Aug. 24, 2007 - Noritz Opens Chicago-Area Showroom

Noritz America held a grand opening Aug. 23 for its new satellite office and showroom in Elk Grove Village, Ill. It features working demo units and new contractor/distributor training rooms.

Noritz America held a grand opening Aug. 23 for its new satellite office and showroom in Elk Grove Village, Ill. (a Chicago suburb). This is its third showroom - the others are in Fountain Valley, Calif., and Dallas.

The new 1,806-square-foot showroom is designed to show consumers and business professionals the quality of Noritz tankless water heaters and allow them to test some of the products, which are sold only through plumbing and HVAC wholesalers, according to Yoshi Asano, senior manager/marketing department at Noritz.

A section of the facility is focused on the company’s commercial tankless water heaters, which are ASME certified. Asano pointed out how a commercial model with a stainless-steel tank casing will complement the stainless-steel appliances in a restaurant kitchen or custom home.

Another area of the showroom features several sinks, a luxury shower with multiple showerheads and a whirlpool tub, all functioning via a connection to one of several tankless water heaters on the wall. Homeowners and contractors are invited to turn on the faucets and showerheads.

“If people don’t know what size tankless water heater they need, they can come here to run the showers and sinks and check the water flow and temperature,” Asano said.

Those interested in radiant floor heating can feel the heat produced by the tankless NH boiler hanging on the wall.

Side-by-side mini-vignettes of a typical basement demonstrate how much space a traditional tank water heater requires vs. a tankless.

Other displays in the showroom illustrate venting options to the outside through a side wall or the roof; show how two tankless water heaters can be linked together to serve the needs of a larger house; explain each component of the tankless water heater; discuss the history of the company; provide information on the “green” qualities of tankless water heaters and promote special programs and incentives for plumbing contractors.

Noritz also hosts sales events at its showrooms. “We run an ad to bring in homeowners,” Asano said. The company usually invites two or three plumbing contractors to attend the event and meet with the homeowners to discuss their needs.

The new facility also includes a training room for contractors and wholesale distributors, where they can receive hands-on technical and installation training as well as sales training.

A service center in the back will handle warranty repairs for the Midwest region.

For more information, visit www.noritz.com.