PLUMBING
PEX underground plumbing system offers bagfuls of savings for grocery store chain
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Kiffmeyer Plumbing Inc. in Sauk Rapids, Minn., offered up a unique PEX idea that would provide the value engineering that Coborn’s was looking for, while also conforming to the stringent construction schedule — running the PEX underground.
construct a new concept store for St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborn’s Inc., they knew it would not be just another cookie-cutter project. For this store, located in St. Joseph, Minn., the owners wanted to capitalize on innovative materials
W
hen Rice Building Systems of Sauk Rapids, Minn., set out to
and efficient design, while maintaining the 90-year-old Midwest grocery chain’s high standards for quality and customer service. When plumbing bids went out,
the cost for copper plumbing systems that were typical for other Coborn’s stores came back way too high. So, Rice sent out rebids,
opening the doors to alternative plumbing materials, including crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) and CPVC. “The owners wanted value
engineering,” said Chris Rice, president of Rice Building Systems.
“We knew any bid that came back had to incorporate suitable cost savings, in addition to intelligent design and efficient installation methods, to effectively meet our budget and tight construction schedule.” Scott and Ben Kiffmeyer, owners
of Kiffmeyer Plumbing Inc. in Sauk Rapids and 19-year veterans in the plumbing industry, had used PEX tubing in several previous installs and offered up a unique idea that would provide the value engineering that Coborn’s was looking for, while also conforming to the stringent construction schedule. “Rice came back asking for ideas,
and we went to them with the concept of running PEX underground,” said Scott Kiffmeyer.
“That’s how we got the job.” The underground PEX concept
The underground PEX system incorporated Uponor’s unique engineered plastic (EP) fittings, which are approved for direct burial in soil.
came from a presentation Kiffmeyer Plumbing received from Dean Corrigan of FourMation Sales and Casey Swanson, commercial sales
e Continued on p 32
phc july 2011
www.phcnews.com
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