Recently, Sonnhalter’s president, Matt Sonnhalter, was featured on the Appetite for Construction podcast, where he reflected on the 2024 PHCC CONNECT held in Birmingham, Alabama. Matt emphasized the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry, particularly in engaging with younger professionals in the trades.
Matt discussed the engaging sessions and networking opportunities that contributed to a productive atmosphere, allowing attendees to address the evolving challenges they face. Listen to the episode here to hear more about Matt’s thoughts on the event and its lasting impact on the industry.
Did you know that “Hug a Plumber Day” takes place on April 25? Every year, this day is a reminder to celebrate plumbers as they typically don’t receive enough credit for their work.
From late-night emergencies to routine maintenance, these professionals handle it with dedication and expertise. From tackling over-flowing toilets to stubborn clogs, they spare us from inconvenience and frustration.
Without plumbers, our world wouldn’t be sanitary or operating. At Sonnhalter, we are thankful for the hard work and commitment that plumbers have. We’ve had the opportunity to see plumbers at work and have heard their stories. Plumbers do so much more than unclog drains and fix leaky faucets. It’s plumbers who install the miles of piping that make hot, cold and process water and gas utilities possible.
As we celebrate Hug a Plumber Day, let’s remember that our appreciation extends beyond a single day. Let’s strive to recognize and honor the vital role plumbers play in our lives. To all the plumbers out there–Thank you. Together we shower you with gratitude.
March 11th is set aside each year to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers. At Sonnhalter, we have a great appreciation for plumbers and the work that they do. Today, we will be sharing some plumbing facts to promote the practice and why it’s important.
Did you Know That Plumbing Improves the World…
Standardized plumbing can be traced back to around 3,000 B.C
Over 1 billion of people gained access to piped water supplies between 2000 and 2015
About 0.3% of homes across the country have a minor plumbing leak
The global population of people who used safely managed sanitation services increased from 28% in 2000 to 39% in 2015
A 4-minute shower can now use as little as 24 liters of water
The dual system toilet flush, created in a small town in Australia in 1980, now uses as little as 4.5 liters of water
Today we salute the ones who keep everything flowing, and not overflowing. Thank you to the dedicated plumbers who answer the call and don’t recount the tales of what they’ve pulled out of pipes.
The plumbing and piping business is huge, and I was reminded of that as I attended PHCC Connect for the first time. PHCC Connect is an immersive expo event that brings industry leaders and professionals in plumbing, heating, cooling and ventilation together. This experience provided opportunities for attendees, educational sessions and showcased products from across the industry under one roof.
This year, PHCC Connect took place on our home turf of Cleveland, Ohio! This allowed us to showcase some hotspots to our clients and friends attending. Plus, PHCC Connect promoted Sonnhalter’s Cleveland Insider’s Guide on the app and handed out cards, which highlights restaurants and nightlife around town!
Throughout the show they continually had panel discussions taking place. Popular sessions included conversations on Chat GPT, economic trends, myths about the trades, safety and productivity through effective training practices and more!
I also loved that they had a plumbing and HVAC apprentice contest happening on the floor! The HVAC apprentice contestants had to demonstrate their knowledge with a written test, plus brazing, pressure testing, refrigerant recovery and diagnosing and repairing a package unit system. The plumbing apprentice contestants had to rough-in a bathroom – including the drain, waste and vent lines, a toilet, a sink and shower.
Pretty neat to watch tradesmen in the field demonstrate their knowledge!
One panel discussion that I attended that was full of people and full of valuable information was the “Women in Industry” luncheon. This event included an interactive panel discussion featuring women who work in the plumbing and HVAC industry. The panel shared their personal stories of being women in the industry, challenges they have faced and how the trades can be more inclusive and welcoming for young professionals.
This luncheon event really highlighted that we need to go to schools at a young age and expose to kids that there are options outside of college. Setting these standards young is vital for us to grow the trades. We also received the “The House That She Built” children’s book that educates young readers about the people and skills that go into building a home, telling the true story of a home built by all female tradespeople.
PHCC Connect was an awesome show to attend and we can’t wait to see what next year entails. The next plumbing/HVAC tradeshow we will be attending will be AHR Expo in Chicago!
To watch a behind-the-scenes look from PHCC Connect visit,
March 11th is set aside each year to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers. At Sonnhalter, we have a great appreciation for plumbers and the work that they do. Today, Sonnhalter’s PR Technician, Kylie Stanley will be sharing with you some information about the holiday and plumbing.
Often plumbers don’t receive the credit and fame that they deserve even though plumbing is part of our everyday lives.
The reality is that without plumbers, our world would be far from sanitary or pleasant. As part of our team’s commitment to getting our hands dirty in our clients’ work, we’ve had the opportunity to see plumbers at work, we’ve used their tools and we’ve heard their stories; we know that they deserve to be honored today.
Plumbers do much more than unclog drains and fix leaky faucets – it’s plumbers who install the miles of piping that make hot, cold and process water and gas utilities possible.
Did you Know That Plumbing Improves the World…
Over 1 billion of people gained access to piped water supplies between 2000 and 2015
The global population of people who used safely managed sanitation services increased from 28% in 2000 to 39% in 2015
A 4-minute shower can now use as little as 24 liters of water
The dual system toilet flush, created in a small town in Australia in 1980, now uses as little as 4.5 liters of water
Today we salute the ones who keep everything flowing, and not overflowing. Thank you to the dedicated plumbers who answer the call and don’t recount the tales of what they’ve pulled out of pipes.
