spring 2020
MAIN PIPE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE
Introducing our first issue
What’s Inside: Introduction to The Ideal Team Player A Milestone: The First Shipment for Globe Union Mexico New Toilets for Spring 2020
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS Introduction to The Ideal Team Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 A Spotlight on Humility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 In the Know – Executive Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 In the Know – Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 In the Know – Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 -11 Spread the Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
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What The Ideal Team Player means to Gerber
Culture. What does it mean? The beautiful thing is, that word can mean something different to everyone here at Gerber®. Yet, we are united in a common understanding that everyone’s individual concepts and perceptions of the Gerber culture make up the overall experience shared. Globe Union North American Group CEO, Keith Yurko, holds the book The Ideal Team Player near and dear. The book outlines three main virtues that he believes are the building blocks of Gerber’s culture:
Hungry: Ideal team players are hungry. They
are always looking for more. More things to do. More to learn. More responsibility to take on. Hungry people almost never have to be pushed by a manager to work harder, because they are self-motivated and diligent. They are constantly thinking about the next step and the next opportunity.
Smart: Ideal team players are smart. They
have common sense about people. Smart people tend to know what is happening in a group situation and how to deal with others in the most effective way. They have good judgment and intuition around the subtleties of group dynamics and the impact of their words and actions. The book describes, “What makes humble, hungry, and smart powerful and unique is not the individual attributes themselves, but rather the required combination of all three.”
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They lack excessive ego or concerns about status. Humble people are quick to point out the contributions of others and slow to seek attention for their own. They share credit, emphasize team over self and define success collectively rather than individually.
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Humble: Ideal team players are humble.
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Gerber truly sees ourselves as one big family. We strive to embody this trifecta by lifting each other up, pushing ourselves to learn more, and by trying our best to communicate effectively. As food for thought, each quarterly magazine will contain a letter written by a Gerber colleague spotlighting one of the three virtues. The next page features this quarter’s letter about humility by Carmen Fiordirosa, Director of Marketing.
Humility Spotlight Acknowledging My Alter “Ego�
By Carmen Fiordirosa, Director of Marketing Humility is such a wonderful virtue, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you just love to be known as a person of great humility? In fact, as I write this, I am smiling as I think about how I myself long to be perceived as a humble individual. The reality is, that for every wonderful trait we aspire to have, there is the very opposite trait that can creep into our lives. So, let’s look at the opposite of humility: ego. Say the word out loud with me...EGO. Makes your skin crawl, doesn’t it? The thought of being associated with the word ego is unsettling. Several years ago, if you told me I struggled with ego, I would have dismissed you or became defensive. Then I read a book that pulled the scales from my eyes, Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday. What I realized is that there are some common misconceptions about what ego is and isn’t, especially ego in the workplace. It’s easy to point out the overt “ego-maniac�; the arrogant team member that makes everything about themself. Surely I was nothing like “that person.� That’s the funny thing about ego though; it is sly and deceptive. When I took the time to selfreflect, I found that at the office, I had a tendency to: vent, want to be in control, and compared my hard work to others. But, I didn’t initially see these things as ego. Actually, these things were easily justifiable and done in the most well-intentioned way. But when I took the time to be honest with myself, here is what I found: Venting: Does not solve problems; it is an emotional drainer that avoids accountability of self to the issue at hand. Ego. Control: Does not foster trust, and whether you do it consciously or subconsciously, having to be in control says you believe you can do it better than anyone else. Ego. Comparing: Distracts from the present and deters you from accomplishing your goals because it is either focused on past events or spends time worrying about what will happen in the future. Ego. So, how was I going to eradicate my obvious ego problem now that I was aware of it? Well, what I found is that it does not come naturally. Human nature is to self-protect. So to keep my ego at bay, I have found these things to be helpful: Reflect: When my instinct is to vent, I pause and think to myself: “Is what I am about to say true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? What solution can I offer?� Learn: Whether through books, blogs, or podcasts, I have resolved to learn on a daily basis. While I do have some wisdom and experience to share with others, I do not know as much as my ego would like to fool me into believing. Get feedback: I seek honest and constructive feedback. Ego tends to give us blind spots of areas we need to improve. Having one or two people in my life that speak hard honest truth did not come naturally to me. I would much rather go to the people who tell me that everything I do is perfect, but I realized that I am not able to grow personally or professionally if I have nothing to improve.
The Ideal Team Player states that humility is the single greatest attribute to have in a teammate, and I agree, but I also believe being humble is not a final destination we arrive at; it takes ongoing practice. It also means we will falter and ego will creep in. When it does, I think it is important that we remember to extend grace and give each other the benefit of the doubt; that our teammates really do want what’s best for the company and for you personally. When I encounter friction in the workplace, I like to remind myself, no one wakes up and says to themselves “I want to be a difficult person to work with today,â€? so I should probably cut my teammates some slack. Hopefully you will think of that too when you see my alter “egoâ€? roaming around the office. đ&#x;˜Š GERBER
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In the Know – EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Diversifying Manufacturing Gerber® continues to diversify our manufacturing strategies in order to be the most consistent and reliable supplier for our customers. So far in this mission, we have acquired a vitreous china manufacturing facility, Globe Union Mexico, (GUMX) in Saltillo, Mexico. We are happy to announce that the GUMX facility has produced its first shipment. At the end of February, GUMX shipped the first shipment of Maxwell® toilets.
A Letter to Our Customers – We are Here for You
Please click here to view the most recent letter to Gerber customers regarding COVID-19. We are at-the-ready to support our customers...
Our inventory position is strong and we are at full operational capacity.
Our distribution centers are up and running with dedicated staff.
Our team members are fully available to quickly facilitate and provide assistance.
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In the Know – HUMAN RESOURCES A warm welcome to the following folks who joined the Gerber™ family during the first quarter.
Nate Brandel
Omar Cornelio
Tim Dunning
Liam Franks
Ning Hong
Joanna Karafotas
Tom Kehoe
Naomi Mayes
Quote & OAD Coordinator
Director of Global Sourcing
Billy Rasmussen
Regional Sales Manager – Northwest
Supply Chain Associate
Senior Graphic Designer
Regional Sales Manager – Upper Midwest
Digital Marketing Manager
Customer Care Representative
Channel Marketing Assistant
Eric Wu
VP of Finance
Individually we are one drop, together we are an ocean - Ryunosuke Satoro
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In the Know – PRODUCT Reminder – Price List Effective May 1, 2020
New Flow Rate for Rectangular Handshower & Slide Bar Kits
As communicated in December 2019, all Danze® by Gerber® products will be integrated under the Gerber® brand as a running change, and there will be no change to part numbers, UPCs, or UCCs.
We are expanding our popular Rectangular Handshower to include a 1.75gpm flow rate! This provides a contemporary handshower option for customers in California, and nationwide, that may be looking for more efficient products.
The previously released price list that is effective May 1, 2020, is available in the footer of gerberonline.com and danze.com. This list includes new products planned for introduction, some list price adjustments, and serves as notification for products planned for retirement come July 1, 2020. Highlights of other list price changes include:
• Gerber-branded parts for fittings are now priced to $0.10 increments
• Gerber-branded fittings are now priced to $1.00 increments
• Parts have been consolidated where we
offered an exact duplicate in both Danze by Gerber and Gerber so customers can support products with just one part number
There will be no list price increases or product retirements for vitreous china fixtures at this time. As mentioned, we are announcing the planned discontinuation of select products and parts; a total of 312 SKUs. These items will remain active through June 30, 2020. Any orders placed through that date will be fulfilled. As of July 1, 2020, these products and parts will be available only while supplies last and inventory will not be replenished.
D462126 – Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm Chrome
• Eastham™ Collection
D462126BN – Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm Brushed Nickel
• Select kitchen pull-out faucets due to product improvements
• Select parts
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Visit danze.com to learn more about the following products:
• All Tumbled Bronze finish products and accessories
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D462726 – Versa™ Square 30” Slide Bar Assembly with Single Function Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm, Chrome.
D462126BS – Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm Satin Black
Versa™ Square 30” Slide Bar Assembly w/ Single Function Rectangular Handshower pictured with the Avian collection.
We are also introducing slide bar kits that include these new lower flow handshowers, providing an easy, semi-custom 2-outlet shower solution. D462726 – Versa™ Square 30” Slide Bar Assembly w/ Single Function Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm, Chrome D462726BN – Versa™ Square 30” Slide Bar Assembly w/ Single Function Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm, Brushed Nickel D462726BS – Versa™ Square 30” Slide Bar Assembly w/ Single Function Rectangular Handshower, 1.75gpm, Satin Black These products perfectly complement our Sirius®, Mid-Town®, Vaughn® and Avian® bath collections. All six items are available for pre-order, and anticipated to begin shipping by the end of May.
Updated Internet Minimum Advertised Price Policy (“IMAP”) Effective June 1, 2020 Gerber has updated its IMAP. The newest version, effective June 1, 2020, can be viewed here. Please review the new policy carefully and make sure that all appropriate personnel in your organization receive a copy of this letter and the policy. Please note the policy covers all products except tank covers, parts and discontinued items. Gerber wishes to support the efforts of our channel partners, and we believe that this IMAP policy will provide the additional support needed to continue these important efforts.
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In the Know – PRODUCT Lemora™, Viper®, Wicker Park™, Oh My! Available Now Gerber® is pleased to introduce the new Viper® ultra-high-efficiency lineup. This group of products updates our existing 1.0 gpf and dual flush Viper® combinations, while expanding the assortment to include a new 0.8 gpf tank, as well as a new standard height round front bowl.
GLF20528 – Viper® 0.8 gpf Two-Piece Elongated ErgoHeight™ Toilet
GLF20551 – Viper® 0.8 gpf Two-Piece Round Front Toilet
GWS20528 – Viper® 1.0 gpf Two-Piece Elongated ErgoHeight™ Toilet
GDF20528 – Viper® Dual Flush 0.9/1.1 gpf 12” Rough-In Two-Piece Elongated ErgoHeight™ Toilet
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GDF20551 – Viper® Dual Flush 0.9/1.1 gpf 12” Rough-In Two-Piece Round Front Toilet
GWS20551 – Viper® 1.0 gpf Two-Piece Round Front Toilet
NEW TOILETS HIT THE SCENE FOR SPRING 2020 G0020197 – Lemora™ Collection 1.28 gpf Two-Piece Elongated ErgoHeight™ Concealed Trapway Toilet The new Lemora bathroom collection is the first to launch under the unified Gerber brand. Designed with an ideal blend of clean lines with subtle arcs and edges, this soft contemporary collection draws upon nature’s inspiration. The two-piece toilet is the first piece to debut from the collection. It features a fully skirted concealed trapway and tight tank-to-bowl fit for a sleek appearance. Features include: ADA ErgoHeight®; WaterSense® certified, 1.28 gpf; QuietClean™ technology; Standard Fluidmaster® 400A fill valve and long-lasting Fluidmaster® rigid flapper; chrome-plated, all-metal tank lever and soft-closing, top-mounted and quick-release seat
G0020196 – Wicker Park™ 1.28 gpf Two-Piece Elongated ErgoHeight™ Concealed Trapway Toilet This Wicker Park two-piece toilet features the highly desirable concealed trapway. The fully skirted style is easy to clean and easy to install. The geometric design of the Wicker Park two-piece is a perfect complement to the onepiece option–essentially providing a one-piece design at a two-piece price point. Powered by Gerber’s high-performance flushing technology and top-end components, this toilet delivers on design and durability. Wicker Park two-piece concealed trapway toilet features include: ADA ErgoHeight®; WaterSense®-certified, high-efficiency toilet; flush volume of 1.28 gpf; custom-fitted, slow-closing seat; side-mounted, chromeplated, and all-metal tank lever
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