A. O. Smith expands its footprint in the commercial water management market with the $470 million acquisition.
November 12, 2025
A. O. Smith Corporation has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Leonard Valve, a leader in thermostatic and digital mixing valves, along with its Heat-Timer brand.
People from all over the world came together with a shared purpose: to learn, grow, and help one another succeed. I sat with plumbers from Georgia during one session, and over lunch, I joined a group from Wisconsin. We talked about everything from the unique challenges of running a business in different regions to funny on-the-job stories that reminded us all why we love this industry.
As many companies adopt growth-oriented language, it’s important to explore the tactical strategies behind it. Key benchmarks to consider include: What roles do we need to fill in the next few years? How do we retain our experienced employees? Who is our ideal customer and how many will we have in three years? What are our projected revenues in 5 and 10 years? Are our plans aligned with healthy gross and EBITDA margins?
The tool centralizes material lists, order tracking, delivery preferences, pricing visibility and team collaboration.
September 23, 2025
The Home Depot has introduced a digital Project Planning tool aimed at helping professional contractors organize and manage complex jobs through a single platform.
Faced with costly turnover and a tightening labor market, Cooper’s Plumbing & Air partnered with Reins to launch an equity-based incentive system that gives employees real ownership in the business. The approach has boosted retention, strengthened culture, and offers a model for how contractors can keep teams engaged beyond paychecks alone.
This partnership aims to help service businesses save on fuel and prevent fraud.
September 15, 2025
The businesses have teamed up to launch a GPS-powered fuel management solution for service businesses. By integrating Coast’s smart fuel card technology with FleetSharp GPS tracking, businesses gain real-time control over fuel spending and fraud prevention