NAPIT Consumer Unit Competition at ELEX 

NAPIT is challenging electrical experts with its on-stand Consumer Unit Competition supported by Hager at the ELEX shows this year. If you think you’ve got what it takes, visit the NAPIT stand to have a go at spotting the fault with the Hager Consumer Unit. If you guess correctly, your details will be taken and you will be entered into a prize draw which will be drawn at the end of each two-day show, giving you a chance to win an electrician's prize bundle. The bundle, worth up to £800, contains products from some of the industry’s best manufacturers and includes a Dymo XTL 500 printer, a Wera Torque screwdriver, a Megger 2-pole tester and voltage tester, Kewtech loopcheck 170, and a Martindale Lokkit2 lock off kit. NAPIT will be participating in the seminars running throughout the day. NAPIT’s regional inspections manager, Paul Chaffers, will be offering his expert opinion on the panel during The IET’s Industry Forum, as well as partnering up with Gira on its smart homes presentation, where he will be discussing smart home installations in association with the regulations. Visit NAPIT on stand E160 at the upcoming ELEX Tool Fair in London, Alexandra Palace, 1st and 2nd February 2017. Register at www.elexshow.info/register

Bedford Mayor Cuts The Ribbon At New BEW Wholesale Branch

Councillor Dave Hodgson gave a warm welcome to BEW Electrical Distributors as he cut the ribbon at its new branch in Bedford, on Wednesday 25th January 2017. The mayor spent over an hour at the official open day, speaking to local electricians and manufacturers. The event, hosted by branch manager Mike Nixon and his team, attracted a great deal of attention in the local area. Informative technical demonstrations by Armeg Tools, as well as product demonstrations from Hager and Timeguard, proved a hit with local contractors, as did the free food and drink served throughout the day. Lots of visitors also benefited from on site test meter calibration at a great discount, courtesy of the Calibration Centre. “The volume of customer response was very impressive,” says Martin Rand, regional director at BEW. “I certainly feel the Bedford branch has been placed firmly on the map.” BEW Bedford prides itself on its trade counter and its friendly, knowledgeable staff. With plenty of parking on site and free, secure storage available on request, BEW is the new go-to wholesale branch in the Bedford area.

Retra Launches A Smart Home Seminar

Retra has launched a special one-day Smart Home Seminar, exclusively for business proprietors of its members. Taking place on 21st February, the seminar is in association with AWE and award winning training provider T21. Hosted at AWE’s smart home showrooms at its HQ in Epsom, Surrey, the free event will present attendees with an increased understanding of the substantial growth opportunities available through the rapidly growing smart home market. Retra CEO Howard Saycell says: “This is a fantastic opportunity for members who want to take action right now. There has been a lot of talk in recent years on the opportunities for businesses which smart home represents but many of our members are understandably cautious, so this event brings experts together to provide business owners all the information they need to make informed decisions.” The day will consist of workshops, presentations, demonstrations and discussions, all providing vital insight for business owners to enable growth, profitability and sustainability. Following an introduction presentation from Retra CEO Howard Saycell and a welcoming address by AWE managing director Stuart Tickle, attendees will enjoy four sessions: The definition of smart home –This session will provide a clear definition of smart home, will examine the differences between smart home and custom install, and will dispel certain industry myths. Adapting your business for smart home – The second session will cover growth and value opportunities available in the smart home industry. Attendees will be assisted to craft a business strategy to maximise the benefits discussed during the day. Skills workshop – Detailing the technical capabilities required, delegates will learn the subtle difference between which skills are needed, and which should be contracted out. Home cinema and connected home demonstration – The final session of the day will include a demonstration of a home cinema and other smart home products, providing attendees with an understanding on how to provide a showstopping customer demo. The seminar promises to deliver crucial information for decision makers within independent retail organisations to enable a measured, successful step into the world of connected technology. For more further information visit: http://retra.co.uk/smart-home-for-business-owners/  

Enter The Powerlottery And Support Thousands

The Powerlottery is the Electrical Industries Charity’s (EIC) number one fundraising stream which offers everyone in the industry a fun way to support the charity while having a chance to win a cash prize of up to £1,000. Entrants can choose to purchase between one and 10 numbers each month to increase their chances of winning at the cost of £1 each. The lottery draws provide the charity with 30% of its annual income which is directly handed out in financial grants to the industry through the charity’s programmes, such as the Pensioner Support Programme, therefore each time you play you will be able to support a great cause. The Pensioner Support Programme is one of the charity’s four programmes, which is focused on providing a support network for the electrical sector’s retired colleagues and their families. The programme provides pensioners with financial assistance whether this is paying for household bills, debts or unexpected expenses. It also offers retirees and their families support services including will writing assistance, legal advice, telephone counselling, debt advice, support for carers, financial assistance and grants as well as providing a way for them to connect with their retired colleagues. EIC managing director Tessa Ogle comments: “Powerlottery is one of the best ways to help the charity to transform the lives of our colleagues who are in need. For as little as £1 you will be able to make a huge difference in someone’s life while having a chance to win one of 15 cash prizes.”

The Wire Returns In 2017

Metal consumer units and the impact of this change to the Wiring Regulations is just one of the topics up for discussion during the next episode of NICEIC and ELECSA’s The Wire. The Wire is a live technical webcast hosted by industry experts Tony Cable and Darren Staniforth. The next episode airs 9am-10am on 26th January. The ‘non-combustible enclosure’ requirement for consumer units has been effective since 1st January 2016. An estimated 460,000 metal consumer units have been installed since then and the duo will look at planned and distress consumer unit changes, incorporating the best practice guide from Electrical Safety First. The interactive session will also include an overview of emergency lighting – looking at the design requirements for installation to British Safety Standard BS5266 – as well as looking at the most common issues associated with installation techniques and inspection & testing. Tony and Darren will be on hand to answer any technical questions. If you have a technical question you would like answered email it to events@certsure.com beforehand. Joining The Wire is simple. It is available to view on most PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones, making it easily accessible for everyone to join. Click on the link here and register your details. You will then be sent a link to log in on Thursday 26th January at 9am. Places on the webinar are available to electrical contractors from all scheme operators, although priority is given to NICEIC and ELECSA registrants. Spaces are limited so register today to guarantee your place. To view previous broadcasts of The Wire, click here.

An Inside Look At The Starrett Showroom

Starrett has invested its knowledge in band saw machines, blades and hole saws into a newly launched showroom and demonstration zone in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Starrett’s new southern base means that customers needn’t travel to Starrett’s UK manufacturing headquarters in the Scottish Borders to gain expert knowledge on the company’s range of equipment. The area is open to the public six days a week, with Starrett’s technical support team visiting the site on a regular basis. Starrett’s new showroom is based on the Newton Trading Estate within the facility of engineering distributor Tewkesbury Saw. Alongside its collection of band saw machines, from benchtop to large, semi-automatic machines, the demonstration zone also showcases the range of hole saws and power tool accessories. The Starrett hole saw offering has expanded dramatically from the standard, ‘go-to’ bi-metal hole saw that most contractors are familiar with. The range incorporates an entire family of products, each of which has been designed to cut different materials across a range of applications. Starrett has dedicated an entire work station in the demonstration zone to its range of hole saws, with technical support staff on hand to answer any questions about the products and demonstrate the hole saws and hole saw accessories against a range of materials. “Whether you are a plumber, electrician or a carpenter, all tradesmen will be familiar with the challenges involved in cutting and fitting materials like metal, glass or wood,” explains John Cove, marketing manager at Starrett. “However, it is always surprising to us how many tradesmen believe that all surfaces can be tackled effectively with the same type of hole saw. “The hole saw workstation within the Tewkesbury demonstration facility provides tradesmen and contractors with an opportunity to challenge the versatility of our hole saw range against a variety of materials and get some useful tips on how to make your hole saw blades last longer.” There is no appointment necessary to visit the Starrett demonstration area in Tewkesbury. The zone is open to the public from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm and on Saturday mornings until midday. However, if you would like to book a consultation with one of Starrett’s technical advisors, or find out more about Starrett and its product range before visiting, please visit the Starrett website.

Why The 2018 Halogen Ban Is Brilliant News For Everyone

When halogen bulbs are finally banned across the EU in September 2018, V-Tac explains why we should be celebrating the end of unnecessarily high lighting bills, inefficient technology and a massive 15.2 million tonne reduction in Europe’s carbon footprint by 2025. There are still an estimated 500 million halogen spotlights being used in homes across Europe and, if they were replaced with good LED alternatives, every household would save an average of £42 a year and save enough energy to power 11 million homes. New technology has resulted in a dramatic evolution of LED lighting and it is now easy to find lights which give out an attractive warm white light for homes or a brighter white light for the workplace. This includes highly efficient A++ rated lights which produce 120 lumens per watt (a traditional halogen bulb produces only around 12 lumens per watt) with much less wasted heat. LED lights have also become more reliable and consistent and have a longer lamp life. LED lights can cut energy usage by 80% and so pay for themselves within a year – especially if they are bought at a competitive price. Satish Sajnani, cofounder of V-Tac, says: “People working in the trade need to start stocking LED lighting products and gear up for the 2018 ban. They also need to play their part in educating the public about LED lights and explain why they have so many advantages. The biggest benefits of the transition from halogen to LED lighting will be lower energy bills and a healthier planet."

Gooee Enters South America: First Brazilian IoT Lighting Partnership With Lumicenter

Gooee has extended its international reach to South America by partnering with the Lumicenter Lighting Group, the Brazilian provider of conventional and LED lighting solutions. This partnership will enable Lumicenter to integrate and further develop Gooee’s IoT-enabling technology within its lighting products. Once connected to the Gooee ecosystem, Lumicenter’s clients will have a portfolio of internal/external lighting solutions that offer better value for money and increased functionality. This is realised through enhanced lighting control, energy management, LED analytics and, for proximity marketing in retail applications, beacon management. Marcos Vertuoso, CEO at Lumicenter Lighting, says, "With the IoT platform designed by Gooee the possibilities of offering value services for our clients will be a huge differential for Lumicenter." Jan Kemeling, chief commercial officer at Gooee, adds, "We have now signed agreements with leading lighting brands in Europe, the US, Japan, India, China and Australia and the Lumicenter partnership marks a significant step into the new, rapidly growing and exciting South American region." Lumicenter Lighting has a significant presence in the Brazilian market and, through the integration of Gooee’s technology, it can develop an innovative service offering to its customers in any vertical sector.

Styles&Wood Acquires GDM Group

Styles&Wood has now acquired The GDM Group as it continues to diversify and expand. The acquisition enhances Styles&Wood’s expertise in engineering and professional services and will provide opportunities to broaden its work with new and existing clients. The Group has acquired the entire issued share capital of Kent-based GDM for an initial consideration of £4 million in cash and shares, with up to £3.1 million payable as deferred consideration. [caption id="attachment_10775" align="alignright" width="200"] Tony Lenehan, chief executive officer, Styles&Wood[/caption] Incorporated in 2001, GDM, which is headquartered in Dartford, employs more than 50 staff. It specialises in providing engineering and project management services in business-critical environments to property owners across sectors including retail, education, commercial offices and data centres. The GDM management team has over 90 years’ experience working with a range of blue-chip customers throughout the UK and Europe. All GDM employees will remain employed by the business, which will be positioned within the wider Styles&Wood Group. Tony Lenehan, chief executive officer at Styles&Wood, comments: “There is a clear trend in the market towards multidisciplinary service provision for blue-chip clients, and this acquisition builds upon the strength of both businesses, as experts in project delivery in live environments.” Gary Draper, director at GDM, adds: “We truly believe that this is an exciting move for GDM. The business is in great shape and coming under the Styles&Wood umbrella will provide the company and all of our employees with greater opportunities for development and an even stronger platform, both operationally and financially, for growth in the years ahead.”

Ideal Industries Acquires CMD Ltd

Ideal Industries chairman and CEO Jim James has announced the acquisition of CMD Limited UK, which integrates power and technology with furniture for a broad range of large scale office and commercial markets. "This is a great fit for us," comments Jim. "CMD strengthens our ability to help large scale businesses simply and seamlessly expand power and technology throughout their workspaces. Their technical expertise and market reputation will help us accelerate European acceptance for both our new wireless lighting control and mobile device charging systems." CMD designs, manufactures and customises a range of workplace power management products for below the floor (e.g. busbar, floor boxes) and above the floor (e.g. power modules, CPU supports, monitor arms and cable management solutions) installations. The company’s products and experience helps architects, designers, office managers and contractors to quickly, easily and attractively run power and technology in new construction and retrofit commercial projects. CMD now provides fast-growing UK, European and Middle Eastern commercial and office markets with easy, single-source customisation and manufacturing capability.