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,
Implemented by the Manufacturing Institute, National Manufacturing Day takes place on the first Friday of every October and this year it’s October 6th. Manufacturing Day is part of the Manufacturing Institute’s initiative to inspire the next generation, diversify the workforce and positively shift perceptions about the manufacturing industry.
In celebration, thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. host events to showcase the realities of modern manufacturing and address labor shortages in the industry that are open to students, parents and/or educators.
Manufacturing Day is a chance for manufacturers to emphasize their work and their workers and to inspire a future generation of skilled workers.
This September 15th, join Sonnhalter in celebrating National Tradesmen Day. Taking place on the third Friday of September, National Tradesmen Day honors the men and women who helped build America with their hard work and unique skillset. These skillsets and hard work are what set tradesmen apart – whether there is a bridge to be built or a power grid to be set up, there is a tradesman to see it done.
The demand for skilled workers is only growing. Skilled trades are one of the fastest-growing sectors in the job market and are a major influence on the economy. Training is offered in almost every type of skilled trade in the job market.
Tradespeople are the heart of our nation. They’ve built our homes, roads, hospitals and schools, and without them our way of life would be lost, so join us in saying “thanks” to a tradesman.
Every couple of months we feature a blog post from our friends at MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network). MAGNET’s mission is to support, educate and champion manufacturing in Ohio with the goal of transforming the region’s economy into a powerful, global player. You can visit MAGNET online at manufacturingsuccess.org.
As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, 3D printing has emerged as a game-changing manufacturing process. A common additive manufacturing process, 3D printing enables the creation of three-dimensional objects by building them layer by layer. Here we explore seven different types of 3D printing technologies and delve into their unique characteristics and applications.
Material Extrusion
Material Extrusion, also known fused deposition modeling (FDM), is one of the most widely used 3D printing technologies. In this process, a thermoplastic filament is fed through a heated nozzle. The nozzle melts the material, which is then extruded layer by layer to create the desired object. Material extrusion is known for its affordability, ease of use and compatibility with a wide range of thermoplastics. This 3D printing method is used for prototyping, product development and low-volume production.
Vat Polymerization
Vat Polymerization utilizes a liquid photopolymer resin that is selectively cured by a light source, typically an ultraviolet UV laser or a digital light processing (DLP) projector. The resin hardens layer by layer as the light source selectively exposes it to light. This technology produces highly detailed and precise parts with smooth surface finishes, making it ideal for applications in jewelry, dental and medical industries.
Powder Bed Fusion
Powder Bed Fusion comprises two main techniques: selective laser sintering (SLS) and selective laser melting (SLM). In SLS, a high-powered laser selectively sinters powdered material, usually polymers or metals, to fuse it into a solid structure. SLM, on the other hand, involves completely melting the powdered material to achieve a fully dense metal part. Powder Bed Fusion offers excellent geometric freedom, material versatility and is often used in industries such as aerospace, automotive and medical for manufacturing complex and high-strength components.
Material Jetting
Material Jetting, also known as inkjet printing, operates similarly to traditional 2D inkjet printers. Instead of ink, it uses a print head to jet liquid photopolymer materials onto the build platform. These materials are then cured using ultraviolet light. Material jetting enables the simultaneous printing of multiple materials, making it suitable for creating multi-color, multi-material and highly detailed models. Its applications range from product design and architectural modeling to medical and dental applications.
Binder Jetting
Binder jetting is a process that selectively deposits a liquid binding agent onto a powdered material bed. The binder connects the particles to form a solid structure. This technique allows for the production of parts in a range of materials, such as metals, ceramics and composites. Binder jetting is known for its speed and cost-effectiveness, making it suitable for both prototyping and low-volume production.
Directed Energy Deposition
Directed Energy Deposition (DED) involves the precise deposition of material, usually metal, through a nozzle or laser onto a substrate. DED can be used to build large-scale objects, repair existing parts or add features to an existing component. It offers the advantage of high deposition rates and the ability to use a wide range of materials, including metal alloys. DED is commonly used in aerospace, automotive, and marine industries.
Sheet Lamination
Sheet Lamination is a unique 3D printing process that involves bonding together layers of material, typically paper or metal foils, using adhesive or heat. The layers are then cut or shaped using a laser or blade. Sheet lamination offers cost-effective prototyping and is often used for creating full-color architectural models, packaging prototypes, and educational models.
The world of 3D printing offers endless possibilities, thanks to the ever-expanding list of technologies available. Understanding and harnessing the potential of these technologies allows us to embrace innovation and drive efficiency.
As trade show season approaches, your company might be wondering what can you do to drive traffic to your booth. In the past, we’ve seen some creative ideas like puppies, arcade games and more! In this blog post, we will discuss different ideas of how you can draw attention to your booth.
Games
When it comes to attendees you will need to be engaging with your booth design. Having something fun and interactive to attract and retain attention is important. One example of this is to have games set up at your booth – whether it’s cornhole, spin the wheel or plinko. This will allow attendees some entertainment and a chance for you to giveaway some “swag” to those who participate.
Photo Booth
Photo opportunities are an easy way to have people gather at the booth while utilizing branded elements from your company. Having branded filters can help increase your engagement and promote brand awareness for your company. It can also encourage those who take a photo at the booth to post it on social media with a branded hashtag.
Virtual Reality
Having virtual reality (VR) keeps visitors glued to your booth and can keep the attention of the crowd. VR at your booth can be used to showcase your products and show how they work. Also, users can see, hear and interact with their surroundings.
Hosting a Contest
This is one of the most effective ways to get people to stop by your booth, but in order to get a decent crowd you will need to promote it pre-show. Not only should you talk about it on social media, but you can advertise the contest online or media outlet. By hosting a contest and collecting user contact information, you can collect qualified leads that you can use in the future.
Conclusion
These are just some examples of how you can attract guests to your booth at a trade show, and there’s plenty of more ways to entice people. Make the most of your booth by exploring these ideas and feel free to get creative at your next trade show.
Check out our other blog posts that cover trade shows.
