Fluke's cable tester trade-in offer gets customers ready for PoE

Fluke has launched a promotion to encourage customers to upgrade old cable testers to ensure that their wired Internet of Things (IoT) networks comply with the standard requirements for Power over Ethernet (PoE). As people, processes, data and devices connect to the Internet and each other, demand for better network access with minimum disruption is leading to increased installations of PoE infrastructure and compatible devices across a wide range of industries and applications. Recent research conducted by Cisco revealed almost 70% of networked devices in Western Europe will be wired or connected via Wi-Fi by 2023. Trade-In promotion  For a limited time, Fluke Networks is offering up to €2500 trade-in discount on an old copper cable tester. Customers who trade in their old testers of any make or model can get a new Fluke cable analyser that meets the latest PoE standards at a reduced price. This promotion is available to customers from 1 September to 15 December 2021. Customers can simply purchase their desired cable tester available as part of the Trade-In offer from their preferred participating distributor. Nicolas Bravo de Medina, Marketing Director EMEA at Fluke says: “Wired devices will increasingly be powered by PoE as it offers lower cable costs, simplified infrastructure management, easier maintenance, less downtime, greater installation flexibility, and reduced power consumption. With the DSX2-5000 and DSX2-8000 CableAnalyzers customers can certify the modular plug terminated link that typically connects the PoE device to the network. On top of that they can execute ‘+PoE’ tests that trigger a complete set of resistance measurements that ensure proper PoE connection is possible on the link. This will give our customers the confidence and peace of mind that their network meets the latest PoE standards and is ready to use this highly beneficial connectivity technology.”

Screwfix LIVE returns for 2021 virtual event

Screwfix has announced the return of its highly anticipated, annual Screwfix LIVE event, taking place between 27th September – 3rd October 2021. Like 2020’s event, Screwfix LIVE 2021 returns and is coming to you as a virtual show, helping to ensure nobody misses out. With an action-packed line-up, the hugely popular trade and DIY show is set to attract thousands of people online across the week. Featuring the industry’s latest product innovations, demonstrations, and competitions, plus plenty of savings to be made, Screwfix LIVE is not to be missed. This year, the show will also see the Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2021 winner awarded the prestigious title by Simon Jackson, Customer and Digital Director on Friday 1st October, where one lucky individual will win a prize bundle worth £20,000.  Screwfix LIVE will also see the brand unveil its Product of the Year awards, shining a light on the most popular products across the trades. Tradespeople and serious DIYers will be able to experience live showcases from top brands including DEWALT, Bosch, Turbogold, and Karcher. As well as lots of prizes to be won and special daily deals. Finally, thanks to the generous donations from customers across the UK and Ireland, Screwfix LIVE is the perfect opportunity to see all the great work that The Screwfix Foundation has been up to over the past year. John Mewett, CEO of Screwfix, says: “We know how much our customers love Screwfix LIVE and we’re delighted to be bringing the digital event to our customers’ fingertips once again. Screwfix LIVE is our biggest event of the year and we have some fantastic deals on offer, alongside exclusive competitions, and demonstrations from leading suppliers. For the first time, you will also hear from local charities The Screwfix Foundation has helped over the past year, thanks to our customers’ generosity. We’re excited to be able to bring Screwfix LIVE to you and we hope you enjoy the digital event.”

Leading B2B renewable energy supplier changes its name to Drax

B2B renewable energy supplier Haven Power is changing its name to Drax, to deliver the products and services businesses and organisations need in order to support UK efforts to reach net zero. Haven Power was acquired by Drax Group in 2009 and supplies more than 20,000 large industrial and commercial customers with over 12TWh of renewable sourced electricity each year – the equivalent annual power use of more than three million homes. With the rebrand, Drax aims to partner with its business customers to support them in achieving their sustainability goals, delivering innovative solutions which help them optimise their energy use, reduce carbon emissions, and minimise costs. The name change follows the launch of Drax Electric Vehicles, and Drax Electric Assets, which help businesses take control of their energy use through the electrification of their fleets and the optimisation of their operations. Paul Sheffield, Managing Director of Drax’s B2B supply businesses, says: “Drax has an impressive track record in sustainability – we’ve reduced Drax Group’s carbon footprint by more than 90% in less than a decade. “By more closely aligning our supply business to Drax, we can better support businesses and organisations with their own net zero ambitions using Drax’s scale, knowledge and expertise in decarbonisation. It also demonstrates our commitment to enabling a zero carbon, lower cost energy future for our customers.” Drax plans to deploy vital negative emissions technology, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), at its power station in North Yorkshire. This will permanently remove eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year by 2030. With the creation of a voluntary carbon market, business customers could purchase the permanent and verifiable negative emissions from Drax, helping difficult to decarbonise industries offset their own emissions. This supports efforts to decarbonise the UK’s economy, protects jobs, and demonstrate climate leadership.

Buy a Fluke thermal imager, get a free Fluke lens

Fluke has launched a promotion offering customers a free thermal imaging lens when they buy a Fluke thermal imaging camera between 1 September and 15 December 2021. The lenses provide greater flexibility across the range of applications for thermal imaging cameras by delivering increased accuracy and precise image quality. All lenses are interchangeable and compatible with Fluke’s range of thermal imaging cameras. Thermal imaging applications Thermal imaging cameras offer a fast assessment of the health and condition of assets and are widely used in industrial maintenance and facilities management applications. Through infrared image capture, the cameras are used to spot a lack of uniformity in equipment by indicating hot and cold spots in surface temperature. Heat is often an early symptom of equipment damage or malfunction, making it an important factor to monitor in preventive maintenance programs. Thermal imaging technology is also used for predictive maintenance in process plants, industrial quality control, utilities and building inspection. Lens benefits The Wide-Angle Infrared Smart Lens offers a greater field of view which is particularly useful when scanning large areas like ceilings or roofs, as well as when monitoring assets in tight spaces. The 2x Telephoto Infrared Smart Lens magnifies two times more than a standard lens allowing the thermographer to remain at a safe distance from the target being scanned. How does it work? Customers purchasing a qualifying Fluke thermal imager between 1 September and 15 December 2021 from an authorised distributor can claim a lens of their choice (either a 2x Telephoto Infrared Smart Lens or a Wide-angle Infrared Smart Lens) from Fluke. The qualifying thermal imaging cameras include the Fluke Ti300+, Ti401Pro, Ti480Pro, Tix501 and Tix580 thermal imager. A receipt or invoice must be uploaded to verify proof of purchase. The free lens will be dispatched from Fluke within three weeks of the claim being made. Nicolas Bravo de Medina, Marketing Director EMEA at Fluke says: “In offering a free lens with a selected range of Fluke thermal imagers, our customers can capture the high-definition thermal images needed to complete reliability inspections, make industrial maintenance decisions, conduct building diagnostic testing and troubleshooting. There is no need for customers to use their lens straight away. All lenses are compatible with our range of thermal imaging cameras, so it is possible to claim the free lens now and use it when it is required. Our thermal imaging cameras are designed for reliability and ease of use to ensure our customers can easily implement safe preventative maintenance programs.

Balfour Beatty builds world's first T-pylon

Balfour Beatty has announced that it has successfully built the world’s inaugural T-pylon on behalf of National Grid, representing the first new electricity pylon design in Great Britain for almost 100 years. The T-pylon is the first of 116 to be erected along the 57-kilometer route in Somerset, South West England. The first 48 T-pylons near East Huntspill will be constructed this year while the remaining 68, north of Sandford, will be built in 2022. Upon completion the newly designed pylons will connect six million homes and businesses in the surrounding area with low-carbon electricity generated at Hinkley Point C, the UK’s first nuclear power station in a generation. The T-pylon design is the result of a 2011 international competition organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects and Government, with the aim of reducing the impact of electricity pylons on the local environment and surroundings. Standing at 35m in height, the revolutionary new design forms a “T” shape and is approximately one-third shorter than the traditional lattice pylon design. As a result of its reduced size the T-pylon has a smaller land footprint and a reduced impact on the local environment. While traditional pylons are typically erected in dozens of individual lifts, T-pylons are designed to be assembled in up to four sections, halving the usual construction time from around ten days to five. Secured in deep foundations and reinforced with a steel bolt cage, the four sections are lifted into place with a specialist crane and rig to secure them. Matt Steele, Balfour Beatty’s Managing Director for its Rail and Utilities business, says: “Our unique capability and extensive experience in delivering major, complex overhead line schemes, makes us ideally positioned to play a key role in constructing the world’s first T-pylons. “We look forward to working with National Grid to successfully and safely deliver low-carbon electricity to millions of people, supporting the UK’s net zero ambitions.” Chris Bennett, Acting President, National Grid Electricity Transmission comments: “We are always looking for innovative new ways to mitigate the impact of our infrastructure on the natural environment and projects such as T-pylons are a great example. “This new design forms part of our significant investment in the network in England and Wales, adding capacity onto the grid to deliver increasing amounts of low carbon energy and support the UK’s drive towards its net zero target.” The T-pylons will be ready to connect to Hinkley Point C by the end of 2024 and the project is due for completion at the end of 2025.

UK construction job vacancies continue to reach new record levels

As the number of jobs available in the UK climbs to over one million for the first time since records began, the amount of vacancies in the construction sector has also reached its highest ever level, with 37,000 listings between June and August. This is an increase of 2,000 from May to July, which, at the time, was another record for the industry, showing a definite trend. Such high numbers of vacancies suggest that UK construction firms are feeling confident about their future and have sufficient work and finances to be able to increase their staff numbers. This is good news for unemployed construction workers, as the number of people out of work currently stands at 53,000. Hopefully they will be able to take advantage of the vacancies and get back into employment. They may consider turning self-employed, as the latest data suggests many workers in the sector are doing just that. There was a big jump between March and June, with 28,000 new self-employed construction workers, taking the UK total to 269,000, which is the highest in a year. This follows the general pattern in the industry, as the total number of employees in UK construction reached 518,000 in June, which is the highest since records began in 1978. There is some regional variation, however, as while some areas, like London (14%) and the West Midlands (6%) saw growth, others experienced slight decreases in their staff numbers, like the East Midlands (-5%) and the North East (-2%). This shows that while the country appears to be heading in the right direction and recovering after a long and challenging 18 months, there is still work to be done before everyone is back to where they were before. By Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect.

Launch of new industrial batteries for demanding electric vehicles

Eternity Technologies has launched QUASAR, a new generation of high-performance industrial batteries which utilise advanced Carbon Nanotube Technology (CNT) to meet ever more demanding electrical vehicle applications. Utilising industry-leading CNT technology means QUASAR batteries offer longer running time, enhanced lifespan and excellent performance. The innovative CNT technology means these batteries can deliver up to 50% higher performance at cold temperatures, with up to 25% increased run time and 2x faster recharge. Using the latest manufacturing production processes and equipment, Eternity Technologies’ QUASAR batteries are now available to the global market. Designed specifically for the heavy-duty materials handling market, QUASAR batteries can be fully charged in just 4 hours – and with opportunity charging capabilities offering even greater flexibility. They are ideal for material handling equipment operating in multi-shift, outdoor and cold storage applications. Equally, QUASAR is an ideal battery for extremely high temperatures indoors or outdoors. Dr Mark Stevenson, Eternity Technologies, explains: “QUASAR, our new technically advanced industrial battery, is a great addition to our already extensive industrial battery range. With increasing demands for longer running batteries for cold storage applications, we developed QUASAR batteries to meet this requirement perfectly. We’re excited to be launching them into the market.” The QUASAR positive plate utilises thin tube technology, which offers higher energy discharge. It incorporates a market leading phenolic resin which can meet heavy duty operating demands and provides excellent oxidation resistance. The QUASAR negative plate contains CNT, which increases its fast charge capability, whilst also resulting in no degradation to life of the batteries.

Industry must ‘level up’ 12,000 people a year to meet net zero targets 

A new report by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Green Jobs Task Force has revealed the extent of ‘levelling up’ required to meet the UK’s net zero carbon target by 2050. The ECA broadly supports the measures outlined in the report to increase investment in renewable energy, electricity networks, smart technologies and retrofitting existing building stock. However, ECA finds the recommendations in the report too focused on private sector support. The association believes the onus should be on Government to support the ‘levelling-up’ of the industry’s workforce and the efficient and safe installation of low-to-no-carbon technologies. Luke Osborne, ECA’s Energy Solutions Advisor, says: “There is an enormous amount to accomplish in an ever-shorter timeframe. We will need all hands on deck to get at least 12,000 new workers properly trained every year for the next four years to meet estimated demand. It is critical that, as an industry on the front line of the climate crisis, we get this right. “As well as more Government-led funding, we must ensure the right training is accessible to everyone who wants to join the fight against the climate crisis, wherever they live in the UK. Access to high quality training and skills should not be a postcode lottery.” Andrew Eldred, ECA’s Director of Employment and Skills, says: “Getting the electrotechnical industry ready to support the efficient and safe installation of new technologies shouldn’t just be down to individuals, as this report implies. “In a sector where 93% of all businesses employ just nine people or less, we need stronger collaboration between industry, Government and education to achieve a huge uplift in the number of apprentices and career changers coming through. “Compared to other trades, electrotechnical does well to secure around 6,000 new apprentice starts most year: 85% with small, non-levy employers. This is just a fraction of the numbers hired in Germany. Current recruitment rates fall well short of the demand for net-zero-ready workers.” The report comes as the UK prepares to host the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow from 1-12 November.

Order books fill but skills shortages worry contractors 

The latest sector-wide Building Engineering Business Survey, sponsored by Scolmore, shows that, while turnover is predicted to grow through the rest of 2021, ongoing materials and labour shortages are likely to worsen. The survey, which includes data from industry trade bodies ECA, BESA, SELECT and SNIPEF, shows that specialist contractors are particularly concerned about lack of skilled staff able to meet growing demand for the sector’s services. There are shortages of skilled labour in all specialist sectors, and this is pushing up labour costs. As a result, 26% of survey respondents said they would hire fewer agency workers and subcontractors in Q3 compared with Q2. Just under a quarter (23%) said they would hire fewer apprentices despite the urgent need to increase the flow of new skilled people into the industry. Nearly two thirds (61%) said they expect the ongoing shortages of materials and equipment to deteriorate as the year goes on (Q3 vs Q2). Individual respondents highlighted the lack, and rising prices, of cables, cable trays and containment, as well as growing lead times and delays in deliveries. However, more than eight in 10 (85%) of respondents expect their turnover to remain the same or increase in Q3 2021, compared with Q2. Almost nine in 10 (87%) expect turnover to stay the same or increase between now and the end of 2021. Rob Driscoll, ECA Director of Legal and Business, says: “While businesses, particularly SMEs, should be commended for their tenacity and resilience in the face of a challenging commercial environment, the clock is ticking for labour and materials. “A backlog of jobs may appear good on paper, but if the ongoing shortages are not resolved soon, in practical terms, this will mean a further squeeze on costs and margins for contractors who are at risk of tendering for today and buying negative cash-flow problems for tomorrow.”

Electric vehicle drivers could save £92m on their energy bills each year

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers could save £92 million a year by switching to a dedicated EV energy tariff, reveals new research from Love my EV, the UK’s only dedicated electric vehicle and energy tariff price comparison site.    Almost a fifth of EV drivers surveyed weren’t aware of EV-friendly energy tariffs that could save them each on average £351 a year on their energy bills. Even amongst those EV drivers who had heard about these tariffs, the majority are not signed up to one, with drivers saying that they either didn’t know enough about these tariffs (24%) or how to compare them to find their best options (20%).  The two motivators driving sales of EVs are fuel cost savings (39%) and ecological reasons (reducing their carbon footprint, 32%), but people need to shop around for energy if they are to maximise their cost savings and carbon impact. A third of EV drivers haven’t changed energy provider or tariff since purchasing their vehicle, which could see them paying far more than they need to for their power.  More EVs were registered than diesel cars for the second month in a row in July in 2021, according to industry figures, with one in 10 cars sold in the UK now battery powered. With more EVs on the road than ever, there is an urgent need for increased uptake of EV specific tariffs that save consumers money and support the use of greener energy.   Mat Thomson, co-founder of Love my EV, comments:“Electric Vehicles can not only benefit the environment, they can also save people huge sums; but drivers need to shop around for the best deals. There are more and more dedicated EV energy tariffs available, as energy suppliers compete for drivers making the transition away from polluting petrol and diesel engines. Getting yourself on a specialist EV electricity tariff is not only one of the greenest things you can do, but it will also save you on average £351 a year.  “With differing prices of energy through the day, the best energy tariff for an EV household depends on the consumer’s car use and home energy use patterns. Love my EV can compare energy tariffs for the individual by simply asking a few easy questions to understand the best options.”