SELECT president Kevin Griffin recognised at fire and safety ceremony
Kevin Griffin, SELECT’s president was this year’s recipient of The Ian Marsh Award, which recognises individuals who demonstrate enthusiasm and selfless concern for the fire and emergency systems industry. The award was made on behalf of the Fire and Security Association at the IFSEC’s ‘Security and Fire Excellence Awards’ held on November 21. Kevin’s long involvement in the crucial fire and safety side of the electrical profession was highlighted in front of nearly 1000 of the industry’s foremost practitioners at the prestigious event. Kevin runs Logic Systems Fire & Security in East Kilbride, a company which has specialised in providing life safety and security solutions from its Lanarkshire base for the past 25 years. It employs four people. Kevin has been chairman of the Lanarkshire branch of SELECT on a number of occasions and has been closely involved with the work of the Fire & Security Association, for a number of years. He said: “I am humbled and extremely gratified to receive this unexpected recognition, especially from fellow professionals who have also dedicated their efforts to keeping people safe in the workplace and at home. “Safety is at the heart of everything we do in the electrical sector and I would wish to share this award not only with the people in my own firm but also in SELECT, which continues to do invaluable work in this field.” Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, said: “This is a particularly well-deserved award to our President, who has been active in SELECT for many years and has diligently carried out a series of roles, including branch chairmanships. “His work in the realm of fire and security systems has always been of a great standard and to have it recognised at an event of this caliber is an honour indeed. The Security and Fire Excellence Awards, supported by IFSEC and FIREX, have consistently broken new ground in highlighting the very best people, projects and processes that the security and fire sectors have to offer. SELECT’s 1250 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577. F: 0131 445 5548. E: admin@select.org.uk. W: www.select.org.uk
Clear Sight Coating Saves Thousands For CCTV Provision In North Lanarkshire
TCA, the provider of security services for North Lanarkshire Council, has seen savings of around £50,000 a year, after installing 300 Panasonic CCTV cameras, waterproofed with a unique ClearSight Coating. Located east of Glasgow, North Lanarkshire has challenging weather conditions for any technology, which has previously hindered the provision of cost effective security in the area. High levels of rain resulted in water marks, dust spots and condensation, which meant heavy maintenance burdens and the potential for missing incidents. When considering an upgrade to the system, TCA needed to combat these issues with a security system that remained affordable in an era of local authority austerity. TCA secured the lower total cost of ownership they were seeking by implementing Panasonic PTZ CCTV cameras. The ClearSight coating forms an invisible layer over the surface of the dome preventing water droplets from obscuring footage, while also eliminating dirt and dust build up on the dome cover. “On many models, when the rain stops, you tend to get a coating of dust on the dome, which the camera then focuses on,” says Nikola Graham, Operations Manager. “We just haven’t seen that with the Panasonic cameras. In fact, we have actually halved the number of maintenance visits, which we think probably equates to a £50,000 annual saving.” The initial installation took place over two years with the bulk of the cameras installed on 27 high rise blocks, identified as having problems with crime and antisocial behaviour. “The result has been impressive. The council has seen a reduction in the number of criminal and anti-social incidents within the residential blocks, the cameras have contributed greatly to this. The people living in the blocks feel safer as a result,” said Graeme Good, Business Manager at TCA. “A camera in the Motherwell area has on several occasions been used to catch vehicles that were used in some pretty serious crime. The quality of the footage and the evidence packs that we are giving the police is exactly what they are looking for.” The control room in Coatbridge has eyes trained on 21 Full HD monitors, with 875 cameras monitored round the clock utilising tours and salvos. A further 300 cameras are linked in and monitored out of hours, if an alarm is triggered. Various triggers, such as alarms within the lifts, will show as priorities for the operators. “It’s great credit to our integration partners that some of the cameras we monitor are 16 years old,” adds Graeme Good. “Every time we have a fault we will appraise whether it’s cost effective to repair the unit. If not, we’ll continue with the roll out of Panasonic, which have been virtually faultless thus far.” To read more about this case study please visit: https://business.panasonic.co.uk/security-solutions/case-study/securing-the-pathway-to-technology-development
‘Best Bathroom Heating & Accessories Supplier 2018’
The UK’s largest British designer and manufacturer of premium radiators and towel warmers, Vogue UK, win SME News 2018 Midlands Enterprise Award for ‘Best Bathroom Heating & Accessories Supplier 2018’. The SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards recognise ‘industrious and hardworking individuals and businesses’ located in the Midlands region to reward ‘innovation in business practice and outstanding overall performance’. Highlighting local traders and businesses in the area for driving innovation and maintaining healthy competition between sectors, Vogue UKwere awarded the accolade of‘Best Bathroom Heating & Accessories Supplier’ for 2018. Recognised as the “Workshop of the World”, the West Midlands is experiencing a great resurgence in terms of local investment, increased manufacturing and development opportunities and to this day, remains one of the leading areas for the manufacture of brass, copper and steel: particularly in the areawhere our factory is based. As a region, the West Midlands continue to play an increasingly pivotal role in the world of product design and manufacturing and Vogue UKare committed to continue satisfying this growing ‘anytime, anywhere’ generation, and deliver a productportfolio that is reactive, exciting and market leading. Steve Birch, Sales Director at Vogue UK says: “The UK heating sector has always been a highly competitive marketplace, which drives our designers and skilled craftsmen to continually create a point of difference for our customers, which in turn helps to grow our brand and build on our success.” Steve continues: “To have true market leadershipis a huge victory and great reward that our designs continue to influence the interior design market and heating trends. As a premium manufacturer, it is our responsibility to look to the future and I believe this universal mind-set at Vogue UKhas been paramount to our success, anticipating market trends and catering for an ever-changing customer profile. We are dedicated to providing our customers with a ‘one-stop-shop’ for designer heating solutions and by listening to our customers’ we have been able to expand, redefine and introduce new products and services that answer new market requirements and/or individual needs.’’ Established in 1990, Vogue UK is the UK’s leading designer and manufacturer of quality towel warmers, designer radiators and heating accessories in traditional and contemporary styles. Combining fashion and functionality, it offers a portfolio that meets the needs of every interior style, architecture, project brief and budget. By manufacturing in-house,Vogue UKis able to constantly explore new techniques and experiment with innovative designs, materials and finishes which are exclusive to the brand. For further information on Vogue UK or any of its latest product collections, please call 01902 387000, email info@vogueuk.co.uk or click here
Quinetic
Quinetic Kinetic Wireless Switches – the complete wireless solution. Change the way you think about installing – the Quinetic range offers an inspired solution for any switching scenario. With no battery required and no wiring to the switch, the applications are limitless. There is no longer the constraint of wiring location and no need to install back boxes or cut holes in the walls. The surface mount plate allows for simple and quick installations and the optional flush box and new grid switch make it ideal for retro-fit. The switches are safe to use and can be installed or placed on walls, ceramic tiles, marble, glass or any smooth surface. How it works: The Quinetic Wireless switch contains a built-in micro energy generator. Once the switch panel is pressed it generates kinetic energy which is collected in an internal module and converted into electrical energy. This powers the internal module to send out a high frequency radio signal to the switch receiver which controls the device that is to be turned on or off. The energy produced by the Quinetic device is very small so the communicating hardware adheres to strict requirements on low power consumption and wireless transmission. The switches and receivers sync in seconds. One receiver can be controlled by up to 10 switches and one switch can control an unlimited number of receivers. The Quinetic switch range has a stylish and neat appearance. They are available in a chrome or white finish and include one to three gang switches, dimmable switches, weather proof switches with an IP67 rating, a handy key fob and the latest addition – a grid switch that is compatible with MK grid. The Quinetic receivers are safe to use and have a replaceable fuse. They can be controlled up to a distance of 30m indoors and 160m outdoors. The socket adaptors allow you to control hard to reach sockets and have a control distance of up to 20m indoor and 110m outdoor. The Wi-Fi enabled receiver and socket adaptor can be controlled with a Quinetic switch or via the Kinetic Switch App. The app has many great functions – use the timer function, create schedules for your devices, create scenes according to the weather or time and turn your devices on or off while you are anywhere in the world. The Wi-Fi enabled receivers and adaptors are also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. The LED ultra slim Quinetic floodlights are fitted with a built-in receiver for quick and easy installation. The floodlights are available in 10w, 30w and 50w in cool white or warm white. There are countless advantages to installing the Quinetic range. It reduces the manual labour necessary to install switches and reduces construction costs by up to 30%. The installation process of installing a new light or device is sped up resulting in massive savings in costs. The limitless application of the switches is also advantageous – fast installation in any location. No more dust or noise from drilling, the process is completely clean and with no electricity passing through the switch, is completely safe. Contact details: Tel: 01293 565 630 Email: sales@tlc-direct.co.uk Website link: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Wiring_Accessories_Menu_Index/Quinetic/index.html
Designing longer lasting smart home sensors
Why long-lasting sensors are key to designing the home of the future! Home automation has been gaining traction over the past few years, with massive developments in features and relevant technologies. However, these technologies are only as effective as their power source. Here, Michele Windsor, global marketing manager at home automation battery provider Ultralife Corporation, explains the importance of having long lasting batteries at the centre of home automationproduct design. Rube Goldberg machines are a fascinating spectacle to watch, with intricate parts moving around to create a symphony of movement to perform tasks. However, to function, every single part must work perfectly, otherwise it takes a lengthy reset before the spectacle can resume. Just like in a Rube Goldberg machine, every piece in a smart house must work perfectly in order to create the spectacle that makes your life easier and more efficient. To make sure your smart house is always working, its sensors must always be working. Sensors are what feed data to the smart house, so it knows what time it is, what the temperature is, or whether the sun is glaring through your windows. Most sensors are battery powered and, as they need to be active constantly, it is important to make sure that they have batteries that are reliable and long lasting. Based on Ultralife’s experience in the sector, many sensors for smart home devices arrive on the market with CR123A model batteries. However, not all these batteries are created equal. Many are often limited in their battery capacity, which means a shorter operating life for the sensor. Design engineers can overcome this by choosing a long-lasting CR123A battery suitable for home automation sensors, such as the CR123A range of batteries produced by Ultralife. They have an improved internal spiral construction that provides a higher capacity than is currently available in similar products on the market, while remaining long lasting for home automation functions. According to data from Strategy Analytics, 38 per cent of homes in the USA will be smart homes by 2019.Because of this, it is incredibly important to set out solid design foundations now. Putting long lasting batteries into smart homes design now will avoid mass sensor outages, customer dissatisfaction and possible backlash against manufacturers in the future. Whether it be your security cameras, lights, sprinklers, or your fans, sensors keep smart devices fed with relevant information to ensure they are working precisely to maximise user comfort and convenience. In a sense, making intelligent decisions about smart homes now will allow our future selves to be awed by anintricate connected Rube Goldberg machine, performing millions of tasks simultaneously to make our lives simpler and stress free.
Insurance Company Helps Customers To Minimise Loss With Thermal Imaging
Traditionally, insurance companies have taken a reactive approach to property loss resulting from equipment breakdown. However, in a bid to minimise electrical and mechanical failure and its associated fire risk, an increasing number of insurers are now requiring their customers to adopt thermal imaging to spot electrical and mechanical faults in their infancy. CNA Insurance has taken this a stage further by offering its customers an IR thermal imaging service. FLIR thermal imaging has helped CNA to strengthen its risk management programmes and integrate services to protect lives, safeguard assets and increase profitability. Armed with FLIR IR cameras, CNA’s certified thermographers have conducted 6,445 surveys over the last five years; that’s around 100 surveys per month. They found thousands of faults and deficiencies, averaging 7.3 faults per report. And the company estimates this has saved its thermography customers the equivalent of £10 million per year. Company statistics showed that average electrical fire losses were around £150,000 for circuit breakers; £390,000 for switchgear and £765,000 for motor control centre (MCC) rooms. A reasonable average electrical fire loss is estimated to be £575,000. CNA is also able to calculate recovered energy costs using a FLIR software programme that calculates indirect power from surface temperature. Much of CNA’s survey work, is conducted on FLIR E95 thermal imaging cameras. This Wi-Fi enabled model has intelligent interchangeable lenses, laser-assisted autofocus modes and FLIR’s patented MSX® imaging technology that makes problem diagnosis quick and easy. A typical example of a customer who has benefited from the FLIR thermal imaging service that CNA Insurance provides is a fruit processing facility, where 14 faults were identified that could have started a fire. One was critical, three were serious and 10 were intermittent faults. If the problems had remained undetected, the facility would have lost its entire stock due to smoke and fire damage in storage areas containing processed fruit. This would have represented a loss of around £3 million. And by catching the problems early CNA also saved the customer an estimated £57,000 in electrical repair and energy costs. www.flir.co.uk
Recolight appoints new Operations Manager
Recolight, the specialist WEEE compliance scheme for the lighting industry, is pleased to announce the appointment of Amel Gharbi to the role of Operations and Compliance Manager. Amel has over 10 years’ experience in Logistics & Compliance Management. She joins Recolight from Baker Hughes, a GE company, where she was responsible for logistics compliance and freight sourcing. Amel has hand-on experience in a wide range of logistics, supplier monitoring, and compliance activities. Commenting on her appointment, Amel said: “I am delighted to be joining Recolight at an exciting time, as open scope drives further company growth.” Announcing the news, Recolight Chief Executive, Nigel Harvey said: “Amel’s wealth of experience working in the compliance and logistics makes her a valuable addition to the Recolight team. Amel will play an integral role in further enhancing the efficiency and value of our WEEE collection service.” www.recolight.co.uk
The benefits of working in an alliance
A chance encounter between Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Toyota president Akio Toyoda sparked conversations that led to the collaborative production of a hybrid system for trucks. As unlikely and improbable the partnership between these two competitors appeared at first glance, alliances between businesses often prove to be beneficial to both participants and the end client. Here, Brian Donaldson, business development authority at engineering solutions provider, Boulting, explains the benefits of working with an alliance of companies. Although there are many definitions for the word alliance, the one consistent message is the necessity of trust. In my opinion, an alliance doesn’t necessarily constitute a legal contract or a joint venture, it is simply an understanding that those involved will be working for the whole, rather than for individual gain. This is the defining factor that sets an alliance apart from a supplier-customer relationship. Integrated project delivery (IPD), is one way in which to manage an alliance. The practice promotes collaboration which is essential to a successful project, as each member of the overall team should share goals and be working to achieve the best possible end result. Working for the whole Working as part of an alliance can deliver a better end result, as it encourages businesses to bring in experts to the job that can deliver elements of the project that may lie outside of their core competencies, while sharing knowledge with one another. For this reason, contractors may find that an alliance opens doors into new sectors. For clients, many find it simpler and easier to have a single point of contact (SPOC) to communicate with, rather than trying to piece all the information together from several channels who may not be effectively communicating. In this way, a managed alliance can deliver a smoother service throughout the project life cycle. These results are delivered through trust, clear goals set at the start of the project and a structured way of working that means each contractor or supplier is focused on delivering the best end result possible, on time and under budget. Integrated project delivery (IPD) is one way of ensuring collaboration is achieved. IPD aligns each collaborators interests, objectives and practices to ensure every individual, team or business will become equally invested, sharing risk and profit in a fair and transparent manner. This could involve using target costs and including the client as a member of the team. Trust Because trust and good communication is vital to delivering effective collaboration, the largest challenge is obtaining this trust with a new business, perhaps without having any part in who is appointed. Communication tools and methods including getting every involved individual working in the same room, or extremely visual project management such as a physical whiteboard, can provide a crucial base to work from. Just because management knowthe overall project timeline, don’t assume that it’s the same for each team member. Inefficient communication can produce sub-par end results or even for the project to overrun or go over budget due to issues not being properly encountered for. If the trust fails, so do collaborative behaviours — and this puts the project at risk. Throughout its years of experience, Boulting has not only built up a long list of companies in all sectors with which it enjoys an excellent relationship, it also knows the most effective ways of working in an alliance such as insisting on regular face to face meetings, using project management tools and ensuring safety remains at the forefront of all projects. This aids it in producing successful project outcomes that meet client key performance indicators (KPIs). A good alliance, where each party is equally invested in producing the best possible outcome, can be achieved through working with companies that have been recommended, or have been referred by a trusted middle man. This can result in a smoother project delivery, alongside a superior end result. Regardless, some of the most successful collaborations in history, such as that of Ford and Toyota, can come as a surprise even to themselves. For more information about Boulting’s work in alliances, or to find out more about how your engineering project could benefit from the expertise that an alliance can provide, visit www.boulting.co.uk.
Promotions at Boulting Ltd strengthen business offering
Engineering solutions provider, Boulting Ltd has made a number of promotions across the organisationto further strengthen its business offering. Glyn Shawcross has been appointed as engineering and design director, Louis Steyn takes up the role of IT director and Paul Mannion will move to the position of electrical and instrumentation (E&I) operations manager. Glyn Shawcross, who joined Boulting Ltd in 2011, has been promoted to the role of engineering and design director and will be responsible for engineering design of all mechanical, electrical and instrumentation installations across the non-nuclear business units. Shawcross is also responsible for the technical, financial and strategic responsibility of the engineering and design department, which consists of over 60 multi-disciplined designers and engineers. A chartered engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and a certified functional safety engineer with over 38-year experience in the sector, Shawcross joined Boulting as a senior electrical engineer. In addition to his role in the engineering and design team, Shawcross voluntarily undertakes the roles of professional registration advisor and continuing professional development advisor on behalf of the IET, as well as being the company’s IET representative. Alongside Shawcross’s promotion, Paul Mannion, who joined Boulting in 1990 as an apprentice, will take up the role of E&I operations manager and will continue his involvement in construction and project management in the pharmaceutical industry. His experience across the business in both engineering and managerial roles means he will continue to support the team to deliver varied client requirements. Having worked at Boulting Ltd since 2007, Louis Steyn and has been appointed as IT director for the business. Steyn has numerous years’ experience in IT management roles across a variety of sectors across the UK and in South Africa. Steyn will assist the board in developing the company’s IT strategy and improving the IT department’s service offering across Boulting’s multiple sites. He plans to improve processes and systems and create a focus on how IT can benefit the business. In addition, he will be developing an IT strategy to help assure the ongoing security of the digital services Boulting offer. “The series of promotions we have made over the past few months will continue to strengthen our business,” Josh Groarke, deputy managing director at Boulting Ltd said. “We wanted to recognise not only the hard work and dedication of these individuals, but also support our offering with an effective and resilient senior leadership team that has the experience and knowledge to push Boulting Ltd in the years to come. “As an organisation that works over numerous UK sites, as well as managing projects across the globe, we appreciate that we must invest in our people first and foremost,” Groarke continued. “The services we offer would be of little use without the knowledge and skills of our people, which is why these promotions will support our ongoing business aspirations.” Boulting Ltd is a multi-disciplined engineering solutions provider, operating across a diverse range of industry sectors in the UK and abroad. The organisation employs over 950 staff throughout the UK at its regional sites. To find out more information about Boulting visit www.boulting.co.uk.
