Boiler performance rarely depends on a single decision. It depends on design, controls, maintenance, workforce capability, and, as this conversation makes clear, the quality of water treatment. Scott Lynch and Shaunica Jayson explain how American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA) is addressing those realities by connecting manufacturers, representatives, suppliers, and field stakeholders around education and practical guidance.

Why ABMA still matters in a changing boiler market

ABMA has been in place since 1888, but this discussion is not about preserving old structures for their own sake. Scott and Shaunica describe an association that has expanded beyond traditional manufacturer membership into a broader supply-chain view of the boiler room. That includes boiler, burner, deaerator, and economizer manufacturers, component suppliers, service providers, consultants, and manufacturer representatives.

That broader view matters because boiler performance does not begin and end with the vessel itself. Decisions made across installation, controls, service, and water treatment shape efficiency, reliability, and long-term asset life.

Education that reaches the people actually running boiler rooms

A strong theme throughout the conversation is education. ABMA is reaching beyond its own meetings to speak with healthcare engineers, food processors, facility engineers, and other sectors that rely on boilers every day. Scott outlines the practical angle of that work: what operators should be doing on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis to keep boiler rooms safe and efficient.

Shaunica adds that ABMA is building toward a larger resource center, on-demand materials, and expanded access to white papers and best-practice guidance. They also discuss partnerships with trade schools and Maritime Academies as part of a larger workforce strategy. For water professionals, that matters because better-informed boiler operators create better conditions for treatment programs to succeed.

Water treatment is not a side issue

One of the clearest takeaways is that water treatment remains central to boiler performance. ABMA's work with the Association of Water Technologies is helping align deaeration and chemical treatment perspectives into a single, co-branded guidance document. That effort is meant to reduce finger-pointing, improve technical clarity, and give end users a more unified message.

Scott is direct about the operational stakes: poor water treatment drives scaling, damages equipment, and undermines efficiency. The discussion also pushes back on outdated assumptions about boiler rooms, highlighting gains in efficiency, modern controls, remote monitoring, retrofit options, and emerging technologies such as hydrogen, dual-fuel, and hybrid systems.

Boiler systems may be longstanding infrastructure, but the thinking around them cannot stay static. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

01:18 - Trace introduces ABMA, explains its relevance to water treaters, and previews the upcoming ABMA Expo

03:11 - Trace gives a concise history of boilers, from early steam vessels to modern high-efficiency systems

07:36 - Scott Lynch and Shaunica Jayson join the show and introduce themselves and their roles at ABMA

08:18 - Scott explains how ABMA has evolved from a manufacturer-focused association into a broader industry organization spanning the full boiler supply chain

10:27 - Shaunica outlines ABMA's four membership categories, including manufacturers, associate members, consultants, and manufacturer reps

33:18 - The discussion shifts to the ABMA–AWT partnership and the co-branded water treatment guideline

34:58 - Scott explains why deaeration and water treatment need to be addressed together to produce useful technical guidance

36:31 - Shaunica shares what ABMA learned from attending the AWT conference and why the partnership helps reduce finger-pointing between disciplines

38:19 - The conversation moves to Boiler Expo, including why ABMA launched it and how it is designed to serve the full boiler community

40:49 - Shaunica explains the co-location with the Biomass Conference & Expo and highlights ABMA's BUILT and WIBI communities

45:18 - Scott and Shaunica close with their key takeaways: the boiler industry is evolving, and ABMA is a resource for the field

53:50 - Words of Water with James

Connect with Shaunica Jayson

Email: [email protected]

Website: American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA)

LinkedIn: Shaunica Jayson | LinkedIn

Connect with Scott Lynch

Email: [email protected]

Website: American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA)

LinkedIn: Scott Lynch, CAE | LinkedIn

Quotes

"Our official mission is to lead, advance and provide solutions to the boiler industry."

"Our vision is boilers are recognized for advancing energy sustainability and powering people's lives."

"The boiler industry continues to evolve and innovate."

"We love our members. We love our operators. We love our water treaters."

Guest Resources Mentioned

ABMA – BOILER EXPO 2026

ABMA – BOILER EXPO 2026

The Association of Facilities Engineering (AFE)

The ABMA Boiler Expo Registration

ABMA – Technical Papers

ABMA – Technical Resources

ABMA – Free Boiler Maintenance Schedule

AWT Technical Papers

ABMA Boiler Expo 2026 Pre Conference (Boiler Water Treatment Workshops)

ABMA - Boiler Industry Leaders of Tomorrow (BILT)

Women in the Boiler Industry (WIBI) Professional Community

ABMA – Ladies of Steam

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

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