Content about Mechanical engineering

September 4, 2012
Japanese firm purchases large HVAC company in U.S.

Daikin Industries,  a small presence in the U.S. air-conditioning market, has purchased Goodman Global for $3.7 billion, putting the Japanese firm just ahead of Carrier in the global HVAC business, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.

Daikin is buying Goodman from a private equity firm named Hellman & Friedman, which paid $2.7 billion, plus the assumption of debt, to take the company private in 2007, the newspaper reported.

April 10, 2012
Hunter Panels extends energy efficiency

Portland, Maine-based Hunter Panels announced its new "Hunter Xci" product line for use in exterior commercial wall applications. The launch of the Xci product line boosts Hunter's offerings of insulation products for the commercial building envelope.

"With recent upgrades to the I-Codes calling for continuous insulation, Hunter Polyiso is a perfect fit for commercial wall assemblies," said Alma Garnett, VP of Hunter Panels. 

March 8, 2012
Bosch Home Appliances points to efficiency credentials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Bosch home appliances a 2012 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award. 

Bosch, an Energy Star partner since 2007, will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency. For instance, 100% of Bosch major appliances are Energy Star-rated and exceed federal energy standards in dishwashers by up to 97%, the company said. Bosch points to its Bosch 800 Plus dishwasher as the most energy- and water-efficient dishwasher in North America.

February 23, 2012
Jacuzzi expands into tankless water heaters

Jacuzzi Group Worldwide, a manufacturer of bath and spa products, announced that it has expanded its product portfolio to include a new collection of energy-efficient tankless water heaters, which will be available exclusively at select Lowe’s stores and Lowes.com. 

Powered by natural gas or propane, Jacuzzi tankless units heat water as it is needed. They use up to 30% less energy than a traditional tank-style water heater.

February 10, 2012
GE opens GeoSpring operation in Kentucky

GE Appliances has opened its GeoSpring Hybrid Water Heater manufacturing facility at Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky. -- the first to open there since 1957. The new product and a revitalized facility, a $38 million investment, is the first of GE’s commitments to invest a total of $1 billion ($800 million in Louisville) and create more than 1,300 new jobs in the United States by 2014.

January 18, 2012
With sponsors, Dream Home looks for owners

Is that a small village near the banks of the Provo River? Actually, it's the HGTV Dream Home 2012.

The latest in the series of HGTV Dream Homes is in Park City, Utah, near the Provo River.

Lumber Liquidators and Sherwin-Williams are among the sponsors of the HGTV Dream Home 2012. Bissell vacuums and Delta Faucet Co. are also co-sponsors of the Dream Home, which serves as the grand prize in an HGTV promotional sweepstakes.

January 10, 2012
Electrolux appoints chief design officer

Appliance maker Electrolux has hired Stefano Marzano as its chief design officer, a new role at the company. Marzano will lead all design-related competencies in the various business groups.

Marzano, age 62, had a long career at Royal Philips Electronics, working for 20 years as its chief design officer. Until 1998 he was a professor at the Domus Academy in Milan, and also served as a visiting professor at Politecnico did Milano, the polytechnic institute in Milan. Marzano is also the author and editor of several books on design.

January 9, 2012
Noritz expands eco-friendly (and tough) water heaters

Fountain Valley, Calif.-based Noritz expanded its ecoTough Series of gas-fired residential condensing tankless water heaters with the new NRC83.

The Energy Star-rated unit is designed for smaller homes and multi-family dwellings. Available in both indoor (the two-pipe, direct vent NRC83-DV) and outdoor (NRC83-OD) models, the new wall-mounted units have an energy factor (EF) of 0.92 for natural gas and 0.94 with liquid propane -- approximately 30 points higher than a standard, storage tank-type, gas-fired water heater.

December 15, 2011
Air King rolls out new model of snap-in exhaust fans

West Chester, Pa.-based Air King added the do-it-yourself, snap-in BFQ80 exhaust fan to its line of ventilation fans. 

The BFQ80 is an 80 CFM, 2.0 sone exhaust fan offering an Energy Star-qualified solution for residential ventilation needs, the company said.

“What makes the BFQ Series unique is the simple, one-person installation system,” said Jeff Kenkelen, president, Air King. “Most ‘traditional’ fans utilize either a hanger bar or mounting tab system, while the BFQ is installed using a convenient mounting bracket.”

December 5, 2011
Energy tax credits about to expire

Tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements like insulation, replacement windows, and upgraded HVAC systems will end on Dec. 31, and Congress has not yet renewed them for 2012.

This warning from the Alliance to Save Energy gives homeowners less than a month to take advantage of as much as $500 in tax credits on their 2011 federal tax returns.

November 30, 2011
Energy efficiency, regulations to drive HVAC demand

Demand in the U.S. for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is projected to increase 5.1 percent annually to $16.8 billion in 2015, according to a study just released by The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based market research firm.

November 22, 2011
Installed Building Products receives cash infusion

Installed Building Products (IBP), a leading installer of insulation and building products to residential and commercial customers, has announced that Littlejohn & Co., a private investment firm, has made a “significant capital investment” in IBP to recapitalize the company and further its growth.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, IBP operates nationally installing insulation, gutters, fireplaces, garage doors, and related products. 

November 11, 2011
Applegate Insulation re-enters West Coast Market

Applegate Insulation, a Webberville, Mich.-based company, has recently gained licensure to market both Applegate loose-fill and Applegate stabilized cellulose in California. The cellulose insulation supplier was actively marketed on the West Coast in the 1980s and ’90s. A recent acquisition in Colorado brought the company back into the California market, making the product available nationwide.

November 7, 2011
Rallying around the business

San Antonio — The layoffs, bankruptcies, pay cuts and long hours that have cast a pall over the industry for the last several years were pushed aside for three days last month as LBM executives gathered here to greet old friends, catch up on gossip, and maybe learn a thing or two about how to run a better business. The 2011 ProDealer Industry Summit, co-sponsored by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and Home Channel News, hosted 100-plus pro dealers and LBM distributors from more than 65 companies Oct. 26 to 28.

October 13, 2011
OC insulation gets USDA green designation

Owens Corning has announced that it EcoTouch insulation has been certified as a biobased product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is the first fiberglass insulation to receive this designation, according to the company.

October 5, 2011
Michigan subdivision will measure energy use

Dow Building Solutions, in collaboration with Cobblestone Homes, announced the completion of a 12-home energy efficiency test community in Midland, Mich. It is the nation’s first subdivision designed to generate scientific, whole-house performance data while providing all of the typical comforts of home to its occupants. The new homes will generate comparative data on home energy efficiency based on whole-house insulation, air-sealing systems and real-world living conditions. 

September 29, 2011
Faucets, by the numbers

Channel analysis
Year-over-year sales of faucets declined 10.8% in the 12 months from September 2010 through August 2011, according to consumer research from the Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD Group. The group estimated total sales during that period in excess of $1.2 billion. Unit volume also declined year over year, but only 4.6% — indicating consumers are shopping for bargains, and finding them.

September 28, 2011
BrassCraft, at 65, points to its innovations

Novi, Mich.-based BrassCraft Manufacturing Co. is celebrating its 65th anniversary while promoting its commitment to "Made in the USA."

Since its founding in 1946, the company has led the industry in a number of innovations. It points to the invention of the modern-day flexible riser to the development of the one-piece water stop. Recent BrassCraft products include PushConnect water stops for quick, secure connections, and new solutions for tankless water heater installations.

September 28, 2011
For replacement parts, Haier turns to Encompass Parts Distribution

Encompass Parts Distribution has finalized an agreement with Haier, the manufacturer of home appliances and consumer electronics, to manage the company’s end-to-end parts supply chain.

Under the agreement, Encompass will procure, warehouse and distribute replacement parts for Haier’s full line of consumer electronics, appliance and HVAC products in North America. Encompass has developed a special Web portal for Haier servicers and distributors to search for and order parts, as well as track order status, initiate returns and more.

September 27, 2011
Power Home Remodeling Group expands to Massachusetts

Power Home Remodeling Group, an East Coast-based provider of exterior home renovations, has expanded its operations to Marlborough, Mass., where it will continue to serve the greater Boston metropolitan area. Power has already hired more than 50 employees in the Boston region and plans to create at least 100 jobs in 2011 and another 100 to 250 in 2012, the company said in a press release.

September 23, 2011
Menards to sell denim insulation

Bonded Logic, a company that sells insulation made from recycled denim, has landed a contract with Menards, according to an article in the Arizona Republic.

Bonded Logic, a company that sells insulation made from recycled denim, has landed a contract with Menards, according to an article in the Arizona Republic. 

The Chandler, Ariz, company will sell its Ultratouch Denim Insulation product in 262 Menards stores in 13 Midwestern states. The product will also be available by special order. 

September 20, 2011
Simpson to enter component industry

Simpson Strong-Tie will begin supplying software systems and truss plates to the U.S. component industry, the company has announced. Mike Bugbee, a 30-year veteran of the company, will lead the new division.

Simpson Strong-Tie has already developed many products that have helped expand the innovative use of trusses in light-frame design, so offering software and truss plates is a natural progression for the company, it said. 

September 16, 2011
Recall issued for dehumidifiers that cause home fires

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., is re-issuing a recall on dehumidifiers that have already caused more than $1 million in property damage. The recall involves 30-pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the Goldstar and Comfort-Aire brands. 

September 5, 2011
With SFI, CertainTeed embraces sustainability

Valley Forge, Pa.-based CertainTeed is making a significant change to its kraft-faced fiberglass insulation by incorporating paper certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

August 29, 2011
Water heater manufacturer signs with GSA

Ashland City, Tenn.-based A. O. Smith has entered into a contract with the U. S. General Services Administration (GSA). The new contract will allow the water heater manufacturer to easily interact with federal, state and local government agencies in need of commercial water heaters and boilers.