Marshall-Tufflex strengthens growing sales team with new appointment

Marshall-Tufflex has now appointed Peter Dellow as its National Sales Manager for the South of England. Peter brings with him over 32 years of sales experience to the role, that has recently been created to bolster the company’s continued growth ambitions and to spearhead a team in the south of the UK. Having worked across many various industries, Peter has since accumulated broad experience in business development and sales leadership and will be instrumental in strengthening Marshall-Tuflex’s national presence and reach. Leading a team of area sales managers in the south of the UK, Peter will be working closely with wholesalers to build new strategies and develop meaningful relationships to ensure Marshall-Tufflex is the preferred supplier to meet the growing demands of the sector. On his new position, Peter exclaims: “I am thrilled to be joining the company at such a pivotal stage in its development as it looks to enhance and strengthen its proposition in London and the south of the UK. I look forward to working alongside a fantastic team of dedicated professionals to help achieve the company’s goals.” Jon Chamberlain, Commercial Director at Marshall-Tufflex says, “We are delighted to welcome Peter to the business and our ever growing salesforce. As we experience increasing demand for cable management products with recycled content, Peter’s strong sales background, coupled with his customer-centric approach, will be valuable in serving our customers to meet their expectations and supporting our national growth strategy. The appointment follows several recent hires by the Hastings based manufacturer that reflect the company’s continued commitment to business growth and customer focus. This includes the appointment of David Alexander and Penny Berry as Area Sales Manager’s, the promotion of Marie Beacock Yates and David O’Flynn to Specification and Contracts Manager’s and the appointment of Jean Dias, as Operations Director.

British Cables Company announces new senior staff appointments

British Cables Company has announced two senior staff appointments following the recent retirement of Commercial Director, Paul Farrell. Former BCC Key Account Manager Nick Bowman has been appointed to the role of UK Sales Director. Originally working for BT for 10 years in a supply chain role, Nick joined the business in 1998, when it was still part of BICC, with specific commercial management responsibilities for the delivery of copper telecommunications cable to BT. The role also included the development of a range of supply chain service products and integration with BT’s own supply chain. Nick’s role progressively expanded and saw the business portfolio of clients include eir, Virgin Media, Cyprus Telecom, plus the development of the UK cable distribution and wholesaler networks. Nick is an English graduate and management specialist and in his spare time his passion is rowing.  He has been a member of Llandaff Rowing Club in Cardiff for over 30 years and still competes regularly. New recruit Clare Wilson has recently joined BCC as Commercial Manager. Clare, who has a degree in Business Management and Law, started her sales and management career in shipping at Maersk line, where for 6 years she progressed from Sales Support to Sales Support Manager and completed a secondment in Hong Kong as Key Client Manager. There she was responsible for key accounts such as Sainsburys, Marks and Spencer, Tesco and Intidex. Following Maersk, Clare moved to the TIC sector first as Sales and Customer Service lead for CSA Group. The role progressed to Project Specialist for global market access projects, with complete responsibility for developing the business and managing certification projects. Prior to joining BCC, Clare was the Inside Sales Manager for the fire and building products sector of Element Materials Testing where she recruited, trained, and developed new sales team as part of the growth strategy. She was responsible for managing multi-channel sales team across three different brands and targets of over 60 million pounds. Commenting on the appointments, Managing Director Kevin Samuel says, “I am delighted to see Nick take another well-deserved step up within the business and also to welcoming Clare to the senior management team. Without doubt, we now have a team with exceptional capabilities who are ready to develop the business and take it to new heights.  Over recent months, BCC has gained £Multi-million orders from blue-chip clients, our product portfolio is ever-increasing and our service delivery and technical support is outstanding. I am particularly proud of the workforce here in Manchester and I am confident that our abilities are significantly enhanced with Nick and Clare helping me shape the business for even greater success.”

New, improved, bigger and greener than ever!

The Knightsbridge 2022 catalogue is out now; jam-packed with over 600 new products, and full from cover to cover with great ideas, innovations and inspiration. For the latest, smartest and best solutions in wiring accessories and lighting, you won’t find a more comprehensive and informative read. The handy A5-sized publication is divided into easy-to-reference sections and provides full product details along with high quality lifestyle photography and detailed product images. Helpful information about industry and product certification is also included in this edition, to aid installers in making informed choices. The digital version, which can be found on mlaccessories.co.uk, also includes interactive links to relevant product webpages on the website, where further technical details are readily available to view and download when required. The new catalogue features some exciting introductions including SpektroLED, the first downlight to offer 40 permutations from the one product thanks to its selectable wattages, CCTs and choices of bezel. With an eye on the smart home of the future, new additions to the Smart range include lamps, sensors and security camera, all controllable via the ‘Smartknight’ app. Good design and good looks are never far behind technology and the 2022 edition showcases updates to the popular screwless switches and sockets portfolio, where anthracite and smoked bronze finishes join the other contemporary styles. Lighting products across the board have been refreshed, with the bathroom receiving a real lighting makeover with the launch of several new lamp types. For creative or dramatic lighting schemes there’s details of a new service available for wholesalers and the trade. Called Flex-cut, it will allow customers to make the most of LED Flex (LED strip lighting) products by allowing them to order LED Flex tailored to their particular specifications. And in line with its Committed to a Brighter Future initiative, Knightsbridge has printed its 2022 catalogue using PEFC-accredited paper, which has been carbon balanced, a scheme pioneered by the World Land Trust. In short, carbon emissions from paper production are offset by the preservation of ecologically important forests, so continuing absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Read it here: https://www.mlaccessories.co.uk/catalogue

Toolstation launches sharp-toothed brand campaign

Toolstation launched a sharp-toothed new brand ad to celebrate the skills of key tradespeople across the UK and remind viewers of the tough tasks they face. The latest iteration of the Tools & More brand campaign, which was launched in March this year, shows a female electrician being called out to an emergency at a West Country farm in what appears to be a quintessentially English country scene to fix an electric fence. The electrician goes into action mode as she realises that this is no ordinary escaped animal, and on completing the job, she and the farmer have contained the asset. The ad creative is a continuation of the brand strategy that aims to convey Toolstation’s personality and injecting some humour while communicating a deeper truth – that the brand understands the everyday challenges and unexpected situations faced by its trade customers. It also speaks to a commercial truth – that trades and keen DIY-ers will find 'tools and more for any task' at one of the retailer’s 500+ branches and online. The autumn launch will run for 10 weeks and includes 30 second and 10 second edits for TV, 30 second radio spots, digital, social and OOH. Media buying was planned by The Specialist Works, designed to target trade customers and a wider DIY audience. Greg Richardson, Head of Marketing, Toolstation, says, “We wanted to show that we understand and appreciate the unexpected situations faced by our trade customers, and while it’s not every day they encounter a T-Rex on the loose, it does nod to an everyday truth – that our role is to equip tradespeople with everything they need to get the job done. “We want to celebrate our tradespeople with this new TV spot, and to remind consumers of our core purpose at the same time.” John Quarrey, CEO, krow Group, comments, “We can all empathise with that huge sense of relief felt when a professional tradesperson arrives to sort out a problem and fixes it faster, better and much more efficiently than if we’d tried it ourselves. Their expertise deserves celebration, as does the role Toolstation plays in equipping their trade customers to be able to make these miraculous repairs happen, even when faced with a giant T-Rex on the loose!” Toolstation recently opened its 500th store and in the first half of the year, achieved a total revenue growth of +38.7%, highlighting its continued strong position.

Johnson Controls introduces next generation Tyco Illustra Pro Gen4 PTZ cameras

Johnson Controls has introduced its next generation of high performance Tyco Illustra Pro PTZ cameras, featuring AI enabled edge analytics which detects and classifies objects such as people, bicycles, buses, cars and motorbikes, and Intelligent Guard auto-tracking functionality based on face or people detection. The four new Illustra Pro Gen4 series PTZs are true day/night cameras and provide hardware support for image stabilization that ensures excellent image quality even at maximum zoom. The outdoor models have an IR distance of up to 200 metres, with the 2MP version offering up to 42x optical zoom and the 4K version providing up to 22x optical zoom. Both are equipped with Shake-Dry lens clearing and have a -50C to +60C operating range, to enable them to capture superb quality images in challenging weather conditions. The 2MP and 4K indoor models offer up to 30x and 22x optical zoom respectively and have an integrated microphone to provide support for a soon to be introduced suite of Audio AI analytics. They are supplied with an integrated recess mounting, with the optional addition of a pendant cap to allow for an alternate installation configuration. They are also available with the choice of clear or smoked dome coverings. Highly accurate PTZ functionality The cameras come with direct drive motors which deliver a quiet, fast, smooth and accurate performance and together with ultra-low latency performance, provides security personnel with the ability to accurately track subjects in mission critical applications. The cameras utilize zoom-adjusted program technology to automatically control the pan and tilt speed in proportion to the amount of zoom used, delivering precise pan and tilt control. Using programmed pre-sets and tours, the cameras are able to move into position at up to 700° per second, delivering the camera to its required position in under half a second. Smart Wide Dynamic Range All four of the new PTZ cameras feature Smart Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology which greatly improves the quality of images captured in varying lighting environments. By continuously analysing the scene, Smart WDR, without operator intervention, automatically adjusts tone mapping intensity and optimises the quality of the captured images by enhancing darkened areas without oversaturating brighter areas. Video Intelligence Analytics As users of Illustra Pro Gen cameras have come to expect, the new cameras also feature a suite of analytics which include object detection, object abandoned/removed, crowd formation, dwell and perimeter protection. This allows users to set up real-time, user-customisable event alarms to enable them to respond quickly to any incidents and make best use of human resources. Cyber Secure The Illustra Pro Gen 4 series PTZ cameras offer end-to-end video encryption, which includes camera to VMS and SD card video encryption. Consultants, system designers and systems integrators can also be assured that the cameras have been designed and built in line with the rigorous standards of the Johnson Controls Cyber Solutions Product Security Program.

Power company warns of DIY dangers

The UK’s biggest electricity distributor is urging homeowners planning DIY jobs in and around the home to stay safe and be aware of the dangers with the launch of a new campaign. UK Power Networks wants to highlight the risk of coming into contact with power cables both inside and outside of the home. Figures from the past year show that 259 of 700 such incidents in the areas UK Power Networks serve occurred in the home (more than a third at 37%) with the majority in the summer to autumn period. Of these, half were in the East of England. Former Big Brother winner and DIY expert Craig Phillips is helping the Energy Networks Association spread the word on social media through a video filmed in Epping. [embed]http://vimeo.com/591537906[/embed] Key advice for specific DIY tasks including outdoors: Drilling: Always use a cable detector when drilling. Electricity cables can be hidden in walls and below floors Mowing the lawn: Always fit plugs with a Residual Current Device (RCD) to protect against electrocution. This safety device automatically switches off power when there is a fault Digging deep in the garden: When planting trees, removing tree stumps, or installing fence panels be mindful of underground cables and the risk they pose Ladders: When doing outdoor jobs at height always look up and look out for overhead power cables, as contact could be fatal. Nathan Hughes, a safety advisor at UK Power Networks, says: “Because we are more comfortable at home it is easier to become complacent or distracted. Accidents can happen if people are not mindful of the dangers around electricity cables both underground and overhead. “We are urging people to take care when they begin jobs and remember that power cables can be hidden out of sight. In the past year, over a dozen people in the UK have been killed coming into contact with electricity networks. Typically, dozens more receive serious injuries each year.”

Bumper new catalogue from ESP

ESP has now released the latest update to its comprehensive product catalogue, bringing together all products from its extensive portfolio in one, easy to access reference guide. Available to download from the ESP website, the new 111-page catalogue provides wholesalers, contractors and specifiers with a valuable resource to help them locate the right products and solutions for a variety of projects. The catalogue is divided into six main product categories – CCTV, Access Control, Fire Protection, Emergency Lighting, Essentials and Sangamo. It features every product from each range that ESP offers and incorporates all the latest additions that have been developed to meet growing demand. The latest investment has been in the CCTV category with an expansion of the Rekor HD 2MP CCTV range to offer a comprehensive analogue CCTV range suitable for larger, more complex commercial applications. There is an increased number of cameras, with a wider choice of camera lenses for different focal requirements, infrared coverage for night time visibility and options for either a bullet or dome camera style. All cameras are housed in IP rated contemporary housings suitable for external use and they are available in a choice of white and grey housing finishes to maximise their appeal for a range of building exteriors and interiors. Managing Director of ESP, Neil Baldwin, comments: “We are continually adding to our portfolio to introduce new and innovative products that contractors are seeking, to help them with quicker and easier installation. We know from our wholesaler customers and the contractors we engage with that, as well as the ability to browse the product range on our website, there is a demand for a hard copy version that they can flick through when away from their screens.”

ECA responds to UKCA changes

The ECA has recently responded to the government’s new announcement that UKCA marking will not be mandatory for any products until the 1st January 2023, delaying the previous deadline for the marking by one year. Manufacturers will now have just under 16 months to prepare for the new UKCA marking regulations on construction products. The ECA welcomes the extension as it gives a wider pool of manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to be compliant and get up to speed with UKCA requirements. Although the ECA does note that uncertainty remains about the exact mechanism for compliance. The decision follows lobbying from engineering services alliance Actuate UK and others to recognise that for many products needing third party conformity assessment, including construction products, there would not be sufficient availability or capacity for UK Approved Body testing by the end of 2021. ECA Director of Legal and Business Rob Driscoll comments: “With the ongoing materials shortage and severely limited product testing facilities, the materials market was clearly going to struggle to verify common products as UKCA-compliant within the government’s previous deadline. “All things considered, it is unlikely that material supplies will improve dramatically in the next 12 months. However, this deadline extension will offer some sorely needed respite for manufacturers as well as contractors. The looming cliff-edge of the soaring materials shortage will be eased by this move, but not removed as many of the other global causes are beyond the UK Government’s control.”

NET has launched a new inspection and testing app

As part of its ongoing work to support candidates taking the AM2, AM2S or AM2E, National Electrotechnical Training (NET) has launched a new app that allows people to try out some of the tests they’ll encounter in the assessment. Developed in conjunction with renowned industry figure Sparky Ninja, the app presents five key tests: Continuity of Protective Conductors, Continuity of Ring Final Circuit Conductors, Insulation Resistance, Earth Fault Loop Impedance and Prospective Fault Current. For each test there is an instructional video with Sparky Ninja describing and carrying out the steps involved. Then, via a series of interactive tasks, users can carry out the test by dragging and tapping the animated test instrument, distribution board and other equipment. NET developed the new app as inspection and testing is a section of the AM2 where many candidates don’t achieve the required standard, following errors such as not carrying out the test correctly or not preparing the test instrument properly before starting the test. “Whilst this is, of course, no substitution for proper hands-on inspection and testing in real life, the app can act as a handy revision tool for candidates in preparation for their assessment,” says Carolyn Mason, NET chief executive. “NET is continually investing in ways to help give candidates the best chance of success; we hope that with this app they will take some extra time to prepare for their inspection and testing section, alongside working with their training provider and employer to make sure they are getting sufficient practical experience in this area.” David Watts – aka Sparky Ninja – adds: “Working with NET to expand on and raise awareness of their excellent candidate resources has been a key part for me in helping to raise the standards in electrical training. It is important for all candidates to start thinking about their AM2 competence assessment as soon as possible in their learning journey.”

Marshall-Tufflex appoints new operations director

As part of the company’s continued commitment to growth and delivering superior cable management solutions, Marshall-Tufflex has appointed Jean Dias as Operations Director. Bringing over 24 years of expertise to the position, Jean will play a key role in supporting the business for a sustainable future.   With extensive experience in leading operations, projects, and employees in a manufacturing environment, and with solid knowledge of the plastics industry, Jean is well positioned to support the company’s commitments to recycling and dedication to product development. Attracted by the company’s strong recycling message, Jean will be relocating to Hastings from Leicester to take the mantle and will be instrumental in driving Marshall-Tufflex’s operations and innovative production processes forward. On his new position, Jean comments: “I am excited to be joining a company that truly supports sustainable manufacturing and is challenging the industry to do the same. I’m looking forward to building upon its solid foundations to help to achieve those ambitions and further develop the high levels of service and solutions the company offers.” Paul Mitchell, Managing Director of Marshall-Tufflex says, “We are delighted to welcome Jean to the business. He brings with him a vast amount of experience in the plastics industry, and this appointment reflects our continued focus on ensuring all aspects of our business work together to provide high quality cable management solutions for our customers.”