Trio of kitchen brands used in chef Eric Ripert’s new TV series
New York, N.Y. — Three international superstars in kitchen design —Poggenpohl kitchen cabinets, Miele appliances and Blanco sinks/faucets have teamed up to outfit world renowned chef Eric Ripert for the launch of his first solo tv series on pbs stations, Avec Eric.
“I am thrilled to have Poggenpohl, Miele and Blanco associated with my show, and thank them for their generous support of Avec Eric,” said Ripert. His kitchen plays an important part in his creative process and is truly a reflection of his holistic approach to food and lifestyle.
Ripert, chef of Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City and fan favorite guest judge on Bravo’s Top Chef, stars in his own 10-episode series airing nationally now on pbs stations (check local listings). Avec Eric is co-produced by Anomaly and A La Carte Communications and directed by Emmy-winning director Geoffrey Drummond. In each episode, Chef Ripert guides viewers through a culinary journey to where he finds his sources of inspiration. Shot on location around the world, each show returns to his home kitchen where Ripert translates the inspiration gained from his travels into dishes that home cooks could make themselves — all in stunning surroundings and with high-performance tools of the trade.
The white laminate Poggenpohl cabinetry selected for the show provides a clean, modern look, maximum storage and maintains Ripert’s vision for an eco-friendly space. Open cabinets and shelving areas provide effortless access to seasonings and tools. Poggenpohl kitchen designers worked closely with Ripert to integrate a countertop where the butcher block surrounds and is flush with the cooktop surface, for a more streamlined cooking process. www.poggenpohl.com
Ripert’s kitchen includes a Miele Master Chef Collection™ convection oven, speed oven, warming drawer and induction cooktop. In addition, the kitchen boasts two Miele dishwashers plus an Independence Series refrigerator and wine storage unit. The refrigeration and wine storage come equipped with RemoteVision™ technology so Miele can alert Ripert if something goes wrong (say a door left open) while he’s on location.
Blanco sinks and faucets are known for their artistry, durability and eye-catching designs. Ripert’s sink of choice is the precision™ 16” R10 Single Bowl — a sophisticated, handcrafted sink made by Blanco’s exclusive steelart® division. The 10mm rounded corner radius is flawlessly smooth. A unique satin polished finish with exacting drain grooves complete the beautiful design for easy-to-clean functionality. The kontrole faucet sleekly hides a pull-down spray in its elegant pillar design.
Dormont manufactures their 100,000,000th gas connector
Export, Pa. — On September 15, 180 employees at Dormont Manufacturing celebrated the manufacture of the company’s 100,000,000th gas connector.
Dormont has more than 35 years of experience manufacturing high-quality stainless steel gas connectors for the residential, commercial and food service industries. Dormont was the first to introduce the Supr-Safe™ stainless steel gas connector for the domestic residential market place. Dormont is also the inventor of the Snap-Fast™ one-handed quick-disconnect coupling and “The Blue Hose” for the commercial and food service industries. Today, Dormont, a wholly owned subsidiary of Watts Water Technologies, has one of the broadest families of gas connectors, installation kits and accessory products in the industry.
“It is a proud day for us”, said Mike Mantia, vice president-operations. “We take great pride and care in our manufacturing processes. We work in a state-of-the-art production facility and follow a very stringent manufacturing process that exceeds the performance requirements mandated by CSA. We make each of our gas connectors as if they were going to be installed in our own home or business.”
General manager Joe Dykta added, “It’s our dedicated employees that make us so successful. Along with our outstanding manufacturing, we provide world class service to our customers — from customer service to engineering support to 99% on-time deliveries. We look forward to manufacturing the next 100,000,000 gas connectors and to continue to provide a safe and efficient product to our customers.”
And John Kolson, vice hvac Group, commented, “Our strenuous iso certification process that requires an underlying business management system means that our customers can rest assured that our connectors are safe, reliable and above all, produced right here in Western Pennsylvania. Every connector that we produce is 100% tested before it is shipped. That’s a lot of connectors over the last 35 plus years.”
According to Jack Stein, vice president-sales, “To help us celebrate this milestone and to reinforce our value in the industry, we have kicked off a new ‘Connect with Confidence’ marketing campaign. This campaign will illustrate what sets Dormont apart from other manufacturers — our quality product, our quality employees and our quality partners.”
For additional information, visit www.dormont.com.
SunEarth and IAPMO R&T — solar partners for 20 years
Ontario, Calif. — SunEarth, a 31-year-old solar thermal product manufacturer based in Fontana, Calif., recently had one of its Liquid Flat Plate Collectors, a solar water heating implement, certified and listed by IAPMO R&T, marking two decades of partnership between the two organizations.
“We go back an awfully long way with IAPMO,” said Richard Reed, president and ceo of SunEarth. “We came on board in 1989 and IAPMO R&T was already here.”
IAPMO R&T, a premier plumbing and mechanical product certification agency, has provided certification services to SunEarth for such solar products as Flat Plate Collectors, Pool Heating Collectors, Packaged Thermosiphon Systems and the company’s CopperHeart Integral Collector Storage technology.
Reed said IAPMO R&T has always been SunEarth’s first choice for certification services due to its connection to the Uniform Codes and its professional customer service.
“A lot of jurisdictions use the Uniform Codes,” Reed said. “It’s a higher standard; if you comply, you’ve covered all the bases. Plus, the people have always been very helpful to us. We never feel like we’re getting the run around. Our questions are answered through a very smooth, easy interaction.”
SunEarth Inc., established in 1978, manufactures industry standard solar water heating collectors and systems for residential and commercial applications. Each SunEarth product is carefully engineered for a world market that demands simple, durable, and reliable solar water heating components and integrated systems.
TOTO partners with Hawaiian hotel to bring Neorest collection to suite
Morrow, Ga. — Toto, a global leader in innovative, high-tech luxury plumbing products, announced the first hotel suite installation of its full-line high-design bath collection, neorest. Partnering with Halekulani, Hawaii’s acclaimed luxury hotel, toto brought its intuitive ultra-luxe bath collection to the Orchid Suite, the hotel’s new premier suite designed by Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo. It will enhance Halekulani’s Wellness brand philosophy (mind, body and spirit), an aspect of its quintessential lifestyle that integrates Hawaii’s unparalleled environs with the Orchid suite’s casually elegant décor that celebrates earth, sea and sky.
“Our collaboration with toto is a reflection of Halekulani’s passion and commitment to the health and wellness of our guests,” said Gerald Glennon, general manager of Halekulani. “We look forward to introducing the very latest in technology and intelligent design to our guests to enhance their wellness experience.”
Neorest means literally the new rest and denotes a revolution in the master spa bath of today. This luxury bath collection creates a new way to live in the modern bath space by refining humanity’s relationship with water. In this high-design, intuitive bath collection, technology and design intertwine to create a cocoon of comfort in which these auto-aware products wait in unobtrusive readiness to serve the Orchid Suite guests’ every need and desire. The neorest products are intelligent — they learn and remember; they sense guests’ approach and respond accordingly; they draw the guests’ bath to the water temperature and depth they prefer.
“Toto is proud to launch this groundbreaking partnership with Halekulani, a brand that shares our passion for the unexpected and the extraordinary,” said Lenora Campos, toto spokesperson. “The neorest Collection offers celebrities and jet setters the ultimate intelligent bathing experience, and the Halekulani is the influential and innovative lifestyle authority. Its Orchid Suite offers the finest and most luxurious accommodation in the hospitality industry today, making it the ideal setting for the neorest Bath Collection’s first full-line installation.”
Released in Japan to celebrate toto’s 75th anniversary in 1992, the company continued to refine the neorest integrated toilet, and, in 2003, introduced the neorest 600 to the U.S. market. In 2006, the company completed the neorest collection with the introduction of a suite of products. In addition to the 600 toilet, the suite includes the Airbath, Shower Tower, Lavatory and accessories. For information, visit www.totousa.com.
Vet hospital goes green with equipment from SOLARHOT
Morrisville, N.C. — Firehall 4 Veterinary Hospital in Athens, Ga., was recently renovated with a solar hot water system acquired from solarhot, a leading manufacturer of solar energy products.
The equipment from solarhot, which included a SolVelox drainback pump/control/heat exchanger module, a 120-gallon solar water heater, a 20-gallon stainless steel drainback reservoir and three 4’ x 10’ solar collectors, was installed by Drew Bowen of Turnsol Energy, an Athens company.
“We were excited to work with Drew in the development of this project,” said Dan Gretsch, vice president-engineering of Solarhot. “Since the vet clinic uses a steady amount of hot water this is a perfect application for solar heating. Once the business owner understood the economics they were more than happy to jump on the opportunity to improve the project economics and environmental impact by adding solar heating to the base project of solar electric.”
Firehall 4 Veterinary Hospital is the first business in Athens to have both a solar hot water system and solar electric. Dr. Karen Middendorf, owner of the veterinary hospital, first became interested in solar energy in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. When she learned about the financial advantages, she decided that it was an excellent business decision as well.
“The solar hot water system has met all our needs here at the clinic, and we have gotten good feedback from our clients. We found that we could do something to reduce our carbon footprint,” she said.
Firehall 4 Veterinary Hospital can anticipate an estimated 11,000 pound reduction of carbon emissions and a savings of $1150 annually. Additionally, the business will benefit from the 30% federal tax credit, the 35% Georgia state tax credit and accelerated depreciation rates of up to 50%.
Solarhot, located in the Triangle area of North Carolina, is a leading manufacturer of solar energy products for water heating, space heating, pool heating and commercial uses. For information, e-mail sales@solarhotusa.com or call 919/439-2387.
Wilkins certified by NSF to meet new lead requirements
Ann Arbor, Mich. — As of January 1, 2010, new lead content requirements in California (commonly known as ab 1953) will mandate a maximum weighted average lead content of ≤ 0.25% for plumbing products. According to Wilkins, a Zurn Company, they are the first backflow preventer manufacturer certified by nsf International to nsf/ansi Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components — Health Effects and Annex G low-lead requirements, developed to help protect the public from exposure to lead.
Backflow preventers protect against pollution and contamination by preventing unsafe water from flowing back into the public water supply. Manufacturers of backflow preventers for potable water service, faucets, valves, water fittings and other products that come in contact with drinking water must meet the new lead requirements, as set forth in the California Health and Safety Code, by January 1, 2010. After this date, any pipe, fitting or fixture intended to convey or dispense water for drinking or cooking must meet a weighted average lead content of ≤ 0.25%.
The lead content requirements of Section 116875 of the California Health and Safety Code were incorporated as an annex into the American National Standard for health effects of drinking water system components NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Annex G — Weighted Average Lead Content Evaluation Procedure to a 0.25 Percent Lead Requirement.
To obtain certification, Wilkins demonstrated compliance with all of ansi/nsf Standard 61, Annex G requirements.
“Obtaining Annex G certification for our backflow preventers is important as our customers will know when they see the nsf Mark on our products that in addition to meeting the new low lead requirements, all health effect and performance requirements have also been met,” said Rick Fields, Wilkins vice president-sales and marketing.
For meeting these requirements, Wilkins’ backflow preventers bear the nsf Annex G Certification Mark. Wilkins is also listed on the NSF’s website to demonstrate compliance with the new requirements. For more information, visit www.nsf.org.
WinWholesale named to InformationWeek 500 list
Dayton, Ohio — WinWholesale Inc., one of the nation’s largest distributors, has been named to the 2009 InformationWeek 500, an annual listing by InformationWeek magazine of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. It is the second consecutive year that WinWholesale was named and was 173rd on the list.
WinWholesale was recognized, in part, for developing and implementing a new sales commission calculator and analytical tool. The tool uses an open source Web application server to provide a base solution that works with the company’s data warehouse to calculate sales commission payments and provide an analytical capability. The company also launched Web-based access for customers to view invoices.
“Recognition by InformationWeek reflects the continuous improvement and innovative thinking by WinWholesale’s it team and employees across the Win Group of Companies,” said Steve Hangen, WinWholesale chief information officer. “The it team has partnered with employees in business units and local company operations to implement many successful and creative ways to serve our customers better while increasing WinWholesale’s success.”
The privately-held company consists of more than 470 wholesaling corporations in which WinWholesale is an equity partner, and also Noland Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Noland is a wholesaler with more than 70 locations mainly in the Southeast. Collectively, WinWholesale is referred to as “The Win Group of Companies.” In the group are companies conducting business-to-business wholesale distribution of plumbing and heating supplies; industrial pipes, valves and fittings; heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment; electrical equipment; industrial and commercial fastening hardware; waterworks and utility supplies; and domestic, commercial and industrial pumps.
According to InformationWeek, the magazine identifies and honors the nation’s most innovative users of information technology with the annual 500 listing, now in its 21st year, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. The rankings are unique among corporate rankings by spotlighting the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest it spenders.
For additional information visit www.informationweek.com/iw500 or www.winwholesale.com.
Zoeller receives Governor’s Award for International Trade Excellence
Louisville, Ky. — Zoeller Company was recently presented with the Governor’s Award for International Trade Excellence at the Kentucky World Trade Day awards luncheon. This prestigious honor recognizes Kentucky companies successfully engaged in international trade.
The Awards Committee, made up of Kentucky World Trade Center staff and various representatives from the business community, based its decision on the following criteria:
- A business case illustrating success through outstanding commitment to, and performance in, international trade
- Evidence of executive management and organization-wide commitment to international business
- Uniqueness and creativity of international strategy/plan
- Overall contribution to local community or to the cause of world trade.
Also part of the World Trade Day festivities was an International Trade Fair, panel discussions on “Export Financing Structures For Boosting Sales and Minimizing Risk” and “How to Prosper in China and Asia,” as well as the opportunity for participants to meet and network with foreign dignitaries, trade experts and 400 representatives from business, industry and government sectors.
With an emphasis on quality, Zoeller Company has penetrated foreign markets by offering mainly U.S.-made, high-quality products backed by excellent service and ongoing innovation. Zoeller Company has also fully utilized the strength of products under the Zoeller Pump Company, Zoeller Engineered Products and Flint & Walling brands.
Visit www.zoeller.com to learn more.
Murray Supply hosts Liberty Pumps event
Winston-Salem, N.C. — Wholesale plumbing distributor Murray Supply Company held a Liberty Pumps counter day at its Hickory, N.C., branch on September 22.
Brandon Payne from Snider Inc. featured a product demonstration of the Ominvore grinder at the counter day. They placed various materials such as jeans in the grinder to illustrate the features of the Ominvore Grinder V-Slice cutting system.
The customers enjoyed hotdogs as they discussed the features of new products in the marketplace with the sales associates from Murray Supply.
Murray Supply Company is a family owned and operated company that was founded in 1965 by C.V. Murray in Charlotte. The company is engaged in the wholesale distribution of residential and commercial plumbing, PVF, HVAC, industrial along with maintenance, repair and operations products. Murray Supply Company serves their customers from one showroom and six locations based in North Carolina.
Networkfleet celebrates milestone 10-year anniversary
San Diego — Networkfleet Inc., a leader in wireless fleet management, announced it is celbrating its 10-year anniversary. One of the largest fleet telematics suppliers, Networkfleet now has more than 100,000 subscriber vehicles in the U.S. generating more than 10 million messages daily. Since its founding a decade ago, the company has amassed access to more than 50 issued and pending patents surrounding remote vehicle diagnostics.
Throughout the past 10 years, Networkfleet has experienced rapid growth due to its role in helping commercial and government fleets reduce fuel costs, maintenance expenses and greenhouse gas emissions. With Networkfleet’s growing family of products and services, commercial and government fleets benefit from real-time, precise information to improve the efficiency of their fleets. Networkfleet customers represent a broad range of industries, including service fleets, delivery fleets, transportation services, construction companies and all levels of government.
“Networkfleet is proud of its 10 year history of growth and innovation,” said Keith Schneider, president of Networkfleet. “Customers are increasingly looking at a supplier’s stability and longevity, which has contributed to Networkfleet’s rapid subscriber growth. In addition, Networkfleet’s remote engine diagnostic capability has become essential to reducing fuel consumption and maintenance expenses. This, together with our partnerships with world-class leasing companies, resellers and software companies, has helped us to become one of the industry’s leading telematics providers.”
Networkfleet was founded in 1999 by Diego Borrego, its current vice president-product engineering. Borrego’s business plan for a wireless engine monitoring system won an award in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 50K Entrepreneurship Competition. Formerly with General Motors, Borrego designed Networkfleet to read diagnostic codes from all vehicle classes and types and to connect with various in-vehicle communications systems. From Borrego’s early design, the engineering teams at Networkfleet built a robust application that includes Web-based software and advanced features. In 2006, the company was purchased by Hughes Telematics, a leader in developing the next generation of telematics solutions, which include vehicle-based information and communications systems.
Networkfleet believes in contributing to the community and has been involved with a variety of community projects over the past ten years. These include donating and delivering food to local fire departments during wildfires, adopting a beach in San Diego and offering volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. In addition to the company’s technology having a significant impact on reducing emissions, Networkfleet has undertaken a major green initiative at its corporate offices. The company-wide program includes reducing waste by eliminating use of Styrofoam and plastic, re-using and recycling paper, reducing e-waste by recycling electronics, and lowering energy use.
Networkfleet is a leading provider of wireless fleet management services that improve fleet operating efficiency by reducing fuel consumption, maintenance expenses and vehicle emissions. For details, visit www.networkfleet.com.
Heatcraft and Global Tier form strategic partnership
Atlanta — Heatcraft Worldwide Refrigeration, a global leader in the commercial refrigeration industry, has announced a strategic partnership with Global Tier, a leading provider of information technology and data management solutions.
The two companies will launch a Web-based monitoring and diagnostic system for commercial refrigeration systems in food service and cold storage applications. The system will provide real-time reports and instant notifications about commercial refrigeration system performance for single- or multiple-site operations via the nearest Web browser or mobile device. Benefits of the service include allowing facility operators the measurable advantage of reducing excess energy use, remote servicing, improving cold storage product quality and inventory preservation - thus increasing overall profitability. It will also help customers adhere to regulatory compliances and streamline the process of required administrative tracking and logging.
With deep strategic bench strength and significant bases in different industries, each company brings complementary expertise to the partnership. Heatcraft provides advanced refrigeration solutions that improve operational efficiency and reduce energy costs for its customers, while Global Tier offers a deep understanding of technology applications to deliver device connectivity and data collection capabilities for the restaurant industry. Combined efforts will improve operational effectiveness through enhanced visibility of business metrics — all delivered straight to the customer on demand from one remote online dashboard.
Visit www.heatcraftWWR.com or www.heatcraftRPD.com.
A.O. Smith donates water heaters to Habitat
Ashland City, Tenn. — A.O. Smith Water Products Company is donating high-efficiency water heaters to the newest Habitat for Humanity International Initiative, a weatherization program intended to improve low-income households.
Habitat for Humanity, in conjunction with Exelon Corporation, launched a pilot program aimed to weatherize 70 homes, helping homeowners reduce energy use and utility bills. Along with installing A.O. Smith water heaters in some of the homes, other improvements include weather stripping, caulking, showerhead replacements, attic insulation, and other energy-saving projects.
“A.O. Smith is excited to be donating to this cause,” said David Chisolm, A. O. Smith brand manager. “Not only are our water heaters perfect for this program, but we truly value community service and love to see it paired with energy efficiency.“
Habitat for Humanity intends for the initial program, which will serve homes in northern Illinois, southeastern Pennsylvania and Texas, to serve as a model for future programs in other cities, beginning in 2010.
Headquartered in Ashland City, Tenn., A.O. Smith Water Products Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of residential and commercial water heaters and hydronic boilers. For more information, visit www.hotwater.com.
Ryzex program extends life of mobile computing products
Bellingham, Wash. — Ryzex, a leading mobile technology services company, launched an Intelligent Refresh (“i-Refresh”) program to maximize the life of barcode, scanner and mobile computing equipment. With the i-Refresh program, if a company upgrades its mobile technology within 12 months of purchasing a pre-paid one-year Ryzex maintenance contract, Ryzex will apply up to 100% of that contract’s cost toward an upgrade.
“We recognize that in any difficult economic environment — and especially the current one — it’s hard for companies to justify investing more in the latest technology,” said Lorne Rubis, ceo and president for Ryzex, “which is exactly why we’re rolling out i-Refresh, to allow companies to both maximize existing investments by prolonging the life of mobile equipment, while also paving the way for future upgrades to the latest solutions.”
For 20 years, Ryzex has been helping customers get the most value out of mobile computing and data collection systems at the lowest total cost of ownership. The typical Ryzex Full Use™ mobile technology solution consists of the right combination of hardware, software, maintenance, integration services, network infrastructure, responsible recycling and more. This approach makes the adoption and management of a company’s mobile solutions easy and cost effective.
To participate in the i-Refresh program, a company merely purchases a pre-paid maintenance contract on existing equipment — there are no hidden fees nor does it require an equipment purchase commitment upfront. Mobile computer upgrades can be selected from Ryzex’s broad catalog of the latest devices from many leading oems (upgrades must be made within a year of purchasing a maintenance contract to qualify for the i-Refresh credit).
For additional information visit www.intelligent-refresh.com.