Archives: News Items

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and ATP Learning Solutions (ATP) 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
This labor saving floor drain cleanout uses our Twis-to-Floor® adjustment technology to level the top with adjacent surfaces after the floor is poured and floor coverings are installed. Constructed of Duco coated cast iron with a secured nickel bronze top for finished floors bearing foot and medium load wheeled traffic.

ATP Learning Solutions (ATP)
ATP Learning Solutions offers technical expertise, instructional design, and attention to detail. We deliver high-level customized educational solutions designed to meet your training needs, using your content or ours.

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!

MCAA Member Contributions to Ukrainian Relief Hit $77,000

Thanks to MCAA member contributions, an additional $5,750 has been donated to The MCAA Charitable Fund for Ukrainian relief. These donations will be added to $46,250 in member contributions and $25,000 from MCAA previously donated to support the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is actively saving and protecting the lives of victims of armed conflict and violence in Ukraine. MCAA will continue to forward additional donations to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Please consider making a donation using the link on the MCAA website.

AMS Mechanical Solves Mysterious Pump Failures with Metraflex Magnet System

Called on to help a Chicago condominium that was having repeated pump failures, AMS Mechanical Systems determined the cause to be metal debris in the pumps. Metraflex Company’s LPD Mag, a high-efficiency, low-pressure-drop Y-strainer with a neodymium magnet, proved to be the perfect solution. AMS found the new, low-cost strainers were easy to install and effectively fixed the problem.

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

Improve Your Service Field Supervisors’ Performance with MSCA’s Growing and Developing Service Supervisors

MSCA’s Growing and Developing Service Supervisors fills the knowledge gap for field supervisors who are new to the role or lack management and leadership training. The May 16-17, 2022, program will advance leadership, coaching, planning, time management, communication, and motivation skills, giving supervisors and their companies a competitive edge. Register today!

The hands-on program uses real-world exercises and relatable videorecorded role plays to deliver skills that can easily be incorporated into field supervisors’ everyday responsibilities.

Those who finish the program will receive a Certificate of Completion and a comprehensive workbook of more than 100 sample forms, procedures, checklists, and reports that field supervisors use daily. Don’t miss out – register now!

Fine Tune Your Sales Team’s Skills with MSCA Sales Masters – Only a Few Spaces Remain

MSCA Sales Masters is the preeminent sales course to prepare your sales team for future success. NOW is the time to provide this relevant and important training to your sales employees to ensure their skills and abilities are focused, fine-tuned and far-sighted.

This two-week course is designed by MSCA in-the-field experts in partnership with sales specialists from the University of Houston. It provides service sales employees with useful training for their level of expertise specific to the mechanical service industry.

Registration is open for our next two-part class: 

  • Week 1: May 1-5, 2022 | Itasca, IL (near Chicago)
  • Week 2: November 6-11, 2022 | Houston, TX

MCAA thanks BuildOps for sponsoring the Sales Masters Week 1 opening reception. Click their logo to learn more about this new member of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Prepare Your Company’s Emerging Leaders to Succeed with NEI Instructors C. Richard Barnes & Casey Elford

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.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Factors to Consider in Establishing, Operating and Maintaining a Fabrication Shop

Whether you’re establishing a new fab shop or looking to keep yours operating at peak performance, MCAA’s Factors to Consider in Establishing, Operating and Maintaining a Fabrication Shop provides tips to enhance your company’s productivity and profitability. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin explains the benefits of prefabrication and offers tips for:

  • Locating the facility
  • Material handling
  • Physical and workstation requirements
  • Considerations such as gas services to support the cutting and welding process
  • Planning the fabrication process to maximize cost control
  • Potential quality control documentation requirements

It also addresses potential setbacks of fabrication that should be considered in advance of setting up shop.

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.

Find the Latest from Trane and Omegaflex, 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:

Trane
Trane creates comfortable, energy-efficient environments for commercial and residential applications with a full line of services. Contractors can count on unrivaled expertise and genuine partnership.

Omegaflex, Inc.
CounterStrike CSST, MediTrac CMT, and DoubleTrac double containment piping systems are now listed by the ICC for seismic resilience per the ICC-ES ESR-4565 Report.

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!

Olson Plumbing Saves Time, Cuts Costs with Josam Drainage Products for Hospital Installation Project

Tight timelines are a constant in building, but supply chain disruptions triggered by the COVID pandemic have complicated matters further. Olson Plumbing turned to Josam Company for drainage products that could meet the specifications and timing required for a new Colorado hospital. Josam’s packaging, labeling, and shipping method saved Olson Plumbing time onsite, cutting labor costs.

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

The WiMI 2022 Conference Will Empower You to Succeed

Now, More Than Ever is the time to get involved with Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI). The WiMI Conference is back, and it’s filled with information and inspiration, exceptional networking, and crucial conversations to empower you to succeed. Networking and social events will help you enhance your professional network. From industry newcomers to executives, and everyone in between, this is the event to attend for all women in the mechanical contracting industry.

At the conference, you will:

  • Establish connections and learn from women from across the country who share common experiences and goals.
  • Get professional and personal growth ideas and inspiration to encourage you to be the best that you can be.
  • Hear from keynote speakers who will empower you to succeed in both your business and personal lives. They will also inspire you to be a strategic leader and performer and teach you to face your fears to enhance growth.
  • Enjoy education sessions focused on personal branding, communication, and using the power of you!

There will be plenty of time for networking and socializing to enable you to build a support group of peers that can flourish long after the conference.

Registration is now open! Space is limited to two members per company office or school. The fee is $895 per person.

We look forward to seeing you in Austin!

Noreen Cournoyer Will Join the MCAA Staff

MCAA extends a warm welcome to Noreen Cournoyer, who will be joining the staff as MCAA’s new Associate Director, Conference Services starting April 4. Noreen previously planned events for the New Jersey Association for Justice and the National Association of Attorneys General. She graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA, and has since earned the Digital Event Strategist (DES) and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credentials. She holds leadership roles with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Capital Chapter and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Research Foundation. MCAA is pleased to welcome Noreen to the staff and to the MCAA family.

Learn to Handle Contract Risks from NEI Instructor Charles F. Mitchell

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Chip Mitchell, a senior level executive with more than thirty years of combined business and legal experience in the construction industry. Chip helps contractors better understand the risks imposed on their company throughout a contract and how to handle those risks.

Chip is the founder and principal of Blue Fence Advisors, a consulting firm. He also serves as a private arbitrator and mediator, and he is a panel member with the American Arbitration Association.

He teaches those who attend the Legal and Risk Management (LRM) Seminars how to:

  • Identify risks
  • Shift risks and negotiate terms
  • Deal with government contracts
  • Handle labor and best practices to maintain an ethics and compliance program

Chip’s teaching and legal background make him ideally suited to address these topics. He teaches contract management for MCAA’s Institute for Project Management. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at American University’s law school, on topics ranging from construction contracts to white collar criminal investigations. He also speaks before industry and trade organizations, including the American Bar Association.

Like our other NEI instructors, Chip 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.

Beyond the Classroom Series

The MCAA Beyond the Classroom videos showcase how MCAA student chapter members and MCAA members alike are benefiting from the MCAA Career Development program. This video series shares the opportunities and careers available to students in the mechanical industry. See all our Beyond the Classroom videos below and learn more today!

  1. Working for a M/S
  2. Shaping a Career
  3. A Pathway to the Industry
  4. Let’s Get Down to Business
  5. Finding Longevity in Your Career
  6. Real-World Experience Matters
  7. Opportunities in the Mechanical Contracting Industry
  8. The Power of Networking
  9. The Benefit of Connecting with Industry Professionals
  10. Following Your Interests to First-Hand Experience
  11. Taking The First Step Into the Unknown
  12. Showing Interest in the Industry
  13. Participation–The Key to Growth
  14. The Endless Opportunities of Mechanical Contracting

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Multi-Employer Defined Contribution Plans – Are You Liable for Another Contractor’s Delinquency?

MCAA’s Multi-Employer Defined Contribution Plans – Are You Liable for Another Contractor’s Delinquency? offers strategies to help you minimize potential liability for uncollected contributions in a multi-employer defined benefit pension plan. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin includes:

  • An explanation of the various types of multi-employer pension plans
  • Strategies to minimize potential liability for both contractors and trustees
  • A comparison of a money purchase pension plans and profit sharing plans

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.

CNA Insurance Offers Solutions for Top Jobsite Claims

As construction-related claims become more frequent and expensive than ever before, new trends have emerged in the types and causes of losses. CNA offers tailored coverages to help construction companies mitigate these risks, along with resources to help keep projects and workers safe.

CNA SOLUTIONS INFOGRAPHIC

For more information on CNA’s resources and solutions, please contact Shawn Egan, CNA Risk Control Specialist at Shawn.Egan@cna.com.

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Connect With the Latest Training from NIBCO INC.​ 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:

NIBCO INC.
NIBCO is here to support the industry and we’re here to support you! When in-person training or distance is an issue, we bring the virtual classroom to you. Topics include Press System Installation, PressACR™, PressG™, BenchPress™, Valve Selection Basics, and Lead-Free Soldering.

Ridge Tool Company
RIDGID is #1 in pressing for a reason. In this training we walk through the RP 350 and RP 342-XL. We talk about all the applications and uses to ensure you get the most out of these tools.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

Enhance Your Field Leaders’ Job Performance with MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference

Are you looking to re-energize your Foreman or Superintendent so they can better lead the team? Do you see your Journeyman or Apprentice as a future leader? If so, register them today for MCAA’s upcoming Field Leaders Conference, May 11-13 in Rochester, NY.  MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference is where field leaders realize their importance and value as professionals and members of the management team. Your field leader will learn: to view themselves as professionals,  the importance of the bottom line, why customer relationships matter, how to establish tangible goals, how they can work “smarter”, what it means to be a great foreman, and so much more.

We look forward to seeing your field leaders this Spring.

Find the Latest from DEWALT Industrial Tool Company and ServiceTrade 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:

DEWALT Industrial Tool Company
Be sure to check-out the entire offering of DEWALT Anchors & Fasteners. DEWALT offers the most ICC-ES approvals for Mechanical and Adhesive Anchors in the Industry.

ServiceTrade Virtual Trade Show

ServiceTrade
ServiceTrade is customer service, sales, and service management software for mechanical service companies.

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!

MCAA, NECA and SMACNA Release a Joint Tool and Equipment Rental Guide

MCAA has joined forces with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) to create an even more robust Tool and Equipment Rental Guide to equipment recovery costs for mechanical, electrical, line and other construction contractors. The guide is now available for MCAA members to access via an enhanced web portal.

While all three organizations have in the past published a version of the Tool and Equipment Rental Guide this joint edition from MCAA, NECA and SMACNA is a new effort. The guide offers insights on contractor-owned equipment to ensure industry professionals have the most updated costs to inform internal estimating, project proposals for new and potential customers, and cost accounting efforts.   

“Having reliable and comprehensive tool pricing data enables our contractors to provide their clients with accurate and reliable bids.  This multi-trade research supports our members, and provides signatory contractors with the information they need to provide the highest standards of quality and service in the construction industry,” said Aaron Hilger, CEO of SMACNA. “With a shared goal of helping our members stay competitive, SMACNA is proud to collaborate with MCAA and NECA on this Tool and Equipment Rental Guide. It is a valuable resource that will support the important work of our collective contractors and their businesses.”  

Construction tools and equipment are an essential part of any contractor’s business and can represent a significant investment. In addition to the large initial investment and the provision for eventual replacement, expenditures must be made for maintenance and repair, storage and handling, insurance, taxes, and interest. The comprehensive coverage of tools and equipment lends itself useful to a wide range of contractors who can benefit from transparent pricing. This year’s guide includes an expanded and enhanced rates selection experience. New equipment has been added and updated list prices across multiple industries are available for equipment, such as aerial lifts, air compressors, air tools, compactors, conduits and other raceway tools, connection and splicing tools, cranes, and much more.

“It is a construction industry best practice for contractors to include the cost of tools and equipment in job expense estimates,” said NECA CEO David Long. “It made sense to leverage the strong partnership between NECA, MCAA and SMACNA to put forth a comprehensive guide that meets the needs of all contractors as they develop bids to safeguard and grow their revenue at a crucial moment in time.”   

As the construction industry experienced shifts in equipment availability, pricing and usage because of the pandemic, rates were impacted more dramatically compared to previous versions. EquipmentWatch, the leader in data, software and insight for the heavy equipment industry, worked with MCAA, NECA and SMACNA to consolidate their most recent guides and incorporate rental rates based on shared types of equipment. The rates within the report are derived from EquipmentWatch methodologies used in the construction industry and consider purchase price, depreciation, maintenance and overhaul costs, indirect equipment costs, and average annual use hours.

“Our contractors see tremendous value in our annual tool and equipment rental guide because it sets a benchmark on the cost of doing business in the industry,” said Tim Brink, MCAA’s CEO. “It was a purposeful decision to join forces with NECA and SMACNA, two construction industry associations whose members mirror MCAA members’ commitment to building and improving infrastructures within the communities they serve.”

The Tool and Equipment Rental Guide is now available for MCAA members to access via an enhanced web portal.

Sloan Scientist Crafts New Formula to Better Estimate Peak Water Demand

For decades, engineers have relied on a formula dating from 1940 to estimate peak water demand, a key factor in specifying the smallest pipe size that will provide sufficient water pressure for every fixture in a building to function normally. Sloan’s chief scientist, Kay Herbert, Ph.D., has developed a new formula that yields more accurate water demand estimates— which can save costs, reduce water use, and prevent bacteria growth. (Sloan is a benefactor of MCAA22.) The new formula is ideal for modern engineers grappling with green technology, touch-free fixtures, and hygiene concerns in the post-COVID-19 era.

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