Hudson appoints new Projects Director

Hudson has appointed Paul Nolan as Projects Director. Paul brings extensive cable management expertise to the team, having worked in the industry for more than 30 years. He began his career in sales at Vantrunk and has since held senior business development roles at companies including Mita and Cablofil. At Hudson, Paul will be responsible for growing the group’s newly launched business, Milton, which specialises in corrosive and hazardous cable management. Milton has recently agreed a partnership with the Wibe Group to distribute Mita’s GRP cable management products and Wibe steel cable ladder systems to the UK. Milton joins two other companies that form part of Hudson, including RMS and Armorduct. Paul says, “There is a huge, untapped market for Wibe and Mita’s products in the UK, so it’s an exciting time to join the business. I’ll be working closely with M&E contractors to help position Milton as their first choice for cable management in hazardous and corrosive environments. Our priority is to provide cost-effective, durable solutions for demanding projects in sectors such as infrastructure, marine, power and industrial. “My vast experience of the cable management sector also means I can support the wider Hudson Group to bolster relationships with new and existing clients. With a strong vision focused on quality and innovation, Hudson has ambitious plans for growth and I’m looking forward to being part of that.” Hudson’s CEO, Simon Hudson-Smith adds, “Hudson now offers an unrivalled range of cable management products and solutions, putting the group in a strong market position and creating significant opportunities for further expansion. Paul’s expertise will be instrumental in helping us to strengthen our customer base and achieve our wider business goals. “Throughout his long and successful career, Paul has gained an extensive knowledge of cable management products which will enable us to seamlessly integrate Milton into the group and provide a new and specialist service to our clients.”

ECS Annual Review highlights raising standards

The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) has released its 2022 Annual Review, which highlights the cross-industry engagement to raise competency standards, the ongoing success of ECS Check, and the launch of the CSCS Smart Check app. ECS works alongside more than 100 organisations across electrical, fire and security, digital, network infrastructure, building controls, audio-visual, and the wider electrotechnical sector to collectively raise standards. In collaboration with other organisations, ECS reached milestones and contributed to key industry developments that will be vital to the advancement of the electrotechnical industry. More than 2,000 organisations have now registered with ECS Check, the free to access digital system that allows main contractors and clients to verify the ECS card of electrical personnel working on projects. April 2022 saw the launch of CSCS Smart Check, representing a historical and progressive step forward in building quality and safety. For the first time, all 2.1 million cards displaying the CSCS logo can be verified using a single app. The three-page document also reports on the Building Safety Act, industry group updates to the ECS Electrical Safety Unit and the resounding success of Remote Invigilation, the online assessment service for ECS Assessments. Jay Parmar, Chief Executive of the JIB, says, “ECS continues to play a crucial role in making the electrotechnical industry a forward-thinking and progressive sector that pushes for improvements in standards and competency. This Annual Review highlights the discussions, innovations and dedicated hard work that all contribute to raising the bar across multiple related sectors. ECS will continue to be a leading voice driving forward the change agenda to improve standards and deliver innovation across the wider industry.”

Baxi to deliver training and added installer incentives

Baxi has been working alongside the government to develop its new £5 million Heat Training Grant, designed to support 10,000 trainees to become low carbon heating experts with grants of up to £500 over the next two years. Baxi has pledged to match the £500 government grant with another £500 worth of Baxi Works loyalty points for installers who use the voucher to train and achieve Baxi’s BPEC accredited qualification. Upon completion of the course and registration of the installer’s first air source heat pump, points can be redeemed against a range of rewards including gadgets, vouchers, tools and workwear. “This is a great scheme, and we welcome the government’s focus on skills and its commitment to the installer community - who are keen to participate in the transition to decarbonised heating in buildings,” says Jeff House, External Affairs and Policy Director at Baxi. “The conversation on heat pumps has to move beyond purely product and must recognise the necessary industry change needed around specification, installation and maintenance - all of which will be addressed by the training programmes provided by us and others under the scheme. This is absolutely critical to gaining consumer confidence around new technology,” he adds. Baxi can deliver training through its own facilities in the Midlands and South East, and will make all course information and benefits available through the government’s linked web pages promoting the scheme to installers.  Individuals who sign up to Baxi’s loyalty scheme will receive vouchers towards a heat pump or other purchases, up to the value of the training they have completed at a Baxi training centre, using the government grant.

New grid site energised to power Ebbsfleet Garden City’s future

A new electricity grid site has been energised, providing essential new power infrastructure for the development of Ebbsfleet. The completion of the main grid site, which will be supported by two main electrical substations required by the new development, paves the way to power up to 15,000 new homes, schools and businesses. UK Power Networks’ new grid substation is a central part of an electrical engineering project that will deliver 77MW of power to Ebbsfleet residents, unlocking the potential for new neighbourhoods, new homes, jobs, schools and leisure facilities, and could also enable the connection of low carbon technologies as the UK progresses towards net zero. Mark Adolphus, Director of Connections at UK Power Networks, says, “Energisation of this new grid site marks an important milestone to help unlock the future growth and development of this area over the coming years. “We are delighted to be working closely with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation to help them realise their vision to transform this area into a vibrant new sustainable community.” The existing Northfleet east grid site has been reconfigured to enable two new 132,000v points of connection to the new Ebbsfleet Grid site. The new grid site involved installing two new 68-tonne transformers and a new 33,000v switch house and switchboard. Transformers play an essential role in delivering electricity by stepping down the voltage, to safely flow to homes and businesses. Simon Dudley, Chair, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, says, “This is an important milestone for Ebbsfleet, as we see the completion of the first stage of our core electricity infrastructure to support the next phase of our ambitions. We expect 5,000 new homes in Ebbsfleet up to 2025 and important employment sites, which actively contributes to the government’s Levelling Up agenda and drive towards net zero carbon.” UK Power Networks is delivering the project for Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, which was established by the government to accelerate delivery of thousands of new homes and create a 21st century ‘Garden City’, connected to London by the high-speed rail line in 17 minutes. Ebbsfleet Development Corporation will invest £30 million in the provision of new electricity substations and connections to cater for up to 15,000 homes and a new major mixed-use development at Ebbsfleet Central that will be the urban heart of the community.

Recolight welcomes scheme membership growth

During 2022, a total of 22 companies joined Recolight’s WEEE compliance scheme. And from the beginning of 2023, another eight companies joined Recolight. The new companies joining Recolight include TRT Lighting, Lumino Distribution, Llumarlite, Fotolec Technologies, Make and Test, XAL, Nitelux, and J. Adams & Co. Recolight CEO Nigel Harvey says, “We are delighted that so many lighting companies have transferred their WEEE compliance to Recolight. The Recolight team works incredibly hard to make sure we provide great collection, recycling and reuse services to our members. We have been instrumental in providing webinars, conferences and training workshops to drive sustainability within the industry, so it is particularly pleasing that more and more companies are choosing to trust Recolight for their WEEE compliance” 2023 promises to be a pivotal year for WEEE, with a major government review and consultation planned. Recolight will be working with members, old and new, to ensure that the needs of the lighting industry are fully represented. The opportunities and challenges for remanufacture in the lighting industry will be addressed in a Recolight conference on 27 April in London. The Recolight WEEE scheme members range from the world’s largest lighting companies, to small start-ups.

J S Wright appoints two new Associate Directors

J S Wright has promoted two of its senior managers to Associate Directors. Simon Bevin has been appointed Associate Director - IT and Support Services, while David Bradbury has taken up the role of Associate Director - Design, both based at the Aston headquarters of the 133-year-old Birmingham business. Simon joined J S Wright in 2007 as a CAD Technician and rose to CAD Manager and then CAD and IT Manager, having been successfully involved in a number of challenging technological projects. Peter Grierson, Managing Director of J S Wright, says, “Simon’s exceptional experience and performance will enable the company to move forward confidently in meeting customer expectations for technology-based solutions.” David joined J S Wright in 2014 as a Senior Design Engineer before being promoted to Design Manager. The mechanical engineering graduate is a fully accredited Heat Network Consultant and was recently made a Member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers. Peter says, “David has helped put J S Wright at the forefront of heat network design and installation and will be a key driver in maintaining the strength of our design department. “These promotions will strengthen our management structure and ensure that our ever-increasing workload is carried out to the highest standards. “They are also fitting reward for outstanding management success and prove our commitment to investing in the training and development of our people.”

Win a pre-paid fuel card with MK Electric

MK Electric is offering electrical contractors and installers the chance to win pre-paid fuel cards worth £100 each. There are 100 cards up for grabs, alongside hundreds of other prizes, as part of the company’s Fuel Up with MK promotion. Contractors and installers simply need to spend £50 or more on MK Electric products at participating distributors from now until 16 April 2023 to receive a scratch card and enter the prize draw. Each scratch card contains a unique code that can be used to submit an entry. Winners will be drawn after the promotion ends and receive a £100 fuel card (Mastercard pre-paid card). The entry closing date for the Fuel Up with MK prize draw is 16 April 2023. In addition to the £100 pre-paid fuel cards, there are hundreds more chances to win, but speed is key. The first 100 people to enter a scratch card will receive a Costa Coffee voucher for a free hot or cold drink, and the first 100 people to make three entries will receive a £10 Amazon e-voucher.

Thorn Lighting launches new luminaire for clean environments

Thorn Lighting has launched its new Duoproof 2 luminaire - an ideal choice for use in demanding environments where hygiene and reliability are crucial. This includes laboratories, cleanrooms, commercial kitchens, and industrial and pharmaceutical production facilities, all of which demand high-quality illumination, delivered by a robust and durable luminaire. Duoproof 2 ticks these boxes, with an LED panel that features a high level of resistance to chemical and heat, and IP65 protection against dust, dirt, steam and water. A smooth surface, rounded corners and the impermeable join between Duoproof 2’s polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cover and steel housing also result in an optimised hygienic design that allows for quick and easy cleaning maintenance cycles. But that’s not all. Here are just a few more highlights of Duoproof 2:  High temperature tolerance: Duoproof 2 is suitable for use in high temperature environments up to 50°C. Highly efficient: the luminaire can deliver up to 150 lm/W. Excellent optical light distribution and recyclability provided by the PMMA diffuser. Certification - Duoproof 2 is certified by Fraunhofer for cleanroom environments (ISO EN 14644-1) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). It also has the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety certificate. Duoproof 2’s Product Manager, Felix Breuss, says, “Our new indoor luminaire is especially attractive because of the breadth of its application usage. In spaces with stringent requirements - such as pharmaceutical, medical or food manufacturing - this luminaire can be trusted to perform and endure.”

A third of all tool theft is from vehicles

Metropolitan Police data has revealed that tool theft from a vehicle has increased by 25% in the last year - accounting for a third of all tool thefts recorded in 2021 and 2022. There were 34,712 tools stolen in London alone from January 2021 to October 2022. That’s a 62% increase on the 21,445 tools stolen from January 2019 to December 2020. Tradespeople are 10 times more likely to experience tool theft from a vehicle than they are from a building site or their place of work - with only 14% of cases leading to the suspect being identified. The Tool Theft in London 2022 report, collated by London telehandler hire specialist Herts Tools, come from a freedom of information request to the Metropolitan Police. The data reveals the impact of tool theft in London, the most affected industries and the types of tools that are targeted most often. Just 0.3% of all cases (three cases per 1,000) between January 2021 and October 2022 ended in a charge for the suspect. A suspect is 20 times less likely to be charged for tool theft from a vehicle than they are for any other theft category. Stefano Lobban, Director at Herts Tools, says, “It’s disappointing to see that the tool theft epidemic is getting worse in London, particularly from vehicles that now often have theft deterrents in place. “It’s not surprising to see that high-price items such as powered hand tools are still the most sought-after by thieves. Amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, the trade for second-hand (and potentially stolen) tools is booming, tempting more people into stealing tools. “We’re urging those across all trades to double-check they have theft security measures in place, to avoid falling victim to crime.” Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, says, “With eight in 10 builders reporting that they have had tools stolen before, tool theft is a serious issue for Britain’s tradespeople. It's a shame that over a 40-year working life, tradespeople will typically lose £10,000 and six working days to tool theft. Aside from the detrimental financial impact, tool theft causes mental health issues and stress for builders. “Builders can protect themselves by bringing tools inside at night, adding extra locks to their van and marking tools. Installing an affordable CCTV system is a further option, as well as registering tool serial numbers on an online database. They should also check their insurance policies to see what they have covered.” How to prevent tool theft Don’t store tools in your van overnight Get a tool safe if you have to leave any tools in your van Always lock your van’s doors during the day, to keep opportunistic thieves out Park in a busy area covered by CCTV Fit an alarm to your van Mark tools with your name and postcode Use security tags or chips to deter thieves and help recovery if something is stolen Apply brightly coloured paint to make them more identifiable and less attractive to thieves

Baxi and H2GO Power to tackle heat decarbonisation

Heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi and H2GO Power, hydrogen-based software and hardware solutions innovator, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising their commitment to develop innovative green hydrogen-based technology that will tackle both heat decarbonisation and energy reliability. The MoU was signed by Baxi’s MD, Karen Boswell, and Enass Abo-Hamed, H2GO’s CEO, at a presentation of their carbon-neutral Heat-in-a-box system held at Baxi’s Dartford Training Centre. The partnership includes an upcoming industrial scale trial of this unique containerised pre-heating solution which will be hosted by Northern Gas Networks (NGN) at its Low Thornley test facility. Pre-heating is an essential part of distributing gas. Before it can be transported to homes and businesses through the network, the pressure of the gas must be reduced. This process can cause it to freeze, so pre-heating takes place to allow the gas to flow. Traditional pre-heating units are highly energy and cost intensive. Heat-in-the-box will lower the cost of pre-heating, while delivering the supply at much lower costs for applications at a massive scale. The aim of the trial is to demonstrate how the Heat-in-a-box system can supply heat for gas pre-heating in a safe and carbon-neutral manner, with the potential to supply renewable heating for other operations. Heat-in-a-box combines electrolysis, hydrogen storage technology and Baxi’s hydrogen boiler, the first-ever pure hydrogen boiler for commercial applications. The end-to-end system will be powered by solar photovoltaics and supported by an AI-enabled optimisation software platform. As Heat-in-a-box can help maximise self-generated renewable electricity, it offers an interesting solution for multiple use cases – including decarbonising heat in off gas grid non-domestic buildings. Karen Boswell, Managing Director at Baxi UK & Ireland, says, “This partnership will deliver the world’s first commercial pure hydrogen boiler that will provide customers with greater flexibility in meeting their emissions reduction targets. Innovation projects like this are critical to understanding the role hydrogen can play in helping to decarbonise a range of sectors – including the difficult ones like heat.” Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, H2GO Power CEO, says, “We are pleased to be part of this world-first initiative. Today’s demonstration is a significant step as we explore the opportunities that could be unlocked through Heat-in-the box. Demand for heat is three times higher than the demand for power, while responsible for 40% of all global emissions. And we are determined to deliver a carbon neutral solution without compromising on cost and productivity to be used across key industries including as ceramics, glass, cement, food and beverage and chemicals.”