, Florida, from January 29 – 31, as we bring together the best innovators in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing industry. Our sessions are peer-focused, offering real-world case studies from contractors just like you. Explore multiple learning opportunities through sessions, workshops, breakouts, facility tours, networking, and exhibits. Don’t let this opportunity slip away. Secure your spot now and stay ahead of the game in the ever-evolving MEP industry. Register today!

MSC Heat’s On Event Offered Free Furnace Checks for Veterans

The Madison Area Mechanical & Sheet Metal Contractors Association (MSC) and Steamfitters Local 601 hosted their 35th Heat’s On event on October 21, 2023. More than 50 area steamfitters volunteered a day of labor to inspect and service heating systems in the homes of 69 veterans throughout Dane County.

The day began with a breakfast featuring this special thank you video.

Trucks and equipment used for the day were donated by the following contractors:

  • 1901 Inc.
  • Air Temperature Services, Inc.
  • Bassett Mechanical
  • Butters-Fetting
  • Hooper Corporation
  • JM Brennan, Inc.
  • Illingworth-Kilgust Mechanical
  • The Waldinger Corporation
  • Total Mechanical

Replacement parts were donated by these area suppliers: First Supply, Gustave A. Larson, Johnstone Supply, and Temperature Systems, Inc.

Veterans signed up for their free furnace checks through the Dane County Veteran Services Office and the Veterans Hospital.

“This program has impacted thousands of lives since its inception over three decades ago. Each year, our technicians share stories about their visits with the veterans and the impacts we have made on their lives. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be a part of a program that gives back to those who have given so much!”

Brady Farrell, President, 1901 Inc.

Heat’s On has been serving Dane County residents since 1987 and has performed maintenance services on over 2,600 furnaces. The purpose of Heat’s On is to reduce the occurrence of veterans going without heat or facing other life-threatening emergencies associated with home heating systems.

Past Heat’s On programs have fixed a furnace for a veteran who survived the polar vortex without heat in his home and replaced the furnace of a World War II veteran who had been taken to the hospital twice with carbon monoxide poisoning.

MCAA congratulates the Madison Area Mechanical & Sheet Metal Contractors Association on their ongoing success with the Heat’s On program.

Harris Realizes Immediate ROI With Watts Specialties Pipe Cutter

Harris saw an immediate return on investment (ROI) from their Watts Specialties automated pipe cutter, with improved efficiency in cutting and handling and no need for hand-cutting for olets or saddles. Based in St. Paul, MN, Harris has 15 regional offices with more than 300,000 square feet of fabrication shops.

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.

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and Ridge Tool Company 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
Watch a live demo of diaphragm assembly replacement for Sloan’s top mount G2, ECOS, SOLIS and Sloan flushometers. This training video makes it easy.

Ridge Tool Company
RIDGID product experts provide a detailed overview of RIDGID’s full line of Drum Machines, highlighting the K-15, K-45, K-50, K-3200, K-6200, and K-7500.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

New MCAA Student Chapter – Riverside City College

MCAA welcomed its newest student chapter by granting a charter to Riverside City College during the MSCA23 Opening General Session on October 23rd on Marco Island, Florida.  

Sponsoring Local Affiliate:  ARCA/MCA
• Cheryl James, Executive Director

Faculty Advisor:
Kfir Mendelovitz

2023 MSCA Barbara Dolim Scholarship – Inaugural Year!

Congratulations to Kolten Plekes and Gonzalo Ceja, the recipients of the new MSCA Barbara Dolim Scholarship. The scholarship is named for Barbara Dolim, former Executive Director of MSCA, in honor of her efforts in promoting and ensuring future support for the mechanical service industry.

Gonzalo is on track to earn an associate degree in HVAC Commercial Technology from Riverside City College and is looking forward to starting a career in the mechanical service industry. He is a dedicated student who focuses not only on his own educational excellence, but is also the head of the Associated Students of Riverside City College and a dedicated member of the student union chapter.  

Kolten completed his associate degree in HVACR Technology at Ferris State University and is also the treasurer for the Ferris State University MSCA-MCAA student chapter. He has been enjoying getting to learn the industry, interning with MSCA members, and looking forward to graduating.

MCAA and MSCA congratulate Kolten and Gonzalo on this prestigious scholarship. MCAA recognizes MSCA’s continuing commitment to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in the mechanical service contracting industry.  

Find the Latest from Total Service and Morris Group International 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:

Total Service
Our software powers your business ecosystem.

Morris Group International
The BF12 matches the rough-ins and hole configurations of many existing bottle fillers and is compatible with numerous water cooler models. Murdock® is a division of Morris Group International.

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!

FARO Looks at the Future of AI and 3D Laser Scanning for MEP Applications

It is clear that artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing fast and coming into everyday use. In the near-future, AI systems will be paired with established technology, such as 3D laser scanning for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) applications. What many do not appreciate is that AI is still largely only as good as the quality of data fed into the system, either by human operators or through technology that gathers and organizes information, such as 3D laser scanners and cloud-based data platforms.

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.

Enhance Your Company’s Training & Leadership and Meet Your Financial Objectives with Skills from NEI Instructor Leah Gutmann – New Classes Added

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Leah Gutmann, owner of First Forward Consulting, LLC. Leah teaches instructors to enhance their skills, managers to build leadership skills, and finance teams to meet company objectives. Her newest classes focus on building the fundamental leadership skills of our industry’s field leaders, service leaders, and project managers.

Leah is certified to deliver training on a wide variety of leadership and financial topics. She has over 12 years of experience in the design, implementation and facilitation of educational programs, classes and seminars. Her 20-year career as a CFO and Finance Manager in the mechanical construction industry has given Leah the unique ability to offer training and consulting from a hands-on, in the trenches perspective. 

Leah offers six course series, each tailored for a specific audience and purpose.

The Field Leadership Series (FLS) builds the fundamental leadership skills every field leader must know, believe in, and be able to apply in practical and consistent ways to drive long term success for individuals, crews, projects, and organizations.

The Service Leadership Series (SLS) teaches participants to apply critical leadership skills to real service team problems, building confidence at both the individual and team level. Everyone participating will leave with tools and strategies that can be applied immediately to improve results at all levels.

In the Project Manager Leadership Series (PML), project managers will learn the essential tools needed to gain respect, get noticed, and be the project leader others follow because they want to, not because they have to.

The Instructor Training Series (ITS) Seminars train JATC instructors, association instructors, and organization subject matter experts to increase retention of material, connect with students, and transfer critical industry knowledge to the next generation, thus enhancing their organization’s competitive advantage. All classes are adapted to fit the needs of each instructor group and their application to the mechanical construction industry. 

In the Leadership Development Series (LDS) Seminars for Service and Construction, management level employees and team leaders focus on building strong communication skills and self awareness to help them be successful leaders.

The Financial Development Series (FDS) Seminars for Service and Construction offer customized coursework to address foundational, intermediate, or advanced topics for your identified group and will include direct application and practice to relevant projects, service work, and company financials.

Like our other NEI instructors, Leah 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.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Serviceeye

Looking to reduce paperwork costs, H.T. Lyons, Inc. had service mechanics, project managers, and dispatchers work internally to create service software. MCAA’s Serviceeye provides details of the affordable solution to inspire others faced with the need to develop or customize software. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What Serviceeye is and what it does
  • How Serviceeye works
  • Benefits of Serviceeye, including streamlined communication and simplified processes

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.

Nominate a Safety Professional as the 2023 MCAA/MILWAUKEE TOOL Safety Professional of the Year

Nominations are due by close of business on December 8, 2023. 

Nominations are open for the 2023 MCAA/MILWAUKEE TOOL Safety Professional of the Year award. This award is presented annually to a mechanical industry safety and health professional who has led his or her company to achieve an exceptionally high degree of safety excellence. Five individuals have received the award since its inception in 2018. Nominate someone today and they could be number six!

To nominate someone from your company, or from another company, please complete the nomination form below and submit it by close of business on December 8, 2023. 

The 2023 MCAA/MILWAUKEE TOOL Safety Professional of the Year award will be presented at MCAA’s 2024 Safety & Health Conference on January 18, 2024, in Tucson, AZ. The winner will be asked to participate in an on-stage general session interview after the award announcement.

The winner will also be invited to the MCAA24 convention in Orlando, FL, in March to receive the award onstage during the Awards of Excellence Breakfast. Airfare, lodging, and registration will all be complimentary. 

MCAA President Robert Beck & Trane Discuss Industry Collaboration & Innovation

MCAA President Robert Beck, CEO of John W. Danforth Company, recently sat down with Trane’s Kristie Upton and Terry Dugan to discuss what they foresee for the coming year, and how manufacturers and contractors can work together to solve the industry’s most pressing issues, including the ongoing talent crunch.

Beacon Economics Study Will Help Service Contractors Thrive in Our Evolving Economy

The 2023 Beacon Economics study, commissioned for MSCA, delves into the critical economic dynamics shaping the mechanical service industry today. This analysis scrutinizes the impact of the real estate market, inflation, and labor shortages, among others, shedding light on how these factors will influence the economy and help MSCA members navigate and thrive in an evolving economic landscape.

Find the Latest from EVOLVE and Milwaukee Valve Company, LLC 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:

EVOLVE
EVOLVE is the Southeast’s premier Autodesk software reseller, providing design technology planning, training, mentoring, and solutions to help clients improve project performance and workflows.

Milwaukee Valve The Insulator/MS

Milwaukee Valve Company, LLC
INSULATOR/MS® from Milwaukee Valve is the only insulating ball valve handle that does it all – controls condensation, has reliable memory stop, and saves time since there’s no need to disassemble for adjustments.

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!

Be Inspired to Evolve by 2024 Safety & Health Conference Speakers Jennifer McNelly and Alex Kopp

January 16-18, 2024 | Loews Ventana Canyon – Tuscon, AZ

The safety landscape is evolving. Is your company’s safety and health program keeping pace? Jennifer McNelly, CEO of the American Society of Safety Professionals, and Alex Kopp, Director of Safety for The Association of Union Constructors, will help answer that question and inspire you to evolve your company’s safety and health program during MCAA’s 2024 Safety & Health Conference. Their sessions are just two reasons to attend MCAA’s 2024 Safety & Health Conference (January 16-18, 2024, in Tucson, AZ). Register today!

Jennifer McNelly’s session will:

  • Explore the evolving landscape of workplace safety and the challenges it brings.
  • Encourage safety professionals to excel in their roles and help shape the bright future of safety and health through data, stories and practical insights.
  • Provide data-driven insights highlighting current trends impacting workplace safety and the profession overall.
  • Empower attendees to evolve their practices and leadership qualities to increase their influence within their organizations.

Alex Kopp’s session will:

  • Review the how our industry, as a whole, is doing
  • Explain what we can all do to continue to advance safety and health in each of our businesses

MCAA’s 2024 Safety & Health Conference will offer more than 50 hours of training and education from subject matter experts on safety, health, risk management, and legal issues. Join us for three days of presentations, discussions, and demonstrations with 300+ occupational safety and health professionals, principals, owners, local affiliated executives, UA instructors, industry partners, NECA & SMACNA, and anyone who has safety and health responsibilities.

For the first-time in conference history we are being joined by TAUC’s EHS Committee and welcome all TAUC members to participate in this event.

Registration Pricing

This conference is one of MCAA’s most popular conferences and it sells out quickly. Register today to secure your spot! Member registration is $895 and guests are $295.

*Upon completing your registration, a link to book your hotel room will be emailed to you. If you encounter any issues while booking with the hotel please contact events@mcaa.org and we are happy to assist.

Extended Learning Courses

CHST $499
CPR Instructor: $299
CPR Provider: $49
CPR Instructor Renewal: $99

Have questions or interested in exhibiting? Contact us at events@mcaa.org or 301-869-5800.