Articles by Steve Smith

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Mechanical Industry Bands Together for Heavy Metal Summer Experience

Program gains popularity and introduces teenagers to opportunities in the skilled trades.

June 1, 2023

Heavy Metal Summer Experience gains popularity and introduces high school students to opportunities in the skilled trades.

Watts Opens Sixth Watts Works Learning Center

May 24, 2023

Steve Smith

The company's latest training site is inside a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Fort Worth.

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Q&A with Heather Ripley, CEO of Ripley PR

Ripley’s agency celebrates 10 years of helping home service contractors grow their brands.

May 1, 2023

Steve Smith

Heather Ripley, CEO of Ripley PR, celebrates 10 years of helping home service contractors grow their businesses.

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NTI Launches Immersion Trades Program

Hybrid online/hands-on curriculum quickly readies students with the skills contractors need to employ the next generation.

April 3, 2023

Steve Smith

Hybrid online/hands-on trade skills program at National Technical Institute focuses on giving students the skills that contractors need to build the next generation.

Plumbers giving back

Miracle Mechanical Makes Miracles Happen

Brent and Kathleen Ridley tap into help from manufacturers to help families in need.

April 3, 2023

Steve Smith

Miracle Mechanical may sound like the name of a contracting company (and a great one at that). But it’s actually the name of a charity project ran by husband-and-wife team Brent and Kathleen Ridley.

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Orangeburg Pipe (But Were Afraid To Ask)

When sewer lines made from pitch-pressed wood pulp go bad.

March 7, 2023

Steve Smith

Orangeburg pipe in Tempe, Arizona, creates an unknown concern for homeowners.

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Auer Steel Supports the Next Generation

Wholesaler leads the way with outreach program and new training center for the skilled trades.

March 7, 2023

Steve Smith

Auer Steel & Heating Supply Co. Inc. leads the way with high school and trade school outreach programs and a new training center for the skilled trades.

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Q&A with Mark Chaffee, Vice President, Governmental Affairs and Commercial & Industrial Product Management, Taco Comfort Solutions

New efficiency standards went into effect for HVAC equipment on Jan. 1. But there may be government mandates in store for hydronic and plumbing products in the near future.

March 6, 2023

Steve Smith

Taco’s Mark Chaffee discusses what efficiency standards may be in store for the hydronics and plumbing industry.

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Residential Bath Trends for 2023

‘As a result of current trends, industry professionals are proactively adapting their business strategies.’

February 3, 2023

Steve Smith

PHCPPros talks with Tricia Zach from the NKBA about residential bath trends for 2023.

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Prefab Expertise at J. F. Ahern

Consolidated operations and behind-the-scenes technology and engineering help multitrade contractor turn customers’ concepts into finished projects.

February 3, 2023

Steve Smith

Consolidated operations and behind-the-scenes technology and engineering at A.F Ahern Co. help mechanical contractor turn customers’ concepts into finished projects.