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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

Visit the full media page for more information on this new product and to gain access to the press release and a hi-res image.

Beneath its traditional styling, the Portsmouth Collection features the latest water conservation technology, including pending WaterSense®-certification for all bathroom sink faucets and the American Standard FloWise® showerhead that saves up to 40 percent on water use.

For more information on the Portsmouth Collection of bathroom faucets, including several other hi-res images, please view the press release by following the link above.