Every contractor understands the importance of having a strong, easily recognizable brand. Companies that develop exceptional brands outperform companies with a mediocre brand every day, regardless of their field.

Two simultaneous revelations right after the first of the year have magnified our predictions of industrial manufacturing and construction expansion, as the first quarter of 2014 gets off and running.

A little more than 25 years ago, I promised my wife an addition to our house. When we bought this house, we loved it. However, the master bedroom was nothing spectacular.

Before my brothers and I became enlightened about staffing (meaning we got our teeth kicked in so many times we eventually woke up), we used to rely on the tried-and-true method of hiring people using the “Mirror Test.”

One of the most misunderstood portions of the commercial heating system is the gas train. The gas train is a series of components that safely feed natural or propane gas into the burner.

The World Health Organization reports that 2.6 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation. The United Nations says more than 1 billion people are living with a shortage of fresh water.

Publicity is the most powerful form of marketing communication your plumbing company can possibly have. There is a wave of influence in your market, merely waiting to slosh one side or the other. Most watch. Some hope that it visits them.

One of the greatest business management gurus of our time, Ken Blanchard, wrote a book several years ago with Sheldon Bowles titled “Raving Fans.” It was written in the same style as many of Blanchard’s books over the years: almost painfully simple, yet so applicable.

In analyzing the 2014 industrial construction take-off quarter, we consulted industrial components expert Steve Letko regarding the geographical regions’ growth and the intensity of the product components comprising anticipated overall end-use growth.

All closed-loop hydronic systems require an air space to absorb the increased volume of water as it warms during system operation. In most hydronic systems, this task is handled by an expansion tank. In most modern hydronic systems, it’s handled by a diaphragm-type expansion tank.