Industry News

Westport, Conn. — AHR Expo show management announced that the 2012 exposition and conference has established a new all-time attendance record with nearly 40,000 registered visitors for the recently concluded event at Chicagoʼs McCormick Place. Together with exhibitor personnel and other attendees, more than 57,000 HVACR professionals participated in the worldʼs largest HVACR event from January 23rd through January 25th.

Based on preliminary registration numbers, the 2012 Show will easily surpass the previous record of 38,534 visitors established at the 2008 Show in New York City. As reported earlier, this yearʼs show was also the largest AHR Expo in the illustrious 82-year history of the event at nearly 430,000 square feet, making it almost 5% bigger than the 2006 Chicago Show.

“We are delighted that we have established new all-time records for both the size of the event and the best visitor attendance,” said Clay Stevens, President of International Exposition Company, which produces and manages the AHR Expo. “We hope this is an indication that the economy is on the upswing and will continue to improve.” Stevens also attributed the new records to the many new energy-efficient technologies and products in the marketplace, as well as pent-up demand for new equipment.

There was a buzz of excitement during the entire Show as enthusiastic HVACR professionals from around the world filled the aisles looking for the latest energy-efficient products and solutions. Many exhibitors commented on the quality and quantity of attendees.

White-Rodgers plans year-long celebration of 75 Years of Innovation for employees and customers

ST LOUIS, January 23, 2011 – White-Rodgers, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), will celebrate its 75th anniversary throughout 2012.

In 1936, a small group of engineers from Emerson Electric developed a new hydraulic action, temperature-control device for use in thermostats, stacks and other heating ventilation applications. This group formed Missouri Automatic Controls in 1937 and soon became White-Rodgers Electric Company, after principal engineers Jim Rodgers and Chesterfield White.

“So much has changed in the HVACR industry over the past 75 years. White-Rodgers engineers have always been at the forefront of technology, designing and producing the most easy-to-use and energy efficient controls of their time,” said Craig Johnson, president, White-Rodgers. “The changes in controls and equipment have been dramatic.”

The company will celebrate this milestone throughout 2012. The yearlong celebration includes various activities, like:

• Special 75th Anniversary signage for distributors

• Promote during Industry events and tradeshows and on trade ads

• Special expanded history information featuring White-Rodgers 75 year impact on the HVACR Industry

• Frequent anniversary and history updates on website and Facebook

• Open house and picnic for employees and their families

• Several coffee talk videos

Johnson continued, “White-Rodgers is a proud controls supplier to OEM manufacturers and applies that expertise to universal replacement controls sold to the aftermarket. We want to thank everyone associated with the HVACR industry for their continued support and confidence through our first 75 years. Going forward we will strive to maintain that trust as we enter these new and exciting times.”

For more information on Emerson Climate Technologies, visit www.EmersonClimate.com.

Chicago — The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is pleased to announce that it has signed a publishing partnership with TMB Publishing Inc., in which TMB’s renowned monthly magazine, Plumbing Engineer, will become “The Official Publication of ASPE” effective March 1 and will replace ASPE’s publication, Plumbing System & Design.

“This new partnership combines the technical quality readers have come to expect from ASPE with the extensive and long-standing publishing expertise TMB has earned by serving the plumbing engineering community for over 40 years,” says Jim Kendzel, MPH, CAE, ASPE executive director. “TMB’s leadership in the plumbing engineering market ensures ASPE’s technical content will reach a wider audience of plumbing engineers, designers, and specifiers leading to greater exposure of the ASPE brand and ultimately, increased value to the subscribers.”

Under the agreement, TMB will publish Plumbing Engineer in association with ASPE and will provide a subscription to the magazine to all ASPE members free of charge. ASPE will contribute the resources of its current authors and columnists as well as provide technical review of articles.

“I am thrilled to again be partnering with ASPE to help publish quality technical articles for the plumbing engineering community,” says TMB owner Tom Brown. “Plumbing Engineer and its readers can only benefit from the wealth of knowledge and expertise ASPE and its members will bring to the publication.”

Advertisers and other interested parties are encouraged to contact Brad Burnside, publisher of Plumbing Engineer at brad@tmbpublishing.com to obtain additional information related to this exciting new partnership.

About ASPE

ASPE is the only professional organization devoted to the training and certification of plumbing engineers and designers. ASPE and its 6,200 worldwide members are dedicated to protecting the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the dissemination of technical data and through educational seminars and technical publications to expand the base of knowledge among plumbing engineers, designers, contractors, code officials, inspectors, and manufacturers. For more information, visit ASPE.org.

About TMB Publishing Inc.

TMB Publishing Inc., a leading publisher of business-to-business magazines, continues to serve the specific informational needs of the key players in plumbing, hydronic, heating and the mechanical industry. Its market-leading publications include:

• Plumbing Engineer — The authoritative source of professional and technical information for those involved in the design and specification of plumbing systems.

• The Wholesaler — The leading source of news, trends, developments and management how-to for wholesalers and distributors in the plumbing, heating, air conditioning and industrial piping marketplace.

• Phc News — The plumbing, hydronic and mechanical contractor’s definitive source for product information and applications, with a focus on improving job performance and business operations.

Visit tmbpublishing.com for more information.

SolarLogic LLC, a New Mexico solar heating technology company, announced US patent approval of its SLASH-D design software.

SLASH-D uses a small set of inputs about a building requiring a solar heating system and delivers an analysis of solar heat availability and utilization, a system parts list, estimated cost, and a detailed piping schematic, enabling any qualified heating contractor to proceed with quoting, procurement, and installation of a solar home heating system.

In addition, SLASH-D outputs a data file used by SolarLogic’s complementary flagship product, the SLIC (SolarLogic Integrated Controller), patented in 2010. The SLIC is an integrated hardware-software device that replaces all conventional and solar-specific heating controls with a single component, is interactive on the internet, and, because it is loaded with the SLASH-D output as part of installation, requires no programming upon system start-up and commissioning.

Together, the SLASH-D and SLIC alleviate the barriers for heating contractors entering the solar heating industry and will result in exponentially higher rates of solar home heating adoption.

Piscataway, N.J. — The Board of Directors of American Standard Brands announced the appointment of Jay D. Gould as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, a leading North American manufacturer of branded bath and kitchen products serving both the residential and commercial markets, including the new construction and remodeling markets.

“We are excited to have Jay take the helm of American Standard,” said Tom Taylor, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “He brings tremendous experience in enhancing companies’ leading market positions and creating value by leading with a focus on growth, innovation and brand development.”

Before joining American Standard, Gould was President of the Home & Family Group of Newell Rubbermaid. Taking an innovative, consumer-driven approach to building demand, he significantly increased revenues for the company’s Levolor, Calphalon, Rubbermaid and Graco brands throughout the economic downturn.  Prior to Newell Rubbermaid, Gould held senior executive roles at The Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, and General Mills, Inc., where he helped drive the growth of world class brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepperidge Farm and Minute Maid.

“American Standard is an iconic brand with tremendous potential to inspire do-it-yourself consumers and to partner with professionals,” said Gould. “The Company successfully weathered the challenging business environment over the past several years, emerging as an even stronger business and now prepares for a more assertive growth agenda.  That agenda will certainly build on American Standard’s heritage of products with great design and industry-leading performance.”

Gould succeeds Don Devine, who led the successful turnaround of American Standard Brands and is leaving the Company to pursue other interests. Under his leadership, the Company completed the strategic mergers of American Standard, Crane Plumbing, Eljer Plumbing, Safety Tubs and Decorative Panels International. The turnaround effort resulted in sustained profitability and a new capital structure for the Company.

“While Don has done an outstanding job in building and repositioning the company, Jay will lead the next phase of the Company’s development, which will focus on growth,” Taylor said.