BNP Media’s Plumbing Group visits Grundfos North American headquarters

The new location earned a LEED Silver designation from the U.S. Green Building Council efficiencies.

Grundfos Business Development Director Commercial Buildings-North America Steve Schmitz shares a light moment while talking about one of the company’s many energy-efficient products at Grundos North American headquarters in Downers Grove, Ill. Photo by Mike Miazga/Supply House Times

BNP MediaÃ?Â¢??s Plumbing Group meets Grundfos NA — BNP Media’s Plumbing Group meets with Sarah Howell, Helen Mubarak and Steve Schmitz of the Grundfos team at the company’s new North American headquarters in Downers Grove, Ill. Photo by Mike Miazga/Supply House Times

A Grundfos dosing pump is on display in the company’s North American headquarters in Downers Grove, Ill. The new North American headquarters earned a LEED Silver designation by the U.S. Green Building Council. Photo by Mike Miazga/Supply House Times

A Grundfos submersible pump is one of numerous products on display in the company’s new North American headquarters in Downers Grove, Ill. Photo by Mike Miazga/Supply House Times

BNP Media’s Plumbing Group, comprised of the Plumbing & Mechanical, Supply House Times, PM Engineer (pme) and Reeves Journal brands, recently visited Grundfos’ new North American headquarters building in the western Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, Ill. The new location earned a LEED Silver designation from the U.S. Green Building Council efficiencies.

“This building gives Grundfos a tremendous advantage,” Grundfos Business Development Director Commercial Buildings, North America Steve Schmitz told me in a video interview. “We’ve been in North America for quite a long time, but we decided to move here to our new headquarters to take advantage of the water nexus we see forming in Chicago. We have great access to the airport so we can get around the globe where we need to be with a number of different endeavors we’re involved in. The talent pool in the Chicago area is substantial. Overall, we see it as a great win for the company.”

During the visit, Schmitz showed Plumbing Group managers and editors numerous product displays that highlighted some of the company’s many energy- and water-efficient products.

“Part of our core values are sustainability in water and sustainability in efficiency,” he said. “Probably the best example of that is a product such as our Magna 3, which offers a tremendous advantage with energy efficiency, about 80% less. If you can use less and get more out of it at the same time, it’s a great advantage for the end user.”

Schmitz also touched on the efficiencies the company brings into the distribution channel.

“A variable-speed pump such as the Magna 3 is really an integrated package of the pump, the drive and the controller all in one,” he said. “By having a tightly integrated package with the hydraulics built into it and a variable-speed application, one pump can cover multiple pumps that may have been constant application before. A distributor or wholesaler only needs a few variable-speed models on the shelf compared to a dozen different fixed speed models.”

Exclusive video with Steve Schmitz

Check out our exclusive video with Grundfos Business Development Director Commercial Buildings, North America Steve Schmitz:

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Mike Miazga (former group editorial director for BNP Media’s Plumbing Group) is now the vice president of sales/membership at the American Supply Association (ASA). Supply House Times is proud to be the official publication and brand of the ASA — a relationship that spans more than a decade.

Mike’s relationship with BNP Media and the Plumbing Group continues today. He now writes a monthly ASA-focused column for Supply House Times and acts as an editorial consultant to BNP Media’s Plumbing Group.

In his 10-plus years at BNP Media, Miazga was senior editor of Plumbing & Mechanical and PM Engineer before taking over chief editor duties at Supply House Times in 2011. In addition to his role as editorial director, Miazga continued as Supply House Times chief editor and the editor of the American Supply Association’s PVF Outlook eNewsletter. He also enjoyed three stints as PM Engineer’s chief editor, holding dual roles as Supply House Times and PM Engineer chief editor on two occasions.

Miazga started his career in newspapers at the age of 19 and has more than 25 years of newsroom, management, editorial and public/media relations experience, and is a former high-school baseball and golf head varsity coach. Mike and his family are still based out of the Chicago area (with ASA Headquarters in Itasca, Illinois). You can reach Mike at PlumbingGroup89@gmail.com.