Changing the Narrative About Plumbing at WorldSkills Lyon 2024

Pfister Faucets launched the docuseries 'American Plumber Stories' to address the significant demand for new talent in the plumbing trade. The series highlights real plumbers, detailing their career paths, offering advice for aspiring plumbers, and showcasing the inherent rewards of the profession. Spencer Brown, Pfister’s Director of Sales, conceived the idea after noticing widespread recruitment challenges within the plumbing community. The series aims to inspire individuals to consider plumbing as a viable and fulfilling career option by sharing authentic stories from professionals who are passionate about their work. Since its debut in 2021, 'American Plumber Stories' has garnered considerable recognition, including three Telly Awards at the 45th Annual ceremony: a Silver for Best in Public Interest and Awareness, and two Bronzes for Non-Scripted Online and Editing Online categories. The initiative has also attracted numerous industry partners, such as Oatey, RIDGID, NIBCO, Cintas, and AprilAire, as well as support from organizations like the International Code Council (ICC) and the Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors (PHCC) National Association, underscoring its impact and relevance within the industry. Country music star and Army Reserve soldier, Craig Morgan, continues his role as the host, further lending credibility and broader appeal to the series. The fifth season of 'American Plumber Stories' expands its scope to include international narratives, alongside stories from across the United States. The season premiere features a plumber from Maui, Hawaii, who lost his home in the Lahaina wildfire. His son, Raymond, is motivated to recruit new plumbers to aid in the island's reconstruction efforts. Another episode highlights Martin, a plumber in Tasmania, Australia, who specializes in serving remote locations using helicopters and small bush planes, often focusing on rainwater capture systems, an idea suggested by the International Code Council. The series also visits Alaska to document Bill's experiences working in extreme climates and explores his downtime, including a segment featuring his technician, Shane Maddox, a boxer. Further episodes introduce Mary Anne from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, known as '@the_ladyplumber' on social media, who leads an all-female plumbing team. Her story is anticipated to be particularly powerful and inspirational, offering a different perspective from her social media persona. In Salinas, California, the series features Jorge, a plumbing instructor at Soledad State Prison, who teaches the trade to inmates as a means of rehabilitation and to improve their prospects for reintegration into society. Finally, the Motherflushers, a group of young plumbers from Victorville, California, are showcased for their efforts to modernize the perception of plumbing through social media. Led by Evan, who boasts 1.9 million followers, the Motherflushers exemplify how accidental entry into the trade can lead to significant success and resonate with a younger audience. Viewers can access episodes and additional information on the 'American Plumber Stories' website and its YouTube channel. The website also offers branded merchandise, and interested plumbers are encouraged to submit their own stories for consideration, fostering community engagement and ongoing content development for the series. This outreach mechanism ensures a continuous stream of diverse and compelling narratives, reinforcing the series' mission to promote the plumbing profession globally. #PlumbingTrade #WorkforceDevelopment #Docuseries #PlumberRecruitment #IndustryPartnerships #CareerDevelopment #SkilledTrades #VocationalTraining #InternationalPlumbing

The bathroom, often considered a personal sanctuary, offers a retreat from the demands of daily life. This space serves not only for personal hygiene but also as a place for rejuvenation, akin to a Japanese onsen or a luxury day spa. While the fundamental role of the bathroom remains constant, design trends continuously evolve, focusing on aesthetics, functionality, and the integration of smart technology. One significant trend is the resurgence of bathtubs, with designers increasingly incorporating biophilic design principles to enhance the bathing experience. This approach emphasizes strong connections to nature, maximizing natural light and ventilation, which is particularly appealing in warmer climates. However, not all clients desire this direct link to the outdoors, and design solutions cater to various preferences. Alongside biophilic design, soft curves and graphic elements are gaining prominence. These trends are versatile, adapting well to bathrooms of all sizes and scales. While minimalism continues to be a timeless aesthetic, eclecticism is also celebrated, allowing for maximalist combinations of bold patterns, diverse materials, varied finishes, and vibrant colors. Beyond aesthetics, functionality is a critical consideration for designers and architects, especially given the typically compact nature of bathrooms. The drive for enhanced functionality is leading to the development of smarter bathrooms, incorporating digital technology to simplify daily routines. Innovations such as voice-activated mirrors and showerheads capable of playing music are becoming more commonplace, elevating the overall well-being aspect of the bathroom experience. Several specific design trends are shaping contemporary bathrooms. 'Soft Curves' features circular mirrors, rounded edges, and curved detailing, often evoking an elegant Art Deco sensibility. An apartment in Turin by Marcante Testa exemplifies this with understated curve motifs integrated into a palette of satin finishes, durable terrazzo, and playful lolly-colored accents. The 'Oasis' trend emphasizes an ideal bathroom retreat, fostering a strong connection to the outdoors through natural materiality and calming, neutral color schemes. The Planchonella House in Queensland by Jesse Bennett Studio showcases a breathtaking biophilic design, deeply integrating the outdoors into the bathroom space. Conversely, the 'Restrained' trend focuses on calm and quiet, with clean lines and minimal palettes. The Challis Avenue Apartment by Retallack Thompson offers a minimalist study in pared-back materiality and a singular color palette, contributing to an overall chic yet understated aesthetic. For those seeking a bolder approach, the 'Eclectic' trend embraces a maximalist spirit, blending various colors, patterns, and textures. This style confidently combines shiny and matte surfaces, intricate and simple detailing, and high-tech with bespoke elements. Marcante Testa's work in a Venice apartment, with its mix of forms and a rainbow palette, perfectly illustrates this eclectic sensibility. The 'Graphic' trend, not for the timid, is characterized by bright colors, distinct lines, and sharp angles, often presenting a playful, two-dimensional pop-meets-hard-edge aesthetic. A small apartment in Madrid by Elii architects uses colored grout against white tiles, complemented by bright yellow and timber joinery, to create a distinct graphic aesthetic. From a local perspective, suppliers like Matisse observe client preferences for unpretentious, well-designed luxury bathroom ware, suitable for homes, apartments, or beach houses. Products such as Patricia Urquiola's Vieques bath for Agape remain popular due to their versatility, fitting into both minimalist Scandinavian or Japanese interiors and rustic wooden beach houses. Similarly, Benedini Associati's Memory tapware range for Agape, with its traditional aged brass look concealing modern technology, appeals to those seeking a blend of classic aesthetics and contemporary functionality. High-pressure showers also maintain their popularity, with advanced options like the Azimut showerhead by GI-RA for Antonio Lupi, featuring adjustable nozzles, catering to adventurous clients. #BathroomDesign #InternationalTrends #HomeInterior #BiophilicDesign #SmartHomeTechnology #MinimalistDesign #EclecticStyle #GraphicDesign #LuxuryBathrooms

Jessie Cannizzaro, the founder of Milestone Plumbing in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, is featured in 'The Eleven Percent' series, which highlights women in the construction workforce. Despite initially pursuing a different career path, Cannizzaro returned to plumbing when her father experienced a stroke, eventually combining her business degree with apprenticeship training to establish her own successful company in 2011. Milestone Plumbing specializes in residential remodels and repairs and currently employs 16 individuals. Cannizzaro is a strong advocate for encouraging young people, particularly girls, to enter the trades. She created a plumbing-themed coloring book that features a young girl aspiring to be a plumber, aiming to show elementary-aged children that trades are for everyone. This initiative, along with distributing the coloring book at schools and job sites, seeks to positively impact the community, provide solid future career paths for children, and increase the number of women in the trades. She emphasizes that many children decide on their career interests before high school, making early exposure crucial. Her journey in the plumbing business involved a conscious decision to initially present herself in a gender-neutral way, using 'Jess' for her company name to avoid potential biases against a female plumber. However, she found that communities were highly receptive to her and her business thrived, indicating an evolving acceptance of women in traditionally male-dominated fields. A notable success for Milestone Plumbing involved a complex condo project in downtown Milwaukee, where they collaborated with Kohler’s engineering team to modify a design for wall-outlet toilets that other plumbers deemed impossible, ultimately securing them a significant client. The plumbing industry has seen significant technological advancements, according to Cannizzaro. Examples include smartphone-controlled water shut-off systems and digital showers. The COVID-19 pandemic also sparked increased interest in bidets, which Milestone Plumbing now frequently sells. Furthermore, changes in materials, such as the shift from heavy cast-iron and galvanized pipes to lighter PVC and fiberglass, have made plumbing work safer and more efficient for individual plumbers. These innovations underscore a dynamic and evolving industry. Cannizzaro advises young individuals interested in the trades to gain firsthand experience through shadowing various companies. She highlights the importance of exploring different trades and commercial versus residential projects to understand the diverse daily realities. She stresses the value of pursuing a passion to avoid career dissatisfaction and points out that many employers offer to pay for trade school, allowing individuals to earn an hourly wage while learning and subsequently secure rewarding, debt-free careers. She encourages other business owners to advocate for the trades by sponsoring schools and mentoring students, citing an example of Milestone Plumbing's involvement in a high school project to introduce plumbing concepts. Regarding tools, Milestone Plumbing primarily uses Milwaukee Tool products, which Cannizzaro praises for their quality and innovation. She specifically mentions Milwaukee's flashlights, tripod LED lights, and copper cutter. The copper cutter holds personal significance for her as it alleviated wrist pain she experienced as an apprentice using manual tools. She also appreciates smaller Milwaukee Tool and ChannelLock brand channel locks for their convenience and Milwaukee's Pex tool, showcasing a preference for tools that enhance efficiency and ergonomics in her daily work. #Plumbing #WomenInTrades #Entrepreneurship #TradeEducation #SkillDevelopment #ConstructionIndustry #WorkforceDiversity #TechnologicalAdvancements #CommunityAdvocacy

Fluidmaster, the world's leading manufacturer of toilet repair products, with over 80% market share in the U.S. and sales in more than 90 countries, is prioritizing customer experience (CX) in its operations. The company, which is still privately held by the founding family, produces approximately 100 million toilet repair products annually. A key aspect of their enhanced CX strategy involves a revamped instruction booklet for their DIY products. The effectiveness of this new booklet was highlighted by the author's positive personal experience and validated by Corinne AndersonSchoepe, Director of Global Brand, who noted its unexpected popularity even on social media platforms like Instagram. Adolf Schoepe founded Fluidmaster in 1957 after inventing an innovative fill valve that eliminated the traditional ball float system, improving efficiency by utilizing water force rather than opposing it. Before Fluidmaster, Schoepe also pioneered the tubular door lock, which he sold as Kwikset. Over the years, Fluidmaster expanded its product range to include various toilet and plumbing components, and became an OEM supplier for major brands like Kohler and American Standard. The company also established an international presence with production facilities in the UK, Netherlands, Slovenia, Turkey, China, and Mexico. Fluidmaster is adapting to a changing customer demographic, where fewer individuals possess DIY skills due to the decline of shop classes and trade apprenticeships. To address this, the company focuses on understanding the customer journey. Extensive consumer research, including direct observation of users installing their products, revealed that many customers struggled with existing instructions. This feedback led to the development of the new instruction booklet, which effectively reduced installation time by half and significantly improved the customer experience. Sustainability is another core focus for Fluidmaster. The company is actively working to optimize water usage in its products, aiming to balance water conservation with effective plumbing functionality to prevent system issues. This commitment extends to exploring smart product solutions, particularly for leak detection and optimizing flush efficiency to prevent multiple flushes, which counteract water-saving efforts. These smart solutions are viewed as a way to promote environmental responsibility while enhancing product performance for consumers. Fluidmaster also aims for continued growth through international expansion, with Europe and India identified as key markets. While the core product functionality remains consistent globally, market approaches differ due to varying consumer preferences and plumbing system configurations, such as in-wall systems prevalent in Europe. The company is investing in these markets to secure a leading position and ensure its long-term relevance. Additionally, Fluidmaster is exploring direct-to-consumer business models and advanced water management solutions, including smart products for leak detection and improved flushing, to address evolving consumer needs and environmental concerns. Despite the essential nature of their products, Fluidmaster acknowledges the challenge of marketing items that consumers prefer not to think about until a problem arises. This necessitates a strategic marketing approach that emphasizes ease of use and problem-solving to assist consumers effectively when they need to perform toilet repairs. #CustomerExperience #DIY #PlumbingRepair #ToiletRepair #Fluidmaster #Manufacturing #WaterConservation #SmartHome #InternationalBusiness