HEALTH AND SANITATION
“The ‘E’ Awards Committee was very impressed with
IAPMO’s success in supporting foreign adoption of US
developed and internationally recognised plumbing
standards to open new export markets in Asia,” Ross said.
“The organisation’s opening of a testing and certification
facility in Jakarta to facilitate the exports of US plumbing
products to Indonesia was also particularly notable.
IAPMO’s achievements have undoubtedly contributed
to national export expansion efforts that support the US
economy and create American jobs.”
IAPMO Executive Vice President of Advocacy and
Research Pete DeMarco, Senior Vice President of
Government Relations Dain Hansen, and Director of
Government Relations Christopher Lindsay attended the
ceremony and accepted the award from Secretary Ross.
Five years ago, IAPMO received a USD296 000 award
from the US Commerce Department’s International
Trade Administration’s (ITA) Market Development
Cooperator Programme (MDCP) intended to increase
the competitiveness of the US plumbing supply industry
abroad by generating exports to Indonesia. The Strategic
Partnership — the only of its kind between ITA and a
US plumbing code development organisation — has
yielded noteworthy results. A 2013 memorandum of
understanding between IAPMO and Indonesia’s National
Standardisation Agency resulted in a comprehensive body
of regulations — SNI 8153:2015, Plumbing Systems
for Buildings — being adopted as the technical basis
for Indonesia’s water/sanitation infrastructure. These
regulations are improving public safety and the longevity
of Indonesia’s infrastructure while also creating greater
opportunities for the sale of US plumbing products and
services in the Indonesian market. As a result, total
annualised US plumbing exports to Indonesia increased by
85% over the pre-project period baseline.
The partnership is also playing a key role in helping the
US government achieve the vision laid out in the 2017 US
Government Global Water Strategy. The strategy focuses
on steps that can be taken to sustainably grow water and
sanitation services globally and recognises that “water
can be a means of strengthening governance, civil society
engagement, and resilience at all levels”. It further states
that the “United States benefits directly from engaging
on international water issues” and that part of the overall
vision of the strategy is to “open up international markets
to US technologies and approaches”.
March 2020 Volume 26 I Number 01
29
The partnership is an example of how the US government
and private sector can work together to realise the vision
of a free and open Indo-Pacific region in partnership
with foreign markets. The work of this partnership not
only advances fair and reciprocal trade for US plumbing
exports, but also advances high-quality infrastructure
development for Asia — a region that needs roughly
USD26-trillion of infrastructure investment by 2030,
according to the US Commerce Department.
“We are thrilled to be recognised with the President’s
‘E’ Award in recognition of our work to improve US
manufacturer competitiveness throughout key regions of
the world,” says IAPMO CEO GP Russ Chaney. “Our work
in collaboration with the Commerce Department, ITA,
and other supportive entities within Indonesia has been a
major success. We’ll continue our efforts to promote US
technology throughout key regions and markets around
the world.”
Founded in 1926, IAPMO focuses its comprehensive
services on the technical aspects of the plumbing and
mechanical industries. Its membership includes trained
labour and contractors, engineers, domestic and non-
domestic product manufacturers, suppliers,
plumbing and mechanical inspectors,
and building officials. IAPMO
has assisted with code and
standard development,
educational programmes,
and conformity
assessment services
in regions around
the world. IAPMO
has also assisted
international aid
organisations to
help bring sound,
efficient water and
sanitation systems to
developing nations.
GP Russ Chaney, IAPMO CEO
The following article
looks at an honour IAPMO
received from the US
Department of Commerce
for its work in increasing
US exports. Written by
IAPMO senior writer
Geoff Bilau, it is the next in
a regular series of similar
articles that will run in
Plumbing Africa.
“The
organisation’s
opening of a testing
and certification facility
in Jakarta to facilitate the
exports of US plumbing
products to Indonesia
was also particularly
For more information on
notable."
the award or IAPMO’s work in
Asia, contact Hansen at
(202) 445-7514 or email
[email protected]. PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za