Segen and BNP launch solar financing partnership

Segen, a renewable energy equipment distributor, today announced a strategic partnership with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions to provide financing options under the Segen Finance brand. The new offering will allow commercial and industrial (C&I) end-customers to install solar and energy storage systems with no upfront costs. Segen Finance will initially be available exclusively through Segen's network of approved C&I installers across the UK and Germany, with planned expansion across Europe. "This partnership addresses one of the key barriers to clean energy adoption—initial investment costs," says Pascale Favre, Head of Technology Lifecycle Solutions at BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions. "By combining our financial expertise with Segen's technical knowledge and distribution capabilities, we're making sustainable energy solutions accessible to more businesses while supporting their cash flow management." Nicolas Niedhart, Group Chief Financial Officer at Segen Global, comments, "Our installer network has been asking for integrated financing solutions that make the transition to renewable energy more affordable for their customers. Segen Finance transforms our installers into total solution providers, while allowing their customers to preserve capital for other strategic investments. This partnership represents a significant advancement in accelerating the clean energy transition."

New Pharos façade adds colour to Cardiff

A brand-new car park facility in Cardiff is being lit up as night falls thanks to an illuminated façade controlled by Pharos Architectural Controls, a British manufacturer of dynamic lighting controls for architecture, themed entertainment, and other industries. As a part of the Central Quay development in Cardiff, the eight-storey car park is notable for its contemporary design. The facility is located next to the central station, offering parking, electric vehicle charging stations, and bicycle racks. The contractor for the project, Goldbeck Construction Ltd, partnered with LED lighting solutions provider LITE to specify and supply the technology to fulfil the design. The lighting needed to be fully programmable and colour controllable, so LITE turned to Pharos Architectural Controls. The LITE team selected a Pharos Designer LPC 4 (Lighting Playback Controller 4) for the project, in conjunction with a 5G router for remote connectivity. The Designer LPC features individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes. The LPC is controlling a high number of Studio Due luminaires. In total, 88 of the manufacturer’s RGBW Compactbar 150cm solution were used on the installation. Through the LPC, the lighting can be changed from one colour to another, while multiple colours, patterns, and arrays are also available. The installation is connected to Pharos Cloud, providing remote lighting installation control and management from any internet-connected device. An on-site demonstration was also carried out with the selected products part-way through the car park’s construction. Ryan Sainsbury, Regional Sales Manager for UK & Northern Europe at Pharos Architectural Controls, comments, “While it is easy to think of a car park simply as a functional facility, the vision for Central Quay’s development has seen beyond that. The lighting during darkness is a stunning addition to the area, bringing an array of colours that are visually appealing. The LPC is the ideal solution for a lighting project on this scale, so we are delighted our technology has been chosen to deliver these remarkable results.” Paul Taylor, Director at LITE, adds, “When exploring the brief for a fully programmable and colour controllable lighting system at the Central Quay car park, we immediately knew the LPC from Pharos Architectural Controls would deliver everything we needed. The power and versatility of the LPC never ceases to impress us. From its reliability to its custom web interfaces, compact form and minimal power requirements, we are always completely confident in specifying the Designer LPC to our clients.” For more from Pharos, click here.

The hidden cost draining installer profits

Callbacks are more than just an inconvenience for installers - they’re a silent profit killer. For many plumbing and heating professionals, a small oversight can cost more than a return trip. It can damage reputation, cut into margins and, in worst-case scenarios, pose serious risks to life. Arctic Hayes, a UK supplier of specialist heating and plumbing consumables, is calling on the trade to take a closer look at the true cost of callbacks and how preventative tools and checks can stop small issues becoming costly ones. "Every time an installer goes back to a job, they’re not just losing time, but also eroding trust,” says Lee Parsons, Managing Director of Arctic Hayes. “The real cost is often invisible until it starts to hurt the bottom line - and when safety is involved, the stakes are even higher.” Many callbacks caused by small oversights – like an unchecked joint, missed leak, or loose seal – are all too common. These minor errors can quickly escalate, draining valuable time and resources. Beyond lost labour hours and fuel costs, repeat visits reduce scheduling efficiency and can put pressure on customer satisfaction. More worryingly, when those oversights involve gas leaks or carbon monoxide, the implications are potentially life-threatening. Arctic Hayes claims its tools, like the Gas Leak Detector Spray and Smoke Pen Kit, can catch early-stage issues before they escalate. The company’s CO detection and flue testing products are, they say, also widely used by heating and plumbing professionals. “Prevention is always better than a cure. Whether it’s testing joints, checking for fumes, or carrying out a quick visual inspection with a smoke pen, there’s no excuse not to double-check,” continues Lee. “Investing in the right tools upfront helps installers avoid costly callbacks, keep customers safe, and protect their reputation – it more than pays for itself in time, trust, and peace of mind."

Basor helps deliver Lincoln Council refurbishment

UK manufacturer of electrical installation products Marshall-Tufflex’s range of Basor metal cable management has been utilised for the refurbishment of Lincolnshire County Council’s Orchard House. The newly opened Orchard House in the centre of Lincoln includes both the city’s new, larger registry office and office accommodation for Lincolnshire County Council staff. Before Orchard House could fulfil this role, the council needed to undertake a refurbishment of the building. A key part of this was installing new cabling to ensure the five floors of 600m² office space had the power and data connections required, as well as connections for fire alarms and emergency lighting throughout the building. Brook & Mayo, which received the contract to carry out the electrical installation, looked at the cable management options available. The cables specified included standard Twin and Earth low smoke and fire (LSF) cable, fire resistant cables for the alarms and lighting, CAT6 data cables, and Steel Wire Armoured (SWA) submain cable. Therefore, it needed different cable management products to suit the various cables, including heavy duty solutions that could handle the weight of armoured cable. Working with electrical wholesaler LEW in Lincoln, the Brook & Mayo team selected Basor metal cable tray, both medium and heavy duty, and Basor fast fit wire basket. Basor products are exclusively supplied in the UK by cable management specialist Marshall-Tufflex. Stephen Roberts, Buyer at Brook & Mayo, states, “We only use metal cable management systems on our projects for the strength, durability, and simplicity of meeting the fire safety requirements of the Wiring Regulations with regard to the premature collapse of cables. However, on this project we needed quality products that were also priced competitively and could be supplied with minimal lead times to ensure our installation team could complete the work in accordance with the wider refurbishment programme. All these requirements could be met by using the Basor tray and basket from the Marshall-Tufflex range.” The Basor metal cable tray features a fast-coupling design that allows the sections to be bolted together with no need for separate couplers. For the Orchard House project, Marshall-Tufflex supplied a range of fittings including equal tee, 90-degree flat bend, and four-way equal cross sections. Adrian Bryant, Regional Sales Manager at Marshall-Tufflex, concludes, “The Orchard House project highlights the benefits of the Basor metal cable tray and basket products, including the durability and the fast and simple installation process. The tray has a wide range of components and fittings to suit almost any installation requirement, while the basket can be easily adapted based on the needs of the installation area, including complicated changes in direction. As with this project, the Marshall-Tufflex nationwide distribution network means the products can be quickly supplied when and where they are needed.” For more from Marshall-Tufflex, click here.

NG Bailey completes electrification of Hengrove bus depot

NG Bailey, an independent services and engineering company, has completed work on the electrification of First Bus’s Hengrove depot in Bristol as it continues to support the company’s commitment to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035. The new depot has capacity to charge the 74 new electric buses joining the city’s network, with each bus saving about 75 tonnes of CO2 each year. The upgrade comes as part of a £37.4 million investment by First Bus at the Hengrove depot and is supported by £6.6 million of government funding through its Zero Emissions Bus Regional Areas 2 (ZEBRA2) scheme. NG Bailey led on the development and installation of all the electric vehicle (EV) chargers at the site, including all associated low voltage (LV) electrical infrastructure and civils work. This included the installation of five 70m overhead gantry structures that minimise any loss of parking and allow cables to be lowered automatically to the vehicles. The new depot features 26 Heliox Flex 180 kW chargers with 77 reels and six Heliox Rapid 36kw all in one chargers, both of which deliver consistent power and maximum uptime while reducing energy wastage. Now completed, it means the site is one of the largest EV gantry installations in the UK. Alex Chilvers, Director for NG Bailey’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure team, says, “The completion of the site in Hengrove marks a significant milestone in First Bus’s journey towards a zero-emission fleet and we are pleased to be playing a pivotal role in delivering the infrastructure that will make this possible. We also worked hard to manage logistics and safety on site, ensuring all the work was completed while the site remained fully operational. “If the UK is to meet its ambitious goals for decarbonisation, the adoption of EVs across public transportation is vital. Marking one of the largest EV gantry installations in the UK to date, this project will make a real difference to supporting not only First Bus’s wider sustainability goals, but the electrification of transport across the UK.” For more from NG Bailey, click here.

HIKMICRO launches AI algorithm for thermal imaging

Thermal imaging company HIKMICRO has launched two algorithmic functions: SuperScene and SuperScene+. Both products follow on from SuperDetect, HIKMICRO’s first proprietary algorithm that identifies problematic water leaks by analysing sound frequency, intensity, and spatial characteristics. “We are renowned for delivering high quality thermal imaging technology to the mass market in an accessible and cost-effective manner, but this is a transformational chapter, even by our standards,” claims Stefan Li, HIKMICRO Overseas General Manager. “These ultra smart algorithms optimise detection like never before and bridge the gap between complexity and simplicity, turning advanced diagnostics into actionable insights for first time users and seasoned professionals alike.” Designed to identify air leaks, heat loss, and moisture damage in homes, SuperScene is available on HIKMICRO’s handheld and pocket devices (Eco, Eco-V, B20S, B21LS, PocketE, Pocket2, running V 5.5.82) and is a deep learning algorithm intended to simplify the inspection process and make home inspections faster. It focuses on a vast collection of thermal images representing typical issues such as insufficient insulation and water leakage. This seeks to enable the software to quickly and accurately identify potential insulation deficiencies and suspicious water leaks during Infrared (IR) inspections. The product is currently available in beta. For experienced, professional users, HIKMICRO’s 256x192 IR resolution handheld and pocket series cameras (B20S, B21LS, Pocket2, running V 5.5.82) also offer a new Pro Scene function, whereby a colour algorithm works with additional tools like hygrometers to analyse and alarm thermal images based on temperature and humidity data. During IR home inspections, this should help pinpoint potential insulation defects (marked with a blue alarm) and suspicious moisture issues (marked with a green alarm). A scene pre-set quick switch also enables customisation for different scenarios. SuperScene+ brings automated risk detection for electrical panel inspection and PCB safety, aiming to simplify workflows via built-in algorithms that identify temperature measurement targets in specific scenarios and determine if anomalies exist. In electrical panel inspection, image recognition and Delta T (ΔT) algorithms are combined to locate overloaded/degraded fuses through absolute temperature alarms and relative difference warnings. Micro-temperature sensing can also, according to the company, detect thermal differences as low as 0.5°C, flagging potential hazards before they escalate. For PCB inspection, pre-configured templates plus AI calibration can batch screen high-density boards to identify short circuits, cold joints, and overloads. For more from HIKMICRO, click here.

Sales surge shocks electrical manufacturers

A remarkable first quarter sales performance for UK electrical manufacturers has flown in the face of low business confidence amongst SMEs. New figures show the average small-medium UK electrical manufacturer made 152% more sales revenue in Q1 2025 than Q4 2024, and 55% more year-on-year. The findings – based on direct data from over 600 UK firms using inventory management software provider Unleashed’s service – show pessimism amongst the business community may be unfounded. Recent Q1 business confidence surveys show overall confidence turned negative for the first time since 2022 on the back of tax rises, inflation, weak growth, and increased global uncertainty. However, the stellar sales performance in the electrical industry – alongside a 70% uptick in profitability against Q4 – suggests international market turmoil has created a silver lining for UK electrical businesses. Joe Llewellyn, GM of ERP Small Business at The Access Group, the parent company of Unleashed, says the unusual business conditions of the first three months of the year had generally played out well for the country’s smaller producers, as had falling bank rates: “Anecdotally, what we’re hearing from some of our customers is that Q1 brought welcome windfalls. Some tariff-affected international customers have turned to UK firms to do business, while others raced to order more before tariff pauses came off. That’s delivered a shot in the arm for some firms but, more importantly, we’re hearing that steadily falling bank rates are starting to stimulate the economy, which obviously is very welcome to UK manufacturers who’ve posted a really strong start to the year.” Unleashed’s data also showed profitability improving as manufacturers held off purchasing new stock, preferring to eat into inventory reserves where possible. While Gross Margin Return on Inventory (GMROI) for the average electrical manufacturer dropped by 13% YoY, it jumped 70% QoQ to £3.33 return for every pound spent on buying stock. This was thanks in part to further falls in delivery lead times, down to 16 days on average. Faster delivery times allow businesses to reorder in smaller quantities, which is a more cost-efficient way to generate sales that improves margins. It’s also possible that the higher profit margins seen in Q1 were caused by purchasing managers deferring their inventory replenishment spend in response to low GBP-USD exchange rates. In January, the pound dipped to $1.22, making international purchases more expensive for UK buyers of US-dollar denominated goods. By the end of March, however, the exchange rate had trended favourably and reached $1.34 at the end of April. Across all of the 12 manufacturing categories analysed, sales were up by 30% in Q1 2025 compared to Q4 2024 – and 13% year-on-year. Profitability also jumped by 10% in Q1 2025 with £4.03 generated for every pound spent on stock. Almost all manufacturing categories saw a positive quarter-on-quarter sales performance, with only Electronics & Telecoms and Food seeing a decline at -23% and -34% respectively. All categories benefited from reduced lead times, with Sports & Entertainment leading the way with a 45% drop - from 22 days to 12. The amount of excess stock held by each company also fell in many categories, including Industrial Machinery which saw the most dramatic decrease at -68%.

Darren Jones MP visits centre training electricians in Bristol

Darren Jones, MP for Bristol North West, has visited the NAPIT Training Centre in Avonmouth to see the work being done to train and upskill electricians and installers of low carbon technologies. NAPIT, a UK-based certification and registration body for electrical, plumbing, heating, and renewable energy installers and contractors, represents over 20,000 skilled installers across the UK's electrical, heating, plumbing, ventilation, microgeneration, and building fabric sectors, and has been in the electrical industry for over 30 years. The training centre offers courses in solar PV, fire detection, and fire alarm systems, energy storage systems, electric vehicle charging installations, and essential electrical safety and regulations. Stephen Melton, Commercial and Compliance Director at NAPIT, says, “We are grateful to Mr Jones for taking the time to visit our centre in his constituency. “NAPIT and its members will be key to ensuring there are sufficient skilled installers in the electrical, heating, plumbing, ventilation, microgeneration trades and will be on the front line of the transition to Net Zero. “We are keen to promote the growth opportunities to our members from the Government’s housebuilding and clean energy initiatives and are pleased to be able to support those wanting to upskill and take advantage of those opportunities here in Bristol.” Darren Jones MP comments, “The transition to Net Zero is in the DNA of this government because it is the route to energy security, lower bills, and good jobs for this country. “I was delighted to hear about the work that NAPIT is doing here in Bristol North West to certify, train, and upskill people for the skilled jobs that will be created." For more from NAPIT, click here.

Europa unveils new wireless cable replacement system

Europa, a UK distributor of electrical components, has announced the launch of its new wireless cable replacement system, Parrot. The company's product aims to eliminate the need for expensive cabling and containment in industrial environments. The system comprises of pre-configured transmitters and receivers, designed for installation on a standard DIN rail. Utilising long-range wireless technology, Chirped Spread Spectrum (CSS), and Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Parrot intends to deliver robust, long-range telemetry and achieve operating distances of over 8km line of sight in outdoor industrial settings with the correct configuration. The system has been tested in demanding environments, with the aim of providing a method of transmitting signals where traditional cabling is impractical or cost-prohibitive. The system can be used for tasks including remote gate controls, spotlights and switch gear, and measuring wind speed, temperature, and pressure. [embed]http://youtube.com/watch?v=tZ8KEdIOovg[/embed] Rob Aitken, Technical Director at Europa, says, “The Parrot system leverages decades of accumulated knowledge and specialised expertise in industrial monitoring, control, and wireless communication. This suite of innovative wireless cable replacement devices is designed to streamline deployments by removing the need for expensive cabling or adding telemetry in places where it wasn't previously possible. “Parrot aligns perfectly with our mission to simplify and modernise industrial control solutions.” Europa plans to introduce 15 new products in 2025, spanning both digital and physical electrical components. For more from Europa, click here.

Knightsbridge introduces new modular LED battens

Knightsbridge, a UK manufacturer of wiring accessories and lighting, has introduced its BATM range of single colour and tri-CCT, quad-wattage modular LED battens. The company says it uses advanced modular design to meet a wide range of lighting needs with fewer parts, reducing stock requirements for suppliers and installers. The BATM’s design allows for conversion to emergency, microwave, or a combination of both using plug-and-play accessories. It is also a replacement for the BATS LED battens. Installation has been designed to be quick with push-fit terminals, loop-in/loop-out wiring, rear and end 20mm conduit entries, and standard 600mm fixing centres. BESA box compatibility and a hinged gear tray are also intended to support a retrofit-friendly installation. With an efficiency of up to 140 lumens per watt, the BATM should reduce energy consumption compared to traditional lighting fixtures. There are also a selection of accessories, including an emergency kit and a microwave sensor. The emergency kit features a three-hour lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, and the microwave sensor is adjustable so that the detection area, hold time, and lux level can all be optimised. Operating at 230V with an IP20 rating, the BATM entry batten offers a 4000K colour temperature and is available in wattage options of 10W, 20W, 32W, 36W, 43W, and 48W. Beyond that, the BATMCW4, 5, and 6 are tri-CCT – 3000K, 4000K and 57000K – and each quad-wattage is adjustable between 17W and 49W depending on the model. Warranties of five years exist for BATM and seven years for BATMCW4, 5, and 6. For more from Knightsbridge, click here.