Celebrating 60 Years!

Posted on by TP Mechanical Contractors

TPM-325_60thAnniversaryLogo_FinalArt_Large_HighRes_TransparentBackground_RGB_3-22-13In 1953, our founder started a small plumbing business – William J. Teepe, Inc.

In 60 years, we’ve grown. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we plan to take a few moments to remember our history.

Nathan “Denny” Dennison used to help with the books and office work for the company. He still remembers running across the company’s first invoice – for $14.47. In those early days, Bill did most of the work himself, carrying a bucket of tools and taking a lot of work installing water heaters and fixtures ordered through the Sears catalog.

“Then, all of a sudden, we got a couple of bigger jobs and things just took off,” he remembers.

Today, with offices in Cincinnati, Columbus, Lexington and Louisville, this second generation company employs more than 350 people and tackles some of the most complex HVAC/R, plumbing and mechanical projects in the region. Known for its expertise in prefabrication and value engineering, TP Mechanical serves a wide variety of industries – medical, hospitality, education and government.

In each newsletter in this celebration year, we’ll share history and memories from the company. Be sure to check out the next issue to learn how TP Mechanical grew out of its early days into an important business in Greater Cincinnati.

Follow the Arrows | Flow Direction

Posted on by TP Mechanical Contractors

As you go about fulfilling your daily job responsibilities, it can be easy to fall prey to a sense of routine causing you to lose your focus and attention to detail.  This can happen to the most experienced employee or the new guy on the block.  Our workforce has installed miles of pipe and thousands upon thousands of piping specialties and devices.   However, through many of our client’s eyes, our company is only as good as the last project we completed or the current project we are performing for them.

Losing that focus and attention to details results in the cost of troubleshooting and rework to correct a problem.  This impacts not only the bottom line for the profitability of that project but can also cost us long-term by damaging relationships with owners, end-users, general contractors, architects, engineers, etc.

flow1For example, even though it seems like a pretty simple concept, piping specialties and devices get installed backwards more often than most would think.  First and foremost, it is important to understand the flow of the system.  If unsure of the correct system flow, check the drawings or check with the superintendent. flow2

Check valves, strainers, balance valves, control valves, etc. generally have the required flow direction indicated on them.  For example, while some strainers and balance valves look the same, the required flow through them is opposite.  If the installer is not paying close attention, the valve can get installed in what would appear to be the correct orientation, but once you look at the flow designation on the valve, it clearly indicates the opposite flow direction.

flow3The cost of troubleshooting and rework to correct the problem could be easily avoided by simply following the arrows.  If direction of flow can’t be found, or is not indicated on the device, you can refer to the submittal for installation details.  And again, it never hurts to ask, we are surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and experience in our workforce.

Posted on by TP Mechanical Contractors
TP Mechanical delivers end-to-end solutions to our customers, from pre-construction expertise through contracting and fabrication to service and maintenance for piping, plumbing, HVAC/R and fire protection. We do this as a relationship-focused organization that leverages six decades of experience providing innovative solutions with excellence that drive down costs, enhance safety, increase value and deliver speed to occupancy.
TP Mechanical delivers end-to-end solutions to our customers, from pre-construction expertise through contracting and fabrication to service and maintenance for piping, plumbing, HVAC/R and fire protection. We do this as a relationship-focused organization that leverages six decades of experience providing innovative solutions with excellence that drive down costs, enhance safety, increase value and deliver speed to occupancy.
Posted on by TP Mechanical Contractors
CARRIER GROUP ASSEMBLY
Carrier groups are what we call sections of plumbing piping with fixture carriers included. We fabricate our carrier group assembly in-house, so we can continue building our units in a controlled environment and prepare them for easy transport. Our carriers make it easy to set our units in place using a dolly or crane once they’ve arrived at the job site.

 

Construction In-Sites

Posted on by TP Mechanical Contractors

Aren’t we all looking for that new piece of information that will give us a competitive edge? That proven technique to answer the next construction challenge, that solution that will help us serve our customers better and ensure every project’s success.

Scott Teepe Sr.At TP Mechanical, we’ve been in the construction business long enough – more than six decades – to know there is no silver bullet. There is no replacement for years of experience, dedication, attention-to-detail and hard work. But we appreciate the knowledge and insights that each of our team members contribute to our projects and to the success of our customers.

In the past, TP Mechanical has had a blog written exclusively by me, the CEO and Chairman of the Board. One thing I’ve learned about success is that it often comes when you surround yourself with smart people and listen to them. That’s why I’ve assembled a leadership team of highly qualified experts to lead TP Mechanical in the constant pursuit of excellence and innovation in every division. With the launch of our new website this month, we’re looking forward to sharing their experience with you.

I invite you to join me in the mechanical musings of this blog. As part of our dedication to superior customer service, we’ll share with you what’s on our mind; we’ll discuss the issues, events, projects, news, expertise and knowledge that combine to keep us at the forefront of innovation and excellence. Our words and thoughts will provide challenges to you and your leadership team on moving forward in this ever-changing world.

Our experts will share the experiences, insights, tips and techniques pertaining to every aspect of our industry – including safety, fire protection, fabrication, improving efficiency, green building and more. You can put these thoughts to use immediately in your current building operations or on your next project.

Whether you’re in the planning stages of a project, in the midst of construction or looking for ways to manage your building maintenance, we’re here to help. We believe in the power of partnership; sharing our knowledge is just one more way we can deliver excellence and innovation to you.

Look for our next blog, which will discuss pertinent issues surrounding our number-one priority: safety. We’ve got a long list of accolades and awards to prove that we’ve become the experts in this arena, and we’re eager to share some of our strategies with you.

For more TP knowledge, I also invite you to subscribe to our email newsletters and updates. Click here to sign up.