CULLMAN, Ala. – As temperatures dropped and stayed down for extended periods in Texas recently, damage to plumbing reached alarming rates across the state. Among those responding to the emergency situation was Cullman-based Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), with its innovative “SharkBite” repair system that allows rapid installation of pipes and fittings without special tools, complex methods or training.
Crews at RWC began working overtime shortly after the crisis began in Texas, to produce components and ship them to the winter-stricken state.
RWC released this statement on Wednesday:
SharkBite Offers Pipe Repair Resources for Sudden Freezing Temperatures
As freezing temperatures swept through Texas this past month, many residents discovered that their plumbing systems were not prepared for the harsh weather. Thousands of homes soon had frozen and bursting pipes, resulting in water damage and a lack of access to running water.
Keeping Essential Systems Running
Plumbing systems are essential to people’s health and wellbeing, and the consequences for these systems failing can cause emotional and physical turmoil. Because of this, Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) has been working overtime at its Cullman facility to ship SharkBite® pipe repair supplies to the customers who need them most — those in and around Texas who are dealing with the sudden frozen pipes. They encourage customers to visit the frozen pipes resource center, which includes the products needed for quick pipe repair jobs, how-to videos and more.
Additionally, the company started a fund to benefit the Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts in the areas affected by this winter storm.
“We are all concerned for the Texas residents who have experienced hardships during the recent storm,” said Eric Shaddix, Director of Fulfillment at RWC. “Our team members are working diligently to produce and ship SharkBite pipe repair solutions as quickly as possible. We are here to guide the customers as they make the repairs and to make the installations as stress-free as possible.”
About SharkBite’s Pipe Repair Solutions
SharkBite push-to-connect fittings enable plumbing repairs to be made quickly in emergency situations. No special tools, soldering, crimping or gluing is needed to install them, and they can be installed on wet lines. They can also connect pipes of the same type or be used to transition between PEX, copper, CPVC, PE-RT and HDPE pipe and there are options for transitioning from PVC and polybutylene pipes.
Cullman Economic Development Agency Director Dale Greer told The Tribune, “We sit back and think what a neat little invention that is, that they’ve made a SharkBite plumbing connection that you don’t have to solder or use glue or do all of these things, and my running joke has always been that it makes plumbers out of normal people who don’t know much about plumbing. And you think about that situation in Texas: that so many homes and buildings and businesses have these burst pipes, and the plumbers are going to be overwhelmed, too. They don’t have the ability to get there. This is a unique plumbing connector that lets you hook PVC to copper, replace leaks, broken pipes, those kinds of things, without tools and unusual knowledge.
“I just think: there’s over 500 people that are employed by Reliance in Cullman. They’ve got a big distribution center under construction now, continuing to grow, creating a lot of good job opportunities in our community. And then, you see them reach out to others and do things, as they said: raising money, contributing to Red Cross, trying to help with that disaster. You know, we always believe that we have a good strong industrial base, and that they do good things and they make good products, but they’re benevolent companies, too.”
About RWC
In the press release, Reliance Worldwide Corporation defines itself as “a market leader and manufacturer of water control systems and plumbing solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Established in 1949, the RWC portfolio includes industry-leading brands: SharkBite® push-to-connect plumbing solutions; HoldRite® engineered plumbing and mechanical solutions; Cash Acme® control valves; John Guest® fittings and fluid dispense products and StreamLabs™ smart water technologies.”
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