Drayton launches 12 days of Christmas competition 

Christmas is coming early on The Drayton Community Facebook group, as the heating controls manufacturer prepares to launch its ‘12 Days of Christmas’ competition, with plenty of prizes to be won in the run-up to the festivities. Installers will be in with a chance of winning by participating in daily challenges that appear on The Drayton Community Facebook group, between 12–23 December. Prizes up for grabs range from products – including Drayton’s smart home energy system Wiser, its new auto-balancing TVRs and the new Digistat – to vouchers, tools, and other exciting prizes. To take part, members of The Drayton Community should check the group each day, at noon, for the duration of Drayton’s ‘12 Days of Christmas’ for the newest competition posts and details on how to enter, with the winners announced the following morning. Clare Weller, Trade Marketing Manager at Drayton comments, “Our ’12 Days of Christmas’ competition is our way of saying thank you to all our loyal installers for their support throughout 2022 and offering a big Christmas cheers to our Facebook community. Since launching, during the height of the pandemic, the group has provided a friendly and informative space for those in the trade, for which we are incredibly grateful.” “With that, Drayton wishes all its members and customers a very merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy 2023!” To take part in the competition and for the full rules and T&Cs, join The Drayton Community Facebook Group here.

Winter energy crisis: ECA’s advice for managing power cuts 

ECA has promised to support its members who may be asked to design and install emergency power systems in the event of emergency power cuts this winter. Energy providers and National Grid have warned of potential power cuts caused by supply fears following the war in Ukraine. Worst-case government scenarios estimate that energy systems could be severely disrupted for up to a week. ECA Senior Technical Manager Gary Parker says, “Because of an unprecedented combination of factors including surging demand, supply concerns, and a cost-of-living crisis, our members and their clients are facing a tough winter. “ECA has seen an uptick in members asking for advice and help reviewing their clients’ systems and recovery plans. We are here to support members with advice and guidance on how to best design and install additional and stand-by systems that can meet their clients’ needs. “It is important to remember that the UK’s electricity network is one of the most reliable in the world. However, we must be prepared for all eventualities, and the electrotechnical sector will be on the front line if emergency power cuts do occur.” Those deemed most at risk for the effects of power cuts over the winter include pensioners, care home residents, and people in sheltered housing, schools, and other buildings which may not have energy contingency plans in place. Electrical designers and installers are encouraged to visit ECA’s Technical website, where members can access a wide range of technical guidance notes, bulletins, and the ECA Technical helpline.

BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship passes 100 registrations

Group Horizon has announced that more than 100 apprentices have now registered for the Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) Controls Engineer Apprenticeship since it was first launched in April 2021. The Apprenticeship was launched in partnership with the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) following a culmination of over four years of hard work by the Trailblazer Employer Group to address an industry-wide shortage of BEMS Controls Engineers. The seventh cohort of apprentices began their training in November 2022, taking the total number to 112. Building Controls is a fast growing market with numerous opportunities for skilled engineers. The BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship offers a balance of technical training and on the job assessments to match the needs and requirements of the apprentice’s employer. Some of the apprentices on the programme have described how they have found their experience so far. Josh Parkin, Assistant Building Management Systems Engineer at Durham University, says, “What attracted me to the BEMS and controls industry was the ability to manage field equipment such as heating, ventilation, cooling and hot water from an automatic system and how much energy saving it can achieve. I am enjoying the apprenticeship and have found it beneficial in my day-to-day role at work by putting what I learn on my course into action.” Zach Stanley, a BEMS Apprentice with Kendra Energy, says, “I was very attracted to this industry because it allowed me the freedom and the ability to learn in a way I never had before. The hours of learning are in my hands and I can control it. I am able to attend site with another engineer each day and learn a different skill or different part of the system and it is amazing that I am able to have a job and learn at the same time.” The training programme for the BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship can be delivered on the apprentice’s company site and through classroom and/or online learning sessions. It can take up to 36 months to complete. On the Apprenticeship’s success so far, Peter Behan, Director at Group Horizon, comments, “100 registrations in less than two years is a significant milestone and we are delighted that we are helping to address what has been a serious issue for the Building Controls sector for some time.”

Rising cost of materials to be electricians' biggest challenge in 2023

The rising cost of materials will continue to be the most significant challenge facing UK electricians in 2023, according to a new report assessing the confidence of the industry. The study, conducted by ElectricalDirect, surveyed electricians about their views on the year ahead and found that, while there is a general acceptance that the landscape is difficult, many are cautiously optimistic. Just over a quarter (26%) of UK electricians think their companies will be more successful next year than they were in 2022, and one in 10 (10%) believe the industry will grow stronger over the coming months. Furthermore, more than a third (37%) of electricians think they’ll be better off financially in 2023, which could explain the planned recruitment drive. Just over one in six (17%) are looking to expand and hire new staff, representing a slight increase from last year (15%). However, with widespread societal issues, such as the cost of living crisis, affecting most UK households, some electricians are naturally more wary about the next 12 months. All the respondents acknowledged that there will be challenges, and top of the list is the rising cost of materials (48%). This was also the number one concern in ElectricalDirect’s report last year, but the number of concerned electricians has more than doubled (from 23%), suggesting the problem is growing. Simply getting hold of materials is also a worry (21%), as is the ability to recruit people to fill job vacancies (25%). Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at ElectricalDirect, says, “It’s been a really tough couple of years, both nationally and for the electrical industry, but while many challenges remain, it’s encouraging to see that some electricians are feeling positive about the future as we approach 2023. “However, it’s concerning that some of the most dominant issues, such as the rising cost of materials, have not been addressed in the 12 months since we last published our report, and in fact are now starting to affect more people in our industry. We hope that the situation will improve in 2023, as it’s clearly a major worry for many electricians.”

ECA Industry Awards now open for entries

ECA has announced that its Industry Awards are open for entries. These awards recognise ECA member businesses who have excelled and delivered some of the most outstanding projects and initiatives across the UK's electrotechnical and engineering services sector. Award winners will be announced during the ECA’s 2023 Industry Awards dinner, which will be held on 9 June 2023 at the Hilton Bankside Hotel in London, supported by headline sponsors LEDVANCE and Electrium. The full list of award categories is as follows: Large Contractor of the Year - over £60m turnover Contractor of the Year - up to £60m turnover Contractor of the Year - up to £15m turnover Contractor of the Year - up to £5m turnover Contractor of the Year - up to £1m turnover Excellence in Training and Development - over £15m turnover Excellence in Training and Development - up to £15m Turnover Best Health and Safety Initiative Best Fire and Security Project Best Client/Partnership Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) FSA Outstanding Contribution to Fire Detection and Alarm Industry FSA Outstanding Contribution to Security Systems Industry ECA Director of Member Services, Helen Atkinson, comments, “ECA Award winners and runners up gain a huge sense of pride from having the opportunity to showcase their exceptional commitment to delivering excellence. In addition, they receive significant publicity for their businesses, which provides an ideal chance to promote their achievements to prospective clients.” Entries for this year’s ECA Annual Awards close on 31 March 2023 and are open to all ECA registered members.

Five ways to improve your cashflow

Fergus has released advice on how to improve cashflow, the life blood of any trade business. Having a positive cashflow indicates that your business has money left over after receiving payments on invoices and by paying all expenses incurred. On the other hand, a negative cashflow often suggests that the company is in a dangerous financial position as it may not be able to cover all associated running costs. “Monitoring your cashflow position is crucial to the success of your business. It enables you to meet your financial obligations and to better plan for the future,” says James Chillman, UK Country Manager for Fergus. “Unfortunately, many businesses have trouble managing cashflow for a variety of reasons, as it’s usually the last thing on their mind at the end of a busy day.” Utilising a job management system to monitor your cashflow position in real-time allows you to focus on what you need to. In the changing economy, it helps to forecast and build sufficient reserves to cope with seasonal ups and downs. From quoting clients to ordering supplies, while juggling multiple jobs and time-consuming admin tasks, means things can get stressful pretty fast. But using a system to keep on top of your cashflow will help ensure your business is staying on track. Four ways you can manage your cashflow: Have a financial plan Setting a budget makes a huge difference. Establishing a budget for the various costs over the year (such as marketing, supplies, transport, wages, etc.) can help to reduce on-the-fly decision-making and allows you to see if you have room in your finances to spend money in a certain area or not. Track your money Avoid any nasty surprises by tracking your finances. Knowing where your money is coming from and where it is going to can help you to know where you can cut costs each month or where you may be underquoting without realising. The best way to track your money and stay on top of business finances is with job management software. This software allows you to gain real-time visibility of your business finances at a glance. Chase up invoices Your positive cashflow will really suffer if clients aren’t being timely with payments. Aside from gaining a visual into your overall finances, job management software can encourage faster payments from customers by offering a variety of payment options. A platform such as Fergus can also send automatic email or text alerts to remind customers of their overdue payments, all the while giving them the option to select their preferred way to pay. This helps you to get paid on time, speeding up your cash flow. Plan ahead Unfortunately, a lot of tradespeople end up with cashflow issues because they’re owed a lot of money from, not just clients and customers, but also from other construction firms who are lagging on their payments. One way you can save money, time and improve your cashflow is to talk to their suppliers prior to purchasing materials and negotiate their terms. Enquire whether you can get product discounts, return materials that are unused or no longer needed and whether you can get longer payment options. Forecast your cashflow Cashflow forecasting involves estimating your future sales and expenses. The aim is to help you predict your cashflow on a month-to-month basis or for the whole year. Forecasting your cashflow can help to recession-proof your business because it will tell you if you’ll have enough money to run your business or expand it in the next 12 months. Cashflow forecasting manually, without help from job management software, often leaves businesses encountering shortcomings as they don’t have sufficient data to properly predict rapid changes. In essence, tracking cashflow and implementing a cashflow forecast helps to predict your future incomings and outgoings based on your current known costs and past revenue data.

Alex’s global skills success

Alex Rendall has been awarded a prestigious Medallion for Excellence after an outstanding performance at the WorldSkills 2023 competition in Salzburg, Austria. Alex, who works for J Norris Electrical Contractor in Somerset, went up against 23 other electricians from around the world in a complex design and installation project, which included the wiring of a control panel and programming of various building automation functions. To meet the international skills standard and specification, Alex also had to train and work with materials and techniques not normally encountered in the UK. After ranking in 6th place globally, Alex received the special Medallion for Excellence, which is only given to the top performers - alongside the gold, silver and bronze medal winners. National Electrotechnical Training (NET) has been charting Alex’s success since he competed in the SkillELECTRIC competition, organised by NET, in 2019. SkillELECTRIC is part of the WorldSkills competition network which meant that following his performance in the 2019 SkillELECTRIC final, Alex started a journey which culminated in him being selected to represent the UK electrical industry as part of ‘Team UK’ at WorldSkills 2022. In the run up to the competition in Austria, Alex underwent a rigorous training regime with WorldSkills training expert, Geoff Shaw, to meticulously plan and practice the various elements and skills needed to compete at international level. Alex says, “It was fantastic, just being able to get up there and collect the medal, to walk away with something for my efforts. It was really nice to be able to stand there with my flag on the stage, it felt really special.” “It’s been a big process, a three-year long process, and I just want to thank everyone for their support; my boss James Norris for giving me the time off work, my family for supporting me through everything I needed, and Geoff, who’s just a legend, training me, picking up the phone to speak to me whenever it was needed. So, thank you to everyone really.” Alex now has the potential to compete at the EuroSkills 2023 event which is set to be held in Gdansk, Poland, whilst the next SkillELECTRIC competition will open for entries next February. Those who perform well at SkillELECTRIC may be eligible to compete at future EuroSkills and WorldSkills events, the next being WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon, France.

Investment is positive, but supply is critical in the race to electrification

As the transition to electrification continues to accelerate, investment from the world’s leading automotive brands is hitting new heights. Lee Sutton, CEO of myenergi, believes that with vehicle demand now far outstripping supply, the UK needs greater volume from OEMs to maintain its impressive progress. According to recent insight from Reuters, the world’s top automakers are planning to collectively invest almost $1.2 trillion between now and 2030 into the development of electric vehicles (EVs). Alongside the design and production of new models, this also includes financing new battery development programmes and funding rising raw material costs. Dwarfing previous projections, this announcement shows intent. Indeed, OEMs are predicting that 50% of all global production will be electric before 2030. Tesla alone plans to be manufacturing 20 million EVs per annum within the next decade (a 13-fold increase), with the development of a smaller vehicle platform already underway that could cost half as much as the hugely popular Model 3. Volkswagen, on the other hand, will channel $100 billion toward expanding its portfolio, while Toyota expects to boast a range of 30 EV models before 2030. Ford is further boosting its spending level (currently at $50 billion), Mercedes-Benz has earmarked $47 billion and BMW $35 billion. Stellantis (parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Opel, Jeep and Citroen) is planning an aggressive battery programme, aiming to achieve 400GWh of capacity including four new plants in North America. Importantly, consumer demand is increasing alongside. Indeed, according to recent data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), more than 19,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered nationwide in October, alongside 8,899 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). More than one in every five new cars now boasts an electric powertrain, while the decline of the internal combustion engine continues. Indeed, compared to 2021, diesel car sales have already dropped by 41% year-on-year, while petrol registrations have fallen by 13%. Yet while the speed of EV uptake and ever-increasing public demand is positive news, global supply challenges are beginning to hamper the sales of new electric models. Market pressures begin to bite Global demand, combined with a widespread shortage of semiconductor microchips, part supplies hit by the war in Ukraine and the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is putting pressure on the availability of the latest electric models. According to insight from This is Money, EVs that just a few months ago were freely available (such as the Vauxhall Corsa-e, Mokka-e and the Renault Zoe) now have a waiting list of up to 16 weeks. At the top end of the market, customers looking to purchase a new Audi e-tron, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Porsche Taycan or Lexus UX300e can expect a build timeline of upwards of 12 months. Production of the Tesla Model X and S have even been temporarily paused, with the company’s production facilities struggling to keep up with demand for its more affordable Model 3 and Model Y alternatives. The SMMT suggests that the motor retail sector is facing its ‘most challenging year for three decades’ as supply impacts sales, forecasting total registrations of just 1.6 million vehicles in 2022 (31% less than in 2019). While 2023 could see numbers begin to rise, predictions have been revised downward since the April estimate, with overall registrations anticipated to reach just 1.89 million. With legislation passed that will see the UK ban the sale of new ICE-powered cars faster than any other nation, combined with a rapidly increasing EV adoption rate, we’re tracking far ahead of targets. The fact remains, however, that UK demand for new EVs is outstripping supply. If we’re to maintain momentum and retain our position as a world leader in EV adoption, we need far greater volume from vehicle manufacturers - even in challenging times. While agreed investment is significant, we need to see things accelerated and demand from the UK prioritised. Without this, we run the risk of slowing progress and unintentionally putting the brakes on transitioning to an all-electric car park. A significant step backward, both from an industry and environmental perspective. To this end, it is also important that we see clarity from government on the promised Zero Emission Vehicle mandates, including targets for EV sales by 2024, to set the trajectory for the 2030 phase-out date. As the transition towards electrified mobility continues to accelerate at pace, myenergi is committed to operating at the forefront of the industry. The days of ICE-powered vehicles are numbered and we must all prepare for the technological shift. Supply, however, is currently the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

CEF opens a larger store in Huyton, Merseyside

CEF is moving to a much larger, more modern store in Huyton, Merseyside on 5 December. With just over double the floor space available compared to its previous location, the new Huyton store has the capacity to hold even more electrical essentials for customers. The expansion also means that there’s a new CEF colleague ready to serve customers in-store, alongside six other members of staff. The new location is a prime spot for trade customers, as it allows quick access from the M57 and M62 motorway. Perfect for electricians and contractors who want to pick up electrical essentials or specific parts on their way to local jobsites. Branch Manager, Luke Burns says, “Due to the size and location of the new Huyton store, I believe we can become the go-to electrical wholesaler for the Merseyside area. We very much look forward to welcoming even more customers through the doors.” The new Hyton store is located at Unit 8A, Chapel Brook, Wilson Road, Huyton, L36 6FH. Opening Hours Monday: 07:30 - 17:30 Tuesday: 07:30 - 17:30 Wednesday: 07:30 - 17:30 Thursday: 07:30 - 17:30 Friday: 07:30 - 17:30 Saturday: 08:30 - 12:00 Sunday: Closed

City Plumbing crowned Heating and Plumbing Merchant of the Year

City Plumbing has been named the Heating and Plumbing Merchant of the Year at the Builders’ Merchant Awards 2022, recognised for its service to customers as well as its focus on diversity, inclusion and wellbeing support for colleagues. The plumbing, heating and electrical supplier won twice in a ceremony at the Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge, after also being presented with the Diversity and Inclusion in Merchanting Award. Darren Redwood, Operations Director, says, “Winning these prestigious awards is a real honour for City Plumbing and I’d like to say a big thank you to the organisers and judges. “Being named Heating and Plumbing Merchant of the Year 2022 shows that we are a business that cares about our customers and our colleagues, and that we deliver for both. These awards are also a testament to the hard work put in by all colleagues right across the business and highlights that our focus on promoting renewable heating alternatives, such as heat pumps, is the right one.” One of City Plumbing’s grounding principles is that people work better together, and do better for customers, when they can bring their true selves to work. To support this, activities to mark Pride, International Women’s Day, International Men’s Day, Inclusion Week, Black History Month and Disability at Work briefings and discussions were a feature of the last year, all used to create conversations within the business and raise awareness. Over the last year, City Plumbing has launched more than 20 new branches and four new bathroom showrooms, ensuring customers can get what they need quickly from a location close to them. It also saw City Plumbing unveil the City Plumbing app, making it easier for customers to trade how and when they want to. The criteria for the awards included a focus on whether entrants had moved into the renewables sector and were now selling more sustainable products than before - and City Plumbing has been actively promoting renewable energy heating solutions to its customer base. It has also introduced recycling and carbon footprint reduction initiatives in branches, offices and in its supply chain.