Oatey Co. Joins Partners to Celebrate Cleveland Manufacturing at PHCC Connect

CLEVELAND, OH — Oatey Co. is proud to announce its sponsorship and participation in PHCC Connect 2023 Cleveland, the premier national conference for plumbing, heating, and cooling professionals in the United States. The event will take place on October 23-26, 2023, in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Huntington Convention Center.

As a Cleveland-based company and one of the oldest and most respected names in the plumbing industry, Oatey Co. will be a part of a showcase of Cleveland hometown brands, joining forces with Ridge Tool Company (RIDGID), Moen, and Merit Brass. These companies will be positioned in a central area of the Exhibit Hall and some will also be offering plant tours to celebrate and showcase Cleveland manufacturing.

A Hub for Manufacturing

“Oatey Co. is incredibly proud to sponsor and participate in PHCC Connect 2023 Cleveland, an excellent opportunity for industry leaders and plumbing experts to come together, learn, and share ideas," says Patrick Aquino, Oatey’s Vice President of Wholesale Sales.

Katherine Lehtinen, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Oatey, added: “We look forward to giving attendees and media an insider's look at the world of Cleveland manufacturing as well as Oatey’s many innovations and contributions to the industry since its founding more than a century ago."

“We are excited to welcome these industry leaders to Cleveland and to showcase our region’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing,” says Gordon Taylor III, Chief Sales Officer at Destination Cleveland, the destination marketing and management organization for the region. “While exploring our city and touring the innovative local businesses, conference attendees will see firsthand that Cleveland is The Land of building meaningful connections.”

Celebrating the Plumbing Trade

As a Cleveland-based sponsor, Oatey will offer tours of its 160th Street manufacturing operations, providing an opportunity for attendees to gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of the company’s world-class facility, learning about the chemical and mechanical processes that bring the highest-quality plumbing products to life.

Then, attendees will enjoy a hands-on experience at Oatey University, a best-in-class training center for industry tradespeople, inspiring innovative new products and advancing the state of the art in the plumbing industry. Oatey social media ambassadors Nick Parlet (@plumbingsk8r), Colin Luttrel (@colintheplumberllc), Rob Broccolo (@prodrains) and Evan Berns (@re.plumb) will be on hand at Oatey University to welcome facility visitors. They are looking forward to connecting with fellow industry members, sharing their knowledge and personal stories about promoting the plumbing trade.

Once registered for the PHCC Connect Conference, attendees can sign up to participate in this tour, which will take place on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, from 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM ET.

Women in Industry

That same day, Oatey is proud to sponsor a Women in Industry Luncheon hosted by the PHCC National Auxiliary and Women in Piping and Plumbing. Oatey’s Lehtinen will open the event, which will include an interactive panel discussion, featuring women who work in the plumbing and HVAC industries. Panelists will share their personal stories, challenges faced, and thought-provoking ideas for how the trades can become even more welcoming and inclusive.

Lehtinen will also highlight The House That She Built, an organization whose mission is to help generate awareness of the skilled trades. A new children’s book, also titled The House That She Built, educates young readers about the people and skills that go into building a home, telling the true story of a home built by all female tradespeople. Each luncheon attendee will receive a copy of the book and be asked to read it to a child in their life or a local elementary school classroom. Lehtinen sits on The House That She Built Executive Leadership Council. 

After registering for the conference, attendees can sign up to attend the Women in Industry Luncheon, which will take place on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, from 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET. Each luncheon attendee will receive a copy of The House That She Built.