North America Bathroom News March 2009 › uploads › files... · Feb. 13: TRW Automotive Holdings has cut about 375 jobs in various locations over the past few months. Feb. 13:

USA BRG CONSULT's Research On the World Bathroom MarketsUSA February 2009 LayoffsUSA New Home Sales Plunge 10.2% to Record LowUSA Rare NYC Foreclosure Auction Yields Deals, ProtestUSA WOLSELEY to Raise $1.4 billion, Close U.S. BusinessUSA LOWE'S Profit Drops 60% With Outlook Falling ShortUSA CRANE Plant to CloseUSA Green Product Demand Continues to Rise, Manufacturers SayUSA Low-Maintenance High-Efficiency Toilets and Urinals Provide StylishUSA NSF Offers Certification For Low Lead Plumbing Products To SupportCanada CIPH, CWWA Partner to Promote Water Demand ReductionSpain If You Thought The Construction Market Was Bad In The US...

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North America Bathroom NewsMarch 2009

International Market Strategy

International strategic market research and consultancy on building product and related markets

BRG Consult NewsletterNorth America Bathroom News March 2009

USA: BRG CONSULT's Research On the World Bathroom MarketsBRG is currently updating its US, Canadian and Mexican bathroom reports. The BRG team is in theprocess of contacting manufacturers, distributors, raw material suppliers and builders concerning themarket developments in the US, Canadian and Mexican residential construction market, therepair/remodeling market and the commercial construction market.

In particular the team is researching the developments in the bathing, tub/shower module, showermodule, shower tray, vitreous china, faucets/taps/mixers, shower door and shower enclosuremarkets, the hydrotherapy market as well as the kitchen sink market and other products sold in thekitchen/bath industry. We thank you in advance for your assistance.

BRG plumbing country reports are available for the USA, Canada, Mexico, 30 European countriesand Australia.

BRG heating country reports are available for the USA, Canada, China, and 30 European countries.

In addition BRG specializes in customer specific studies on market sizing, merger and acquisition duediligence, market opportunity analysis, distribution channel optimization, competitive intelligence andinternational market information.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

Several plumbing manufacturers and construction material distributors and retailers (includingFORTUNE BRANDS, MASCO, FERGUSON, HOME DEPOT, LOWE'S) have released their 2008sales figures. BRG has put together a brief overview summarizing the various results we have beenmade aware of. For more information, please e-mail Victor Post ([email protected])

Source: BRG CONSULT NORTH AMERICA

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USA: February 2009 LayoffsFebruary 2009

Layoffs for February 2009 at America's 500 largest public companies: 125,677

Feb. 27: Weyerhaeuser fires 73 workers at lumber mill on poor materials demand.Feb. 26: JPMorgan Chase brings total job cuts to 14,000, with 2,800 more at recent acquisition ofWashington Mutual.Feb. 26: Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy will downgrade the regional office in West Virginiaand cut staff by 215.Feb. 25: Dow Corning--a joint venture between Dow Chemical and Corning -pink-slips 800 in an 8%workforce reduction.Feb. 25: Coach dismisses about 10% of its U.S. corporate staff (150 employees).Feb. 23: Micron Technology closes plant in Idaho and cuts 2,000 jobs as memory chip sales decline.

Feb. 19: Avon Products plans to reduce workforce by 7% (3,000 jobs) over next four years.Feb. 19: U.S. Steel idles operations in Minnesota and Illinois and pink-slips 980 workers.Feb. 19: Omega Cabinetry--a subsidiary of Fortune Brands --lays off 100.Feb. 18: Best Buy hopes to fill 210 new jobs with employees cut from 250 jobs at its corporateheadquarters--losing a net of 40 jobs.Feb. 18: Falling molybdenum (an ore used to harden steel) prices force Chevron to fire 230 workersat mining facility.Feb. 18: Delta Air Lines increases previously announced total of employees taking buyouts from2,000 to 2,100.Feb. 11: Terex suffers $420 million fourth-quarter loss and cuts 5,000 workers.Feb. 18: Goodyear reduces workforce by 6.7% (5,000 jobs) following larger-than-expected loss infourth-quarter earnings.Feb. 17: General Motors presents viability plan to government as part of its bailout. Total head-countreduction expected: 47,000.Feb. 17: Agilent Technologies sees decline in semiconductor sales, closes two small businesses andcuts 600 jobs.Feb. 17: Four MDU Resources subsidiaries consolidate five call centers and fire 130 workers.Feb. 17: Johnson Controls pink-slips 80 employees at its Oklahoma plant.Feb. 17: Smithfield Foods closes six meatpacking plants and lays off 1,800 workers.Feb. 16: Delphi slims down its steering division by 800 jobs.Feb. 13: TRW Automotive Holdings has cut about 375 jobs in various locations over the past fewmonths.Feb. 13: Wal-Mart Stores closes return center and lays off its 400 employees.Feb. 11: United Technologies jet engine subsidiary Pratt & Whitney Canada cuts 10% of workforce(1,000 workers).Feb. 11: W.W. Grainger cuts 400 jobs across the company on poor sales.Feb. 11: Caterpillar offers voluntary early retirement to 2,000 workers, on top of some 22,000 layoffsfrom last month.Feb. 10: News Corp fires 65 at its U.K. national newspaper titles.Feb. 10: U.S. Airways Group cuts 233 ramp workers, gate associates and ticket agents in response toreduced flying.Feb. 10: Nike reduces workforce by up to 4% (1,400 workers) as it restructures.Feb. 10: General Motors cuts 10,000 workers and reduces pay for most of its remaining white-collar

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workers.Feb. 10: General Electric's transportation arm fires 1,550.Feb. 10: Wal-Mart Stores pink-slips 800 at its headquarters to trim spending.

Feb. 9: Emerson Electric lays off 14,000 following 7,000 dismissals since October of last year.Feb. 6: Weyerhaeuser shuts down veneer and lumber mills in Alabama, affecting 300 workers.Feb. 5: Estée Lauder fires 6% of workforce (2,000 employees) as part of a four-year restructuringplan.Feb. 5: Fortune Brands subsidiary MasterBrand Cabinets lays off a third of its workers at its Oregonplant.Feb. 5: The Wall Street Journal--owned by News Corp.--cuts 25 positions from newsroom.Feb. 5: Botox maker Allergan offers first-ever consumer rebate on its wrinkle killer, posts quarterlyprofit decline and cuts 5% of staff (460 workers).Feb. 4: Time Warner Cable --84% owned by Time Warner --dismisses 1,250 on bad fourth-quarterresults.Feb. 4: Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers says revenue will be down more than expecting andpink-slips 2,000 workers.Feb. 3: Huntington Bancshares freezes salaries, cuts bonuses and 401(k) matching for employees,and fires 500.Feb. 3: PNC Financial Services cuts 5,800 jobs following the purchase of National City.Feb. 3: Comcast reduces management and "professional-level" ranks by 50 jobs.Feb. 3: Electronic Arts increases previously announced layoffs by 100.Feb. 2: Goodrich fires 35, but doesn't expect anymore layoffs.Feb. 2: Macy's cuts dividend and capital spending, reduces contributions to retirement plans and pink-slips 7,000 workers.

March 2009

The Weekly Layoff Report: An Eerie Stillness. There continue to be far fewer layoff announcements atmajor corporations. Is this a sign of better times or the calm before the storm?

It has been another subdued week for the Forbes.com Layoff Tracker, even as the Labor Departmentreleased more bleak employment numbers. We now know that more than 650,000 nonagriculturaljobs were lost in February, pushing unemployment up to 8.1%. Also, Labor revised its numbers forDecember and January to add 160,000 more job losses in those months.

Here, highlights of the week's activity recorded by the Forbes.com Layoff Tracker, which counts thelayoffs at all the nation's 500 largest corporations.

The Layoff Tracker paints a more attractive picture than the government's stats. Job cutannouncements within the tracker's universe of companies have virtually ceased, at least for now.This week only five of the 500 businesses announced cuts, and they added up to only about 4,000jobs. That makes it by far the quietest week so far this year.

U.S. Steel is instituting heavy shutdowns in Ontario. This will affect at least 1,500 jobs and hassparked anger among Canadians worried about American protectionism in response to the economiccrisis.

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General Dynamics is hurting because of a poor market for winged chariots. The company cited slowsales of luxury jets when it announced a 1,200-worker layoff this week. When a corporation wants tocut costs, where better to start than with that pending order for a new plane?

Northrop Grumman, the Pentagon's third largest supplier, will be eliminating 750 jobs. However, it willenjoy a net gain in employees at the same time. The cuts, which mostly hit administrative positions,will be made up for with some 850 new hires in technical jobs.

Weyerhaeuser, FirstEnergy and Dover all announced smaller cuts. Weyerhaeuser axed 73 at alumber mill. FirstEnergy is streamlining and trimming costs with a 335-employee layoff targeted atmanagement and support staff. Lastly, a subsidiary of Dover that makes waste and recycling truckshas laid off about 180 employees.

The Forbes.com Layoff Tracker, updated daily, currently counts 492,677 layoffs announced atAmerica's 500 largest public companies since Nov. 1, 2008.

Source: www.forbes.com

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USA: New Home Sales Plunge 10.2% to Record Low26 February 2009, WASHINGTON - Despite a record drop in prices, sales of new homes fell 10.2%in January to a record-low seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000, the Commerce Departmentestimated Thursday.

Sales were down 48.2% compared with a year earlier, the government reported, an indication that thedownturn in the housing market was still accelerating as the recession headed into its second year.Sales were weaker than expected. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were looking for a salespace of about 320,000. Builders cut their median sales prices by a record 9.9% in January comparedwith December in a bid to move unsold homes. Median sales prices are down 13.5% in the past year,the largest year-over-year decline in 38 years. The average sales price has fallen a record 17.6% inthe past year. Builders are faced with intense competition from foreclosures and distressed sales ofolder homes. Buyers are faced with declining wealth and an uncertain labor market, offsetting lowermortgage rates that are improving affordability.

Inventories of unsold homes fell by 3.1% to 342,000, the 13th consecutive decline. However, salesare falling even faster. The inventory at the end of January represented a record-high 13.3 monthsupply at the January sales pace. Nearly half the homes for sale have been completed. The builders'overstock "will keep prices falling for the rest of this year at least," wrote Ian Shepherdson, chiefdomestic economist for High Frequency Economics. On Wednesday, the National Association ofRealtors said sales of existing homes fell to a 12-year low in January.

Government statisticians have low confidence in the monthly report, which is subject to large revisionsand large sampling and other statistical errors. In most months, the government isn't sure whethersales rose or fell. The standard error in January, for instance, was plus or minus 15.4%.

The government says it can take up to five months to establish a new trend in sales. Over the pastfive months, sales have been on a 374,000 annual pace, 42% slower than a year earlier. In all of2008, 483,000 homes were sold, down from 776,000 in 2007 and 1.05 million in 2006. The releasewas the third economic report of the day that was weaker than expected. "It's getting uglier by theday," said Harm Bandholz, an economist for UniCredit Markets.

In other reports, the Labor Department said initial jobless claims rose to a 27-year high of 667,000while a record 5.1 million were collecting state unemployment checks. Also, the CommerceDepartment said orders for durable goods dropped 5.2% in January, a record sixth decline in a row asU.S. factories suffer from falling demand from consumers, businesses, and foreign markets.

Details

Sales fell in 3 of 4 regions, led by a 28% decline in the West to a record low 59,000. Sales fell 6.5%in the South and fell 5.6% in the Midwest. Sales rose 12.5% in the Northeast, plus or minus 93%.

Inventories fell 3.1% overall. Inventories of completed homes dropped 4%, inventories of homesunder construction fell 5%, and inventories of homes yet to be started were flat. Completed homesrepresented 49% of all homes for sale, up from 40% a year ago.

Source: MarketWatch

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USA: Rare NYC Foreclosure Auction Yields Deals, Protest9 March 2009: NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of houses — some with starting bids as low as $1,000— were sold to the highest bidders Sunday in a rare auction of foreclosed properties in the New Yorkmetropolitan area, the company running the sale said.

"We don't see as many properties going to foreclosure or being sold in New York City as we do inother parts of the country that have been hit a lot harder," said Robert Friedman, chairman of Irvine,Calif.-based Real Estate Disposition Corp. "It just seems like other areas were over-built more."

The auction was only REDC's second for New York City, although the company runs sales around thecountry. Auctions of foreclosured properties in locations including Georgia, Colorado, Puerto Rico,Minnesota and Michigan are scheduled later this month.

About 1,000 people attended the auction Sunday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center inManhattan, with additional bids coming from the Internet for more than 350 condos, single-familyhouses and duplexes around New York City and Pennsylvania.

Despite descriptions of some homes as fixer-uppers with problems including mold, water damage andvandalism, many were eager to score damaged real estate.

Tami Burgess, who paid $340,000 for a Yonkers home that she'd been eyeing since October, saidshe was excited but had "a lot of work to do on the house."

The sale was protested by a handful of picketers who chanted: "Evictions are a crime! It could be yourhouse next!"

One of the protesters, Sharon Black, said she was in bankruptcy and hoping to save her Baltimorehome.

"These folks are profiting off the people's misery," she said.

REDC spokesman Rick Weinberg said the auctions help stimulate the economy by putting people invacant houses.

"Their problem is with the foreclosure crisis in general," Weinberg said. "We are part of the solution,not the problem."

Ed Bates paid $115,000 for a house in Nyack and said he had no qualms about buying a foreclosedhome.

"It's really not taking someone's home for the simple reason that it's vacant," he said. "If somebodywas in there and I had to get them out, chances are I wouldn't have purchased the house. I feel sadfor them, but still, that's the way the world is."

Source: Google News

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USA: WOLSELEY to Raise $1.4 billion, Close U.S. Business6 March 2009 - Group swings to 777 million pound loss after impairment charge.

LONDON -- U.K. building materials group WOLSELEY said Friday that it will raise around 1 billionpounds ($1.43 billion) from shareholders to reduce its debt levels, as it also revealed a hefty six-month loss and said it wants to exit one of its U.S. businesses.

The group said it will raise 781 million pounds in a fully-underwritten rights issue and is also selling270 million pounds of shares to institutional investors.

WOLSELEY said the new cash will help ensure it has adequate headroom with respect to its bankingcovenants. Raising the money is also one of the conditions on a new 1 billion euro ($1.27 billion)banking facility to be provided in 2011.

Shares in the group dropped 14% in early London trading.

The company said it swung to a net loss in the six months to Jan. 31 of 777 million pounds, from aprofit of 65 million pounds a year earlier. The loss was partially driven by an 800 million poundimpairment and amortization charge.

"Our markets have been hit hard in recent months," said CEO Chip Hornsby.

"Following the completion of the comprehensive financial restructuring announced today, thecompany's balance sheet will be substantially strengthened. In addition, the clear focus on those coremarkets where WOLSELEY has built leading positions will enable the group to maintain investment inour key most profitable markets," he added.

WOLSELEY said it will focus on its operations in the U.K., Ireland, France and the Nordic region aswell as its plumbing and heating business in the U.S.

It plans to either find a joint venture for its U.S. building materials business or to close it down byAugust and has also begun a review of its operations in Central and Eastern Europe.

"This approach recognizes that the group needs to prioritize its resources in a challenging economicenvironment," the company said.

WOLSELEY has cut around 17,000 jobs since the middle of 2007 and closed 713 branches.

Source: MarketWatch

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USA: LOWE'S Profit Drops 60% With Outlook Falling ShortFeb. 20, 2009, NEW YORK -- LOWE'S COS., the No. 2 U.S. home-improvement retailer, said Fridaythat its fourth-quarter profit plunged a worse-than-expected 60%, after lower demand and intensecompetition forced it to cut prices more than it had planned.

As the company gave first-quarter and full-year forecasts that fell short of Wall Street expectations,LOWE'S said it's freezing the salaries of all vice presidents and above for this year and reducing thelevel of its planned merit increases for the rest of the organization in combined actions that areexpected to save more than $40 million in costs this year.

The company has also pared back its store opening plan for the year to 60/70 this year, down about15 from its plan in September and compared with 115 stores it opened in 2008, executives said on aconference call with analysts.

Other moves to weather the economic downturn included exiting its underperforming wall paperbusiness, reducing store hours in some markets and cutting marketing spending.

"The macro environment shows few positive signs," LOWE'S Chief Executive Robert Niblock said ona conference call. "Sales will remain pressured, and we continue to take decisive action to manageexpenses."

Net income in the quarter ended Jan. 30 dropped to $162 million, or 11 cents a share, from $408million, or 28 cents, a year earlier. Sales dropped 3.8% to $9.98 billion. Comparable-store salesdropped 9.9%, falling at the low end of the company's expectations, Mooresville, North Carolina-based LOWE'S said.

First-quarter sales are expected to range from a decline of 3% to an increase of 1% with comparable-store sales estimated to decline as much as 10%. Per-share profit is forecast to be 23 cents to 27cents a share, LOWE'S said. For the year ending Jan 29, 2010, profit is expected to be $1.04 to$1.20 a share with sales at stores open at least a year expected to fall as much as 8%.

LOWE'S was expected to earn 12 cents a share in the fourth quarter, 32 cents a share in the firstquarter and $1.29 for the new year, according to the average estimates of analysts surveyed byFactSet. LOWE'S shares fell 3.7% in late morning trading. HOME DEPOT INC. shares declined 2%.

Like its larger rival HOME DEPOT, and retailers across the board, LOWE'S has been hurt byconsumers curtailing demand for countertops, cabinets and other big-ticket purchases anddiscretionary spending. The sharp decline in consumer spending and confidence led the company tohave more promotions than it had planned with discounts on its seasonal merchandise to clearinventory, hurting gross margins, LOWE'S said. The company said, however, many of the pressureswere unique to promotional activity during the holiday season and said it expects those pressures toabate in the first quarter.

In addition to the new cost-cutting efforts, the company said it's looking critically at all expenses andwill further reduce them should sales fall short of its expectations. It's already controlled costs throughthe three-year downturn in the industry and managed its staffing level to match the slowing sales. Forexample, executives said on the call it's had a corporate hiring freeze for nearly two years and hasrecently made cuts in its real estate department to reflect lower store opening plans.

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Still, analysts said the low hanging fruits from cost cutting may already have been picked.

"The company's already lean operating structure will likely limit the extent of expense reductionspossible, thereby continuing to put pressure on operating margins," said Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.analyst Colin McGranahan in a note.

It also said it continues to gain market share despite declines in sales.

Fourth-quarter gross margin, or percentage of sales left after taking out the cost of goods sold,narrowed to 33.73% from 34.88%, hurt by discounts including as much as 75% off on its trim and treecategory and by exiting its wall paper category. The company said it expects margins in the firstquarter to continue to contract, albeit improving from the fourth quarter.

Source: MarketWatch

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USA: CRANE Plant to Close06 March 2009 - The CRANE PLUMBING plant in Stratford will close by May 1, putting 122 peopleout of work.

The company has been in operation here since 1961 and became part of AMERICAN STANDARDBRANDS when AMERICAN STANDARD, CRANE and ELJER merged one year ago in March 2008.

Officials of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Perth Lodge No.1550, were told the closure will result in the elimination of all current jobs in the plant, including 100hourly and 22 salaried positions.

The company cited excess capacity throughout its North American network of manufacturing plantsresulting from declining demand.

“We recognize the proud legacy that our Stratford plant and people leave behind,” said Larry Coburn,director of manufacturing for AMERICAN STANDARD BRANDS.

Mr. Coburn said in a media release the company is “in the midst of one of the most challengingeconomic periods of recent memory.”

“We have witnessed a collapse in new home construction and continuing declines in consumerspending for home remodeling, negatively affecting demand for our products. And, unfortunately, wedon’t anticipate any improvements in 2009.”

Management is committed to doing all it can to ease the transition for employees whose jobs arebeing eliminated, he said, and will continue to comply fully with all of its obligations.

An adjustment committee is being formed and details about severance and transition support will beprovided to employees following discussions between management and union representatives.

AMERICAN STANDARD BRANDS manufactures a wide range of high quality kitchen and bathproducts including faucets, fixtures, furniture, vitreous china fixtures, cast iron sinks, whirlpool tubsand other related products.

The company employs more than 6,000 people in the US, Canada and Mexico and markets productsunder the AMERICAN STANDARD, CRANE, ELJER, PORCHER and JADO brands.

Source: www.stratfordbeaconherald.com

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USA: Green Product Demand Continues to Rise, Manufacturers Say2 February 2009 -- With every indication that the trend will only get stronger, more and moreconsumers are seeking green products, especially those that focus on energy- and water-efficiency,according to home building industry product suppliers who participated in a Jan. 21 press conferenceduring the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.

Representatives from KOHLER CO., MARVIN WINDOWS AND DOORS and WHIRLPOOL CORP.were on hand to discuss innovations that can lower home owners' water and energy bills and alsocontribute to better indoor air quality.

"The industry is being transformed," said NAHB Research Center CEO Mike Luzier, who moderatedthe press conference. Even as green home builders find relative success in a struggling housingmarket, it won't be long before sustainable building practices become the industry standard, he said.NAHB is providing education and training as well as home certification services to help prepare homebuilders and remodelers to capitalize on this trend. NAHBGreen, the association's green buildingprogram, is expanding every month.

Energy efficiency is still the biggest driver on the growing interest in green products, themanufacturers said, but demand is also growing for water-efficient fixtures and appliances, as well aswindows and doors that contribute to improved indoor air quality.

Only 1% of the Earth's water is available for drinking, washing and other uses - 97% is saltwater andthe remainder is part of the polar ice caps, said Omer "Butch" Gaudette, director of trade relations forWHIRLPOOL CORP. "In the near future, water efficiency will be just as important as energyefficiency is today."

"Water efficiency is not just important in water-starved areas," like the arid Southwest, agreed ShaneJudd, senior product manager for water conservation at KOHLER CO. Increasingly, metropolitanareas where water supplies can't keep up with sharp population increases are also looking forsolutions to manage water use.

Currently, there are 100 million toilets in the U.S. that consume 3.5 gallons every time they areflushed. Switching to water-efficient models would have "a tremendous impact not only on water bills,but also for water conservation," Judd said.

Advances in technology have now allowed MARVIN WINDOWS AND DOORS to increase the size ofits casement windows while maintaining their energy-efficient qualities. This is allowing home designsto take advantage of "daylighting" - or natural lighting - so home owners don't need to turn on theirelectric lights as often, said Brett Boyum, director of marketing for the Minnesota-based company.For MARVIN and other green industry leaders, building sustainably is "a solid business practice. Asustainable product is a quality product, so a green product is a product that will last," Boyum said.

"Consumers and builders are starting to recognize the long-term benefit of green products. If you'renot building green, you're not building," especially in the current downturn, Gaudette said.

Source: Nation's Building News

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USA: Low-Maintenance High-Efficiency Toilets and Urinals ProvideStylish Options for Homes and Buildings25 February 2009, PISCATAWAY, NJ — AMERICAN STANDARD has expanded its stylish selectionof low-maintenance high-efficiency toilets (HETs) and high-efficiency urinals (HEUs) that save waterwhile helping to achieve green building ratings in remodeling and new construction.

Twelve design-savvy residential high-efficiency toilet (HETs) models meet the requirements forWaterSense® listing, using 20 percent less water than standard 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) modelswhile offering superior flush performance. The new Compact Cadet® 3 FloWise One-Pieceaccomplishes this with space-saving flair, incorporating a comfortable Right Height™ elongated bowlthat fits in the same space as a round-front bowl. Its clean, dramatic look incorporates rolled-edgedetail on the tank top and a slow-close seat, with the permanent EverClean® surface that inhibits thegrowth of stains and odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew.

The Cadet 3 FloWise Two-Piece also offers these design hallmarks and water-saving performance,as does the fashion-forward Tropic Cadet 3 Two-Piece. The Tropic model reflects a contemporarystyling and includes a trip lever that perfectly coordinates with the Tropic Faucet handles, all with theperformance driven by the Cadet 3 flushing system.

All Cadet 3 HETs are WaterSense certified and carry a five-year warranty on chinaware and parts.They are priced at $542 for the One-Piece, $224 to $329 for the Two-Piece and $281 to $386 for theTropic Two-Piece, depending on whether a Right Height elongated, elongated or round-front bowl isselected.

For commercial applications, AMERICAN STANDARD’s popular Washbrook, Innsbrook and Allbrookurinals are now available in HEU versions that do not exceed 0.5 gpf, or half the gpf allowed undercurrent law. Both are designed for use with Selectronic™ hands-free flush valves for reliableperformance throughout the pressure range. Both have the EverClean permanent finish, and areavailable in White or Black.

In commercial HETs, the new Priolo FloWise floor-mounted model is specially engineered for bariatricspecifications and incorporates a back outlet. It is available in White, Bone and Linen, and may becomplemented with any of the five coordinating seat colors.

The Afwall FloWise wall-mounted and Madera FloWise floor-mounted models are available in 1.28gpf, as well as standard 1.6 gpf. The permanent EverClean finish saves on maintenance time, whilethe sanitary Selectronic hands-free valve integrates easily and seamlessly across the entireSelectronic platform for hassle-free, motion-controlled metered water use in faucets and fixtures.Both Afwall and Madera are available in White, Bone, Silver and Linen with a choice of fivecoordinating seat colors.

Source: www.americanstandard-us.com

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USA: NSF Offers Certification For Low Lead Plumbing Products ToSupport New State RequirementsFebruary 25, 2009 - SF International, a not-for-profit, public health and safety organization, recentlyannounced that KOHLER, MOEN and PRICE PFISTER have become the first faucet companies tohave certain plumbing products comply with the new low lead requirements. Certification allowsmanufacturers to demonstrate compliance with new state laws, established to help protect the publicfrom exposure to lead, well ahead of the January 1, 2010 deadline.

The new section of NSF/ANSI Standard 61 - Annex G – Weighted Average Lead Content EvaluationProcedure to a 0.25 Percent Lead Requirement – includes the recently enacted legislation inCalifornia and Vermont that mandates a maximum weighted average lead content requirement of0.25 percent. Other states are also considering low lead content legislation. The new leadrequirements apply to manufacturers of faucets, valves, water fittings, and other products that come incontact with drinking water. Compliance with NSF/ANSI Standard 61, the American NationalStandard for Drinking Water Products, is also required.

NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components -- Health Effects was updated inDecember to incorporate requirements for use when the 0.25 percent lead content requirement mustbe met, in addition to current chemical extraction requirements of the standard. Compliance isdetermined by a weighted average calculation involving the maximum percent lead content of materialspecifications and wetted surface areas. To receive certification, KOHLER, MOEN and PRICEPFISTER met the new lead content requirement of 0.25 percent and the requirements of NSF/ANSIStandard 61, Annex G. All three companies have been certified by NSF to Standard 61 for manyyears, and they now comply with the new low lead requirements well ahead of the deadline.KOHLER, MOEN and PRICE PFISTER are listed on the NSF Web site with a footnote indicatingcompliance with the new requirements.

"By obtaining Annex G certification, KOHLER, MOEN and PRICE PFISTER are emphasizing theircommitment to quality and public health protection," said Nasrin Kashefi, General Manager, NSFPlumbing Programs. "Certification is important because it expands the choices available toconsumers when selecting products for their homes. We congratulate these leading manufacturers forbeing proactive in their response to these new requirements." To ensure ongoing compliance with thenew lead requirements, NSF will conduct annual, unannounced inspections of the manufacturingfacilities for certified products and re-test products on a regular basis.

"Annex G is a consensus standard that took into consideration comments from key stakeholders inCalifornia and nationwide. It gives companies a valuable tool for assessing compliance withCalifornia's lead content standard. Companies that meet the standard will be at a competitiveadvantage," said Bruce La Belle, Chief, California Department of Toxic Substances Control,Environmental Chemistry Laboratory. For more information on Annex G and NSF/ANSI Standard 61,visit NSF's Web site. For more information on NSF/ANSI Standard 61 requirements or NSF testingand certification services to the standard, contact Pete Greiner at 734.769.5517 or [email protected] copy of Annex G as adopted in NSF/ANSI 61 – 2008 is available on NSF's Web site.

Additional Background

A verification test methodology is under development, which may be added to NSF/ANSI Standard

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61. This methodology can be used when there is a need to verify that the actual lead content of acomponent is within the stated lead content of the material specification. The work being done on thisverification methodology is being performed through the Lead Task Group and California'sDepartment of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC). Their goal is to establish a consistent protocol thatcan be used by all.

About NSF International

NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, helps protect you by certifying productsand writing standards for food, water and consumer goods (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF iscommitted to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health OrganizationCollaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. Additional services includesafety audits for the food and water industries, management systems registrations delivered throughNSF International Strategic Registrations, organic certification provided by Quality AssuranceInternational and education through the NSF Center for Public Health Education.

Source: www.wateronline.com

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Canada: CIPH, CWWA Partner to Promote Water DemandReduction3 March 2009: The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating and the Canadian Water andWastewater Association have joined forces to promote water demand reduction programs amongCanadian municipalities.

The boards of directors of both associations have supported a joint position statement to encouragethe promotion and use of fixtures and supply fittings that have been certified by an accreditedcertification organization to both Canadian standards and the U.S. EPA-sponsored WaterSenseprogram. Specifically, municipalities are encouraged to reference such products in all educationaland awareness materials on water conservation and efficiency. The position statement alsoencourages the future formal adoption of WaterSense-like provisions in the applicable CSA nationalconsensus standards for fixtures and fittings.

“The CIPH board of directors views this collaboration with CWWA as an opportunity for the Institute torespond tangibly to environmental and water conservation concerns at the municipal, provincial andfederal level. Enhancing the Institute’s ability to lead and respond to needed regulatory changes iscritical to meet future demand for water,” said CIPH chairman of the board Cliff Sarjeant of NCIMarketing.

Duncan Ellison, executive director of the CWWA, added that “Many Canadian water utilities havebeen promoting the use of water efficient fixtures and appliances as a means of managing thedemand for water. WaterSense product tests are based on a toilet testing protocol developed byCWWA’s Water Efficiency Committee and its utility partners in the U.S.”

Products that meet the intent of the joint position statement will hold both a WaterSense label and themark by the associated certification organization that has tested it to meet Canadian standards.

Source: The Wholesaler

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Spain: If You Thought The Construction Market Was Bad In TheUS...18 February 2009 - Biggest developers in Spain start just 135 properties in last quarter of 2008

Just 135 new housing starts in the last quarter of 2008, and not a single one in December: that wasthe combined output in terms of housing starts for the G-14 group of Spain’s biggest developers,including companies like MARTINSA-FADESA (in administration) and NOZAR (fighting to avoidadministration) and COLONIAL and METROVACESA (taken over by their bank creditors).

The freeze-over in the residential construction sector is expected to continue this year. The G-14forecasts 150,000 housing starts in 2009, down 40% on 2008, and way off the more than 800,000 in2006.

Pedro Pérez, President of the G-14, estimates the new build housing inventory at 700,000 properties,though other sources claim that there are more than 1 million new homes on the market, mainly flats.

Pérez also claims that there is demand in Spain for between 400,000 and 450,000 new properties ayear, thanks to new household formation and demand for holiday homes from both Spaniards andother nationalities.

In a recent conference on the Spanish property sector Pérez conceded that at the height of the boom,both property prices and housing starts were “clearly excessive and surpassed reasonable limits.”

Pérez now says that developers have dropped their prices 20% since the summer, leaving no roomfor more falls, as no developer will sell below their mortgage financing costs.

Source: www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

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