Vent-Axia marks 90th anniversary with commemorative tree planting

Ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has marked its 90th anniversary with a commemorative tree planting near its Crawly headquarters A fastigiate oak was planted in Crawter’s Brook People’s Park by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, John Barclay, DL, as part of the anniversary celebrations attended by the Mayor of Crawley, Councillor Marion Ayling, Peter Lamb MP for Crawley, Steve Sawyer, Executive Director of the Manor Royal BID, and representatives from the Crawley Museum. Founded in 1936 by Joe Akester, inventor of the world’s first electrically-operated window fan, Vent-Axia's history includes supplying ventilation to Sir Winston Churchill for his Chartwell home in 1945.  To commemorate the milestone, Vent-Axia also funded a new planting scheme at Crawter’s Brook, in collaboration with the Manor Royal BID, helping to enhance biodiversity in the area. Students from Crawley College also produced an engraved commemorative oak plaque to mark Vent-Axia’s 90th Anniversary tree planting at Crawter’s Brook People’s Park. Graham Sanders, Managing Director at Vent-Axia, says: “We are delighted to be celebrating our 90th Anniversary at Vent-Axia. From Joe Akester’s invention of the world’s first electrically-operated window fan in 1936 to the ventilation solutions we develop today, innovation has always been at the heart of our business. "We are very proud of our British manufacturing heritage, and it is particularly fitting to mark this milestone by supporting a project that will benefit the local environment and community of Manor Royal that has been home to our HQ for nearly 70 years." Further anniversary celebrations took place at Vent-Axia’s headquarters in Fleming Way, Crawley, which was decorated with bespoke bunting, made from recycled materials and featuring the company’s special 90th Anniversary logo. Guests heard a presentation on the company’s 90-year history and viewed a special exhibition co-curated with Crawley Museum. Featuring historical photographs, archive ventilation equipment and artefacts, the exhibition included a commemorative booklet recording the 1950 visit of HRH Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, when she officially named Manor Royal and planted a tree in Crawley town. Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, John Barclay, DL, adds: "90 years is a remarkable achievement, and Vent-Axia’s history is one of innovation, engineering excellence and an enduring commitment to improving the indoor environments in which we live and work. Today’s celebrations have recognised that heritage while looking firmly to the future. "Through the company’s support for Crawter’s Brook People’s Park and the planting of the oak tree, Vent-Axia is making a lasting contribution to biodiversity and the local community. I congratulate Vent-Axia on 90 years of achievement and wish the company continued success and a sustainable future."

Awaab’s Law Phase 2: 5 things you need to know

From 30 November, electrical hazards in social homes in England fall under Awaab's Law's fixed repair deadlines. Here's what electricians and contractors working in social housing need to know What is Awaab's Law? Awaab's Law is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his social home. It requires social landlords in England to investigate and repair emergency and significant hazards within set timeframes, and Phase 1 began on 27 October 2025, covering emergency hazards and significant damp and mould. Phase 2 widens it. Here's what that means for the electrical trade: 1. Electrical hazards are now in scope From 30 November 2026, Awaab's Law extends to excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene, where they present a significant risk of harm. Emergency hazards of any type, apart from overcrowding, are already covered, so something like exposed wiring has been in scope since Phase 1. 2. The timescales are tight Landlords must investigate and make emergency hazards safe within 24 hours and investigate potential significant hazards within 10 working days. They must give tenants a written summary within three working days of the investigation ending, complete safety work within five working days of it ending, and begin preventative work within five working days, or within 12 weeks at the latest if it can't start sooner. Tenants can take legal action for breach of contract if their landlord fails to comply. 3. What counts as an electrical hazard The guidance covers unsafe installations and fixed equipment, including defective sockets, switches, consumer units and light fittings. It gives exposed live parts and damaged socket-outlets as examples of emergency hazards, and deteriorated installations needing remedial work as significant ones. EICR codes can help triage, but they aren't the test. The guidance's own example is a pregnant tenant with a toddler, where an EICR with several C3 observations, no surge protection and an older consumer unit still counts as a significant hazard. A C3 on a consumer unit with no vulnerability involved is out of scope. Appliances that aren't part of the building are out of scope. 4. Competence and speed will be tested Landlords must ensure investigations are carried out by someone competent, and electrical hazards should be investigated and remedied by a qualified and competent electrician. Landlords remain responsible for their contractors and are advised to review contracts to make sure they match the new obligations. In practice, expect landlords to ask for faster response times; prompt information for tenant summaries; and reports of any other hazards you spot on site. 5. It's England and social housing only, for now Awaab's Law applies only in England, and Phase 2 covers social landlords, not private ones. The Renters' Rights Act gives the government the power to extend it to private landlords, but that needs separate regulations and there is no confirmed start date. A consultation on extending it to the private sector closes on 18 December 2026. Phase 3 will extend it to all remaining hazards apart from overcrowding. What to do now - Check your social housing contracts for response times and reporting routes. - Make sure your team can respond within 24 hours to exposed live parts or damaged sockets. - Keep records, including photos and access attempts, to help landlords show they've done what's reasonable. - Remember that installation work must still meet the current BS 7671, which is Amendment 4 since 15 October. ECN will be explaining the main changes over the coming weeks. Send your questions to will@allthingsmedialtd.com.

Andersen to supply EV chargers for new luxury car showroom

Andersen EV has been selected to provide 10 electric vehicle (EV) charge points at The Firs, a new luxury car showroom spanning more than 80,000 sq ft in Hook Norton, the Cotswolds The installation comprises four Andersen A2 charge points capable of charging at up to 22 kW and six Andersen A3 units rated at 7 kW. The chargers have been positioned at key points across the site, which is owned by luxury vehicle firm Tom Hartley Jnr. Officially opened on 29 June 2026, The Firs features a vehicle display area, reception and client lounge, detailing facilities, a photography studio and a car barn. Andersen’s design-led charging points were selected to sit within the environment while ensuring the new establishment can accommodate electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles alongside the classic and performance cars the business is known for. David Martell, CEO of Andersen EV, says: “Tom Hartley Jnr operates at the highest echelons of the automotive market, where every product and every detail is expected to meet the highest technical and aesthetic standards. Andersen was founded on the belief that EV charging should be approached in the same way, combining advanced technology with premium materials and considered design. “Increasingly, clients, visitors and staff at The Firs will be using EVs and other plug-in cars. This installation provides the charging capability the business needs, while working in harmony with the stunning new showroom and display environment.” For more from Andersen EV, click here

Electrical skills shortage persists in Kent's £4.9bn construction sector

Electrical installation is among the trades facing a skills shortage in Kent – where the construction sector is worth £4.9 billion – according to new analysis from field service management platform Field Ascend Employers in the county have reported shortages in electrical installation, plumbing and heating, carpentry and joinery, bricklaying, plastering, scaffolding, groundworks and plant operation. The latest Kent and Medway Local Skills Improvement Plan warns that major projects, including the Lower Thames Crossing, are expected to keep demand for skilled workers high. Construction accounts for 18.4% of businesses in Kent, compared with 15.6% across the South East and 14.1% across England. The sector supports 50,500 jobs in the county, or around 58,000 across Kent and Medway, with almost half of construction roles classed as skilled trades. Field Ascend also ranked UK local authorities by the proportion of businesses operating in trades. Gravesham placed third nationally at 30.8%, followed by Medway (13th, 28.3%), Swale (15th, 26.3%) and Maidstone (21st, 25.8%). Richard Skelson, Managing Director at field service management platform Field Ascend, comments: "Kent has a large trades and construction workforce, but shortages across several skilled professions mean many businesses are already trying to manage busy workloads with limited capacity. “When teams are stretched, even small operational delays can have a knock-on effect. Engineers still need access to schedules, job details and customer information while moving between sites, and losing connectivity can make that harder. “For homeowners, that can mean slower updates, rearranged appointments or longer gaps between stages of a job, particularly when local businesses are already balancing high demand with shortages in skilled labour. “Gravesham stands out because nearly a third of local businesses operate in trades, while several other Kent areas also rank prominently. With so much of the local economy depending on field-based work, businesses need processes that allow jobs to keep moving without every task relying on a live mobile connection."

One step at a time: the benefits of interoperable technology in automation modernisation

By John Mackey, Head of Automation Sales, WAGO UK & Ireland The internet, one of the most transformational technologies shaping the 21st century, demonstrates the value of common, open networking standards. Any internet-connected device can use standard protocols for finding and sharing files, which means that consumers can use any PC or smartphone without having to worry about whether it can access websites or play a YouTube video. The same principle applies in industrial and building automation. In the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), sensors, controllers, actuators, software and data systems are connected through a range of networking technologies and open standards, giving operators flexibility to integrate equipment from different manufacturers. The industry bodies which maintain fieldbus standards, such as PROFINET or EtherCAT, also provide open specifications for their connectivity technologies. These specifications allow different manufacturers of connected equipment to ensure that their products are interoperable. Incremental gains from interoperable systems The interoperability across building and industrial networks is giving rise to a new approach to the implementation of automation technology. The traditional approach has been ‘death or glory’, to use a military metaphor: committing to an all-new installation in a large, monolithic system planned and provided by a single equipment manufacturer. The rationale is that everything – network, devices, controllers – comes from a single source, so the supplier guarantees that all the components work together. But the costs associated with this single-supplier assurance are steep: • Financial cost – the approach requires them to make a substantial upfront capital investment • Operational cost – the all-or-nothing switch causes disruption to staff and processes as legacy equipment is decommissioned • Configuration cost – limited to a single supplier’s product portfolio, users are denied the freedom to choose other devices which might fit their application’s requirements better In other words, in exchange for the promise of a fully integrated, all-in-one system, users bear the risk of becoming locked into the products and services of a single supplier. The interoperability provided by the IIoT and open connectivity standards frees automation system users from this trap. Now it has become possible to make continual, incremental gains in operational efficiency, the ethos which has worked so well for sports teams such as British Cycling, without the disruption caused by an all-new installation. This approach enables operators to maintain their legacy systems, while performing staged upgrades either of individual items of equipment or of sections of an automation system. In this approach, operators can prioritise those elements which will provide the biggest operational improvement or return on investment, while keeping the rest of a proven system in place. Open standards can also improve resilience by widening the pool of potentially compatible components and suppliers from which replacement parts may be sourced, provided always that the parts are evaluated for their ability to meet the application’s functional, safety, certification and configuration requirements. This is why small and medium-sized industrial and commercial organisations are taking a fresh look at automation modernisation. A gradual approach allows them to prioritise the investments that offer the strongest operational benefit or return, while reducing disruption and implementation risk. By upgrading in stages, organisations can test, review and refine each element before proceeding further. For users who value flexibility, resilience and efficiency, incremental modernisation provides a practical and lower-risk path forward. For more from WAGO, click here. This article is sponsored by Wago UK

Nexos Group consolidates brands under new integrated identity

Nexos Group has consolidated its specialist consulting, engineering, power technology and delivery organisations under one umbrella  The move sees Nexos Power (formerly Powerstar), Nexos Consulting (formerly OSL Consulting Engineers), Kelton and Nexos Solutions come together as Nexos Group. The new group structure means Nexos Power’s existing customers can now engage with a single group capable of supporting multiple projects, from feasibility studies and front-end engineering through to power system design, battery energy storage deployment, transformer solutions and project delivery: Nexos Consulting: engineering expertise to help clients understand their challenges and identify opportunities with technical insights. Nexos Solutions: engineering, procurement and construction expertise across the energy, infrastructure and power sectors, bridging the gap between strategy and project execution. Kelton: specialist measurement that supports the operation of energy infrastructure to help customers make operational, commercial and regulatory decisions. Dan McAteer, CEO at Nexos Group, explains: “It’s about giving our customer base a cohesive platform through which they can access our full-service offering. By operating as one group, we’re making it simpler and clearer for clients to engage with us, regardless of the solution they require.” “Nexos Power, formerly Powerstar, has extensive expertise in helping customers reduce energy demand while improving resilience and stability. That capability is becoming increasingly important as organisations look for greater control over their energy infrastructure.”

Luceco warns 'growth will be stifled' unless sector supports apprentices

The Trade Sales Director for UK lighting manufacturer Luceco has issued a stark warning about the critical need to attract more young people into apprenticeships if there is to be "any hope" of the industry achieving its "rich growth potential" Speaking during an industry-wide gathering hosted by the Scottish section of the Electrical Distributors’ Association at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Ian Hunter said the electrotechnical industry has the capacity and capability to service a much bigger market, but that ambition would be stifled without enough skilled people to carry out the work. Hunter's message comes after Luceco last month pledged to invest £18,000 to support apprentices in Scotland in partnership with Scottish trade association SELECT. Hunter, who began his career as an electrical apprentice, said: “What I am really concerned about, both short term and long term, is the shortage of skilled electricians, which is a major issue for everyone in this room. “I look at the incredible potential we have to provide products and services to an industry that is potentially much bigger than where we are today. “Advances in technology, product innovation, project management, same day stock availability, training, data, credit – they are all key ingredients in delivering the buildings of the future and the ongoing upgrade of the country’s existing portfolio and infrastructure. “We can meet growing demands, but we need more people to install those products.” Sharon Miller, Managing Director of SELECT, added: “The feedback from distributors, manufacturers and members has been very positive. conversation around the initiative has been strong with great feedback from distributors and manufacturers as well as the Electrical Contractors’ Association. “This partnership is a practical example of industry coming together to find solutions and support the next generation of electricians.” For more from Luceco, click here | For more from SELECT, click here.

Exclusive: what makes an electrical contracting firm attractive to buyers?

Joe Lewin, founder and CEO of corporate advisory firm DealFlowAgent, and Duncan Moore, Director of M&A, explain how electrical contractors can prepare their businesses for sale and strengthen their appeal to potential acquirers An acquirer that approaches the owner of an electrical contracting business must decide whether the profit will continue after the ownership changes. Acquirers of more than one type have been active in UK electrical services. In March 2026 a specialist services group acquired an electrical inspection, testing and compliance business. North American private equity firms have also announced investments in the sector. Warburg Pincus agreed to acquire a majority stake in the UK building compliance provider PTSG in May 2021, and H.I.G. Capital announced the acquisition of CPS Building Services in 2022. DFA expects an acquirer to apply four checks, and each rests on a record that an owner can prepare. 1. How much revenue repeats through inspection, testing and maintenance Acquirers separate recurring inspection, testing and maintenance revenue from new installation projects, because recurring work repeats on a schedule while project work has to be won again. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require in regulation 4(2) that systems are maintained so as to prevent danger so far as is reasonably practicable. The 2025 amendment extends the five-yearly inspection duty in the 2020 electrical safety regulations in England to the social rented sector. For tenancies granted before 1 December 2025, 1 November 2026 is the date before which a registered provider must complete the first inspection. Key action: Divide three years of revenue into recurring inspection, testing and maintenance work and new installation projects, and list each recurring contract with its renewal date and annual value. 2. Which accreditations the company holds The NICEIC Approved Contractor Scheme assesses a contractor's competence to carry out electrical work against BS 7671. An acquirer asks when each assessment falls due and what applies when ownership changes. Key action: List every accreditation the company holds and its next assessment date, and ask the scheme in writing what applies when ownership changes. 3. How much of the business depends on named individuals NICEIC requires a Principal Duty Holder and Qualified Supervisors, and a Qualified Supervisor needs at least two years' responsibility for electrical work. In the March 2026 transaction, the acquirer's announcement states that the founder and managing director will remain with the business. Key action: For each major client, write down who holds the relationship, who prices the work and who signs the test certificates, and name a second person for each role. 4. How concentrated the clients are and what the contracts allow Acquirers calculate each client's share of annual revenue and read each contract for its renewal date, break clause and change-of-control terms. A contract that the client can end at short notice after a change of control gives less certainty about future revenue, so the acquirer applies a lower multiple. Key action: Calculate the revenue share of each of the ten highest-revenue clients, and list the renewal date, break clause and change-of-control terms of each contract. How the four checks change what an electrical contracting business is worth Two electrical contracting businesses each reported EBITDA of £800,000 twelve months ago. EBITDA stands for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, and it is the annual trading profit to which an acquirer applies a multiple. Over the following year the owner of the first business optimised the business and operating model so that each check could be answered in writing, and the owner of the second business made no changes. At assumed multiples of six times and four times EBITDA, the first business is worth £4,800,000 and the second is worth £3,200,000, a difference of £1,600,000 on identical profit. The multiples are assumptions chosen to show the arithmetic, and they are not market averages. Key takeaways Acquirers of electrical contracting businesses check four records: how much revenue repeats through inspection, testing and maintenance, which accreditations the company holds, how much of the business depends on named individuals, and how concentrated the clients are. An owner who can answer each check in writing gives an acquirer more confidence in the profit. Two businesses with equal EBITDA of £800,000 are worth £4,800,000 and £3,200,000 at assumed multiples of six and four.

How electrical contractors can win more work with Google reviews

Grant Matthews, founder of marketing specialist Biz Support Digital, draws on research into thousands of UK trade businesses to determine how electrical contractors can use Google reviews to strengthen their online reputation It is half past seven on a wet Tuesday. The trip switch keeps going and the kettle won't boil. The homeowner picks up their phone and types "electrician near me". Google shows them a map and three local firms. Next to each name sits a star rating, the number of reviews and, a tap away, how long ago the last one was written. They ring the one that looks busiest and most trusted, and that is usually the one with plenty of recent reviews. The firm that gets the call is not always the best electrician in town. Quite often it is simply the one whose customers wrote something down. The numbers We looked at the Google reviews of 3,576 UK electrical businesses as part of a wider study of 41,873 trade and service firms. The ones that do get reviewed average 4.8 stars out of 5, so customers are clearly happy with the work. Yet 49% had no Google reviews at all, and 84% had fewer than ten. The study covered firms without a website, so it leans towards sole traders and small outfits that live on word of mouth and their Google listing. Those are exactly the firms that lose out most when a customer compares three names on a screen. In most cases the electrician simply never asked. Why reviews matter to Google as well as customers Google says it ranks local businesses on three things: how well they match the search, how close they are, and how well known they are. It names the number of reviews and the star rating as part of that last one. You can't move your van closer to every customer, but you can make sure the work you already do shows up. Customers also read the dates. A firm with 40 reviews, the newest from 2023, looks quieter than a firm with 25 reviews where the last one came in last week. People want to know you are still trading and still turning up. Step 1: get your review link Sign in to Google with the account that manages your business listing. Then search Google for your business name, typed exactly as it appears on your listing. A panel called "Your business on Google" appears at the top of the results. It is only visible to you, and it has a row of buttons: Edit profile, Read reviews, Photos and so on. Click "Ask for reviews". Google shows you a short link that takes a customer straight to the box where they leave stars and a comment. Copy it and save it on your phone as a note or a text shortcut so it is always to hand. If the panel doesn't show up, the name you typed probably doesn't match your listing exactly. Search "my business" instead, scroll down to "You manage these profiles" and click "View profile" next to your business. If you have no Google Business Profile at all, set one up first. It is free, and it is the listing that appears on the map. Step 2: ask on the day, by text The best time to ask is when the job is signed off and the customer is pleased: the lights are back on, the new consumer unit is labelled up, the EICR is in their inbox. Wait a week and they have moved on. A short text works better than a card left on the side. Something like: Hi Sarah, thanks for having us in today. If you're happy with the new consumer unit, a quick Google review would really help a small firm like ours. Here's the link: [your link]. Thanks, Dave Keep it personal and mention the actual job. Most people are glad to help when it takes thirty seconds and the link is right there. Step 3: ask everyone, and keep it honest Ask every customer, not only the ones you think will leave five stars. Google's rules don't allow you to pick and choose who gets asked, and a profile with nothing but perfect scores can look less believable than one with the odd four. Never offer a discount, a free test or anything else in return for a review, and never buy reviews or write them for yourself. Fake reviews and hidden paid-for reviews have been illegal in the UK since April 2025 under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, and Google removes them when it finds them. Step 4: reply to every review Replying shows the next customer that a real person runs the business and cares how jobs go. A line or two is plenty: Thanks, Mrs Davies. Glad the outside lights are working well, and thanks for the tea. The occasional poor review will happen. Reply calmly, keep it short and don't argue in public: Sorry the job ran into a second day, Mr Hughes. We found a fault in the old wiring that needed putting right before we could finish safely. Please ring me if anything isn't right. Step 5: keep the profile up to date Customers look at more than stars. Make sure your Google Business Profile says what you actually do, in the words customers use: EICRs, fuse box and consumer unit upgrades, EV charger installs, rewires, fault finding. Add the towns and villages you cover, your real opening hours and whether you take emergency call-outs. Add a few photos every month: tidy consumer units, finished jobs, your van with the name on it. If you are registered with a scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT, say so in the description. All of it helps a nervous homeowner decide you are a safe pair of hands. Make it a habit The firms at the top of the map rarely got there with one big push. They ask after every job, so one or two reviews come in most weeks and the newest one is never old. Try it for three months. Save the link, send the text the day each job is signed off, and reply to whatever comes in. For most small electrical firms that is enough to move from "no reviews" to looking like the busy, trusted firm customers ring first. Grant Matthews is the founder of Biz Support Digital

NAPIT outlines training support amid BS 7671 Amendment 4 rollout

Certification body and training provider NAPIT has outlined the range of resources available to its members to help them understand Amendment 4 to BS 7671 The regulation change took full effect on October 15, following the withdrawal of the previous version. NAPIT is supporting its members with a range of resources to help them understand the changes and keep their knowledge up to date, including virtual, online and classroom-based learning at NAPIT training centres, with options of one-and three-day courses. Amendment 4 publications are available to buy, including the Wiring Regulations, On-Site Guide and Guidance Note 3, as well as All NAPIT publications. NAPIT members can also use the NAPIT Knowledge Hub, which is a free member benefit. The CPD platform has three Amendment 4 webinars and automatically logs completed CPD, while enabling members to upload live webinar certificates. Stephen Melton, NAPIT Managing Director, says: “It’s key that electricians can stay up to date and deliver the highest professional standards. Through publications, training and CPD resources, members can stay compliant, up to date and maintain their professional knowledge as Amendment 4 comes into full force.” For more from NAPIT, click here | For more on BS 7671 Amendment 4, click here