







U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Issues Process Patent to RFMCO for Direct Urea Injection with SCR Technology

With the help of Michael MacDonald and the Boiler Special Projects Group, R.F. MacDonald Co. has invented and now patented the safest NOx emissions reduction process for boilers and fired vessels using direct urea injection with SCR.
On Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the safest and simplest NOx-reduction process patent for packaged boilers. The patent was granted to R.F. MacDonald Co. for inventing a “process for direct urea injection with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for NOx reduction in hot gas streams and related systems and assemblies.”
SCR requires the use and storage of ammonia-based reagents, which range from high risk to low risk. The R.F. MacDonald Co. patent specifies urea, which is the lowest risk ammonia-based reagent. The only health hazard associated with urea is “possible irritation” as indicated by the Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS). The urea solution is identical to Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), which is sold worldwide in automotive retail stores for use in diesel motor vehicles.
As shown in the graphic below, urea is injected at each Injection Point into the boiler. As NOx and urea pass through the NOx Reduction Catalyst, NOx is separated into two non-harmful elements Nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O). Read More
R.F. MacDonald Co. is proud to announce an ownership transition to our newly formed 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The adoption of our ESOP plan is effective as of Jan. 1, 2024.
This celebratory announcement reflects our strong and growing company with 284 employees working in service, sales and administration. There will be no changes to the management structure, operations, policies or practices. CEO Jim MacDonald will continue to work at RFMCO and serve on the Board of Directors. While Jim is not retiring, we have been preparing for his eventual retirement. As part of our leadership-succession planning, Jim Lowell joined our team at the beginning of 2023 as President and COO. Jim L. formerly was Sr VP of Operations at Cleaver-Brooks and President of CBSS. Before joining our company, we worked directly with Jim L. for many years while he worked with C-B.
We view this transition as the next step to ensure a sustainable future for RFMCO, while also providing a valuable financial benefit to the people who have contributed to our success. Our employees passionately engage in problem-solving, innovation, collaboration and respect. Securing our independence through an ESOP allows us to further strengthen our long-established culture and our “Hire-2-Retire” motto is further emphasized in this transition. Read the full announcement
We offer several different boiler and pump training courses throughout the year at many different California and Nevada locations. Choose a class and date for more information.
FEBRUARY 19/20 – LAS VEGAS, NV
MARCH 17/18 – MODESTO, CA
APRIL 21/22 – SAN DIEGO, CA (CANCELED)
APRIL 23/24 – SAN DIEGO, CA (CANCELED)
JULY 14/15 – HAYWARD, CA (CANCELED)
JULY 16/17 – HAYWARD, CA (CANCELED)
SEPTEMBER 22/23 – RENO, NV (CANCELED)
OCTOBER 13/14 – SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA (CANCELED)
OCTOBER 15/16 – SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA (CANCELED)
DECEMBER 8/9 – ROHNERT PARK, CA (CANCELED)
ASK TO BE ON THE WAITLIST VIA INFO@RFMACDONALD.COM
Don Williams Corporate Trainer
Don Williams is R.F. MacDonald Co.’s Boiler Division Corporate Trainer. Williams has been in the boiler business for 45 years as a boiler operator, design engineer, service manager and now as a corporate trainer. Williams also performs custom, onsite training where he performs site-specific and equipment-specific training. Each presentation begins with a site visit with identification of boiler system and application needs. Williams then presents a detailed analysis on the customer’s boiler and burner design, controls for operator interface, combustion basics and a breakdown on how to operate and maintain the boiler equipment. You may sign up for one of Don Williams’ CWEA and AFE-certified training classes or email info@rfmacdonald.com for custom, onsite training.
R.F. MacDonald Co. was founded in 1956. We have 270 employees and ten offices throughout California and Nevada. We service and sell boilers, pumps, composites and accessories for commercial and industrial applications. Our employees are sales engineers, full-time mechanical engineers, long-time parts specialists and field service personnel.
Our efforts to proactively promote our field service capabilities are a key differentiator between our company and other equipment sales companies. Our customers expect and deserve prompt professional service for the products we provide, and we work enthusiastically to meet and exceed their expectations.
We invite you to review all of our boiler, pump and corrosion resistant products and encourage you to contact an office near you to speak directly with a local representative who can personally assist you with your equipment needs.

R.F. MacDonald Co. will continue to be the leader in market share, sales volume, technological innovation and service capabilities for the mutual benefit of our company, employees, customers and principal suppliers in the markets we serve. We will continue to pursue these goals through integrity and persistence.
An objective for all of us in life is to potentially leave a part of ourselves as we depart this life for another. There are many adjectives that can be used to describe our founder Bob MacDonald but perhaps none more appropriate than ‘persistent.’
From Bob’s personal desk to the growth of our ten-office company, and ultimately his fight with cancer, persistence was his unwavering theme. In the memory of our founder, may these words by Calvin Coolidge be an inspiration to you.
Nothing in the world
can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not;
nothing is more common than
unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not;
unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not;
The world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination
alone are omnipotent.
The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved
and always will solve
the problems of
the human race.







R.F. MacDonald Co. strives to be the most experienced company in the industry we serve, and we believe we are meeting the mark.
Vision Statement: “To provide a superior growth oriented workplace environment, that attracts and retains the best employees in the industry, fostering an attitude that provides our customers with the most innovative, responsive and results oriented effort possible.”
R.F. MacDonald Co. Safety Commitment
The safety and health of every employee is our highest priority. We strongly believe that our proactive approach to safety, with our Mission Zero objective, reinforces a top-tier safety culture. R.F. MacDonald Co. has a long safety-first reputation. Each employee participates in safety training and is encouraged to submit safety observations through our Safety Observation Program, and our service fleet relays driving telematics, which has resulted in safer driving and an exceptional overall safety scorecard.
In comparison, our competitors are 3 times more likely to suffer an injury on the job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Our Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) over the past 3 years is 0.9 compared to the industry average of 3.3 for HVAC contractors (NAICS 238220). And our Experience Modification Rate (EMR) is significantly below the 1.00 industry average at 0.78.
Lastly, R.F. MacDonald Co. is a premier member of ISNetworld RAVS Plus, AVETTA, and Veriforce, increasing the visibility of our service team’s safety practices and procedures.
Thank you for caring about safety and considering R.F. MacDonald Co. as your hydronics, steam and pumping services provider.
I wanted to take a few moments to thank you for taking care of us once again this year. I also want to mention how pleased we were with the work performed by Brad. He was thorough and was able to correct any issue encountered. To top things off, we were extremely impressed that during our source test we had an issue with the linkage to one of our gas valves causing us to be out of compliance. I made a single phone call, and you were able to redirect Brad to us immediately. Thanks to your quick response, we didn’t have to reschedule our source testing. Brad was able to identify and correct the issue quickly, and he stayed onsite for the duration of the test monitoring of the flue gas in case any other problems arose. Due to the excellent customer service you have provided us these last two years we are happy to say that R.F. MacDonald has earned our business for as long as we continue to have steam boilers.
The demo crew that got rid of the old boilers did a fantastic job! The area looks great! They even took the time to hose down before leaving! That was a nice touch — thoughtful and professional! Wes called when they were finished to give me a heads-up about the demoed piping that couldn’t fit in the recycle bin. Now that we have more open floor space, I’ll bet Facilities will make plans for new equipment. I just wanted to jot down these sentiments because the crews on the demo and the install deserve the feedback. Rest assured the boilers are running well with no related production issue, the old area looks new again, and I am very pleased with the way the RFM project crews were safety-focused, respectful, pleasant to work with and skilled at their trade.
Richard played an integral part in getting these boilers through startup and tests/inspections. Pierre, our boiler inspector, wasn’t confident in our ability until he heard Richard was tasked with starting up the boiler. After Pierre’s inspection, he sent us the below “Atta Boy,” which I would like to extend to Richard: ‘I want to extend my appreciation for the outstanding support and team effort in preparing for BUPV inspection and certification of NR4 Plant.’ Without Richard’s trade knowledge, professionalism, pre-planning, and coordination, I don’t think I could’ve made it through Pierre’s Inspection successfully.
I would like to say thanks for all the hard work and support from R.F. MacDonald Co. There are many companies, contractors and vendors we work with daily, but your team’s work speaks for itself. You have set a high-level standard. On multiple occasions, your company has completed emergency repairs, which have helped us maintain customer orders and partnerships. A few key points I continue to see from your team are: professionalism by management and team, detailed communication from start to finish during working and non-working hours, never explaining issues but always having a solution to fix them immediately and HARD Work Period.
I appreciate the urgency given in response to our facility emergency. We are grateful for how quickly your team resolved the issue. You took our call seriously and saved us from a 6-month downtime to less than 48 hours. Rodney & Hani were diligent on the task provided. I was pleased to see the extra safety precautions too. Safety is our number one goal, and they made sure to go above and beyond our safety standards. Hani is an exceptional welder and provided results above our expectations. Our machine is back in service and making quality products for our customers. I look forward to our ongoing business relationship.
RFMCO has been servicing our boilers for many years. From boiler install, to major R1 repairs, to minor adjustments, we’ve come to know many of the service technicians and mechanics on a friendly first name basis. RFMCO service techs have voluntarily gone above and beyond on several occasions to help us out of a jam or address our concerns no matter how small. Thank you all for keeping our boilers tuned up and online. I know our hospital will continue to be the beneficiary of the great, friendly customer service we’ve come to know and expect from RFMCO.
I want to take a moment to thank you and your team for the recent repairs you made to the University swimming pool heating system. Due to supply issues, your team was able to get only one of the heaters running. Although I was thankful, I remained concerned because the contractor who installed the heaters in 2013 told me one heater would not be sufficient to heat the pool during the winter months. But, ever since your technicians made the needed repairs and made technical adjustments, the pool heating system has never worked so well! It has been “rock solid” for over a week now!
I am reaching out to pass along some gratitude for Josh and Travis who have been tirelessly working on one of our old boilers in Walnut Creek. They’ve had to deal with some unforeseen conditions and obsolete parts – all without missing a beat and staying positive and focused on getting the plant running again. Outside of this recent work, I know R.F. has always been responsive when we have emergencies, and your guys stay involved until the job is done. It’s nice to have that reassurance that you aren’t just a contractor but also a partner with us on these repairs.
Starting up this rental was no simple task. Faced with a barrage of issues stemming from boiler PLC issues, HMI hardware configuration, custom controls installations, weather/environmental adversities and tremendous pressure applied by my engineering crew, Sergio carried himself with steadfast diligence. He dealt with one issue at a time with patience, proficiency and professionalism. His persistence and dedication surely made an impression on the customer and myself.
Thanks for stopping by this week and clarifying the many questions I had. The entire R.F. MacDonald Co. staff has been helpful. Please pass a special thanks to your dispatcher as well. Every time I reach out to her, she is quick to respond and always seems to have the answer.
Thank you for a stellar job retubing the dormitory boiler. I really appreciate how well you cleaned up after the job. I have a lot of experience with boiler companies, and I know good talent, and teamwork, when I see it. It’s great to see a service team with so much pride in their work! Thanks so much for all you do and for representing us so well!”
I wanted to pass along to Chris and Joel how happy I am with the boiler annual service completed last Saturday. The team was outstanding and outperformed my expectations. They went above and beyond to communicate with me throughout the day, and I wanted to be sure the guys knew how pleased I was with their service and hard work.
I am thoroughly amazed at how much R.F. MacDonald was able to accomplish in 24 hours. This job consisted of a rental install & large retube with a tight schedule. The Service Team along with help from other offices and departments were successful in making us very happy.
I wanted to let you know how great Rony & Marco did last week with replacing our fan motor. Both of your techs are razor sharp and professional. I am very happy with the quality of their work. RFMCO is a great company. You have the best technicians in the field.
I wanted to pass along how great the crew was that performed our boiler annuals. Nathan and Alex did the work and communicated exceptionally well. This service was the best I’ve had so far. They did a ‘Lights Out’ job with everything they did. Great job, guys!
R.F. MacDonald Co. has been in business since 1956. We service and sell boilers, pumps and accessories for commercial and industrial applications. Our employees are full-time mechanical engineers, sales engineers, parts experts and field service personnel. Allow us to assist you in your equipment selections, installation planning, layout, permitting and project supervision.
General Engineering Contractor A-1
CA: C-4 | NV: C-1 | AZ: C-4
Contractor Licenses
CA: #220117 | NV: #0042816
AZ: ROC 360245
RFMCO expands pump & valve product offerings as
R.F. MacDonald Co. wins 1st Place Operational Excellence
R.F. MacDonald Co. Matt Sittel Begins Term as
25920 Eden Landing Rd.
Hayward, California 94545
Phone:510-784-0110
Website:https://rfmacdonald.com
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