OUTLETThe Official Reece Customer Update

We welcome your feedback so please send any comments by e-mail to outlet@reece.com.au or by fax to (03) 9274 0131.

ISSUE#132 December 2012 / January 2013

WHAT A YEAR!

First of all, I’d like to wish all our customers a big Merry Christmas and thank you for your support during 2012. It’s certainly been a huge year for the plumbing industry. New regulations, new products and new technologies continue to change the way we’re all doing business and 2013 promises more of the same.

At Reece, we’re working as hard as we can to help make it easier for you to do business with us and to maximise opportunities in a changing market.

An exciting part of this has been the addition of online ordering to My Account. It is a great example of how important we see our online services in the future and we’ll continue to develop it so it’s even easier and more convenient to get the products you want fast.

Continuing on the technology theme, bathroom products, bathroom inspiration and the Hot Water Decisions Guide are all now optimised for mobile. These are all great tools for when you’re out on site or dealing with customers face to face.

On the product front, we’ve seen some really innovative developments that can save you time and provide new growth

opportunities for your business. A couple of fantastic examples include:

•� �Conex�copper�press�fitting�system that eliminates the need for solder and flame.

•� �Thermann�Solar�hot�water�systems,�which use passive sun tracking and evacuated tube technology to heat water reliably and efficiently.

•� �Auspex�Radiant�and�REHAU�provide�underfloor heating solutions that give plumbers a new source of business.

•� �REHAU�Raupiano�that�combines�three�sound deadening technologies into one quality acoustic piping system.

•� �Roca�–�the�arrival�of�the�world’s�leading�global bathroom brand at Reece.

•� �Cillit�Backwash�Filters�protect�a�home’s�entire plumbing system and ensure pure, clean water.

Of course, with so many exciting new products and initiatives, it’s important to still remember basics. And a big part of this is making sure you have fast access to the products you need wherever you are in the country. That’s why we built an all new Regional Distribution Centre in Brisbane

and further expanded our network through the acquisition of Town Plumbing in NSW.

Another really important aspect of our business has been continuing to support the good work of the industry as a whole. This year, we extended our Product Quality Guarantee to all our bathroom and plumbing Value Added Products that have been installed by licensed plumbers. And once again, we ran our hugely successful DIY disaster competition, reinforcing the message of “Don’t risk it, use�a�licensed�plumber.”�

Finally, we’ve always said that our customers are the heart of our business and in 2013 we’re proving it by putting you, our customers, on the cover of our diary. Thanks to the hundreds of Reece customers that submitted their photos. We’re sure this will be our most popular diary yet.

Take care over the break, enjoy some time with your family and friends and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Peter Wilson CEO, Reece

PRODUCTQUALITY

GUARANTEE

Don’t risk it, use a licensed plumber.™

www.reece.com.au/outlet2

A fresh approach to healthier water

New to the Australian market, Cillit backwash filters connect to the mains before water enters the property, filtrating the entire system that leads to the home or business. The filter removes sediment to prolong the service life of plumbing fixtures and fittings while making water very clean.The special filter element traps foreign particles producing a supply of pure water, which is cleaned during the backwashing process by flushing away the captured debris.Most of you will be familiar with water filter cartridges for drinking water, usually installed in the kitchen. But for water treatment to be really effective, it should begin at the point of entry to prevent harmful particles such as rust or sand entering from the property.The pipes that run to a property from the street can be in less than perfect condition. This can leave all manner of foreign material in the water, resulting in corrosion and clogging of household pipes. When foreign particles enter the water supply it can result in fitting and fixtures failing before their time. So point of entry sediment filtration is really a self-paying investment for your client.

What’s more, foreign material entering the water supply can also lead to the growth of mould and bacteria that can damage people’s health. This makes the Cillit filter range a no brainer for customers that really want to protect their family’s well being.

With 100 years of history, Cillit is one of Europe’s most successful water technology brands, so it’s a name you can trust. Their range is suitable for domestic, commercial and rainwater installations. The manual Eurofiltro and automatic Multipur units come complete with a 90 micron sediment filter and built-in dual check valve backflow prevention device.

At Reece, we’re so confident that Cillit filters protect plumbing fixtures and fittings, we’ll extend the minimum 7 year warranty on

your bathroom Value Added Products by three years when purchased and installed with the Eurofiltro or Multipur filter.

So let your customer know all about this exciting innovation today.

POOP POWER

The Crack

Leave it to a Japanese toilet company to create the world’s first ‘poop powered’ motorcycle that can travel up to 300 kms on biogas fuel.

After three years of ambitious talks, Toto, best known for their innovation in toilets, including heated seats, water jets and ambient background music, turned the ‘Toilet Bike Neo’ into a reality earlier this year.

The company debuted their doo mobile, which was designed to demonstrate their commitment to the environment, by driving it around Japan and dedicating a blog to Neo’s adventures.

However, the driver did not have any part in providing power to the three-wheeled�motorcycle�–�biogas�is�a�fuel�made from animal waste and sewage.

With a customised seat and huge paper roll at the back, the trike travelled over 1000 kilometres in the process.

But, before you line up to purchase the vehicle as your next preferred mode of transport, the company has no plans to put the motorcycle up for commercial sale despite a large following.

In other words, the great show illustrated the possibilities in sustainable design�and�fuel�–�but�isn’t�quite�the�next�best thing for the toilet market.

To check out the entire Cillit range of filters, visit www.reece.com.au/cillit

The new range of Cillit backwash filters remove sediment from residential or commercial plumbing systems, resulting in improved life of plumbing fixtures and fittings while also dramatically improving the quality of the water.

PRODUCTQUALITY

GUARANTEE

Cillit Banner to comeThe best Rainwater Tank down under The Carat underground Rainwater Tanks Visit www.reece.com.au to find out more.

www.reece.com.au/outlet 3

Master Plumbers have paired with the University of Ballarat to deliver a plumbing pre-apprenticeship course.

This program gives plumbers a chance to guide and support students wanting an apprenticeship in the plumbing industry. It’s also a great way to check out potential apprentices.

As part of the course, pre-apprentices undergo two weeks work experience with a plumbing employer to learn basic plumbing skills and understand the industry.

For the two weeks, plumbers show students a range of typical plumbing work, providing them with an opportunity to get their hands dirty and gives them a chance to see what the job really involves.

The hours are normal work hours set by the plumber and a nominal daily fee is required for the student. WorkCover is all taken care of by the University.

The great news is most students end up employed after they complete the course. Which goes to show that getting to see a potential employee in action is a good decider when thinking about offering apprenticeships.

The practise of plumbing One, two, three and flush

Chronic water shortages in Zimbabwe’s second largest city Bulawayo, have forced city authorities to try and ration water in the form of synchronised flushing – a remedy that was first started two decades ago.

The city’s two main supply dams have been drying up due to drought, raising fear of more water shortages before the rainy season starts at the end of the year.

In an effort to save water, Bulawayo city council have asked more than one million homeowners to flush their toilets in the same 7:30pm time slot.

The idea of synchronised flushing was first introduced over twenty years ago at the height of a similar drought that affected the majority of Zimbabwe. City officials are trying this method again as a way to prevent sewer blockages and manage a water supply that is slowly being depleted.

Poor hygiene and sanitation rise in times of drought and have caused numerous disease outbreaks in Zimbabwe in recent years. The problem is especially severe in suburbs—some of which go for weeks without running water as cities battle to maintain services.

Santa missed the good old days when every house had a chimney.

ENKiSmart Irrigation Solutions reece.com.au/enki

If you can provide a work experience placement to a pre-apprentice and help give a young person a start in the plumbing industry contact: Alexandra on (03) 9321 0710 or alexandra.mannell@plumber.com.au

www.reece.com.au/outlet4

Outlet is a publication by Reece Pty Ltd (ACN 004 097 090) Copyright These materials are copyright. No part of them may be reproduced, adapted, translated or transmitted without the prior permission of the copyright owner, Reece Pty Ltd, except under any permitted circumstances set out in the Copyright Act 1968. Liability Reece makes no warranties with respect to any of the materials contained in this publication and Reece does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may arise from the use of, or reliance on, any information contained in this publication.

Outlet is printed on Monza Recycled which contains 55% recycled fibre (25% post consumer and 30% pre consumer) and 45% elemental chlorine free pulp. All virgin pulp is derived from well managed forests and it is manufactured by an ISO 14001 certified mill.

Main Price Changes For the full list of price changes or if you have any queries, please see your Reece Branch Manager or visit www.reece.com.au/outlet for further updates.

Supplier Products % Increase Date Effective

LW GEMMELL Plumbing products VAR% 01 December 2012

ACO-POLYCRETE Concrete & drainage VAR% 01 January 2013

ITW BUILDEX Fasteners 2.9-3.5% 01 January 2013

LAMINEX INDUSTRIES Laminex panels 5% 01 January 2013

PROMAT Fire protection products VAR% 01 January 2013

EXPANDING THE NETWORK New StoreSouth Penrith Units 6&7/39 York Rd South Penrith NSW 2750

Ph: (02) 4721 7888 Fax: (02) 4721 2362

Manager: Adam Glover

In The Pipeline Products for smarter plumbingPlumbing is changing, and there’s a lot more to it than pipes, trenches and taps. In The Pipeline keeps you up-to-date on a wide range of products.

If you’re not going to be enjoying some time off, we want you to know we’ll be around too, except for some key days. We will be closed:

Christmas Eve (Monday 24 December) All branches close at 12pm on this day

Christmas Day Tuesday 25 December

Boxing Day Wednesday 26 December

New Years Eve (Monday 31 December) All branches close at 12pm on this day

New Years Day Tuesday 1 January

Civil Doveton Docklands Enoggera

Hvac-r Clayton Docklands Artarmon East BrisbaneAdelaideCanningtonSunshine

So enjoy your break. And call your local Reece branch or phone 1800 032 566 for more information or visit www.reece.com.au/outlet for a detailed list of our Christmas period hours.

Thursday 27 December to Saturday 31 December

All branches will be open for Plumbing, Bathroom Life and Irrigation.

Trading hours for Onsite vary, please visit www.reece.com.au/outlet for more information.

Only the following Civil and hvac-r branches will be open during this period:

Our hours over Christmas

Rothenberger ROJET JettersRothenberger ROJET Jetters are high pressure water drain cleaning machines. Powered by a genuine industrial Honda petrol engine, there are 3 models available - The ROJET 4000, 4300 and 5000.

Features�•� Drain�cleaning�applications�include: - High pressure clearing of tree roots from drains - Removing grease, fat and debris - Sand and silt removal - Cleaning out culverts for proper drainage control - Manhole wash down

•� �Includes�a�world�leading�Bertolini�pump�which ensures superior performance with a longer running life.

•� �For�use�up�to�200mm�(8”)�pipe (ROJET 4300 & 5000 only)

•� Nozzles�available�to�clear�any�blockage•� Robust,�rust�resistant�galvanised�frame�•� Portable�units�that�can�be�hard-mounted•� �Heavy�duty�steel�hose�reel�with�sewer�hose,

rated to 5000psi

Don’t risk it, use a licensed plumber.™

Reece. Supporting the plumbing industry for over 90 years.

UNBELIEVABLE HOME HACKS

IT’S OFFICIAL. THE JUDGES DECISION IS IN AND WE HAVE A WINNER IN THIS YEAR’S DIY DISASTER COMPETITION.

For 15 years, Reece has been hard at work promoting the ‘Don’t risk it, use a licensed plumber’ message - and the reason is pretty simple. You’re working with dangerous materials and you need to be highly skilled to perform certain tasks safely and correctly. Plumbing is a regulated industry for good reason.

So promoting ‘Don’t risk it’ is important for our industry and the community.

Of course, there are still exceptions to the rule. And in honour of all those home hacks we created the DIY Disasters Competition. This year, you’ve obviously been on the lookout as we’ve received a whopping 116 submissions - each an outright contender for the title of Australia’s dumbest plumbing job.

With so many ridiculous and dangerous entries, it was hard to pick a single winner, but we got there in the end. However, before we reveal the winner, a huge thanks to everyone who submitted entries. The quality was once again outstanding.

Entries were judged on a rigorous criteria that included risk to self, risk to others, risk to the environment, complexity of design and of course, the funny factor.

The judging panel comprised some of Australia’s sharpest plumbing minds including:

Tim Swift, Master Plumbers Association of Western Australia representative on State Plumbing Regulator Board (PLB of WA)

Shayne La Combre, Director, Plumbing Industry Commission

Andrew Clarke, Executive Officer, Plumbing Industry Association of South Australia (PIASA)

Jeff Patchell, founder and publisher of Plumbing Connection Magazine

Phil Denman, Principal Advisor, Plumbing Legislation & Standards Branch, Building Codes of Queensland, Dept of Housing and Public Works.

We asked judge, Phil Denman, for some feedback on the general standard of entries and he said ‘I think it highlights the reasons why we have a regulated industry. Some of the DIY examples are just plain dangerous. I think the grey water recycling/solar HW/gas installation doesn’t deserve a prize, rather multiple fines for stupidity.’

Judge, Andrew Clarke, went on to say ‘There was some amazing creativity throughout the finalists. Interesting how many Hot Water services are in the final list, when they pose the greatest risk if something goes wrong.’

Tim Swift, said ‘The competition allows the industry as a whole to clearly see what is being done out there in the DIY wonderland. Scary stuff considering the real potential community risks identified.’

Judge, Jeff Patchell, summed up the competition best saying ‘It is of continuing concern just how many consumers fail to understand the safety issues surrounding hot water cylinders/ pressurised systems. Whilst we are aware of these examples in this competition - it is frightening to think how many go unnoticed, until perhaps the point of an explosion or accident.’

So a big congratulations to this year’s winner, Tim Cole from Queensland, who will be getting $3000 cash along with a new website (to the value of $3000) for their plumbing business. And also well done to our 10 runners up, Scott Capegreco (NSW), Kyal Higgins (WA), Nick Kuhn (SA), Rob King (VIC), Paul Thomas (VIC), Brad Hayes (VIC), Harry Bennetts (VIC), Chris Walker (QLD), Wayne Newman (NSW and Allround Plumbing (WA), who each receive a Milwaukee FUEL Hammer Drill Driver and accessories.

Just three of the runners up.

Visit Outlet online at www.reece.com.au/diydisasters to see the winning entry as well as all the finalists. You can also read what the judges had to say.

THE WINNERCongratulations to this year’s winner, Tim Cole from Queensland, who will be getting $3000 cash along with a new website (to the value of $3000) for their plumbing business.This one pretty much left the judges speechless apart from a few choice words from Tim Swift, ‘Its so wrong on so many levels - gas, water, sanitary, building. The place needs a demolition order put on it and fast’. Phil Denman also chimed in suggesting, ‘...this guy has way too much time on his hands!’.

Tim’s storyOld Mate wanted his gas instantaneous hotwater system repaired. He was told that the complete gas installation would have to be brought up to scratch before repairs could be done. He didn’t like that idea too much, so said “leave it as it is then.”

So we wrote a gas defect notice. Would have been flatout getting to it though because of the stinking grey water tank and all the other ‘Dad & Dave’ pipework and stuff.

And keep reminding your customers:

Don’t risk it, use a licensed plumber.™

Keep your eyes open and phones at the ready to capture a DIY disaster to enter in our next DIY Disasters Competition.

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