PMI Convenes Action-Packed Meeting in Tucson, Arizona March 17-20, 2002
For Immediate Release
April 08, 2002
Contact: Barbara C. Higgens, Executive Director (847) 884-9764
Schaumburg, Ill. — With the rugged beauty of the Santa Catalina Mountains and the lush High Sonoran Desert as a backdrop, the Plumbing Manufacturers Insitute (PMI) convened its 2002 Spring Meeting at the Westin La Paloma Resort March 17-20 in Tucson, Ariz. Led by PMI President Todd Talbot of Alsons Corporation, 80 members, spouses/companions, guests, press, speakers and staff attended the two-and-a-half-day meeting, which was marked by informative presentation and productive committee and product group sessions. The theme "Now - More Than Ever…" set the tone for the meeting, reminding the more than 90 percent of member companies in attendance that there is no better time to be an active member of PMI. PMI members quickly got down to business Monday morning after a fun-filled "outdoor" BBQ Sunday evening during which Talbot officially kicked off the meeting.
The group assembled in Tucson benefited from several presentations by industry experts and others. At Monday's Member Services Committee meeting, Mark Barron of Ducker Worldwide discussed practical ways PMI can enhance its statistical reporting programs, spurring a discussion among committee members about new ways to improve the value of PMI's existing programs.
The Information Technology Committee meeting Monday morning featured two presentations. Carl Cullotta from Frank Lynn and Associates, gave an excellent presentation and led a discussion on the future of home center stores like Home Depot and Lowe's and the impact on plumbing manufacturers. Kevin Price, director of American Supply Association's (ASA) Center for Advancing Technology, updated the membership on ASA's technology initiatives in the plumbing industry including Source ASA+.
Monday afternoon featured two technical presentations. During the Faucet, Shower/Tub-Shower Fittings and Specialty Finishing Product Groups, Jim Mattesich of Livingston & Mattesich, who worked with PMI to on the California Energy Commission (CEC) diverter issue, updated the committee on current CEC activities and Proposition (Prop) 65. Monday afternoon concluded with the Flushing Devices/Fixture Product Groups and Water Conservation Issue Committee, during which John Koeller of Koeller & Company discussed current and upcoming water conservation initiatives with regard to technologies, programs, standards and specifications and toilets and urinals. Tuesday morning, Universal Conformity Assessment Issue Committee members were treated to two cross-Atlantic presentations. Martin Shouler, BRE, and Dave Purkiss, WRc-NSF, both came from the U.K. to address international conformity assessment issues and European certification with the committee. Following are a list of major action items arising from PMI's meeting last month:
Actions of the PMI Board of Directors The PMI Board of Directors approved the application of California Faucets for membership in the Institute. President Jeff Silverstein will serve as the company's primary representative. The Board also approved position statements on arsenic, effluent guidelines, ergonomics, trade promotion authority and product liability, to assist PMI and its members in the proactive management of these issues. The Board selected Chateau Elan, Braselton, Ga., for its PMI 2003 Spring Meeting, to be held March 23-26. The Board will also be holding a comprehensive strategic planning meeting this spring to chart PMI's future strategic course of action. Finally, the Board approved PMI's development of a wage and salary survey to be conducted throughout its membership.
Actions of the Faucet, Shower/Tub-Shower Fittings and Specialty Finishing Product Groups PMI is awaiting a response to a letter sent to the chairman of the New York Senate Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development stating PMI's position against Senate Bill (S.B.) 196, the state's anti-scald legislation. Members are also encouraged to send individual comments to New York. PMI's Temperature Control task group met on Saturday, March 16 and agreed to put its temperature control white paper, which was published in the January 2002 issue of PMEngineer, on PMI's website. The group also moved to support the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommendation that 120 degrees F is an appropriate maximum temperature at the outlet.
Actions of the Flushing Devices/Fixture Product Groups and Water Conservation Issue Committee PMI is helping convene a working group for those interested in working on updating ASSE 1037 for pressurized flushing devices. The group also agreed PMI will take an active role in updating plumbing codes and water closet regulations to ensure the new ASME A112.19.2 standard is properly referenced, and PMI will take a leadership role to move the ASME A112.19.8 standard forward.
Trade Show Consolidation Issue Committee Actions Things continue to move on the trade show consolidation front. At the meeting, the committee unveiled its "revenue neutral" model for trade show consolidation, which demonstrates that consolidating trade shows would not result in lost revenue for trade show sponsors. PMI will conduct the presentation to trade show sponsors individually in the coming months. A press release regarding this concept will be issued in the near future.
Actions of the Universal Conformity Assessment Issue Committee PMI has refocused its efforts on conformity assessment to facilitate Annex H changes (see separate release, enclosed). PMI will request that IAPMO Research and Testing (R&T) add the issue of certification marks for the U.S. and Canada to the agenda for the upcoming Industry Advisory Committee meeting. PMI urges IAPMO R&T to develop a mark that signifies compliance with U.S. and Canadian requirements.
Actions of the Technical Committee and Showerhead and Hand Shower Product Group A task group will create proposed code changes and review and update the ASSE and ASME standards in the NSPC code. The group agreed that PMI will continue to push for the 80 pounds per square inch (psi) water pressure requirement in the Chicago Plumbing Code. PMI will also investigate the full impact and implications of New York A.B. 405 regarding product packaging and package labeling. PMI will look into labeling and packaging requirements at the federal level as well.
PMI will continue to monitor and update plumbing codes to ensure ANSI Z358.1 for emergency eye wash and showers is referenced and utilized properly. A task group will evaluate the minimum flow requirements for showerheads and hand showers and make a recommendation to the product group, and a task group will investigate the impacts on available faucets and fixtures and develop a recommendation on how to address ICC A117.1 code changes.
PMI will hold its 2002 Fall Meeting October 6-8 at the Loews L'Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C. The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute is the voluntary, not-for-profit national trade association of manufacturers of plumbing products serving as the Voice of the Plumbing Industry. Member companies of PMI produce a substantial quantity of the nation's plumbing products. For more information on PMI or its semi-annual meetings, contact the Institute at 1340 Remington Road, Suite A, Schaumburg, Ill., 60173; or via phone (847) 884-9PMI (9764), facsimile (847) 884-9775, or website www.pmihome.org.