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Summer 2020 Issue

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Murphy Company Cuts Project Installation Time with Sioux Chief Products

Using a range of Sioux Chief Manufacturing Company products, Murphy Company dramatically cut down its installation time of plumbing products for a new high-rise in St. Louis. Murphy also turned to Sioux Chief for custom products, which were rapidly produced in nearby Kansas City, MO, ensuring the project stayed on schedule.

John W. Danforth Relies on Raken to Capture Detailed Productivity Data

John W. Danforth—a founding member of MCAA—is using Raken’s digital time cards and daily reporting to keep a record of all the impacts the pandemic has had on their productivity—so they can demonstrate what they have done and get paid for it. Construction companies have been forced to change the way they operate to ensure safety and compliance, and jobsite data are critical for contractors to maintain a record of productivity and streamline their workflows.

Mine Your Own Data to Find Opportunities for Faster Recovery

Since March 2020, the commercial and industrial mechanical service contracting industry has been reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. In the early days of the pandemic, when cities and states started shutting down, the uncertainty made everyone question the future of our business—for our employees and for our livelihood. At ServiceTrade, we looked at usage data from over 550 facility service companies using our software application, which is designed to help service contractors manage their operations and deliver better customer service, to measure the effects of COVID-19 on business.

ServiceTrade

SitelogIQ Speeds Up Processes Using XOi Technologies

SitelogIQ, a full-service facilities solution provider in California, has proof that seeing is believing—and they are speeding up their quote approval process as a result. “We’re capturing XOi content—physical video, pictures—onto quotes, which has expedited how fast those quotes are approved. We seem to get less contested quotes, less questions,” said Jason Saunders, service operations manager for SitelogIQ.

XOi

With HDPE Pipe and Victaulic Couplings, Shoemaker Mechanical Makes Light Work of Cooling Tower Replacement

By using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe rather than carbon steel and pairing it with Victaulic’s HDPE pipe joining system, Shoemaker Mechanical replaced a cooling tower in less time than planned, with fewer people than expected, and avoided potential weather delays. Tulsa Community College’s (TCC’s) system has performed with no issues since it was installed. Victaulic is an MCAA major sponsor.

Victaulic

Bell & Gossett Helps NYC Add ICU Beds ASAP

When New York City was confronted with a surge in COVID-19 cases in March, Xylem brand Bell & Gossett quickly provided the design assistance and products needed to increase capacity at North Central Bronx Hospital (NCB), the smallest of 11 public hospitals in the city’s health system. The hospital went from 15 intensive care unit (ICU) beds before the COVID-19 outbreak to 135 ICU beds in just a few months.

Xylem Bell & Gossett

Contractors, Suppliers Team Up with FEMA, Army Corps to Transform Chicago Convention Center into COVID-19 Field Hospital

As the coronavirus pandemic flared up around the country, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rapidly built alternative care facilities to alleviate strain on local hospitals—and MCAA member contractors and manufacturer/supplier partners were there to help. In Chicago, Ferguson, Bradford White, Laars, and Sloan all provided needed materials in record time, and Helm Group (formerly Mechanical, Inc.) was among those working on the ground nonstop as the HVAC and plumbing contractor for the job. Ferguson; LAARS, a Bradford White Company; and SLOAN are all benefactor sponsors.

Ferguson, LAARS, a Bradford White Company, SLOAN

Get Precise, Consistent Joints with Laser Welding

Many types of welding have been proven performers for a long time. Welding is, at its core, simply a way of joining two materials. While there are other ways to join metal (e.g., riveting, brazing, or soldering), welding has become the method of choice for its availability, high performance, and high strength. NIBCO INC. highlights the benefits of laser welding, including strength and efficiency. NIBCO INC. is an MCAA major sponsor.

NIBCO INC.

Guy’s Mechanical Systems Saves Steps, Time with Viega’s Branch Connectors

Guy’s Mechanical Systems discovered that the Viega MegaPress Press-In Branch Connector saved them time by reducing the steps for installation in the process of remodeling a 20-story high-rise in downtown Pittsburgh. Renovating the aged building—constructed in 1902—into a hotel has been a complicated process, and Foreman Josh Mitchell said MegaPress has made it simpler. Viega is an MCAA benefactor sponsor.

Viega

With eSUB Software, Braconier Cuts Payroll Processing Down to Minutes

Braconier adopted eSUB’s comprehensive software platform to standardize project management and operations, cutting processes such as timecard inputting and payroll processing from a full day down to minutes. The platform also helps Braconier document every aspect of their projects, which helps keep things running smoothly.

Protect Your Business from Risky Drivers

“Negligent entrustment” can stem from employees driving company-owned vehicles, their personal vehicles, or other vehicles on company business. Employers have a responsibility to know if an employee has something in his or her driving background that creates a risk to others. Negligent entrustment implies a company knew or should have known that it put an unsafe driver behind the wheel of a vehicle and allowed that employee to drive on behalf of the company. (CNA is an MCAA benefactor sponsor.)

CNA

Ahern Boosts Productivity in the Field with MILWAUKEE TOOL’s Battery-Powered Lineup

MILWAUKEE TOOL’s product lineup has long been J.F. Ahern Co.’s choice of power tools because the same batteries could be used for a broad range of tools, saving time and money. Recently, Ahern had the opportunity to test out some of MILWAUKEE TOOL’s new MX FUEL™ Equipment System, including the first-ever cordless core drill, on a project that required drilling more than 1,500 holes through various types of walls, including block and concrete. Ahern found that the handheld core drill was much more efficient than a traditional drill, providing more control and more power. MILWAUKEE TOOL is an MCAA benefactor sponsor.

MILWAUKEE TOOL

Essential Considerations for Recommissioning Buildings Standing Empty During the Pandemic

Because of shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, many buildings have been sitting empty for months. Those vacancies mean fixtures and drains are being used infrequently, if at all, which could lead to severe problems. Academic researchers and Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. offer expert advice and solutions. MCAA thanks Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® for being an MCAA major sponsor.

Anvil International Logo

Holmberg Mechanical Saves Time, Meets Regulatory Requirements with Help from Anvil International

Holmberg Mechanical knew Anvil International’s Gruvlok® products would help them meet the quick turnaround time required for the new Colman Dock in Seattle, WA, which will service the largest ferry system in North America. But the job posed another challenge. Because the dock is a publicly funded project (with a price tag of $455 million), Holmberg Mechanical had to comply with Buy America Act (BAA) standards. They needed to secure the right materials on time and with the proper BAA certification.