Member companies of PMI’s not-for-profit industry association represent 95 percent of North America’s plumbing manufacturers and produce a substantial quantity of the world’s plumbing products.

For 35 years, PMI was the acronym for the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute. The association recently changed its name to Plumbing Manufacturers International, which reflects its and its members’ worldwide involvement and outreach.

Member companies of PMI’s voluntary, not-for-profit, international, industry association represent 95 percent of North America’s plumbing manufacturers and produce a substantial quantity of the world’s plumbing products. Reflecting this global leadership role, PMI also refreshed its brand identity, Web site and other marketing communications that will be introduced throughout the year and culminate this fall with its presence at Greenbuild, Oct. 4-7, in Toronto.

PMI members will celebrate the new name and identity at the PMI 2011 Spring Conference, March 27-30, at the Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans. In addition to the high-profile speakers and full-group sessions, the conference includes dual tracks of marketing and technical meetings. These meetings’ discussions will help determine the ongoing fulfillment of the association’s mission in North America and the expertise it can share with other countries’ plumbing industry leaders.

“As the voice of the plumbing industry, PMI’s conferences are part of the strategic plan to deliver on our mission,” explained PMI Executive Director Barbara Higgens. “The industry’s global leaders regularly attend our meetings and we are active participants in international coalitions and conferences.”

PMI members and returning visitors to www.PMIhome.org will see a redesigned site that aligns with the new brand identity and RSS news feed subscriptions for the homepage, as well as for member-generated news. The educational site, www.SafePlumbing.org, maintains its independent design.

Frequent updates are posted on the homepage and via RSS subscription for lawmakers, journalists, industry professionals and homeowners seeking information about clean, safe drinking water and water efficiency.

“Today we live and work in a global marketplace,” said PMI Board President Jack Krecek, vice president and general manager of the commercial business unit for Elkay Manufacturing Co. “Just as industry issues have become international in scope, so has PMI. The association functions as a sounding board for its members, a source for industry and market information, and as a coordinating and decision-making body for building consensus to positively influence and respond to industry issues.”