- Aug
- 12
Posted on August 12, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
American Standard Brands honored three sales representatives for outstanding achievement and execution in its first annual sales awards.
The awards, presented by Chris Capone, trade vice president and general manager, and Tom Santer, vice president, trade distribution strategy, recognize Greg Cole, American Standard; Oklahoma-based Pannell Associates Sales Co. (PASCO Reps); and Colorado-based Contact Sales Company, Inc. Recipients of the annual awards were evaluated on continuous growth, sales and performance.
Click here to view the complete press release.
- Aug
- 10
Posted on August 10, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
A custom-designed, prefabricated, pre-pressurized network of Uponor crosslinked polyethylene (PEX-a) tubing, the Uponor Radiant Rollout™ Mat is the ideal solution for faster, more consistent installations for large commercial radiant heating and cooling applications — saving up to 85% in installation time.
The mat consists of Wirsbo hePEX™ (oxygen barrier) or Uponor AquaPEX® (non-barrier) PEX-a tubing connected with ProPEX® engineered plastic (EP) fittings, which are safe for burial in the slab and offer fast onsite customization when necessary.
Click here to view the complete press release and download high resolution images.
- Jul
- 27
Posted on July 27, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
Despite the recent repeal of crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing from the California Plumbing Code, homebuilders, plumbing contractors and consumers should be heartened to know that Uponor will continue its efforts to fully reinstate PEX in the code.
Following the 45-day comment period, which ended July 19, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) is evaluating a revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and will presumably put PEX back on the path to reinstatement into the state plumbing code.
“We are committed to giving Californians the right to choose the plumbing product that is best for them and their applications,” says Rich Houle, associate product manager, Uponor Commercial Plumbing. “We are confident our efforts, coupled with those of the CBSC and the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association, will restore PEX to the state code in the near future.”
Click here to view the complete press release and to download a hi-res image.
- Jul
- 15
Posted on July 15, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
A historical restoration project featuring more than three miles of Uponor crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing for radiant and snow melt recently received the Project of the Year award in the Plumbing and Heating category from the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI).
Located in Washington, D.C., Wormley Row is a 125-year-old landmark school building turned luxury condominium complex that showcases 18,500 feet of Uponor’s Wirsbo hePEX™ and Multi-layer Composite (PEX-AL-PEX) tubing for the radiant floor heating and snow-melting systems.
“Successful renovations of high-profile structures such as Wormley Row provide an excellent showcase for the cost savings, energy efficiency, rapid installation and comfort delivered by PEX plastic pipe,” says David Kinney of LyondellBasell Industries, a multinational manufacturer of polyolefin materials.
Click here for the complete press release and hi-res images.
Click here for more information on the Wormley Row project.
- Jul
- 14
Posted on July 14, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
New high-style freestanding bathtubs from Porcher® range from the timelessly classic to the warmly traditional to the elegantly minimalist, while offering luxury bathing options such as old-world soaking comfort, soothing air massage, and healing light therapy.
• The Porcher® Tetsu® Slim Freestanding Bathtub and the Tetsu Wide-Deck embody a graceful and simple look reminiscent of Japanese aesthetics.
• The classically detailed Archive is inspired by the sculptural lines of 1920s English designs.
• The handsomely traditional Lutezia inflects vintage style with contemporary flair.
Each new tub coordinates with its respective suite of products for a distinctive, fully integrated bathroom design. Further style choices include decorative bases that are available for all models except the Tetsu Slim, which is intended for smaller bathrooms. All models are also available as drop-in tubs, and the Tetsu Wide-Deck can be used with deck-mounted Roman tub fillers.
Click here for the complete press release and hi-res images.
- Jul
- 12
Posted on July 12, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
The Grundfos “Pumps on Tour” — a fully equipped, mobile educational center for professionals in the residential, commercial and industrial pumping industry — visited Chicago recently, setting up on the city’s South Side at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox.
Held on June 22, the event welcomed representatives from approximately 75 local mechanical contracting and industrial companies as well as a dozen Chicago-area wholesale-distribution firms. The Chicago event was one of 48 that the “Pumps on Tour” vehicle will host in 27 different states during 2010. Through June 22, more than 2,400 people at 29 different stops had visited the 1,200-square-foot vehicle for hands-on training by Grundfos staff and the chance to experience first-hand an array of new pump products.
Click here to view the full announcement and download hi-res images.
- Jul
- 7
Posted on July 7, 2010 by acwardell — No Comments
Offset drains and deep bowls are among the must-have features in three new 
cast iron kitchen sinks and a cast iron island/bar sink from American Standard.
Among the new kitchen sinks from American Standard are double bowls cast iron sinks with a unique trapezoid bowl design that creates large, deep bowls for cleaning oversized pots and pans and a 16 inch by 20 inch enameled cast iron island sink with a 10 inch deep bowl makes a perfect island or prep sink, as well as glossy bar sink.
All sinks are available in the most popular colors: white heat, bisque and black.
Go here to view the complete press release and download high resolution images.
- Jun
- 22
Posted on June 22, 2010 by Nora DePalma — No Comments
Iconic Advertising Age critic Bob Garfield retired earlier this year after 25 years with the magazine. In his final column, he offered a rundown of the best and worst ad campaigns he saw in his career.
Included amongst the “winners” was American Standard’s 1993 “It’s Seen You Naked” ad, which “subtly anthropomorphized” bath fixtures like faucets and tub drains and featured the copy “It’s seen you naked. It’s heard you sing.”
The campaign was the brainchild of advertising executives Tom Gabriel and Mark Razidlo, now at Gabriel, deGrood, Bendt, who worked closely with the then-Marketing Communications Manager at American Standard, Nora DePalma to develop the ad.
Gabriel’s goal with the campaign was to change the way people thought about American Standard and even about their relationships they had with their bathrooms. “Their competitor owned the luxury position, the ‘house on the hill,’” he explained. “We felt there was another way into the minds and hearts of upscale consumers: to demonstrate that American Standard understands the way we really live…specifically the relationship we all have with this one special room in the house. These days, creating shared connections between brands and their consumers takes different forms, but it’s still all about finding that common ground and evoking empathy and understanding.”
At the time, not everyone was entirely on board with the bold campaign. DePalma remembered that “literally everyone from office peers to my parents hated the ad. But I felt confident in the risk, because I’d seen the research. I knew what our competitors had to spend on marketing and I knew we couldn’t overcome it; we had to go someplace different as a brand to be accepted in consumers’ minds.”
While DePalma and Gabriel were both right in their feelings about the ad, even they weren’t able to predict just how big of a splash the campaign would make. A few years ago, Gabriel saw Bob Garfield at an ad function and was surprised when the critic told him he thought “It’s Seen You Naked” was the best print ad ever done. “At the time, I thought he was pulling my leg,” Gabriel recalled. It turns out that Garfield was definitely being genuine in this compliment.
In equally good news, our Uponor client now works with GdB Advertising, where Gabriel and Razidlo now work. All of us at O’Reilly/DePalma are thrilled to have the opportunity to once again collaborate with with our old friends and look forward to doing more great work together.
