A classic fable about salesmanship concerns two shoe salesmen sent to remote Africa. The first wires back, "Forget it, nobody here wears shoes." His go-getter counterpart sends the message: "Loads of opportunity here! Nobody has shoes!"

The folks at Viega feel that way about their plumbing and hydronic systems and ProPress fittings. Press fittings occupy no more than 5% of the U.S. market thus far, compared to around 60% in Germany, a Viega executive told me. Similar shortfalls exist in potential demand for the company's PEX-based PureFlow plumbing and ProRadiant heating systems. That spells big opportunity, and the reason why Viega has been aggressive in promoting itself for long-term gain in the U.S. and Canada.

Enlarge this picture Training Manager Jason McKinnon explains a radiant piping connection

Part of that effort included a 2-day trade media-only training program held last week at Viega's impressive training facility in Nashua, NH. This reporter and eight others from various industry publications did some hands-on work with Viega's systems along with competing methodologies. Despite all those wordsmiths wielding power tools and torches, the building is still standing.

— by Jim Olsztynski