HILLSBORO, ORE.—Caroma, a leader in dual flush toilets, urinals, and stylish bathroom sinks, has introduced a new section of its website with AutoDesk Revit files available (.RFA) for all Caroma products. Revit is a building information modeling tool enabling architects to design and document projects, visualize the appearance, and simulate real-world performance. Architects can review the specifications of Caroma products and place them in a project to ensure the parameters meet the project requirement and the design is appropriate. Revit also makes it easy to try several products in a project by simply removing one product and replacing it with...

NEW CASTLE, DEL.—The company that supplies showerheads to many U.S. hotels has appointed Rob Cook as its sixth president and first non-family member to lead the company in its 141-year history. Cook comes to Speakman from Vistage International (formerly TEC), a peer-to-peer business leadership organization. Cook will direct the ongoing growth initiatives in Speakman’s heritage businesses in commercial plumbing and residential shower and bath. He will also oversee the company’s new ventures; a DTC (direct to consumer) e-commerce website, www.speakmanshowers.com, a growing Beijing, China, sales office and a high efficiency air-conditioning business, Cooling Solutions. Speakman Cooling Solutions was recently selected...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Moore Insurance Agency, Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The Albany, N.Y.-based independent insurance agency recently rolled out a new environmentally friendly “Green Hotel Insurance Program.” The program seeks to eliminate paper transactions by using electronically delivered policies and supporting documents. “We at Moore Insurance are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and helping our hotel clients do the same by going paperless,” says Tony O’Haire, the agent who is spearheading the program. “You may not think of insurance as a green industry because of...

CHICAGO—In response to the recent earthquake that struck Haiti, Pentair Foodservice, a leader in water filtration solutions, and its Everpure brand, are responding to the disaster as municipal water supplies have been cut off in the Haitian capital creating a dire need for clean, filtered water. In coordination with its foundation, Pentair, which includes the brands Everpure and SHURflo, are donating $200,000 to fund portable water treatment systems and related supplies for Haiti. Working with the company’s charitable partner, Water Missions International (WMI), the company is able to provide 10 Living Water Treatment Systems (LWTS) and five chlorinators. These...

CINCINNATI—Procter & Gamble Professional, the away-from-home division of Procter & Gamble, released the findings of its “Cleaning in a Down Economy” survey, which revealed that 85 percent of surveyed cleaning professionals have adopted a “doing more with less” approach in response to current economic conditions. P&G Professional launched the survey to gauge how decision makers managing in-house or contract cleaning services in the health care, education, retail, commercial, foodservice and hospitality industries have reacted, and adapted, to recent business conditions. The findings point out that cleaning service managers have often had to tackle the same amount of labor with fewer...

WILMINGTON, DEL.—American Hometec, Inc. introduces its patented coilless technology for electric tankless water heaters. American Hometec’s innovative coilless technology heats water indirectly with a patented space industry quality quartz tube technology with a semi-conductor coating for increased efficiency and water conservation. With American Hometec’s coilless gechnology, the electric components are never in direct contact with the water being heated, preventing accumulation of lime scale inside the unit. Other electric heaters on the market immerse coils in water to directly heat the water, which causes heat spots, and over time, lime scale builds up and causes a decrease in heating...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Vantage Hospitality Group announced that all of its nearly 900 Americas Best Value Inn and Canadas Best Value Inn properties throughout North America will carry shampoo, body lotion and bath soap with biodegradable packaging in their guestrooms. “This isn’t just a commitment to the environment, it’s a commitment to our hotel owners and guests,” said Roger Bloss, CEO, president and founder of Vantage Hospitality. “Americas Best Value Inn has grown tremendously since we began 10 years ago and we plan to be around for a very long time. Therefore, we need to make sure we maintain the cities and...

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—American Standard Brands, a leading manufacturer of bath and kitchen plumbing products, announced its commitment of $1 million over a two-year period to The Nature Conservancy to increase awareness of how consumers can conserve water every day and to provide support of the Conservancy’s mission of protecting the Earth’s most vital natural resource—our drinking water. “As the world’s largest conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy is committed to changing the way water is used and managed to ensure a sustainable supply for people while ensuring ecological health,” said Brian Richter, director of The Nature Conservancy’s Global Freshwater Program. “We...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Kenyon International as a Green Product & Service Directory Partner. Kenyon International manufactures Kenyon Custom “suite green” compact ceramic cook tops with one or two burners and in 120-, 208- and 240-volt models. The cook tops include “HOT” and “ON” indicator lights. Kenyon Custom’s Lite-Touch Q Outdoors waterproof one-burner cook top and All Seasons Electric Grill for outdoor kitchens are available in 120-volt models. Kenyon International offers a three-year product replacement warranty. For more information, e-mail sowens@kenyonappliances.com, call (860) 664-4906, or go to www.kenyonappliances.com.

HOLLAND, N.Y.—Staroba Plastics, Inc. announces the acquisition of EcoStar from Carlisle Construction Materials. EcoStar, known for its premium roofing tiles manufactured from recycled rubber and plastic, will now be known as EcoStar LLC under the ownership of Staroba Plastics. Based in Holland, N.Y., Staroba Plastics has manufactured the product since its inception. EcoStar LLC will have full control of all aspects of manufacturing, marketing and selling the EcoStar line of products and will be ideally positioned to consolidate its position as one of North America’s leading suppliers of synthetic roofing tiles. The visionary glimpse of what EcoStar is today began...