HOLDRITE is rapidly growing. And as it is growing, the privately held manufacturer is focusing on designing innovative plumbing solutions that will help improve the plumbing professional’s experience.

Over the past 30 years, HOLDRITE has gone from a single product family business to the international corporation and industry leader it is today. The company’s products have been installed in a variety of projects, from single-family and multi-family housing to hotel, government, military, health care, and institutional markets.

It is the variety of the projects that HOLDRITE products have served that has helped the company to always keep in mind that its products are part of a system. The success of a project depends not just on the manufacturer but on the collaborative efforts of developers, architects, engineers and contractors. That is why HOLDRITE’s strategy motto is, “converting makeshift methods into engineered solutions.”

HOLDRITE product categories include pipe and equipment support systems, acoustical plumbing solutions, water heater accessories, DWV solutions, and water and firestop sleeving systems. However, it’s not just about product with HOLDRITE, it’s about the product experience. The company offers value-added no cost services to engineers, contractors, and wholesalers to assist with the multiple stages in a project. HOLDRITE’s VIP Services, as the company calls them, include specification and submittal assistance, 3-D product drawings, custom detail application pages, and material “take-off” assistance to help plan for product inventory levels.

Nineteen years ago, Tim McConnell, president and CEO of HOLDRITE, joined the company to help launch one of the company’s water heater accessories. Little did he know that both the company and his role with the company would grow to encompass so much more.

“I entered the business as a sales associate with a focus on launching our Quick Strap water heater restraint business and it evolved into various roles in Sales, Marketing, New Product Development and eventually led to the opportunity to build and lead a great team,” McConnell explained.

Today, a day in McConnell’s life can include an array of things. But at the core, his focus is capturing value for the business and creating opportunities for its associates.

“In order to achieve these goals, I'm very passionate about innovation in all aspects of our business,” McConnell said. “My belief is that innovation leads to great ideas, great products, and great opportunities.”

Know your audience

Team work is the staff mantra at HOLDRITE. The company’s leadership makes sure that when associates come into the office they are in an environment that fosters energy so that there is an innately high level of commitment to delivering quality results.

The results that HOLDRITE is seeking to deliver are not just geared toward the end user. The company uses the word audience to describe what many refer to as the customer.

“We have simple products that we sell into a complex marketplace,” McConnell said. “Our value proposition must resonate with three key audiences. First, we must develop products that provide a higher quality and easier installation for the contractor, a new revenue stream for the distributor, and a superior solution for the engineer.”

HOLDRITE aims to make its products first-of-a-kind when going to market. It is always the company’s goal to be on the cutting edge.

“This strategy allows us to directly connect with our customers. It is essential we understand their needs,” McConnell noted.

Growing out

HOLDRITE’s manufacturing and distribution footprint covers good ground, going from Las Vegas, Nev., to La Vergne, Tenn. In August, another marker was added to the company’s map: San Diego County, Poway, Calif. The location is now home to the company’s new innovation center.

“We recently have moved our San Diego location into a larger standalone facility that will allow us to better support our new product growth objectives,” McConnell said. “It will foster collaboration between Product Development, Engineering, Finance, Marketing and Customer Support. This is essential to developing innovate products on time.”

The center will accelerate the company’s ability to provide new products. It is the company’s goal to get as close as possible to turnaround at the pace of the customer’s request.

HOLDRITE will also utilize the center to better interact with its audience. Rep and contractors trainings are just a couple of the opportunities on the horizon.

The company is also pleased with the technology that the center will offer, including 3-D printers and an ERP system designed for plastic injection molding and metal stamping.

What’s next?

The center is just the tip of the iceberg for HOLDRITE. The company is making plans to expand its operations facilities by approximately 30 percent.

“Expansion will allow HOLDRITE to launch several new, game-changing product offerings to the plumbing industry in 2015 and 2016,” McConnell said.

An example of the offerings HOLDRITE is unveiling is the recently launched next generation of DWV Testing: TESTRITE. TESTRITE meets Plumbing Code requirements and is rated up to 50 feet of head pressure, 22 PSI, five floors. Designed for PVC, ABS, and Cast Iron DWV piping systems, the offering is easy to install in all building types and keeps contractors and jobsites safe and dry.

The company’s commitment to the product experience is also showing through its recent educational opportunities. In 2015, through the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), HOLDRITE became an ASPE Approved Education Provider and launched multiple continuing education courses for credit. The courses are focused on plumbing pipe support solutions, plumbing acoustic, isolation, and cast-in-place fire stop solutions. In addition, HOLDRITE launched an online library of BIM solutions.

To put it simply, McConnell said, “It is a very exciting time to be on the HOLDRITE team!”