June 2015 DSG Spotlight

JUNE 2015

SPOTLIGHT www.dakotasupplygroup.com

Labor-saving Products To The Rescue The reality of the skilled workers shortage is starting to sink in. As the majority of the skilled-trades labor force ages – more than half are older than 45 and nearly 20 percent are age 55 or older – contractors are struggling to hire and retain qualified employees to take up the reins for the future.

According to the Manufacturing Institute, approximately 600,000 skilled jobs in the U.S. are going unfilled.

Unfortunately, this labor shortage comes at a time when there is a growing demand for new housing.

For example, the National Association of Home Builders forecasts a 26 percent increase in single-family housing starting in 2015. Opportunities for new customers and new jobs are there for the taking, but the lack of employees to do the work is causing contractors to refrain from taking advantage of them. A survey conducted by Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup found that more than half of the employers that responded said that the talent shortage has a medium to high impact on their ability

to meet the needs of their customers. Even with customers willing to pay more, the trade industries still need skilled people to do the work.

If one thing is for certain, the trades shortage will take time to turn around. In the meantime, contractors are looking for new ways to increase their productivity with the resources they already have. To alleviate some of the stress caused by the labor shortage, contractors are taking advantage of labor-saving products and processes to help them do more work with the same (or fewer) people. Take a look at some of the labor-saving products in this issue of Spotlight. Many of them allow you to speed up installations so projects take less time, opening the door for more jobs. Connect with your DSG representative, and they can give you plenty of ideas that just might make a big difference in your business.

Sources: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2014/06/02/ skilled-tradespeople-america, /http://www.angieslist.com/articles/shortage-workersimpacts-skilled-trades.htm

Tom's Current

Some Of My Best Friends Are Superheroes Where did all these superheroes come from?

Every movie in the theater these days seems to feature somebody with incredible superpowers lifting cars, fighting aliens or flying around at super speed. For some reason, the idea of somebody being “superhuman” really captures our imagination.

I’m not sure I’ve ever met a mutant, but if our definition of superhuman is “someone who goes beyond what is considered humanly possible,” then I’ve met a lot of them. They’re electricians and plumbers and HVAC techs and utility workers, and all of them keep doing their jobs even though our shortage of tradespeople means they can’t find any additional employees to help them. They work hard, they work late and they still manage to get their projects done, all without a cape or a mask.

The thing with superheroes, though, is that they rarely save the day on their own. Instead, they get help from a sidekick or even a team of other heroes who have the same values. For contractors, a tool or part that saves them time on labor can be just as good as a superpower, and support from a partner like DSG can help them to get a lot more work done without hiring a lot more workers.

How? We search out products (like those featured in this issue of Spotlight) that help each worker become more productive. With the right tools, a plumber who could make two calls a day can make three; an electrician who could do four installations a day can do six. Multiply that added productivity across an entire team and pretty soon your crew of four is getting as much done as a crew of five. That’s a lot easier than trying to find a new tech in today’s job market!

It’s time to become super! Skip the radioactive spiders and the secret potions and work with us here at DSG instead. Our labor-saving ideas and outstanding customer service can give you the power your business needs without any weird side effects (like green skin or angry super villains).

Your success story will be a true one, and that’s better than any movie I’ve seen.

JUNE 2015 | SPOTLIGHT

POP QUIZ 1. For the last five years, what has the ManpowerGroup considered the hardest segment of the workforce to staff?

(A) Teachers (B) Nurses (C) Tradespeople (D) Drivers 2. Studies show that a person who is _____________ takes 50 percent longer to accomplish a task.

3. When thinking about a career, research shows that what percentage of high school students consider a job in the trades?

4. For every three skilled workers leaving the workforce, how many are taking their place?

Darreck Bucher, the owner of Taylor Heating & Air in ANSWERS: 1. C 2. Interrupted 3. Six 4. One

Kalispell, Montana, shows off a steelhead trout.

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THE WEST DESERVES OUR BEST: DSG INTRODUCES THE CUSTOMER SERVICE GUARANTEE TO MONTANA

Since March of 2013, DSG has adopted three promises that make up our Customer Service Guarantee: 100 percent order accuracy, 2 business day stock credit and our Top 200 items always in stock. Any time we fall short of these promises, we give our customers a $25 certificate that they can redeem on future purchases.

By striving for perfection, we can only improve our already exceptional customer service. Many of our customers have enjoyed the improvements we’ve made as a result of upholding these three promises, and as of May 2015, we’ve introduced our Customer Service Guarantee to our Montana branches in Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell and Missoula.

At DSG, every customer is considered a partner. The three promises that make up our Customer Service Guarantee serve as daily reminders that the success of our customers is the foundation of our own.

To learn more about our Customer Service Guarantee, talk to your DSG representative or visit www.dakotasupplygroup.com/CSG.

JUNE 2015 | SPOTLIGHT

Julie Keil and Jared Keil from DSG’s Bozeman branch have some fun during the Customer Service Guarantee launch.

RACO’S SQUARE BOXES (FOR MC/BX NONMETALLIC CABLE)

ARE A SNAP TO INSTALL

When you want to speed up nonmetallic cable installations and improve your productivity, choose RACO’s MC/BX square boxes.

Handy combination screw heads – Slotted or Phillips; use whatever driver is nearby.

DSG Item #

093852

100% Thread Engagement – Self-tapping screws mean FROM PDF boxes install faster.

DSG Item #

042891 DSG Item #

109232

MARKING IS QUICKER

WITH AERVOE MARKING STICKS & PAINT

Aervoe’s hand-held, rolling, inverted marking paint applicator lets you utilize marking paint and flags with just one handy tool. It’s perfect for marking construction, excavation, landscaping, utility work and surveys.

Work more effeciently with one tool that does two jobs – Use the wheel accessory for linear paint application or switch to the spike accessory for quick flag placement.

Long-lasting visible lines mean you only have to do the job once – Marks are visible for up to two months depending on traffic and exposure. Plus, non-clogging cans empty contents completely.

DSG Item # 087118

JUNE 2015 | SPOTLIGHT

INSTALL TOILETS FASTER

With The STA-TITE Seat Fastening System Found On Select Bemis/Church Seats ®

®

Easier Installation: This system features a one-piece integrated nut (with a washer) that eliminates the hassle of fumbling with individual pieces. During installation, the bottom portion of the nut snaps off when it reaches the proper torque, taking the guesswork out of the installation, so you know exactly when to stop.

Improved Productivity: The STA-TITE® system lets you install the seat up to 33 percent faster!

The STA-TITE Seat Fastening System can be found on many Bemis/Church items, including: • Bemis 1200SLOWT – DSG Item # 146316 • Church 380SLOWT – DSG Item # 110730

For more information on Bemis/Church toilet seats that feature the STA-TITE Seat Fastening System, ask your DSG representative.

®

THE MINI-SPLIT TOOL KIT FROM YELLOW JACKET

MAKES A LOT OF JOBS A LOT EASIER

Yellow Jacket’s Mini-Split Tool Kit addresses many of the special jobs found in mini-split installations. Eliminate downtime and project delays when you have all of the tools you need to install or repair virtually any mini-split on the market in one handy kit.

Heat Pump Manifold – Handles all mini-split refrigerants and pressures 60" PLUS II Hoses – Rated for 4000 PSI minimum burst, 800 PSI maximum working pressure Eccentric Cone Flare Tool – Creates high-quality flares for 3/16" to 3/4" O.D. tubing Hex Key Set – Includes 5/32", 3/16", 5 mm and 6 mm Vacuum/Charge Valve With Side Port – 5/16"″ x 1/4"″ x 1/4"″ Adjustable Metric Torque Wrench – 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27 and 29 mm flare nuts Tube Cutter And Deburring Tool 16" Tool Bag – Durable nylon bag with strap and more than 25 pockets

DSG Item # 165132

JUNE 2015 | SPOTLIGHT

PRESORTED STD US POSTAGE

PAID

what's inside

Detroit Lakes, MN Permit No. 14

Labor-saving Products To The Rescue

Box 13573 • Grand Forks, ND 58208-3573

Featured Products Tom's Current DSG Outdoors Pop Quiz Customer Service Guarantee

JUNE 2015

Restroom Care: Toilet Seats Save Labor and Deliver Better Hygiene The Holiday Inn Express in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was faced with two major challenges – how to thoroughly clean toilet seats and bowls, and how to eliminate loose seats. Bemis Manufacturing introduced the hotel to seats outfitted with its Just-Lift® hinge system and STA-TITE® Seat Fastening System™.

The Just-Lift hinge system allows the seat to be pulled straight up from the open position, creating a 1.5-inch gap between the seat and bowl and making it easier for housekeepers to clean. The STA-TITE Seat Fastening System eliminates loose seats and is quicker to install. Field tests with plumbers showed that seats with the STA-TITE system install up to 33 percent faster than conventional fasteners by eliminating the guesswork about under- or over-tightening. Plus, the one-piece design also prevents dropped washers and nuts and precludes the installation of flat and lock washers in the wrong order – two time-consuming problems for installers.

Bemis installed 10 Just-Lift with STA-TITE trial seats in September 2008. By May 2009, the hotel completed a major expansion with the addition of a third floor. The overall success of the Just-Lift with STA-TITE trial seats prompted the hotel owners to install the seats in all 37 new rooms created by the expansion.

Read the original case study in its entirety at http://www.cleanlink.com/ casestudieswhitepapers/details/Restroom-Care-Toilet-Seats-Save-Labor-andDeliver-Better-Hygiene--20473

JUNE 2015 | SPOTLIGHT