— Interview with Nathan Klein —
R&R: Where are you based, and how long has the company been in business?
Nathan Klein: Chicago Faucets is based in Des Plaines, Illinois, and my home office is Columbus, Ohio. We have been in business since 1901; we have built a reputation for manufacturing durable, high-performance commercial faucets designed for demanding commercial environments.
R&R: What is your title? How long have you been with the company?
Klein: I am the business development manager for Chicago Faucets. I am responsible for driving new partnerships with national retailers, restaurant chains, convenience stores, travel centers and facility management organizations. I have been with them for 7 years.
R&R: What trades, services and products do you offer retailers and restaurants?
Klein: Chicago Faucets can offer a commercial faucet for every application inside a commercial building. For retailers and restaurants, we offer manual, metering and sensor faucets, BOH foodservice faucets, service sink faucets and maintenance-friendly repair parts. We also provide connected solutions that help customers monitor water usage, improve hygiene, reduce maintenance costs and support sustainability initiatives.
R&R: In what regions of the country do you conduct most of your business, or are you nationwide?
Klein: We are a nationwide organization with sales, support and distribution capabilities throughout the United States and Canada. Our national accounts team supports customers across all regions, ensuring consistent service whether they operate a handful of locations or thousands of sites nationwide.
R&R: What makes Chicago Faucets stand out in the industry?
Klein: What sets Chicago Faucets apart is our combination of durability, reliability and long term value. Our products are designed specifically for high-traffic commercial environments where performance matters every day. Customers appreciate that our fittings are built to last, easy to maintain and backed by a company with more than a century of experience. We also continue to invest in connected water management technologies that help facility operators gain better visibility into their buildings.
R&R: What kind of feedback do you receive from clients?
Klein: The most common feedback we receive is that our products reduce maintenance headaches and hold up exceptionally well in demanding environments. Facility managers and operators value our product reliability, ease of installation, readily available replacement parts and responsive customer support. Many customers tell us they appreciate the total cost of ownership advantages that come from fewer service calls and longer product life.
R&R: Why should owner/operators choose your company to be their next vendor partner?
Klein: Owner/operators need partners they can trust to help keep their facilities running efficiently. Chicago Faucets offers proven products, national support and a commitment to customer service. We understand the operational challenges that retailers and restaurant operators face, including labor shortages, maintenance costs, water conservation goals and customer expectations for cleanliness and hygiene. Our solutions are designed to help address those challenges while delivering long term value.
R&R: How many retail and restaurant clients do you have, and is that sector growing for you? Would you like to name any of your clients?
Klein: The retail and restaurant segment continues to be an important and growing part of our business. We work with many national and regional chains across convenience stores, quick-service restaurants, travel centers, grocery retailers and other commercial facilities. While we respect customer confidentiality, we are proud to support many of the most recognized brands in North America.
R&R: Tell me about 2 to 3 recent projects you are most proud of.
Klein: One project involved working with a national convenience store chain to standardize touchless faucet solutions across multiple locations. The goal was to improve hygiene while reducing maintenance costs and water consumption.
Another project focused on supporting a major restaurant operator with product standardization efforts. By simplifying specifications and replacement parts management, they were able to improve operational consistency across hundreds of locations.
A third project involved helping a large travel center operator evaluate connected water management technologies that provide visibility into faucet performance, maintenance needs and water usage trends. These solutions can help operators make more informed decisions and reduce unplanned service events.
R&R: What are some of the latest trends you see in the facility management industry right now?
Klein: Several trends are shaping the industry today. First, operators continue to focus on reducing maintenance costs and improving labor efficiency. Second, touchless technology remains a priority because of its hygiene benefits and positive customer experience. Third, sustainability initiatives are driving interest in water-saving products and data-driven building management. Finally, connected technologies that provide actionable insights are becoming increasingly important as organizations look to manage large portfolios more effectively.
R&R: What predictions do you have — for your company, your industry, or both — for the rest of 2026 and into 2027?
Klein: I believe we’ll continue to see strong demand for connected plumbing solutions that help facility managers monitor performance and proactively address issues before they become costly problems. Water conservation will remain a major priority, especially as organizations pursue sustainability goals and seek to control operating expenses.
For Chicago Faucets, we expect continued growth through innovation, particularly in connected water management and technologies that support operational efficiency. As facilities become more connected and more data-driven, plumbing systems will play a larger role in helping operators optimize performance, reduce risk and enhance the customer experience.
— Nathan Klein is the business development manager of Chicago Faucets. This Q&A originally was published in the June/July 2026 Goldbook issue of Retail & Restaurant Facility Business magazine. For more information in having your company profiled in a future Signature Vendor Spotlight, please contact Scott Royal at sroyal@francemediainc.com.