Noble Corp., a Diamond supplier partner on OECM’s Plumbing and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Products agreement, offering both Category A – Plumbing Products and Category B – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC).
In This Article
- How Product Availability Supports Facility Operations
- Inside Noble’s Automated Fulfillment Operation
- When You Don’t Know the Exact Part You Need
- Delivery Options for Routine, Project and Urgent Needs
- Ordering Online: Inventory, Pricing and Purchase Controls
- Training for Facility and Maintenance Teams
- How to Get More Value from a Plumbing and HVAC Supply Program
- Explore Noble’s Plumbing and HVAC Solutions Through OECM
Keeping a public sector facility operational can depend on something as small as finding the right valve, fitting, pump or heating component when it is needed.
For school boards, municipalities, colleges, universities, hospitals, government agencies and other public sector organizations, sourcing plumbing and HVAC products involves more than finding a product at the right price. Product availability, technical support, delivery, ordering controls and staff knowledge can all affect maintenance schedules, project timelines and day-to-day operations.
To learn how these requirements can be supported, Noble recently invited OECM to its Vaughan operations for an educational tour focused on its plumbing and HVAC business. The visit offered a closer look at the products and services available through OECM’s agreement, as well as the systems Noble uses to manage inventory, fulfill orders and support customers across Ontario.
“If you think about Noble, picture a building. We support the mechanical products that move water, gas and air, from piping below ground to plumbing, heating and cooling above it.”
How Product Availability Supports Facility Operations
As part of the tour, Noble outlined the scale and structure of its Ontario operations. The company has served the plumbing and mechanical products market for more than 30 years and operates more than 50 locations across the province. Its broader network encompasses more than one million square feet of warehouse space and over 80,000 stock-keeping units.
A Province-Wide Branch and Inventory Network
Noble operates 11 locations dedicated to plumbing and industrial products and 10 dedicated to HVAC across Ontario. This specialized structure reflects the distinct technical expertise required for plumbing and HVAC products. It also connects customers with branch teams and product specialists who understand the relevant products, terminology and applications.
“The key is having the account manager work with the customer and understand what they need.”
For customers, the practical consideration is how this network can support access to products when and where they are needed. Noble explained that inventory visibility allows a branch to check whether another location or the main distribution centre has a required item. Depending on availability and the customer’s needs, the product may be transferred to a local branch or shipped to the required site.
For organizations with buildings in multiple communities, this can provide another option when an item is not immediately available at the nearest branch.
Establishing the Account and Service Approach
Noble also described establishing clear “rules of engagement” when a customer begins working with its team. This can include identifying authorized contacts, relevant branches, preferred ordering methods, delivery expectations and escalation points. Defining these processes early can help requests reach the appropriate people and reduce confusion when an urgent maintenance requirement arises.
Inside Noble’s Automated Fulfillment Operation
A highlight of the tour was Noble’s AutoStore, an automated picking and fulfillment system used for thousands of smaller products. The system stores products in bins stacked beneath a robotic grid. Robots retrieve the required bins and bring them to workstations, allowing employees to pick and prepare orders without travelling throughout the warehouse for each item.
Noble shared that the system contains approximately 26,000 bin locations. By bringing products to employees, AutoStore allows the distribution centre to use space more efficiently and can support faster, more accurate order processing.
From Receiving to Dispatch
The tour continued through conventional racking, receiving areas, the indoor pipe yard and dispatch operation. Narrow-aisle equipment and high-density storage help Noble maintain a broad product assortment, while the warehouse team coordinates picking and packing against delivery schedules.
For customers, the technology behind an order matters because it can affect product availability, order accuracy and the time required to move material from the warehouse to a facility or job site.
“Our focus is reducing the time customers spend waiting. Their work happens at their facilities and job sites.”
The tour also highlighted operational initiatives intended to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Noble describes AutoStore as an energy-efficient fulfillment system and has begun incorporating electric vehicles into parts of its delivery fleet.
When You Don’t Know the Exact Part You Need
Facility teams do not always have a product number, drawing or complete equipment record available, particularly when maintaining older buildings.
During the tour, Noble highlighted the technical support available to help customers work through these situations before placing an order. Depending on the product, customers may be able to share photographs or video to help identify a component. Support may also include reviewing drawings, understanding room or system requirements, sizing an application and identifying an appropriate product.
For HVAC and air-movement applications, specialists can help customers assess fans and related products. They can also preassemble certain fan components to the required configuration and offers custom sheet-metal capabilities for applicable projects.
Noble also highlighted design-build assistance, job-site support and dedicated bid-specification, quotation and project-management teams. These services may help customers and their contractors coordinate product selection and delivery for larger or more specialized requirements.
For maintenance teams, this support could help reduce the risk of ordering an incorrect replacement component and avoid unnecessary delays.
“There isn’t much that we can’t help work through.
The communication piece is key.”
Understanding Noble’s Role
The distinction between product preparation and installation is important. Noble is a product distributor and does not install the products it supplies. Customers or their contractors remain responsible for installation and should ensure that qualified personnel, site requirements and applicable codes are addressed as part of the project.
Through the OECM agreement, customers can also access applicable original equipment manufacturer warranties, assembly and maintenance instructions, and product samples upon request. Availability depends on the product and project, so customers should discuss these requirements with Noble before purchasing.
Delivery Options for Routine, Project and Urgent Needs
Plumbing and HVAC orders can range from small repair parts to long pipe, water heaters and larger equipment. The vehicle, timing and site coordination required can vary considerably from one order to another.
During the tour, Noble discussed several delivery and fulfillment options:
- daily delivery service, with frequency based on location and customer requirements
- timed deliveries coordinated with site schedules
- rush support for qualifying urgent situations
- after-hours emergency service
- branch pickup and direct-to-site delivery
- boom-truck service for material that must be lifted or positioned at a site
- lock boxes that may support early or late deliveries
- Saturday branch access and after-hours or weekend delivery options, where available
For example, a facility may need a replacement component during a no-heat situation, while a project team may require pipe or mechanical equipment to be delivered to a rooftop or another elevated location. Depending on the material and site conditions, Noble may be able to provide a boom truck that delivers and lifts the product into position. This can simplify delivery coordination and may reduce the need to arrange separate lifting equipment. Availability, site access and any additional charges should be confirmed with Noble when planning the order.
Matching the delivery approach to the facility or project requirement can help reduce waiting time, disruption and unnecessary on-site storage.
Noble also identifies an Express Order pickup service with a one-hour service target. Availability may depend on the product, inventory, branch and time of request. Customers should confirm timing with their Noble contact when placing an urgent order.
Planning Deliveries for Larger Projects
For larger projects, customers should discuss product lead times and delivery phasing early. Noble may work with customers and manufacturers to plan when products will be required and how orders should be released over time. This can help align inventory and deliveries with construction or maintenance schedules instead of requiring the organization to receive all project material at once.
Commodity prices, freight costs and global supply conditions can also affect cost and availability, particularly for products containing materials such as copper or steel. Early communication gives the customer and supplier more time to consider inventory, scheduling and staging requirements.
Ordering Online: Inventory, Pricing and Purchase Controls
For organizations managing recurring facility purchases, the ordering process can be as important as the products themselves.
During the tour, Noble demonstrated its online ordering platform, which gives registered customers another way to find products and manage routine purchasing. The platform can be accessed from a computer or mobile device and connects ordering functions with account information.
Features demonstrated include:
- customer-specific pricing and discounts
- live inventory visibility across Noble locations
- order history, invoices, backorders and order-status information
- quick reordering from previous purchases
- saved favourites and reusable order templates
- spreadsheet upload for orders containing multiple item numbers and quantities
- multiple shipping addresses
- online return requests
- access to available manuals, brochures and installation information
- access to Material Test Reports and Canadian Registration Number information for applicable products, upon request
Tools for Recurring Purchases
Reusable templates may be particularly useful for recurring maintenance requirements. A standard list for a water-heater replacement, washroom repair or another repeatable activity can be saved and reused rather than rebuilt for every order.
Managing Users and Approvals
Organizations can also establish multiple users and approval relationships based on their internal requirements. Noble validates account access, and OECM customers must have the appropriate account and Customer-Supplier Agreement in place before accessing contracted pricing.
Digital ordering is not the only available channel. Customers may continue to work through their account contacts, branches and other ordering methods. The appropriate approach will depend on the organization’s purchasing process, users and internal controls.
Training for Facility and Maintenance Teams
Products, technologies and codes continue to change, particularly as organizations consider new equipment, electrification and energy-efficient technologies.
Through Noble University, Noble offers free sessions covering technical training, product knowledge, industry trends and government regulations.
Training can take different forms depending on the topic. Sessions may take place at Noble, a customer site or a manufacturer’s facility when participants need access to operating equipment or a specialized learning environment. Some sessions may also provide product or system certification.
Benefits for Facility Teams
For public sector facility teams, training is designed to help employees:
- become familiar with new plumbing and HVAC technologies
- understand installation and maintenance considerations
- refresh product and regulatory knowledge
- evaluate whether a product is appropriate for a facility
- build consistency across employees working at different sites
Customers interested in a particular topic should speak with their Noble account representative about available or potential sessions.
How to Get More Value from a Plumbing and HVAC Supply Program
A plumbing and HVAC supply program involves more than individual product purchases. Staff time, product availability, delivery coordination, emergency access, invoice processing and ordering controls can all influence the overall purchasing experience.
Before establishing an ordering approach, public sector organizations may want to consider:
- Who will use the agreement?
Identify the facilities, departments and authorized employees that may require access, as well as any contractors whose work may affect product requirements or delivery coordination. - What does the organization purchase repeatedly?
Identify frequently ordered products that could be added to templates, favourites or standard lists. - Who can order and approve purchases?
Establish purchasing authority and approval relationships before users begin ordering. - How will products reach each facility?
Determine which sites require branch pickup, scheduled delivery, direct-to-site service, specialized vehicles or after-hours support. - What does an urgent requirement look like?
Establish who should be contacted and how qualifying urgent or emergency requirements will be handled. - What technical support will facility teams need?
Identify employees who may benefit from product knowledge, application assistance or training. - What reporting and documentation are required?
Determine what order, invoice, usage, performance and technical information the organization needs to manage the program. - Who handles escalations?
Establish clear account contacts and escalation points so issues can be directed to the appropriate person.
These questions can help customers and Noble establish an account structure that reflects the organization’s facilities, purchasing controls and service requirements.
Explore Noble’s Plumbing and HVAC Solutions Through OECM
Noble products are available through OECM’s Plumbing and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Products agreement. Customers can access products across two categories:
Category A – Plumbing Products:
- baths, showers, tubs, sinks and handwashing stations
- toilets, seats, urinals, faucets and flush valves
- domestic water heaters
- water-supply, pressure and steel pipe and fittings
- drains and venting accessories
- drinking-water, bottle-filling and safety fountains
- pumps, water-treatment products, valves and meters
- repair parts, installation accessories and tools
Category B – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC):
- boilers
- radiators, heaters and convectors
- pumps
- pipe and pipe fittings
- parts, accessories and heating specialties
- specialized HVAC tools
Support for Facility and Project Requirements
Together, these categories can support planned maintenance, emergency repairs, equipment replacement and larger facility projects. Noble also highlights access to a broad manufacturer network, hard-to-find plumbing specialty products and specialists who can help customers work through requirements that may not be addressed by a standard replacement item.
For organizations managing multiple buildings, Noble can work with customers to develop a coordinated ordering approach that supports greater consistency in how frequently purchased products are sourced, approved, ordered and delivered across facilities.
Interested in Hosting an OECM Educational Tour?
OECM is always eager to learn more about our supplier partners and OEMs. If you are a supplier partner or OEM on one of our agreements and would like to host an OECM Educational Tour or event, please reach out to your OECM Supplier Relationship Manager.
