Industry News

Legend Valve is pleased to announce the opening of its new state-of-the-art distribution center in Stafford, TX. This strategic move reflects Legend’s commitment to providing exceptional customer service and maintaining its position as an industry leader in cost-effective supply solutions. The Stafford, TX warehouse substantially increases our distribution footprint for servicing our customers in the Read more

Legend Valve is pleased to announce the opening of its new state-of-the-art
distribution center in Stafford, TX. This strategic move reflects Legend’s commitment to providing exceptional customer service and maintaining its position as an industry leader in cost-effective supply solutions.

The Stafford, TX warehouse substantially increases our distribution footprint for servicing our customers in the growing Southern US. This significant investment underscores Legend Valve’s dedication to operational excellence and customer satisfaction. While Legend is already the industry leader in operational excellence by combining passionate employees with cutting-edge technology, the new facility will allow Legend to deliver to 96% of customers within the continental United States within two days or less. The facility will also offer local wholesalers’ easy access to a will-call service desk, further allowing customers to reduce their inventory-carrying costs.

“We are excited to open our new distribution center, which will greatly enhance our efficiency based on the proximity to a growing market. Legend promises shipping within 24 hours, and this new facility will significantly cut transit time to meet the increasing demands of our customers in the region,” said Larry Emmert, Vice-President of Operations at Legend Valve. “This facility represents a major milestone for Legend and reinforces our commitment to be the preferred supplier to plumbing wholesalers.” Adding Stafford expands Legend’s distribution footprint, which already includes Reno, NV, and Detroit, MI.

Legend’s new distribution center has already created significant job opportunities, further contributing to Stafford’s local economy. We look forward to continuing to support the community and our customers as the facility begins operations in early April 2024.

For further information, please contact:
Wade A. Tennant
Director of Marketing,
Wade.tennant@legendvalve.com

You’re invited to our complimentary educational series, Coffee with Caleffi. The popular series is an online technical training webinar and is intended for engineers, contractors, designers and wholesalers. What’s next? The Evolution of Hydronic Balancing Thursday, April 25 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CDT Technical Content Level:  Novice REGISTER There are many tools designers, installers and balancing Read more

You’re invited to our complimentary educational series, Coffee with Caleffi. The popular series is an online technical training webinar and is intended for engineers, contractors, designers and wholesalers.

What’s next?
The Evolution of Hydronic Balancing
Thursday, April 25
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CDT

Technical Content Level:  Novice

There are many tools designers, installers and balancing contractors can use to properly balance a hydronic system. These include a range of balancing valves, instruments to read differential pressure and flow rate, and software that simulates flows in complex piping systems. The evolution of balancing valve technology in the last decade gives designers and installers many choices to best match the components with their project goals.

Max Rohr will walk attendees through a variety of valve options from simple, manually adjusted devices, to state-of-the-art, pressure independent control valves (PICV).

You’ll learn:

→ Balancing valve fundamentals
→ How to apply different valve styles to meet project/system goals?
→ What steps are required to properly commission a system?
→ Protection and maintenance of balancing valves

Max is the Caleffi Director of Education and Technical Marketing. He has 20+ years of work experience in installation, distribution, manufacturers’ representation and manufacturing roles. He is a self-described “energy nerd.”

It’s easy to join us.  Simply register today!

In celebration of International Data Center Day, Watts has announced the ‘Chill and Skill Data Center Cooling eLearning Challenge.’ This 6-week, eLearning campaign, running from March 20 to April 30, is specifically designed to educate industry professionals about Watts’ family of solutions designed for data center hydronic cooling systems. Participants will have free access to Read more

In celebration of International Data Center Day, Watts has announced the ‘Chill and Skill Data Center Cooling eLearning Challenge.’ This 6-week, eLearning campaign, running from March 20 to April 30, is specifically designed to educate industry professionals about Watts’ family of solutions designed for data center hydronic cooling systems.

Participants will have free access to a wide selection of eLearning modules, averaging just 8 minutes each, across seven key categories:

  • Hydronic Cooling
  • Fire Protection
  • Intelligent Monitoring
  • Plumbing, Hot Water, & HVAC
  • Drainage
  • Water Quality
  • Continuing Education

Upon completing modules, learners earn tokens and tickets. Tokens are accrued and redeemed for a wide variety of Free lifestyle merchandise through the Watts Learn & Earn program. Tickets serve as entries into the 150th Anniversary Sweepstake Drawings. As an extra bonus, upon completing 12 of the 147 available modules in this campaign, learners will receive a bonus: a 14 oz. 4-in-1 tumbler/cooler.

To participate, please register for your free Watts Works Online account at training.watts.com. Access is immediate and so are the benefits.

Strategic Investment Future-Proofs Manufacturing A long-awaited expansion to Taco’s Fall River, MA, plant is underway. The $20+ million project greatly enhances and expands the manufacturer’s ability to build larger tanks, heat exchangers and a wide range of other products – while also enabling them to add capacity and reduce lead times. Taco Comfort Solutions, based Read more

Strategic Investment Future-Proofs Manufacturing

A long-awaited expansion to Taco’s Fall River, MA, plant is underway. The $20+ million project greatly enhances and expands the manufacturer’s ability to build larger tanks, heat exchangers and a wide range of other products – while also enabling them to add capacity and reduce lead times.

Taco Comfort Solutions, based in Cranston, RI, began making plans for the plant expansion more than a decade ago. Groundbreaking began in early September ’23 and the project is expected to take about 18 months to complete.

“The expansion of Taco’s Fall River facility is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Taco team and our commitment to our customers,” said Cheryl Merchant, President and CEO, Taco Family of Companies. “The need for ASME certified fabricated products has grown tremendously as well as many facets of our market. When our customers asked us to increase our capacity to fulfill their demand, we said YES!  Our ability to innovate and grow with our customers and partners has been, and will continue to be, a key reason Taco has remained strong and innovative for 104 years,” noted Cheryl.

The Fall River plant’s previous footprint was 60,000 square feet. With the expansion, Taco is adding 52,000 square feet.

“After overcoming COVID and supply line setbacks, countless questions about details of the project, and through economic ups and downs, we determined that the time is right for this project,” said Anthony DeMoura, VP – Taco Fabricated Products Division & PIFA Foundry Operations. “The project is finally underway.”

For more than 100 years, Taco has been committed to designing and manufacturing innovative and dependable HVAC, plumbing and industrial solutions. Taco’s Fall River plant manufactures ASME Section VIII pressure vessels used in commercial and industrial heating and cooling systems.

“At Taco Fall River we design, fabricate and test both custom and standard plate heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers, expansion tanks, air and dirt separators, hydraulic balancers and other specialized pressure vessels,” added DeMoura.

According to DeMoura, the plant was previously capable of constructing vessels up to capacities of 12,000 gallons (about 10’ w x 20’ h). Taco’s plant expansion will enable the fabrication of vessels up to 40,000 gallons, more than tripling current tank sizes. “We’ll have lifting capacity within the plant capable of lifting 60 tons. In many respects, we’re building the new facility around a massive crane system.”

World class custom engineering

Taco has grown to become a premier custom fabrication provider among global manufacturers. Their veteran team of engineers, welders, assemblers and customer support personnel carry an extensive wealth of industry knowledge, design logic and technical experience.

Customized variations of all standard designs are available. Some examples of custom projects include:

  • Flash tanks
  • Thermal energy storage tanks
  • De-aerator tanks
  • Clean steam generation
  • Fully custom ASME Section VIII rated pressure vessels

According to DeMoura, the expanded plant will offer these capabilities as well:

  • Plate rolling (up to 1 ¼” thick)
  • Steel cutting (up to 5” thick)
  • Stainless steel cutting (up to 2 ½” thick)
  • Robotic welding of tank heads up to 60” in diameter
  • Fabrication of vessels up to 12’ in diameter
  • Unmatched welding precision and quality with over 50 ASME certified pressure vessel welders

Engineering capabilities

The engineering capabilities of Taco’s ASME design team extend even further, fulfilling custom requests to meet unique requirements. All phases of fabrication are handled by Taco. Their skill and expertise stem from a culture of pride and close attention to detail, resulting in industry-leading quality and customer satisfaction.

With ASME certified welders, certified testers and a National Board Authorized Inspector in-house, Taco offers the team and equipment needed to provide fast, flexible lead times and the ability to accommodate quick turnaround and emergency requests.

“This is exciting. Our exceptional welders, fabricators, machinists, and assemblers build some impressive products already. When this project is completed, we will be able to build even bigger and more complicated products for the global marketplace, and we are doing it right here in Fall River, MA, with some of the best tradespeople in the industry,” concluded DeMoura.

Watts has announced “Designing Robust, Efficient Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Commercial Applications” an AIA and ASPE-accredited webinar worth 0.1 CEUs. On April 2nd, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET.‎, participants will take a deeper dive into the drainage, treatment, storage, and pumping/distribution strategies involved with designing an effective rainwater harvesting system that conserves water and manages Read more

Watts has announced “Designing Robust, Efficient Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Commercial Applications” an AIA and ASPE-accredited webinar worth 0.1 CEUs.

On April 2nd, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET.‎, participants will take a deeper dive into the drainage, treatment, storage, and pumping/distribution strategies involved with designing an effective rainwater harvesting system that conserves water and manages stormwater outflows all while lessening the building’s environmental footprint.

Rainwater harvesting systems are ideal for numerous building necessities including irrigation and agriculture, cooling tower makeup, toilet and urinal flushing, transportation and equipment wash-down and so much more.

The webinar will help you:

  • Identify the three primary elements of a Rainwater Harvesting System
  • Describe two methods for sizing a rainwater cistern
  • Analyze the role that pre-filtration plays in a rainwater system
  • Describe the differences between direct and indirect Rainwater pumping/treating strategies

To register, click visit watts.com/RainwaterHarvestingCEU.