FRANKFURT, GERMANY — ISH — International Sanitär Heizung Klima — continues to maintain its position as the preeminent plumbing-heating-cooling show in the world. The 2013 edition, the 27^th biennial show, drew 190,000 people to Frankfurt’s gigantic 11 building fairgrounds.

LAS VEGAS — The International Builders Show, it appears, is back. Not back to the pre-recession levels of 100,000 attendees, but the aisles were full at the show here in late January. Show organizers expected about 50,000 people, better than attendance the last couple of years when representatives of CONTRACTOR could talk to any exhibitor at any time because customers were scarce.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. & SAN FRANCISCO — The biennial American Society of Plumbing Engineers Engineered Plumbing Exposition and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild are not big venues for new plumbing, mechanical and HVAC product introductions. Those are typically reserved for events such as the AHR Expo. A number of industry manufacturers, nevertheless, displayed some interesting products.

Energy, water and schools at Greenbuild

“We volunteer because of what the industry has done for us,” says Kathy Tindall. It’s hard to imagine that the industry has done more for the Tindalls than they have done for the industry.

Kevin and Kathy Tindall are the owners of Tindall & Ranson Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Princeton, N.J., and this year’s CONTRACTOR magazine Contractor of the Year.

The slope of the drainline and the wet tensile strength of the toilet paper are the two most important factors affecting drainline carry in commercial plumbing applications, a study has found.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In any business, the people are more important than the widgets. Air Conditioning Contractors of America did a good job assembling the right people at its first Radiant & Hydronics Council meeting here in mid-September.