ECA appoints new Technical Manager Darren Crannis

Electrical engineer Darren Crannis has joined engineering services body ECA as Technical Manager. Darren was previously managing director of ECA Member firm CTS Electrical, which he founded in 2011. He was previously chair of the ECA Technical Committee, advising on various electrical and technical safety standards including BS7671 (the Wiring Regulations), Electrical Installations of Buildings - Joint Committee (JPEL), British Standards (BSI), Publicly Available Specification (PAS) and others. Darren Crannis, new ECA Technical Manager, says: “I am delighted to be joining ECA in this exciting role, having supported the association in various capacities over the past few years. I am looking forward to using my industry knowledge to help ECA Members grow their businesses and navigate today’s challenging commercial environment.” Mike Smith, ECA Director of Technical, comments: “Having Darren on the team further cements ECA’s strong leadership in the electrotechnical industry. Darren’s extensive knowledge, experience and expertise will help ECA’s Members lead the electrotechnical and engineering services industry to success.” ECA’s industry-leading technical team also includes Gary Parker, Luke Osborne and Shahid Khan, as well as a range of specialist associates, who collectively have expertise covering the full range of electrotechnical disciplines, including electrical, energy, fire and security, smart buildings and data communications.

CityFibre celebrates progress in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

More homes and businesses across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) can now access the best digital connectivity thanks to progress made by CityFibre on the district’s new digital infrastructure rollout. The list of neighbourhoods with access to a live service in Bournemouth is growing, with the latest being Pokesdown and parts of Boscombe, as well as Canford Heath in Poole. CityFibre will be building imminently in Westbourne (Bournemouth), Canford Cliffs (Poole) and Highcliffe (Christchurch) meaning more and more residents will for once have a real choice in terms of the network they use. The BCP district is one of a growing number of areas in the UK to benefit from CityFibre’s £4bn Gigabit City investment programme which will bring new and better broadband infrastructure within reach of up to eight million homes and businesses nationwide. CityFibre is currently investing £65m to build a future-proof full fibre network across the BCP district. In Bournemouth alone, £30m is being invested to make the town one of the world’s best digitally connected areas. Once the district-wide rollout reaches completion, almost every home and business will have access to full fibre services from a choice of internet service providers (ISPs) including Vodafone, TalkTalk, Juice Broadband, and Digital Home. CityFibre’s newly appointed City Manager, Kathryn Askew Smith, is spearheading the delivery of the BCP district rollout. An accomplished project manager with more than 25 years’ experience in supporting infrastructure and telecoms projects in the UK, Asia and the US, Kathryn is responsible for ensuring the state-of-the-art full fibre network is implemented with minimal disruption, while delivering maximum benefit for the wider community. Kathryn Askew Smith, City Manager for BCP at CityFibre says: “BCP is a key element of our plan for connecting the UK to our next generation full fibre network. I’m looking forward to taking the project forward at this important stage, as we expand our builds in Poole and Christchurch, as well as Bournemouth. Many neighbourhoods are already able to choose services over CityFibre’s network that suit their budget and needs, with more being connected each month.” Unlike copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ services available today, full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at lightning speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users consistently faster speeds for upload and download (up to 1,000 Mbps), near limitless bandwidth so everyone at home can work, study, stream or game simultaneously, while providing connectivity users can depend on. Construction is being delivered by CCN Communications Ltd on behalf of CityFibre. The team are using a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and local communities to deliver a fast rollout while minimising potential disruption. As work is completed in each neighbourhood, internet service providers will ‘light up the network’ with some of the fastest and most competitive broadband packages available in terms of both data and price. In Bournemouth, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to supply full fibre infrastructure for customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans, while TalkTalk and other providers are expected to join the network soon.

Addiction and Mental Health – Support from the EIC

Addiction has risen by a staggering 217% within the electrical industry with cocaine the main drug of choice, but alcohol consumption also up 38%. Unfortunately, individuals with a substance abuse issue are also more likely to have experience of mental illness. EIC provides ongoing support for those in the industry with mental health disorders. With our workers 34% more likely to be diagnosed with a complex mental illness and 2.7% more likely to complete suicide, mental illness is widespread in our industry. Ranging from anxiety and eating disorders to personality disorders and schizophrenia, people affected by mental illness often turn to substances to self-medicate, using alcohol and drugs to escape anxiety. This often ends up making symptoms worse instead. While substance abuse doesn’t cause mental health disorders, it’s certainly a factor in the development of a number of disorders, often acting as a trigger for people predisposed. This was the case with Dave, coming from a family that had a history of depression and psychosis. His parents worked long hours, often leaving him at home for extended periods of time and, as a teenager, he’d invite friends to the house to smoke marijuana. By the time he was 16, Dave was smoking marijuana every day. Although addiction or mental illness can happen at any time, drug use or the first signs of mental illness often start in adolescence. Around this time, Dave started an apprenticeship and was the youngest worker on site. He started going out with the team on Thursday and Friday nights and his drug habit increased progressively until he was using MDMA and ecstasy every weekend. With his increased drug use, Dave’s moods got progressively worse. His sleep deteriorated, making it harder to get out of bed every morning as he needed more drugs to reach the highs previously experienced. His college work starting to slip, and he was increasingly late for work. Following an incident at work, Dave found himself undergoing a performance management review. To ease his anxiety, he smoked marijuana and took multiple ecstasy tablets. As a result, he started to hallucinate, become aggressive and was increasingly unfocused. His erratic behaviour was noted by superiors and the EIC arranged a psychiatric assessment. Diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis, Dave was hospitalised for three months giving him the opportunity to get the support he needed and complete a detox programme. He was assigned a therapy team and was able to stabilise his addictive behaviour, regain his mental health, and eventually return to work. powerLottery is the only lottery made for our industry by our industry. It gives players 40 chances to win cash prizes ranging from £50 to £1,000 every single month. A £10,000 draw bi-yearly gives you even more opportunity to win BIG. A new car, a holiday in the sun, a kitchen re-fit or a brand-new wardrobe… Think of all the different ways you could spend £10,000.

nVent launches unique electrical connection solution

nVent has launched a new product in the nVent ERIFLEX range - nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus, an innovative and patented connection solution between two pieces of electrical equipment. Designed to increase efficiency and safety in electrical installation, nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus will offer savings on the overall installation time while reducing total installation cost. The easy-to-install, flexible power connection solution is capable of applications demanding 500 A to 4700 A and is designed as an ideal alternative to using multiple heavy gauge cables. nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus is a complete low-voltage power connection system for multiple applications, such as from transformers to switchgears, interconnection between transformers or switchgear connections and with enhanced flexibility, nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus can be installed in tighter locations or where more demanding tolerances are needed. Amongst other key benefits, nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus is paired with nVent ERIFLEX Advanced Technology, meaning greater safety both for individuals and infrastructure and reduced environmental impact. High-temperature resistance conductor connections up to 115oC, coupled with low smoke, halogen-free and flame-retardant properties, reduces the potential for toxic smoke, limits the spread of fire and is ICE-certified worldwide, making it a safer solution. It also offers quick and easy installation with no need for specialist installers or expensive tools. [gallery columns="4" ids="29201,29202,29203,29204,29205,29206,29207,29208"] Matt Flemming, nVent ERIFLEX General Manager and Vice President says: “In the midst of electrification of everything, e-mobility and energy storage, we are excited to bring the nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus solution to the market. This unique solution solves challenges for connecting transformers, switchboards, generators and large uninterrupted power supplies by enabling safe, easy and convenient late stage modification, and continues our promise to develop products that enable more efficient installation while reducing total project costs. This product will deliver significant value for our customers and positions us well for dynamic growth in the low voltage electrical space as we watch the increasing need for safe and reliable delivery of electricity in critical applications.” Frédéric Bizet, nVent ERIFLEX Product Manager adds: “The nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus solution allows contractors to save time installing critical low voltage hardware when the power demand is between 500 A to 4700 A. This new product line has advantages over competitive solutions that specify cable and lugs or busduct as it is able to be customized on the jobsite and has no bend radius restrictions, saving space. nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus provides benefits for system planning and engineering, as well. Engineers can now plan to use one or two conductors per phase compared to multiple conductors per phase with alternative solutions and the conductors are coated with nVent ERIFLEX Advanced Technology, meaning users can count on low smoke, halogen free and flame retardant performance for critical connections between transformers, switchboards, generators or large uninterrupted power supplies. Our initial testing has shown that all of these innovations provide our customers up to 50% quicker installation and 20% reduction in total installed cost.” [embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BlT4COIJ9M[/embed]

Scolmore announces the appointment of a legal and compliance manager

Scolmore Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to invest in its infrastructure with the appointment of Manuela Rubino Courtney to the newly created position of Group Legal and Compliance Manager. As Scolmore continues to grow, with more than 350 members of staff currently employed across the group of companies – Scolmore, ESP, Ovia and Unicrimp – the decision to appoint a legal and compliance manager was seen as a vital step to ensure the business, its employees and its projects comply with all relevant regulations and specifications. Her key responsibilities with Scolmore will be to implement a robust Group Company Compliance programme, with the support of the Board of Directors, to ensure that that the business is meeting all legal, ethical and environmental requirements. She will play an active role in steering the business towards achieving ISO 14001. This will involve the development and implementation of systems and processes aimed at ensuring the business is compliant with all current legislation, monitoring existing requirements and planning for any future obligations.  Manuela will also have responsibility for evaluating current and upcoming legal/compliance regulations, as well as reviewing company processes, and leading training and awareness sessions, to ensure that all departments of the business are complying with the rules and regulations the company upholds. Having qualified and operated as a highly successful lawyer in her native Italy for 13 years, Manuela moved to the UK in 2007 and held a number of finance and sales positions before taking on the role of international sales manager with Mayflex, a leading distributor of converged IP solutions including infrastructure, networking and electronic security.  Following a successful tenure at Maylex, she secured the position of UK Legal and Compliance Manager with Mayflex’s parent company Sonepar – an independent, family-owned company with global leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services – before joining Scolmore. Commenting on the appointment, Marie Parry, Scolmore Group Chief Operating Officer, says: “We are absolutely delighted to have been able to attract someone of Manuela’s experience and calibre to take on this vital role.  Not only does she have a proven track record, with extensive legal and corporate law experience, but she also has an in-depth understanding of the electrical industry. “ “I am excited to join Scolmore Group at this pivotal time of ongoing growth and development,” comments Manuela.  “They have a fantastic reputation in the industry and I am looking forward to working with the management team to strengthen and develop the strategies and principles at the company.”

Confidence amongst tradespeople bounces back from pandemic lows

New industry insights from Screwfix has revealed that business confidence amongst UK tradespeople has more than quadrupled in the last 12 months. Screwfix’s Business Confidence Index is part of its monthly Trade Pulse survey, which includes a range of measures. All these measures rose in December 2021 when compared to December 2020 figures. The overall confidence score saw a dramatic increase from +8 in December 2020 to +35 in December 2021. This has held steady since June 2021. In addition, the December 2021 insights show that 38% of tradespeople reported increased business activity in the last 12 months compared with -8% in December 2020 and 21% in June 2021. There was also increased optimism around future business activity, with 41% expecting business to ramp up over the next 12 months. This was a slight decrease from June 2021 (52%), with the rise in the Omicron variant of COVID-19 a possible factor. The proportion of trades without work remained low at 4%, with 82% of the trade now working with further work lined up. John Mewett, CEO of Screwfix, comments: “The latest Trade Pulse figures show a stark contrast to the year before, and it’s really encouraging to see UK tradespeople are feeling confident about the future of their business. Despite the challenges of the last couple of years, our index shows most UK tradespeople are not only busy, but also lining-up future projects. “To support our customers in getting their jobs done, and keep pace with demand, we are committed to providing our customers with what they need, when they need it, and through their preferred shopping channel. For this reason, we continue to focus on convenience, whether that’s through our Click & Collect service in as little as one minute, Screwfix Sprint, which enables delivery to home or site within 60 minutes or, simply opening more stores to bring Screwfix even closer to tradespeople, with over 770 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland.”

New Managing Director signals ambitious plans in 2022 for CP Electronics

Innovative product development and enhanced customer service support are among the key priorities for CP Electronics’ new Managing Director John Carruthers, following his recent appointment. With technological advances continuing to drive the lighting and energy controls market forward, Carruthers’ appointment signals the start of ambitious plans for CP Electronics. Bringing a wealth of industry expertise to his new position, Carruthers joined CP Electronics as Sales Director in 2019, having spent five years as Manging Director of Fagerhult Lighting Group MENA (Middle East and North Africa). Here, he managed the whole MENA region, supporting the company’s development of new territories. Having worked in the electrical sector for more than 20 years at companies including Aggreko, Siemens and Tridonic, John will be using his engineering background to drive innovation at CP Electronics. John says: “It is an exciting time to be taking over as Managing Director at CP Electronics. As the industry moves through turbulent times, we are committed to bringing innovation to the market and supporting our customers.” Part of the Legrand Group – which commits circa 5% of its sales to R&D – CP Electronics is well positioned to bring customers the very best in connected lighting and energy controls. Last year, for example, the company introduced its state-of-the-art Casambi-enabled wireless detectors to the market, with further wireless technology developments expected in 2022. In addition to R&D investment, Carruthers will also be looking to develop CP Electronics’ renowned customer support. John explains: “Offering a customer-first approach is at the heart of CP Electronics’ ethos and we plan on supporting our customers more closely than ever. This will be achieved through increased investment in our on-site training team, as well as support resources, to provide customers with industry knowledge and updated legislative guidance to aid them with their work. “We are proud of the relationship we have with our customers. That’s why it is really important we continue to be a reliable voice within the industry through our expertise and resources to help customers navigate the challenges they face. With pressure to drive efficiency and create spaces that promote wellbeing for occupants, we aim to continue to set the agenda as the partner of choice to electrical contractors, consultants and their projects, both now and into the future.”

Employees in engineering and building industries want to upskill

Businesses across the construction sector are being urged to ‘Join the skills revolution’ as tens of millions of employees around England express desire to skill up in their jobs this year. New research has revealed that a huge 86% of workers in the architecture, engineering and building industries are interested in learning new work skills in 2022, over-indexing against the nation’s average of 70%. The new Censuswide survey of over 4,000 of the UK’s workforce showed a clear national appetite for skills development and indicated that employees are hungry to learn more and progress further in their careers this year compared to 2021 – with 69% wanting increased job satisfaction in 2022 and 67% feeling that gaining new skills will be key to achieving their work goals. Over a quarter (28%) of workers said that progression and opportunities to learn were paramount goals in their working life. This research coincides with the launch of the government campaign which urges employers to ‘join the skills revolution’, aiming to help businesses across a wide range of industries gear up for economic recovery by skilling up their workforce. The campaign highlights the range of training and employment schemes available for businesses wanting to boost their workforce capabilities, including apprenticeships, traineeships and T levels. Skilling Up in Construction Sector specific findings from the survey have indicated that a huge 78% of respondents working in construction are also interested in learning new skills relating to their work in 2022. The top areas workers say they are most keen to explore include IT and digital (20%), finance (16%) and business (16%), with 1 in 9 (11%) expressing an interest in learning more around green industries this year. Businesses are being encouraged to grasp this development opportunity to boost their business growth. Prominent industry voices have spoken out on the importance of skills to drive better results and retain their workforce. Helen Redfern, Group HR director at Kier, says: “Encouraging employees to build their skills is something that we all benefit from. Employees can upskill to advance their careers, while employers' benefit from an engaged, skilled workforce. Skills for Life is going to be hugely important in making people aware of the opportunities available, especially against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has encouraged many to think again about the direction they want to take their career in. “As a strategic supplier to government and the wider public sector, Kier is committed to playing its part to deliver long-term social value, as well as ensuring we have a talented and skilled workforce where individual career goals and business objectives can be realised. Our training programmes – including apprenticeships and the Kier degree – are a great way for employees to learn while they earn, and they’ll continue to be a top priority at Kier.” Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive and Founder of The 5% Club, comments: “With a real and growing skills shortage across the construction and infrastructure industry, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to attracting, training and retaining the best available talent; providing those who join us with lifelong careers. “Having recently doubled down on our commitment to young people – publicly declaring to increase the number of Apprentices, Graduates and Trainees we recruit by c. 60%, we are pleased to be working with the Government as an ambassador for the Skills for Life campaign to boost the nation’s skills and help people and businesses alike get more from their work.” National construction company Willmott Dixon is giving young people the chance to get hands on experience in the construction industry, while gaining a qualification to help them launch their careers as future leaders. Danielle Haskins, Social Value Manager at Willmott Dixon, adds: “We see a lot of value in T Level industry placements. No other qualification offers the ratio of work experience and academic study. Our students are doing real jobs, to equip them with the skills they need, and we as a business need, to succeed. They are gaining experience in construction management which will set them up for their future. “For us, it’s a way for us to grow our own talent and find the next generation of construction industry leaders. For them, we are giving them the skills they need, whilst they are learning, to progress in their careers and lives.” The 'Join the Skills Revolution’ campaign will showcase hundreds of government-funded skills opportunities available and help businesses to up skill their employees, find new talent and be a part of training the future workforce. A Demand for Learning The research found a considerable demand for on-the-job training, with 39% of workers saying they would find this particularly useful. A further 31% of workers wanted courses specific to their sector, as well as encouragement and practical support from their employer – with 1 in 3 saying they felt held back by a lack of time (36%), a lack of confidence (31%) or knowing where to start (30%). The opportunities on offer as part of the Join the Skills Revolution campaign, have been designed by and in partnership with employers, listening to businesses to meet their recruitment needs and address skills gaps, through flexible, free or subsidised courses. Skills Bootcamps for example, provide fast-track sector specific training in areas such as construction, HGV driving, green skills, digital, manufacturing and engineering, as well as creating a pool of skilled staff ready to recruit with the right training.

JTL inspires others to build for the future this National Apprenticeship Week

This National Apprenticeship Week (7-13 February), JTL is encouraging more people to start their apprenticeship story and build for the future as part of its ‘Begin, Build, Inspire’ campaign. JTL’s latest campaign focuses on long-term partners JDL and the inspirational story of James, Dominic and Liam who started their JTL apprenticeships 16 years ago and later went on to establish their own successful electrical, plumbing and heating business in 2007. JDL now employs JTL apprentices of their own and has a workforce of over 50 people. The campaign aims to motivate those wanting to launch their career or change their profession to explore a JTL apprenticeship and get started in a skilled trade for life. Equally, JTL is also on hand to support employers looking to grow their business and build a talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills. Cathie Foster, head of marketing and communications at JTL, says: “Here we are proud believers in the value of training and retaining young talent, and apprenticeships are a proven way of rejuvenating the building services engineering sector. Although the hard work and commitment shown by our learners plays a large part in this success, the effectiveness of the apprenticeship scheme would simply not be possible without the support offered by our employers. “The success of JDL receiving an employer recognition award at the JTL National Awards 2021 is a real testament to their support and commitment to apprenticeships. We hope by watching JDL’s story, we’ll inspire more employers and learners to begin their own apprenticeship journey and build for a brighter future.”

CEF announces live TechTalk, coming soon in partnership with the IET

CEF has announced it will host a series of live TechTalk events to explain the 2nd Amendment to the 18th Edition wiring regulations. In partnership with the IET, the CEF TechTalk events will be presented across 28 locations throughout the UK, by CEF’s new Head of Technical solutions, Darren Staniforth. Darren will be joined on stage by Dave Austin, Technical Presenter of the Learning Lounge and guest speaker Mark Coles, Head of Technical Regulations at IET. Topics covered will include: A full breakdown on the 2nd amendment to the 18th Edition wiring regulations Energy Monitoring explained Battery Storage installations EV charging and the opportunities it offers Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) Coding Carbon Monoxide Legislation Changes Technical Q&A Dates and locations will be announced soon, covering all regions of the UK, with venues in major towns and cities offering accessibility, free parking, breakfast and refreshments together with a roadshow of over 20 leading supplier brands. CEF welcomes Darren Staniforth as Head of Technical Solutions CEF is delighted that Darren Staniforth, one of the electrical industry’s best-known technical experts has joined the business in a new role as Head of Technical Solutions. Well-known from his previous role as senior technical presenter with the NICEIC, Darren has almost 30 years’ experience in the electrical industry and adds a wealth of technical knowledge to enhance CEF’s reputation as electrical experts. Remarking on his appointment, Darren says: “I’m pleased to be joining a company that really values and invests in electrical expertise. At a time when our industry is changing rapidly, I want to be the conduit that brings all the latest innovation to our customers to help them build their skills and advance their business. CEF isn’t just a business that sells and distributes electrical products. People regularly go out of their way to offer advice and help to customers. I’m really excited to be part of that.” CEF Commercial Director, Andrew Moseley comments: “Darren brings with him not just a wealth of knowledge, but also the ability to communicate and connect with our customers in very practical terms on their level.” Darren’s appointment will help reinforce CEF’s reputation as electrical experts, by taking part in a series of live events and TechTalks to provide information, guidance and advice on new products and innovations in the electrical industry.