Taco Hydroflo Pump Solutions has opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Lubbock, Texas. The site opened on February 21, and substantially expands the operations of the Taco Family of Companies. Taco is headquartered in Cranston, RI. Hydroflo’s new 45,000 s.f. location in Lubbock, Texas, is in the manufacturing and transportation hub of northwest Texas, 40 Read more
Industry News
Taco Hydroflo Pump Solutions has opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Lubbock, Texas. The site opened on February 21, and substantially expands the operations of the Taco Family of Companies. Taco is headquartered in Cranston, RI.
Hydroflo’s new 45,000 s.f. location in Lubbock, Texas, is in the manufacturing and transportation hub of northwest Texas, 40 miles north of its prior location in Brownfield, Texas. With the new facility also comes the advantage of added space for future growth, additional capabilities and team expansion.
“The opening of this new Taco Hydroflo Pump Solutions facility signifies a renewed focus on ensuring that our customers have access to the most dependable high quality vertical and submersible pumps in the market,” noted Cheryl Merchant, President and CEO, Taco Family of Companies. “Our investment in the infrastructure, testing equipment and expanded workforce is just the beginning of the next phase of the Hydroflo story.
“I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to our new landlord, Randy Teinert, the City of Lubbock, and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce,” continued Merchant. “Family is at the core of everything we do at Taco, and I want to thank all of you for making us feel like family. Your warm welcome to this community has made all the difference.
“The Hydroflo team, along with the more than 1,200 Taco team members, are leading us into the future,” she added. “A future of opportunity, a future of growth and a future of well-earned success.”
According to Hydroflo’s Director of Sales, Clay Williams, the facility substantially expands their manufacturing, warehouse and quality control operations. New manufacturing equipment was purchased for the facility, and a state-of-the-art test pit have expanded their testing capabilities as well.
“The new test pit is much larger and deeper and greatly improves our range of testing,” explained Larry Jones, Hydroflo VP. “We now have the ability to test all current pump models, something we previously had to outsource.”
Hydroflo manufactures a wide range of submersible turbine, vertical axial-flow, vertical mixed-flow, and vertical turbine pumps for use in the agricultural, commercial, industrial, municipal, marine, mining, and power generation markets. The company uses high-quality ductile iron discharge heads and fabricated steel or 316 stainless steel L, F, and T style heads. Ductile Iron bowl castings with impellers in 201 stainless steel impellers are also used for greater strength. For applications that require resistance to corrosion, Hydroflo offers castings and impellers in 316 stainless steels in order to provide the best materials of construction to meet specific application needs.
Taco Hydroflo Pump Solutions is an integral part of the Taco Family of Companies, an expanding global network of industry-leading brands that strive to be the first source for durable, high-efficiency heating, cooling, plumbing and fluid-control solutions that help its customers save money, energy and resources while maximizing comfort and productivity.
Denver plumber touts benefits for working in the home service industry When it comes to working in the home service industry, High 5 Plumbing, a family-owned and operated plumbing company serving residents in the greater Denver metropolitan area, understands the positive advantages it can bring to a person’s career and lifestyle. With March being Women’s Read more
Denver plumber touts benefits for working in the home service industry
When it comes to working in the home service industry, High 5 Plumbing, a family-owned and operated plumbing company serving residents in the greater Denver metropolitan area, understands the positive advantages it can bring to a person’s career and lifestyle. With March being Women’s History Month, the team at High 5 Plumbing believes now is a perfect time for women to consider starting their trade career.
With March being Women’s History Month, the team at High 5 Plumbing believes now is a perfect time for women to consider starting their trade careers. Pictured are all the women who make High 5 Plumbing the company it is today.
“While there has been a considerable change in the perception of working in the trades, many still view plumbing as a male-dominated industry,” said Cassi Torres, co-owner of High 5 Plumbing. “There may be more males than females in the industry, but it’s not just for men. The trades offer an excellent career path for women. In addition to steady employment, the jobs offer great money and benefits for women to support their families. Whether you are a technician in the field or a customer service representative, there are plenty of job opportunities for women in plumbing or any other home service industry.”
One of the primary benefits of working in the trades is the cost of education. According to Indeed, one might pay as little as 5,000 per year to attend a trade school. Students who attend four-year colleges could spend anywhere between $10,000 to $50,000 per year on tuition. In addition, trade school programs can be completed in one to two years.
When it comes to a paycheck, those working in the trades can earn above-average salaries as soon as they enter the workforce. Earning potential can also be increased with more certifications.
“From a great salary to job security, women should consider entering the home service industry,” Torres said. “With more and more companies looking for skilled workers, this is a great opportunity to find a career you love while also helping take care of the community. Whether there is a pandemic or a financial crisis, people will always need plumbing maintenance. What better time to consider a shift than during Women’s History Month?”
To learn more about High 5 Plumbing, visit https://high5plumbing.com/.
Ninth Annual Competition to Uplift Tradespeople Across the Nation has qualifying event kick off this Spring for opportunities to compete for national title and more than $250,000 in prizes on Sept. 12-15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Intersport announced highly-anticipated competition details for its ninth annual Elite Trades Championships Series (ETCS) with an expansion of ServiceTitan’s support Read more
Ninth Annual Competition to Uplift Tradespeople Across the Nation has qualifying event kick off this Spring for opportunities to compete for national title and more than $250,000 in prizes on Sept. 12-15 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Intersport announced highly-anticipated competition details for its ninth annual Elite Trades Championships Series (ETCS) with an expansion of ServiceTitan’s support as title sponsor, the qualifying events schedule and the launch of a new website. The dynamic platform aims to grow the trades and celebrate highly skilled tradespeople across the country who have traditionally not received the recognition they deserve.
There are approximately 15 million tradespeople in the United States, according to YouGov, yet demand for the trades has skyrocketed due to a shortage tradespeople. Now backed by the leading software powering trades businesses, the ServiceTitan ETCS aims to inspire future generations and address this growing labor gap by spotlighting the invaluable contributions and talents of tradespeople through four competitions:
- Ninth annual IDEAL National Championship for electricians
- Fourth annual U.S. Auto Tech National Championship driven by Yokohama
- Third annual ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship
- Second annual Plumbing National Championship
“The men and women in the skilled trades are remarkable individuals who power our world through their essential skills and tireless dedication to their craft,” said Scott Mendel, ETCS general manager. “We are thrilled to have ServiceTitan expand their partnership, as they share our commitment to creating a platform that uplifts and celebrates the indispensable skills and contributions of America’s tradespeople.”
An unmatched experience for the nation’s top tradespeople
About 50 elite professionals and apprentices will be named finalists, receiving an all-expenses paid trip to the ServiceTitan Elite Trades Championship Series at the West Palm Beach Convention Center. The September 12-15 competitions will showcase their skills in a custom-built arena. Bragging rights as the top tradesperson in the country for their field and a share of more than $250,000 in cash and sponsor-provided prizes are on the line.
“When people think of competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars at a national championship, they don’t often think about the trades,” said Tom Howard, ServiceTitan vice president of customer experience. “The ServiceTitan Elite Championship Series promotes our mission to empower and support hardworking contractors everywhere. We look forward to expanding our role in ensuring tradespeople continue to receive the national platform and recognition they deserve for providing essential services that keep our world running.”
Qualifying events free to tradespeople across the nation
More than 10,000 entries are received from skilled tradespeople in the first round of ServiceTitan ETCS event qualifiers, vying for a coveted finalist spot at the annual competitions. Challenges vary by field during each round, leveraging a combination of digital and hands-on tests evaluated for speed, skill, safety and accuracy. Qualifiers for the auto and HVAC competitions are open now, kicking off with a free online test that takes as little as five minutes to complete. Details for the electrical and plumbing qualifiers, along with all qualifier timeframes and the number of participants who advance each round for the respective competitions, are available on elitetrades.global.
Enriched learning for future generations
The platform’s mission to encourage future generations to join the trades and close growing skilled labor gaps is supported by the return of the second annual ETCS Student and Apprentice Trades Education Summit. The inaugural event welcomed more than 1,000 aspiring trades leaders, who experienced hands-on educational sessions featuring industry leaders, networking opportunities and a chance to witness the competitions firsthand.
More information and signup to receive updates for the 2024 ServiceTitan ETCS, including details for 2024 qualifiers and exclusive content, are available at elitetrades.global. This enriched website serves as a one-stop resource for all ServiceTitan ETCS news and details, including competition qualifier details, exclusive content, sponsorship opportunities and more.
Uponor North America has again been honored with two Governor’s Safety Awards by the Minnesota Safety Council. The company’s Apple Valley campus won its fifth Governor’s Safety Award, recognized at the Bronze level this year, and the Uponor Lakeville Distribution Center won its fourth award, achieving the highest level of Diamond. The annual Governor’s Safety Awards Read more
Uponor North America has again been honored with two Governor’s Safety Awards by the Minnesota Safety Council. The company’s Apple Valley campus won its fifth Governor’s Safety Award, recognized at the Bronze level this year, and the Uponor Lakeville Distribution Center won its fourth award, achieving the highest level of Diamond.
The annual Governor’s Safety Awards, which date back to 1934, recognizes Minnesota employers for safety and health excellence in protecting employees from injuries, illnesses, and incidents. Organizations with an incident rate below those of the State and National rates in their industry are awarded for their efforts.
“Safety is the #1 priority across the Integrated Supply Chain organization,” says Jon Sillerud, vice president, Integrated Supply Chain. “We start every shift-change meeting with the safety topic, and in 2023, we made enhancements to our safety program and placed emphasis on improving our safety culture. We also launched a Mission Zero program to raise awareness of safety with all employees. In 2023 we reduced our Lost-Time-Incident Frequency rate by 48 percent, which was a huge improvement. For 2024, we have comprehensive plans to further reduce our Lost-Time-Incident Frequency rate by 20 percent as we move closer to our aspirational goal of zero workplace accidents.”
Sillerud went on to say that as a nine-time recipient of this award, Uponor attributes this recognition to not only raising employees’ awareness and improving its safety culture, but also to a system of extensive self-audits, inspections, and risk assessments, as well as a newly implemented computer-based training.
To see a complete list of award recipients, visit MinnesotaSafetyCouncil.org.
Homeowners ranked “online search & reviews” as the top ways they find home service providers Jobber, the leading provider of operations management software for home service businesses, today announced the launch of two Marketing Tools—Reviews and Campaigns—designed to help home service businesses in industries such as cleaning, contracting, landscaping, tree care, painting, HVAC, roofing, and Read more
Homeowners ranked “online search & reviews” as the top ways they find home service providers
Jobber, the leading provider of operations management software for home service businesses, today announced the launch of two Marketing Tools—Reviews and Campaigns—designed to help home service businesses in industries such as cleaning, contracting, landscaping, tree care, painting, HVAC, roofing, and more, grow simply by leveraging the power of their existing clients. Jobber extends its functionality beyond supporting the core workflow for these businesses, now allowing them to run key elements of their marketing like automating online review requests and running targeted email campaigns—all within Jobber.
“The online shopping experience has come to home service, with homeowners sourcing and comparing providers on Google the same way they do with physical products,” said Sam Pillar, CEO & co-founder of Jobber. “Entrepreneurs are in a constant state of juggling time and financial resources to grow their businesses. Jobber Marketing Tools makes marketing foolproof for home service pros.”
Getting more 5-star reviews with less effort
According to a recent Jobber survey of 500+ U.S. homeowners and renters responsible for making decisions on home services:
- When considering a home service business, 98% said it is important the business has recent reviews
- 70% of respondents will not seek a quote from a business with a rating of less than 4 stars
- 65% require a business to have more than 50 reviews to consider working with them
The home service category is a competitive marketplace and online reviews are critical to the decision-making of homeowners. With Jobber’s new Reviews tool, service pros can stand out on Google and meet homeowners’ high expectations by automating review requests to their preferred clients as a part of their existing Jobber workflow.
“A few years ago we lost all of our reviews because of an issue with Google; that was really hard, especially as a service business,” said Paul Ricard, owner of Grill Tanks Plus based in Boynton Beach, FL. “Now, with Reviews embedded into our workflow in Jobber, we’ve been able to 10x the number of reviews! Clients are able to share how amazing our work truly is, which also boosts the morale of our team who love to see their hard work recognized. I would most definitely recommend Jobber Reviews.”
“When I’m looking for services I Google providers near me to see their reviews, and I need to read ten or more recent ones with depth to them,” said Joe H, homeowner in Rancho Cucamonga, California. “Customer service is such a big part of these services, so I’m looking for if they’re approachable, friendly, and if I feel I can trust them before I decide to reach out.”
Turning ‘old’ customers into new work using powerful email Campaigns
According to Jobber’s survey:
- Email is the #1 preferred channel for respondents to receive marketing communications from a home service business
- When it comes to topics for these communications, 92% of respondents expressed interest in receiving info related to promotions, new service offerings, and home maintenance tips and reminders
Home service businesses spend a significant amount of time and budget to build a strong customer base—yet staying top of mind and maximizing revenue with existing customers is often overlooked. Jobber’s Campaigns tool makes it easy for service pros to create targeted, branded emails that re-engage their existing clients and promote their services. Businesses can send as many email campaigns as they need to as many (or as few) clients as desired.
“Jobber’s Campaigns tool is easy to use because everything is formatted for you,” said Jeff Parks, owner of Blooming Valley Landscaping based in Scottsdale, AZ. “I just changed a few lines and the email campaign was ready to go in minutes. I booked four jobs off my first campaign to fill a couple of gaps on my calendar. I definitely recommend Jobber Campaigns to other businesses—I guarantee there is work out there waiting for you!”
“In Vegas, air conditioners break all the time, so getting emails from service pros that remind me about offerings, products, and costs are really helpful,” said Vincent G, a homeowner in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I like email because it’s less invasive than text and phone calls and I’m not on social media very much.”
Jobber customers on most plans can purchase Reviews and Campaigns as add-ons. To learn more about Jobber’s new Marketing Tools, visit: https://jobber.com/features/marketing-tools/