News and Special Announcements
MATCO-NORCA GETS THE LEAD OUT FOR
More than 600 Lead-Free Valves, Fittings, Faucets and Plumbing Specialty
Products Are Ready for January 1st 2010 -
Matco-Norca, Inc., one of the nation’s leading suppliers of globally sourced, code-compliant plumbing and PVF products, is ready to meet the new California and Vermont lead free requirements for plumbing products and fixtures.
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Matco-Norca’s lead free products are now available and contain less than .25 percent weighted average lead content on wetted surfaces. They include lead free valves, fittings, faucets and plumbing specialty items for more than 600 individual products. With a La Palma, CA regional distribution center, the Golden State is a major market for the company. When California announced passage of its AB 1953 law in September 2008, Matco-Norca swung into action in gearing up to meet the new lead-free product requirements, which will go into effect as of January 1st, 2010.
CA AB 1953 prohibits the “use of any pipe, pipe fitting or plumbing fixture, solder or flux that is not lead free” in all public water systems. The new law defines lead free products as “not more than 8 percent lead when used with respect to pipes and fittings and not more than 4 percent by dry weight (.25 percent weighted average lead content on wetted surfaces) with respect to plumbing fittings and fixtures.
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As of January 1st, the law prohibits the sale of lead-based plumbing products, and any water fixtures or fittings that need replacement as of that date will have to comply with the new law.To prepare for the lead free roll-out, Matco-Norca systematically reviewed all of its products sold in CA and VT in recent years and worked directly with its factories overseas and its sales reps in the two affected states to define the full extent of products that would need to be lead free.
The company offers about 15,000 SKUs, of which 70 percent are affected by the new legislation in both states. Matco’s overseas factories are using various metallurgical alloys – including polymers, plastics and lead free brass – in its new lead free compliant products
For now, Matco-Norca will carry dual inventories of leaded and lead free products. The La Palma, CA distribution center has been reorganized and has a dedicated lead free section.
“California has a history of being the “first” state to enact new laws and ordinances, especially with regard to environmental considerations,” stated Lynn McVay, Matco-Norca’s President. “We anticipate that lead free plumbing products will gradually be mandated across the country. Our experience and expertise in global sourcing will allow us to ensure that we continue to provide our wholesale customers with top quality products at competitive prices regardless of the restrictions this public serving law requires.”
Matco-Norca is working with its local sales force and ramping up marketing efforts to get the word out about its lead free products availability. The company has a dedicated lead free website – www.matco-norca.com/lead-free.
About Matco-Norca
Matco-Norca, headquartered in Brewster, NY, is a leading supplier of code-compliant plumbing, PVF and irrigation products for use in residential, commercial and industrial installations. In business over 50 years, Matco-Norca operates four national distribution centers and eight regional warehouses. The company supplies over 3,400 independent wholesale distributors nationwide.
