KNIPEX presents its new products of the year

KNIPEX has recently announced its new products for 2023, and has therefore cordially invited those interested to check out the current KNIPEXupdate. KNIPEX is presenting its 2023 product highlights again online this year. The digital event is available from 5 April 2023 at 15:00. The online presentation can be viewed worldwide in German, English and with subtitles for other language versions on the KNIPEX YouTube channel. KNIPEX is presenting its current new products in an international online presentation - the KNIPEXupdate 2023. It provides a way for all interested viewers to get a first impression of the functions and possible uses of the products available. The digital product presentation can be viewed on the KNIPEX YouTube channel. The English language version can be viewed with Spanish, French, Italian, Polish or Turkish subtitles.

George Clarke delivers keynote at Tamlite Lighting event

The circular economy, sustainable specification and greening the built environment supply chain were amongst the recurring themes of a full day of thought-leadership at Tamlite Lighting’s latest Let’s Talk About Light event. The one-day event at The Belfry Hotel began with a keynote speech from architect, TV presenter and built environment campaigner George Clarke. Bringing together some of the UK lighting sector’s most influential figures as presenters and panellists, Let’s Talk About Light played host to nearly 40 of the UK’s leading lighting designers and consulting engineers. The event is the second of its kind - the first of which took place at London’s iconic building, The Shard in October 2022. Alongside George Clarke, the speakers were Bob Bohannon, Head of Policy and Academy at The Lighting Industry Association (The LIA), Lead author of the Society of Light and Lighting’s Lighting Guide Update, Iain MacCrae and Strategic Solution Sales Manager at Tridonic UK, Simon Blazey. More holistic specification Attendees, including representatives from CPW, Cardiff University, and Stewart Associates were treated to a programme of powerful content. Each of the speakers was charged with informing and educating the audience on a wide range of environmental, sustainability and lighting compliance issues including the TM66 Circular Economy Assessment Method, the forthcoming update to the SLL’s Lighting for Education Guidance - as well the role of light in delivering the UK’s net zero building ambitions. Connecting all the talks, including George Clarke’s keynote, was an impassioned plea for more holistic approaches to building design and management - as well as a less siloed approach to thinking about building services - and lighting in particular. ‘Not just London’ Darren Taylor, National Specification and Projects Manager at Tamlite, says that his team is delighted that Let’s Talk About Light is creating such a buzz in the industry. “This event offers a really fantastic format to anyone with an appetite for learning and inspirational content. My team was delighted to see so many of our regional specifier and end-user colleagues at The Belfry - it proves that there is plenty of demand for high-quality events outside of London, and I am so pleased that we are able to fill this gap. Let’s Talk About Light is unlike anything else in our sector - it’s clear that word is spreading about its role in bringing new conversations and new voices to the fore.” Thought provoking As with Tamlite’s London event, feedback from attendees has been extremely positive and validates the company’s decision to invest in content-led networking forums that offer an opportunity to learn from the industry’s leading figures. The Lighting team from CPW took to social media to praise Let’s Talk About Light as ‘Super thought-provoking… all of the speakers provided excellent insight.’ Delegate Alan Tyler, an Electrical Quality and Handover Manager (Projects) at Manchester Metropolitan University also found the format to offer a ‘very practical and thought-provoking’ programme of content. Midlands-based Ady Laing (Area Engineer at Coventry City Council) saw the event as an opportunity to learn more about lighting in his field. He says, “As I work within Lighting for education, it was great to hear plenty on this topic, and I certainly found it really useful, and I’ve had a great time.”

Evinox and Minibems merge with an investment from SET Ventures

Evinox and Minibems are merging due to receiving growth capital from SET Ventures. This capital injection enables the two companies to enhance energy efficiency and cost savings for heat network operators and residents. Heat networks, also known as district heating systems, supply heat to one or multiple buildings from a central source, such as a boiler or heat pump. These systems are becoming increasingly popular to decarbonise heat, however, they can be inefficient and costly to operate. Evinox provides a full range of equipment and services to heat network operators. The company has pioneered remotely connected heat interface units (HIU) designed for easy installation, operation and maintenance. Evinox has also supplied over 15,000 units for projects across the UK, including for developments such as Battersea Power Station, London City Island and Riverlight. Minibems has developed advanced control technology which optimises the operation of heat networks in real-time, using algorithms to predict and optimise the flow of heat to meet demand. By vastly improving network efficiency, energy consumption and carbon emissions, costs for heat network operators and residents can be reduced by more than 50%. "This is a powerful step to address the pressing needs of our industry for effective decarbonisation solutions," says Terry Mahoney, Managing Director of Evinox. "By combining our expertise and technology, we can offer a truly comprehensive range of products and services that guarantee energy efficiency. We are looking forward to the opportunities this merger will bring for our customers and for the industry as a whole." "We are thrilled to be partnering with Evinox to offer a complete solution for heat network operators," says Minibems CEO Simon Gunter, who will continue as Executive Chairman of the combined entity. "Combining Evinox smart HIUs with Minibems optimisation technology will help heat network operators to maximise efficiency and reduce the energy bill to residents." “Since our original investment in Minibems in 2019, we have been excited about the magnitude of the problem to solve in how we heat buildings,” says Anton Arts, Managing Partner at SET Ventures. “This business combination creates the undisputed leader that will boost the efficiency of heat networks and achieve emission reductions at scale. We are pleased to support these visionary management teams to achieve their ambition together”. This partnership ensures that heat networks can fulfil their commitment to decarbonise heat, by reducing the carbon intensity by 1 ton per apartment each year in existing networks, as well as by enabling the use of heat pump pumps as a low-carbon source of heat. In the UK alone, over £500 million in government funding has been made available to drive adoption to 20% of building stock.

Swalek talks results with Fergus

Swalek High Voltage Services is an engineering contracting company that specialises in providing high voltage maintenance and project services. Design and installation, transformer installation, testing and commissioning, maintenance, inspection and testing, and maintenance services: the company offers all of this and more. With bespoke maintenance solutions tailored to the specific needs of its clients, the company’s customers receive the most effective maintenance services possible, which helps to minimise downtime and maximise productivity. The company has been using Fergus to eradicate paperwork and improve efficiency behind the scenes. David Demock, Managing Director, says that before it adopted Fergus, Swalek used to manage its workload using a variety of spreadsheets, filing systems and folder systems which led to jobs getting forgotten. David says, “We found the biggest impact of Fergus has been its speed. As enquiries come through the door, it's really easy to jump on them quickly, assess the work content, fill in a new job on Fergus and get the quotation out of the door very quickly. The throughput of work from my desk has increased tenfold at least. “The other impact is the ability to keep track of who's paid invoices and who hasn't, so we can chase them. And there's an automatic system on Fergus that chases unpaid invoices after 30 days. All of that automation is going on the background, which frees up my time to develop and build the business.” One of the key benefits of Fergus is the ability to easily schedule and manage appointments with clients. You can quickly create meetings, set reminders, and send out automated confirmations and notices to clients. This helps ensure that appointments are kept and that clients are informed about any changes or delays. “One of the risks that comes with manual booking is human error. This can include overbooking, double-booking or overlooking essential job details,” says James Chillman, UK Country Manager for Fergus. “Good scheduling software will minimise these risks and provide you with a clear visual calendar that you can view on your dashboard. A visual calendar will allow you to see at a glance what needs to be done, along with any important appointments coming up so you can schedule jobs more effectively.” As Swalek has seen, one of the main advantages of job management software is the ability to easily generate invoices and manage payments. It can help businesses keep track of what services have been performed and at what cost, making it easy to generate accurate invoices and bill clients for services provided. “Fergus offers integrations with popular payment processing platforms, making it easy for businesses to accept payments from clients. Think of all that time you spend invoicing and chasing payment, and imagine getting it back for a bit of relaxation with family and friends” says James.

ESP offers new fire training session

ESP is boosting its free training sessions for contractors with the addition of a training day specifically designed for its MAGDUO two-wire fire alarm system. The MAGDUO system is aimed at small to medium projects, and offers a flexible and adaptable system that will save time and money on the installation process. Two-wire fire alarm systems are based on standard conventional system technology. Unlike standard conventional four-wired systems where the detectors and call points are wired onto a zonal circuit and alarm devices on a separate sounder circuit, MAGDUO utilises two-wire technology, which allows all devices to be wired on the same set of two-core zone cables back to the control panel - enabling it to use a single circuit per zone both for detection and alarm devices. This advanced technology can reduce both installation and material costs. During the one-day MAGDUO training course, attending contractors will benefit from a series of wiring tutorials and will be trained on panel configuration, panel operations and device set up. They will also be given an overview of the standard that applies to fire alarm systems - BS5839-1. All candidates completing the MAGDUO training programme will be issued with an attendance certificate. The new MAGDUO training day is offered in addition to the free training courses already run by ESP.  These are the ESP Product Overview which covers ESP’s core product categories - smart security, CCTV, access control, EVAC, fire protection, emergency lighting and Sangamo timers and controls, and the ESP Addressable Fire System Programming. This is aimed at competent contractors with a good knowledge of installation and regulatory requirements, when it comes to fire system installation. The session is practical based, with a supporting presentation, and the aim is to help the installer with the final programming of the ESP addressable fire system. The training dates confirmed for 2023 are as follows: 1 June 2023 5 September 2023 13 December 2023

SELECT pledges support for CQIC Charter

SELECT has re-affirmed its commitment to quality in Scotland’s construction sector by supporting the Construction Quality Improvement Collaborative (CQIC) Charter, which seeks to promote good practice in order to deliver improved performance. CQIC is a Scottish-based campaign for improving construction quality to meet the technical requirements involved in achieving net zero, delivering compliance to building standards, creating safer buildings, enabling improved productivity and sustainable profitability for businesses, and enhancing the reputation and image of the industry. Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, says, “As an organisation representing around 1,250 electrotechnical sector member firms across Scotland, we are pleased to support and commit to CQIC’s Construction Quality Charter since we believe it encapsulates the aims and objectives which we, too, share. “Since inception, SELECT has been at the forefront of the campaign to improve quality standards in all areas of our activities, and so we welcome the introduction of the CQIC Charter and trust that it will be supported by all businesses and organisations in Scotland’s construction sector. “To paraphrase CQIC’s own mission statement, we endorse the belief that to create a sustainable quality culture, everyone within the construction sector must be involved and be willing to commit to positive change.” Colin Campbell, an Associate Director of the Scottish Futures Trust, which has supported the CQIC since its inception and assisted in development of the Charter, says, “We greatly welcome endorsement of the Construction Quality Charter by SELECT. “The CQIC shares a vision for our industry where quality is central to all decision-making to create a sustainable quality culture - a quality culture that supports the ambitions set out in the Scottish Construction Accord. “We believe that creating a sustainable quality culture will be enabled largely through peer support. The opportunity will therefore be taken to link with existing groupings and collectives, such as SELECT, and to help create new engagement platforms where appropriate. “The CQIC will also seek to provide a source of support for the development of related Scottish Government policy and guidance.”

Develop Training announces the name of its artificial street project

Develop Training has announced that after a public competition, the official name for its to-scale artificial street will be Training Terrace. The training company ran the public competition to name the £400,000 project from 12 January to 28 February and received over 150 entries. The name Training Terrace was submitted by Shaun Gavin and Lindsay Talks, who have now both won a share of £500 worth of Amazon gift vouchers and will be invited to the street’s official opening event on 24 May. Located next to Develop Training’s York training centre in Huby, the artificial street consists of purpose-built houses, apartments, a café, and a confined spaces area. From here it will deliver training in emergency response to gas incidents, as well as excavation safety, cable avoidance, sewer jetting and confined space entry. The judging panel which selected the name was made up of senior members of staff across the JTL Group, of which Develop Training is a member, and created a 10-name shortlist before finally deciding on the winning name. Training Terrace will be now used in all communications regarding the street going forwards and immortalised in the area’s signage. Sanjeev Gill at Develop Training, says, “Our recent ‘Name the Street’ competition was a really fun way of getting our community of trainers, employers and candidates involved in a location that will become a cornerstone of Develop Training’s northern training offering. “We think that Training Terrace is a perfect name for the site and does justice to the function it will provide. All of us here can’t wait for the upcoming reopening of the York centre and the unveiling of Training Terrace. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this company, and certainly an exciting time to train with us too.”

J S Wright appoints Head of Procurement

J S Wright has appointed Tony Maxwell as its new Head of Procurement. Tony will be responsible for all operational and strategic procurement management including reviewing and negotiating trading agreements, sourcing best-quality sustainable and environmental products and supplier services, and maintaining and building relations with existing and new suppliers. Based at J S Wright’s London office, Tony will lead a procurement team that includes experienced M&E buyers and hirers. He will also join a head office team in Aston that is in the process of digitising the business practices and operations of J S Wright and its sister company Wright Maintenance to enhance operational efficiencies and compliance. With more than 30 years of experience in the building materials distribution industry, Tony has been a regional manager for both BSS and Wolseley UK, and for more than 20 years a branch manager for BSS where he was responsible for opening and managing new branches across London and the south east. Tony says, “I am keen to further develop J S Wright’s relationships with its partner suppliers as well as bring on more suppliers to support its ambitious five-year growth target. I also aim to keep J S Wright fully aware of how new products coming to market will be able to support the company’s ESG (Environment, Social and Corporate Governance) commitments.” Peter Grierson, J S Wright Managing Director, says, “I am delighted to welcome Tony to this key new role within our senior management team. Tony’s extensive experience in building product distribution and branch management will help us maintain our profitability and competitiveness, as well as our sustainability and environmental credentials, as we grow as a business.” Tony will also reinforce J S Wright’s commitment to supporting the mental health of its employees. As an active mental health campaigner, Tony was part of a team that raised more than £100,000 for the charity Mind by driving an old London black cab from Leicester to Lake Como in Italy and back.

Megger releases new multifunction tester

Wiring switchgear is all about safety and knowing what you are doing. The MFT-X1, designed by Megger, is an innovative multifunction tester that is intended to make electrical safety testing easier and more reliable. Its suitability for testing electrical appliances such as electric vehicle charging stations is just one example of the product’s versatility. Quick and reliable readings, as well as keeping plant downtime to the minimum, give companies a significant competitive edge by helping them save time and money. True loop impedance testing using Confidence Meter technology The MFT-X1 provides readings you can trust. Megger’s patented Confidence Meter technology supports loop impedance testing, which includes monitoring progress made and detecting any electrical noise that affects the circuitry. Moreover, inaccurate readings are removed to enable stable and consistent measurements. Thanks to Confidence Meter technology, two-core test leads and a high-voltage rating, low-impedance testing has now become a workable option. Which is precisely what the MFT-X1 designers at Megger had in mind when increasing meter resolution from 0.01Ω to 0.001Ω and upping the product current rating to 50kA. Adjustable RCD testing cycles The MFT-X1 enables automated RCD testing centred around user-specified parameters, such as consecutive measurement cycles and selected individual RCCD settings, depending on the type of testing to be carried out. In addition, ramp tests both optimise and simplify testing procedures. Using the MFT-X1 together with the Megger EVCA adapter allows electrical testing during commissioning and maintenance of all types of electric vehicle chargers, and during inspections of electric motors, machinery and power supply units. Easy tool-free battery change Talking about battery change, the MFT-X1 comes with a design that makes swapping NiMH battery packs a fast and easy process. The product is compatible with both Megger Li-Ion powerpacks and other AA-sized NiMH and alkaline batteries. Swapping rechargeable battery packs with the AA battery compartment is pretty straightforward. The device uses smart chip technology to ensure an accurate display of the battery status. Furthermore, changing batteries does not require any tools. Easy to use The design of the MFT-X1 centres around practicability. Selector switches and hot keys are easy to use, even when wearing gloves. If light conditions are poor, the colour screen can be switched to a monochrome display mode to improve readability. Readings are stored using any Android or iOS device that supports Bluetooth protocol: the data is forwarded to the cloud-based Megger Certsuite platform that also enables data processing. Moreover, the necessity to update the operating system won’t make the MFT-X1 temporarily unusable. The latest OS versions are available for download on the Megger web page, to be transferred to a micro-SD card which, in turn, is then used to update the multimeter.

EV owners in charge thanks to innovative app feature

Electric car owners can stay in charge even if there’s a power cut, thanks to innovation from UK Power Networks and ev.energy. The two companies have come together to launch a new feature in ev.energy’s app that tells customers of any power cuts in their area. This includes local power cuts which have been planned for grid maintenance reasons, so people can plan ahead and charge their cars in advance, or look for public charge points, minimising disruption in their day-to-day lives. The innovators hope it will be particularly helpful for drivers who depend on their electric vehicle for business, to attend medical appointments, carry out care responsibilities, or where it is their only mode of transport. Known as ‘Powercast’, the free feature works by linking ev.energy’s system with UK Power Networks’ live power cut data, which shares real-time information. ev.energy passes the key facts onto the driver and provides advice on alternative charging methods so that they can make an informed decision of what to do. Ian Cameron, Director of Customer Service and Innovation at UK Power Networks, says, “Powercast is a real game changer for people, especially those who are more vulnerable, as they rely on their cars to get to work, medical appointments and to look after family members. This notification system means that any potential negative impact is cut off at the pass. “It’s also a vital tool to help cut emissions in the race to net zero. Our research shows that the number of electric vehicles across London, the east and south east where we deliver power, is set to increase rapidly by 2030 to around five million vehicles. Making sure that we can direct drivers to working EV charge points to keep the region moving is hugely important - both now and in the future. This partnership has real potential to change the way we travel for the better.” William Goldsmith, Head of Grid and Data Services at ev.energy, says, “Thanks to work with UK Power Networks on the Powercast feature, customers can be prepared for every eventuality, without them having to do a thing. We know that owning an electric vehicle can present a unique set of challenges, so we want to make it as easy as possible for people. “Around 80% of EV charging happens at home, so the impact of a power cut could be wide-reaching amongst EV drivers. That’s why we’re excited to be able to trial a new type of notification with our drivers, informing them of when their charging may be disrupted by a power cut, helping to minimise disruption to their journeys.” At least 1,000 ev.energy customers registered in UK Power Network’s region will automatically receive notifications via the app, in a three-month trial which started in March. If successful, the enhanced app feature will be rolled out this autumn, and the number of customers benefitting could reach 13,000 users, with the hope that others will also adopt similar trials in their regions. If the trial works well, live power cut data will be made available to all app developers.