May 2013
www.dakotasupplygroup.com
SPOTLIGHT Safety Is Easy To Sell, And Great Deals Make It Easy To Buy.
Purchase 12 Smoke Alarms From DSG And Get One Free! May is Fire Safety Month, and that means great deals on some of the industry’s best smoke alarms. From May 1 through May 31, 2013, anytime you buy 12 Kidde or BRK brand smoke alarms, we’ll give you one free! u Kidde Smoke Alarms – Install with confidence, install with ease! • Front battery pull tab allows battery activation without removing alarm from mounting bracket. • Large mounting base makes mounting easier. • Pre-stripped wiring harness with easy-off cap does not require a stripper tool.
MODEL# 21007581 21007582 21006376
u BRK Smoke Alarms – Fast installation, superior performance! • Smart technology helps reduce the number of nuisance alarms. • Large opening in the mounting bracket provides easy access to wiring. • Keyhole slots in the mounting bracket eliminate the need to remove the electrical box screws for installation.
Contact your DSG representative to order yours today! MODEL# 9120B
Tom's
Current
No Gray Area When It Comes To Lead Better safe than sorry. We tell it to our kids. We preach it to our employees. We hear it from our elected officials – a lot. Take for example, the case of lead. Over the past 50 years or so, it has been one of the most controversial inhabitants of the periodic table. Humans have used this soft, heavy metal in building materials for ages, but scientists have serious reservations about its safety. Consequently, the United States government is saying “better safe than sorry” when it comes to lead in pipes and fixtures that come in contact with potable water. As of January 4, 2014, the No-Lead Act will effectively make leaded brass obsolete. While some may still have questions about the overall health effects of lead exposure, nobody can argue the fact that starting in January of next year, the U.S. government will consider it illegal to use leaded parts and fixtures on drinking water. This law will affect everything from water heaters to check valves, from faucets to angle stops. The law isn’t retroactive, but if you are in the middle of a project when it takes effect, the finished job must be lead free. In fact, starting in 2014 when you perform a repair that involves a part that includes leaded brass – even a part that is working perfectly fine – you will need to replace that part with lead-free brass. If you think about it, that’s good news for those in the plumbing industry (you didn’t make the rules, after all). However, it promises to make life more complicated for anybody who deals with water. That’s why DSG is taking a “better safe than sorry” approach to the No-Lead
Act. We don’t want our customers squinting at each fitting to determine if it contains lead or not. We don’t want anybody to get stuck halfway through a big job, then have to spend extra time removing parts. We don’t want anyone putting their company at risk by accidentally using the wrong materials. And since we can’t predict what the government will do next (Stricter rules? More relaxed rules? Different rules?), we’re going to address the gray areas of leaded brass with a very black-and-white solution. As of June 1, 2013, DSG will be entirely lead free. You will not be able to buy leaded brass from DSG, period. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that none of our customers get bit in the brass, and while that may sound funny, it’s no joke. We’re going to help you with the transition by offering education and training. We’re going to give you a huge selection of no-lead brass solutions to choose from. And we’re going to make the No-Lead Act a positive change for your business, even though it will take some work. Let’s get started today. I encourage you to implement your own “no-lead brass policy” as soon as possible. We can help. Give us a call, and together we’ll take the lead on taking out the lead.
Printed On 100% Recycled Paper!
Fast FACT
It is physically impossible to lick your elbow.
PLUMBING The Next Step Is The Perfect Seat For Parents With Small Children! ®
DSG and Church bring you an innovative product that works great for the whole family.
Recommend the Next Step and make a big impression on your customers. • 2-in-1 toilet seat accommodates the needs of both adults and children. • Child seat easily removes for cleaning or when no longer needed. • Whisper Close® allows the ring and the cover to gently and quietly close with the tap of a finger. • STA-TITE® Residential Fastening System™ anchors the seat to the bowl, eliminating the need to retighten.
®
HVAC Taco’s iWorx – Bringing Big Building HVAC/R Management And Control Capabilities To Small Buildings. iWorx is a powerful web-based HVAC/R monitoring and control system that’s perfect for light commercial buildings and high-end residential markets. It’s capable of controlling all types of heating and cooling and can be utilized for both single locations and multi-building operations.
• Powerful monitoring and control capabilities increase your value – iWorx allows contractors to serve as the single source for a fully integrated HVAC system and control package. • Straightforward installation maximizes productivity – There’s no software to buy, and no special programming to learn. • Convenience that customers will appreciate – Users can simply manage the system from any web-enabled device.
Pop rs.
Quiz
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Terry Johnson, regional sales representative for Hubbell Wiring Devices, shows off his catch on a recent trip with DSG customers.
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1. What did mercurial baseball star (and
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P4 Learning Lab Gives DSG Customers A Business Boost! The last of this year’s P4 Learning Labs wrapped up in April, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. P4 Learning Labs are intensive training sessions designed to increase profitability through workshops led by leading business consultants – but don’t take our word for it. Check out what this year’s attendees had to say: “Valuable. Most business owners are great mechanics. Many aren’t good businesspeople. Every owner needs to attend regardless, either as any eye opener or as a refresher.” “I am excited about my business rather than being afraid I am going to fail. I now have the tools for success that make it easy to be a successful business owner.” “I was very impressed with the whole class. It taught me a lot about my business that I didn’t understand. I would recommend this course to anyone who owns or runs a business.”
Next year’s P4 Learning Labs will be here before you know it. Make plans to attend in 2014!
ELECTRICAL Introduce Customers To Ultra-Efficient LED Lighting With SLIM™ LED Wallpacks From RAB Lighting. • The quick way to upgrade your customers to LED – Available in 12-, 18- and 26-Watt models, SLIM Wallpacks deliver ultra-efficient LED technology in a compact design that’s as easy to install as a downlight or uplight. • The right light for almost any application – SLIM LED Wallpacks come with a heavy-duty mounting bracket and hinged housing for easy installation. Built to last in almost any location, these wallpacks are suitable for wet locations and temperatures as low as -40° F. • Make a long-lasting impression with customers – SLIM LED Wallpacks utilize multi-chip, long-life LEDs to light up areas longer, reducing maintenance costs and concerns for customers.
COMMUNICATIONS Document Fiber Connector Cleanliness The Easy Way With The FOCIS Fiber Optic Connector Inspection System. The Noyes family of FOCIS fiber inspection solutions from AFL Telecommunications combines the inspection and analysis power of current laptop and probe solutions with the ergonomics, ease of use and ruggedness of basic “live only” viewers.
• Bright, crisp display minimizes errors – The display provides detailed images, and its zoom/pan feature allows users to identify the smallest of particles, scratches or imperfections. • One-handed operation lets you get more done in less time – Thanks to its portrait orientation, it’s easy to hold and operate with just one hand. • Future-proof so it will be around for the long run – Its optical resolution and detection specifications exceed current international standards, and its software-based inspection and analysis applications can be upgraded as market requirements evolve.
DidYou Know? DSG is continually adding new tools and resources to our Contractor Portal. Check it out at contractor-portal.com and talk to your DSG representative to sign up today. It’s free!
The
WINNERS Of This Month’s
Spotlight Super Code
1135378
1133574
PRESORTED STD US POSTAGE
PAID Detroit Lakes, MN Permit No. 14
Box 13573 Grand Forks, ND 58208-3573
Are...
1139293
Check the code on the printed version of your April issue of Spotlight to see if you are a winner! If your code matches one of the codes above, bring in your April Spotlight to your local DSG to claim your prize! Plus, don’t forget to hang on to the printed version of this issue of Spotlight to see if you’re a winner in June!
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What's Inside
AUTOMATION Longer-lasting Motors And Less Maintenance With The Enclosed Altistart 22 Soft Start Motor Controller. The Enclosed Altistart 22 combination motor controller merges integrated bypass and control components to improve a machine’s performance, efficiency, reliability and even life expectancy.
• Minimize wiring time! With six terminals instead of 12, the Altistart 22 is quick to install. •
Set up and operate with ease! The Altistart 22 features an integrated display terminal that allows you to change both the programming and the monitoring parameters in order to adapt and customize the application.
May Featured Products Tom’s Current Fast Fact DSG Outdoors Pop Quiz University Of DSG Did You Know?