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Day-Long, Hands-On Training for SPF Contractors
Seward Sales Corp. offers quarterly Spray Foam University
By Jessica A. Baris
Spray foam contractors, architects, building owners, and distributors are welcome to participate in upcoming day-long, hands-on spray polyurethane foam (SPF) training events in January.
Ken Schmidt, president of Seward Sales Corporation and a Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) member, helps to organize what his company calls Spray Foam University, which is now offered once per quarter.
“It’s an all-day event,” says Schmidt. “We bring architects in with contractors, and they get a basic introduction to spray foam.”
 Seward Sales salespersons describe themselves as the “eyes and ears” of the manufacturers they represent. Their day-to-day mission is to bring technical product information and support to specifiers and mechanics in the field. When Schmidt saw the opportunity to offer a day-long event for spray foam education, he pursued it.
“There’s a need,” says Schmidt. “There are so many contractors getting into the business because they think it’s an easy, get-rich-quick program. It’s not. It’s a serious product. You have to understand the chemistry and respect the safety issues when handling spray foam. We stress safety. That’s number one. Productivity and profits will come to those who take the time to learn. This is why we stress accreditation by the SPFA.”
Spray Foam University begins at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast and wraps up by 4:30 p.m. Throughout the day, spray foam contractors, architects, and others attend classes to learn about SPF health, safety, building codes, and applications for commercial and residential jobs. Attendees can watch closed-cell foam demonstrations, earn certification from the Dow Chemical Company, and listen to industry-leading guest speakers.
“We don’t bring a spray rig in the hotel,” says Schmidt, “but we have hands-on training with refillable tanks of SPF and two-component Froth Paks. We cover every aspect of SPF except roofing. We limit our training to side walls and foundations for residential and commercial side walls and roof-wall junctions.”
 Guest speakers for the most recent Spray Foam University (held in October) included Kurt Riesenberg, executive director of SPFA; Rick Duncan, technical director of SPFA; Gary Grunauer of the Dow Chemical Company; Pete Baker, CSI, CPPR wall systems specialist; and Jay Hutchek, technical sales director of MCC Equipment, a Graco and GlasCraft authorized distributor. Duncan gave an American Institute of Architects (AIA)-accredited introduction to SPF. This course, along with two others of the seven total Spray Foam University courses, offered a continuing education unit (CEU) for attendees who are members of the AIA.
SPFA accreditation is not offered at Spray Foam University. However, it can be earned by taking coursework at the annual SprayFoam Convention & Expo, which will take place in Reno, Nevada, February 7-10, 2011.
“We are doing this as a supplement to the SPF convention,” Schmidt says of Spray Foam University. “Attendees are encouraged to learn about SPFA membership and how they can attend the SprayFoam convention and get SPFA-accredited.”
Spray Foam University attendees receive a Spray Foam University Certification of Compliance for each course they complete. Seward Sales also offers a Commercial Roofing University, which covers TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) single-ply membranes, and a Residential Insulation University for Home Builders. Both are offered quarterly and consist of 10 classes a day that run concurrently from 9-4 p.m.
Seward’s next Spray Foam University courses are scheduled for January 18 in Indianapolis and January 20 in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information on how to register, call Ken Schmidt at (317) 979-1700 or email ewoodrow@sewardsales.com.
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