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.

In t

his

issu

eThe future of refrigeration looks sweet

P03

Trends from the world’s biggest sanitary fair

P02

Saving lives with The Drinkable Book

P03

ISSUE#158May 2015

THE CRACKWith Airpnp, urine good hands

P04

When choosing taps for the garden you can’t beat the quality, innovation and convenience of the new ARCO Grifo. The Grifo is the latest revolution in garden taps from ARCO, Spain’s leading brand in valves for plumbing, gas and heating applications.

Steeped in Spanish heritage with an unrelenting commitment to quality, ARCO was founded in 1973. A family-owned business headquartered in Valencia, Spain, ARCO has been dedicated to the design, production and sale of valves and plumbing, gas and heating installation systems and accessories for more than 40 years. This rich history has placed ARCO at the forefront of the industry and has positioned them as one of the world’s leading brands in this area.

With manufacturing and warehousing centres across Spain, ARCO currently produces more than 40 million valves per year – each individually tested for quality and safety. With safety and technical leadership at the heart of everything ARCO does, they deliver on this promise by investing heavily in their 500 strong team of people who are dedicated

to seeking the best solutions to make the end user’s jobs easier, safer and of the highest quality.

With a large focus on innovation, ARCO has just released the ground-breaking Grifo quarter turn single and double garden taps to the Australian market. Available in a single or double outlet - so you can connect to an irrigation system as well as a hose - the Grifo delivers full water flow with just a quarter turn.

The compact design of the Grifo also makes it suitable for use in a wide range of applications, including inside homes, yards, gardens, balconies, terraces and garages.

To find out more about this revolution in garden taps head down to your local Reece branch or visit reece.com.au/plumbing

VITAQ SYSTEM FOR LONG LIFEReduces loss of pressure to maintain a constant flow rate and eliminates lime problems associated with traditional valves.

EXTERNAL LEAK TIGHTNESSDouble seal on the stem ensures external leak tightness and guarantees safety against external leakage over time.

Introducing the ARCO Grifo – the latest innovation in garden taps

INTERNAL LEAK TIGHTNESSSupporting clip placed in the valve pushes the seat against the stem-ball meaning the system cannot be dismantled or improperly manipulated.

ONE PIECE BODY Innovative one piece brass design eliminates the possibility of leaks through the main body and provides greater strength and security.

QUAR

TER TURN

GRIFO

Grifo – it’s Spanish for tap

2 | REECE.COM.AU/OUTLET

12-14 May Adelaide Exhibition Centre

Run annually by the Australian Water Association (AWA), Ozwater is Australia’s international water conference and trade exhibition. This highly regarded event has built a strong reputation for being the ‘must attend’ event for water industry professionals and for those with a commercial interest in water.

Reece Civil will be exhibiting at this year’s event so if you’re heading down to Ozwater ‘15 make sure you pop over and say hello. For more information about Ozwater ’15 including how to register, visit ozwater.org

Join us for Ozwater ’15 The future of

refrigeration looks sweet for Sainsbury’s

The recent ISH bathroom fair, the biggest fair of its kind in the world, had plenty to show us in the way of new innovations in plumbing, building, energy, heating and cooling. The fair, which takes place in Frankfurt, Germany every two years, attracts around 200,000 visitors from around the world over four days.

ISH is a really important event as it helps us to identify where plumbing is heading in the next 5 to 10 years and ensures we’re providing you with the right products and tools to keep you at the forefront of the industry.

One of the great things about ISH is that many of the European brands you know and love like Conex Bänninger, Walraven, Rothenberger, Arco, Roca, Laufen, Geberit, Rehau, Cillit and Graf use the event as a vehicle to launch their latest products, allowing us to identify potential opportunities to bring them to the Australian market.

There were a number of key themes highlighted at this year’s event, particularly around innovative installation techniques, connectivity and the continued focus on safety and quality. Here are some of the products and themes that really stood out to us:

Copper press: we’ve seen a rise in the use of copper press in Australia thanks to Conex Bänninger’s versatile >B< Press fittings. Known for their ability to provide secure, long life and leak proof joints, the trend towards copper press is showing no signs of slowing and now represents more than 80% of the market in Germany.

Energy conservation: one of the key themes for ISH 2015 was energy efficiency and we saw this in the form of alternate energy sources and more energy efficient products and solutions. This was highlighted across all segments but was more evident in the areas of hot water and pump technology.

Technology: another key discovery was the leading role technology plays in the development of new plumbing products and tools. We saw lots of examples of the integration of communications technology with mobile apps to give the user greater control and more information about performance than ever before. We saw a great example of this in action with Rothenberger’s drain inspection camera which allows you to record information directly onto your iPhone via an App.

Installation speed: we saw lots of new products that offer speed and efficiency to make installation quicker, while not compromising on performance. The speed of installation of copper press fittings was a good example of this, as were the advanced clipping systems from Walraven aimed at making installation even quicker.

Over the coming months we look forward to bringing you news on a number of new products launched at ISH that will be available to you in the not too distant future.

Well, it’s not all as simple as that. Sainsbury’s is actually using the waste sugar beet from its refinery in Norfolk, England, to fuel a CO2-based refrigerant, known as eCO2, for its fridges and freezers.

Head of sustainability at Sainsbury’s, Peter Crewe, says he became interested in eCO2 when he found out that British Sugar, Sainsbury’s main sugar supplier, derives the CO2 necessary for eCO2 from its waste sugar beet.

“One of the things we are very keen on is real life examples of circular economy, putting every single product in our supply chain to good use,” says Peter. “This is an opportunity for CO2 from a product that goes into Sainsbury’s [sugar] being deployed into one of our refrigerant systems to prove that it does the same job as other derived sources of CO2.”

The advantages of using this revolutionary new refrigerant are many. eCO2’s global warming potential is significantly less than R404A, the refrigerant most commonly used by supermarkets.

According to Sainsbury’s, “typically more than 40 per cent of a supermarket’s energy consumption is directly linked to its refrigeration systems” – which is why natural refrigerants, like CO2, are becoming a popular option for carbon-conscious stores.

“Most CO2 refrigerants are recovered from dirty industrial processes which are far from green in their methods,” says Rob Parker, operations manager for UK refrigerant producer, A-Gas. eCO2, on the other hand, is a by-product of the bioethanol production from waste sugar beet – “using the crops not destined for sugar production”, says Rob.

Another advantage for Sainsbury’s is that eCO2 has half the moisture content of alternative CO2 refrigerants. This lower moisture content means the likelihood of corrosion is decreased, as is the potential for a system shut down as refrigerants with higher moisture contents are at greater risk of freezing at lower temperatures.

At the time of writing, Sainsbury’s was testing out the new eCO2 system at its Portishead store in Somerset, England. And if the trial at Portishead proves successful, Sainsbury’s will roll out eCO2 in all its stores using CO2 refrigerants.

To find out more about this innovative approach to refrigeration, visit theguardian.com/sustainable-business

UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is taking a closed circle approach to its refrigeration systems, putting the sugar it stocks on its shelves to good use and keeping temperatures down in its fridges and freezers.

ISH 2015 Frankfurt GermanyWe give you the low-down on the future of plumbing products

REECE.COM.AU/OUTLET | 3

From little things, big things grow

A book so good you could drink it

On 22 March we celebrated World Water Day, a day in which the world is encouraged to think about and recognise the integral role water plays in everyday life. This day also serves as an important reminder that there are a staggering 1 billion people who don’t have access to safe water.

So in honour of World Water Day we thought we’d highlight some of the safe water inventions that are using technology and science to save lives and transform communities across the globe. First up we take a look at The Drinkable Book.

You may just want to tear a leaf out of this particular book! WATERisLIFE, an organisation devoted to providing clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene education programs to schools and villages, recently released The Drinkable Book. This unique printed edition is not only an educational read but has the ability to provide someone with clean drinking water for up to four years.

This is how it works. Chemist Dr. Theresa Dankovich of Carnegie Mellon is the bright mind behind a technically advanced filter paper capable of killing waterborne diseases. This new type of paper, which costs only pennies to produce, works like a scientific coffee filter. Each piece of paper is coated with silver nanoparticles that have the power to kill diseases like cholera, typhoid and more.

The Drinkable Book is literally a volume of filter papers, allowing you to tear a leaf from the binding and, using a custom filter box, receive up to 30 days of clean water. Printed on the pages are safe water tips, teaching methods and ways of sharing the message around clean, drinkable water for communities worldwide.

The Drinkable Book stands as an inspiring example of the clean water initiatives being invented and making a difference to those in desperate need. Because of the low cost of producing the filter paper, WATERisLIFE claims that the book is one of the cheapest water-sanitising options on the market. Visit waterislife.com to view a video about how The Drinkable Book works.

REECE GRANT

A community water initiative

For more information visit reece.com.au/grant

Are you feeling inspired by this story? Then stay tuned for the announcement of the recipient of the 2015 Reece Grant which awards $15,000 to clean water and sanitation projects in Australia or abroad.

Flushable wipes – the new ‘fatberg’ Late last year we brought you the story of West London’s fatberg, a giant congealed pile of waste the size of a Boeing 747 comprised of solidified fat, tennis balls, food and other undesirables clogging up the city’s sewers. Well it appears that New York and Australian sewage system workers are facing a similar plight, fighting a fatberg of their own in the form of “flushable” wipes.

Melbourne’s largest water and sanitisation organisation, Yarra Valley Water (YVW), is removing over 4,000 kilograms of wet “flushable” wipes from its network every fortnight. That’s more than 100,000 kilograms of wet wipes per year!

This could be due to the wet wipes being advertised as “flushable” but which are in fact “not really flushable”, according to Adam Lovell of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA).

Traditionally used for cleaning babies, wet wipes have become hugely popular among consumers looking for an alternative to the humble roll of toilet paper.

But the problem lies in wet wipes’ flushability. “We know ‘flushable’ wipes, despite what the manufacturers may claim, do not break down by the time they reach sewer infrastructure,” says Adam.

The onslaught of these non-flushable wet wipes is sewer blockages which are both expensive and disruptive to remove.

YVW states that the problem is racking up costs of about $70,000 per year, with YVW investing in technology that chews through the wipes to avert blockage disasters.

Putting the Australian situation into perspective is New York City, which has spent more than US$18 million (AUD$23 million) in the past five years on their own arsenal of wet wipe fighting equipment.

Removal has proved to be an unpleasant task with dense, dank clusters of wet wipes and other accumulated refuse snowballing New York’s sewer system.

While WSAA meets with industry groups and wipes manufacturers to come up with a solution, Aussies are called on to do one simple thing – bin the wet wipes, don’t flush them.

To read more about these perilous pipe blockers visit theage.com.au/victoria/wet-wipes-causing-havoc-in-australias-sewage-and-water-systems

There is no greater sense of accomplishment than growing and harvesting your own food – especially if it’s in your own backyard. A school veggie patch at Merici College in Canberra is proving just this, with students embracing the art of growing and harvesting – with benefits to their health, their appreciation for environmentally-conscious living, and not least of all the benefits to the hip-pocket.

Housed in a disused basketball court, Merici’s 80 square-metre School Kitchen Garden Project has transformed the students’ attitudes towards fresh food while also opening their eyes to the magic of bringing plants to life with water, sunshine and a bit of TLC. The garden last year produced $7500 worth of vegetables and eggs for the school canteen, not to mention over $2000 in tomato seedling sales.

Pioneered by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, research and evaluations by the University of Melbourne (UoM) in October 2009 found school kitchen gardens equip many students with real life skills and an appreciation for the environment.

Among UoM’s findings were significant increases in child knowledge, confidence and skill in cooking and gardening. Environmental lessons around water conservation, importance of water quality and how to improve water quality were an important feature in students’ learnings. Real life skills learnt on the ground – so to speak – have also had a flow-on effect at home too.

UoM’s research also revealed that some schools, inspired by their kitchen garden projects, had successfully applied for water and environment grants. The grants were then used for water tanks, and solar panels to supply power for their kitchens.

So it just goes to show that from little things big things really can grow. To find out more about this great initiative visit kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

AVOID TOOL ENVY

GRAB A ReeCE PRODUCT CATALOGUE today 1 may - 30 June

reece.com.au/TOOLENVY

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.

The Crack

4 | REECE.COM.AU/OUTLET

With Airpnp, urine good handsEver been caught out in the wrong part of town, or even a foreign city, and been busting for the bathroom? Airpnp to the rescue!

Operating in a similar crowd-sharing method to the famed Airbnb hospitality app, Airpnp by Leak Easy is a handy mobile app that gives you access to a restroom close by – no matter where in the world you are.

“Whether you’re just out and about, at a big event, or need to find a place to go in a new city, we’ve got you covered”, is Airpnp’s promise.

Like its namesake, Airpnp maps your location before listing toilets nearby. Listings include short messages, catchy headings and pricing per visit.

Airpnp has already received a mixture of rave – and brave – reviews. BuzzFeed news reporter, Joseph Bernstein, spent a day testing out the app around New York. He writes: “In about four-and-a-half hours I had paid US$6 for two urinations, two good conversations, some unconventional hospitality, knowledge of what has to be one of the best rotisserie chicken spots [in the neighbourhood], and a nice little self-guided surface street tour of the Brooklyn-Queens border.”

The Airpnp team is committed to saving its patrons from those white-knuckle moments. In a recent blog post, co-founder Max Gaudin introduced a new team member: “[Brian] is now officially our PTO (Pee Technology Officer) who has done a bunch of technological plumbing to help us reach our mission of providing clean, comfortable bathrooms to everyone.”

In the words of Airpnp, urine good hands! To find a loo near you visit airpnp.co and download the app.

Expanding the networkBranch Relocation

Plumbing Taren Point 33 Wurrook Circuit, Caringbah, NSW, 2229Ph (02) 9541 8200Email TarenPoint.Plumbing.NSW@reece.com.au

New Branches

Irrigation Taren Point 33 Wurrook Circuit, Caringbah, NSW, 2229Ph (02) 9541 8200Email TarenPoint.Irrigation.NSW@reece.com.au

Civil Taren Point 33 Wurrook Circuit, Caringbah, NSW, 2229Ph (02) 9541 8240Email TarenPoint.Civil.NSW@reece.com.au

Plumbing Balcatta10 Mumford Place, Balcatta, QLD, 6021Ph (08) 9240 3500Email Balcatta.Plumbing.WA@reece.com.au

Plumbing Fairfield Waters1/81 Lakeside Drive, Idalia, QLD, 4811Ph (07) 4421 9400Email FairfieldWaters.Plumbing.QLD@reece.com.au

Civil Fairfield Waters1/81 Lakeside Drive, Idalia, QLD, 4811Ph (07) 4421 9440Email FairfieldWaters.Civil.QLD@reece.com.au

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.

Walraven’s BISMAT® Flash is a single screw pipe clip with a quick locking system. Now available at Reece Plumbing and Hvac-r, the BISMAT® flash is suitable for fixing all types of pipes from 15mm up to 63mm.

With installation in just three simple steps the BISMAT® flash is the number one selling clip in Europe and includes the following features:

• Quick locking system

• Clip easy to close with one hand without tools

• Optimised noise insulation with rubber lining

BISMAT® Flash

To find out more visit reece.com.au/plumbing

1. Inset pipe

2. Push screw

3. Done!

Supplier Products % Increase Date Effective

Aquarius Rubber Plumbing miscellaneous 3-6% 1 May 2015Architectural Designer Products Vanities & bathroom furniture Various % 1 May 2015Bathe Hansgrohe products only 5-10% 1 May 2015Bostik Solvent & silicones Up to 5% 1 May 2015Broadtech Supplies & Services Refrigeration tools Various % 1 May 2015Centravac Heating, cooling & ventilation Various % 1 May 2015Climate Technologies (Spares) Heating & cooling spares Various % 1 May 2015Dux Manufacturing Hot water Various % 1 May 2015Everhard Industries Drainage products 4-8% 1 May 2015Fieldpiece Australia Refrigeration tools Various % 1 May 2015Grundfos Pumps Pumps Up to 4% 1 May 2015Harbic Products Plumbing miscellaneous Various % 1 May 2015James Shields & Co Hot water spares Various % 1 May 2015LWG Zurn Australia Plumbing miscellaneous Various % 1 May 2015Nelson Australia Irrigation products (Hunter range only) 10% 1 May 2015Parex Group Sewer maintenance, accessories & stormwater fittings 3% 1 May 2015Rifco Vanities & bathroom furniture 4-6% 1 May 2015RX Plastics Galvanised pipe (QLD only) Various % 1 May 2015Steamline Engineering Gaskets 3% 1 May 2015Steve Mollor Agencies Plumbing miscellaneous Various % 1 May 2015Sutton Tools Drill bits Various % 1 May 2015Toro Australia Group Sales Irrigation products 5-10% 1 May 2015Wasteland Plumbing Supplies Drainage products Up to 6% 1 May 2015Accutherm International Hot water spares Various % 1 June 2015Barben Industries Commercial washroom equipment Various % 1 June 2015Collis Marketing Services Plumbing miscellaneous (QLD & NT only) Various % 1 June 2015Consolidated Alloys Roofing & hardware products 3-12% 1 June 2015Fabfit Plastic pipe & fittings Various % 1 June 2015Paltech Corporation Ducting, fittings & accessories Various % 1 June 2015Plastec Plastic pipe & fittings Up to 5% 1 June 2015Pool Systems Pool equipment Various % 1 June 2015Repelec Hardware products Various % 1 June 2015

Main Price Changes