Actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr., spends some time Jun. 7 chatting with contractors visiting the A.O. Smith booth at the PHCC/GLAA trade show in Long Beach.

You'd never know economic times were getting harder if all you had to go by was a look at the 33rd Annual Southern California Plumbing Heating Cooling Industry trade show.
    Put on by the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of the Greater Los Angeles Area at the Long Beach Convention Center Jun. 7, the event was on track to post attendance redords. While final attendance numbers weren't available at deadline, trade show manager Eddie Edwards said the event would in fact post an increase in that, "more than 4,000" people had pre-registered for the one-day event: "And there are always people who register on-site," Edwards said. "We've also sold out the entire show floor."
    More than 100 exhibitors packed the show floor with the newest goods and services available to the plumbing industry, and a schedule of educational seminars kept attendees busy absorbing techniques to take back and implement in their businesses.
    Also on tap at the event were appearances by a pair of celebrities. First up was actor/environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr., who spent time in the A.O. Smith booth in support of the company's Vertex hybrid water heaters, and former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres All-Star first baseman Steve Garvey, who signed autographs and sat for photos with attendees at the American Water Heaters booth.
   Other highlights of the event, which was dedicated to former trade show manager and founder Harry Reed, was a New Product pavilion and a large presence from GreenPlumbers USA.