June news archive

June 11, 2004
Monthly news archive

June 30, 2004

FRE Composites opens distribution facility in Massachusetts

FRE Composites recently opened a new distribution facility in Massachusetts, FRE Northeast, which will assume the responsibility of selling and servicing all distributors across New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. Teltek Sales in New Jersey is becoming a standard distributor, and it will no longer serve as the company’s master distributor. A.J. Hurley in New England will no longer be FRE’s exclusive distributor, and other distributors in that area can purchase products directly from the new facility.

June 29, 2004

Encorp and Envenergy merge, receive $7.11 million in funding

Encorp recently completed a transaction with Envenergy and closed on $7.11 million in new funding from lead-investor Rustic Canyon Partners. The two companies formed a new holding name, Encorp, Inc., and each merged with wholly owned subsidiaries of the holding company.

Encorp develops and markets services and products for the communications, control, and networking of distributed energy. Envenergy develops and markets remote monitoring, control, and gateway services and products for building-automation systems.

Based out of Windsor, Colo., Dennis Orwig, CEO of Encorp, will continue to hold that title with the new company, and Mike Cruse, co-founder and chief technology officer of Envenergy, will continue as chief technology officer.

June 28, 2004

Fluke brings test and measurement expertise into the classroom

Fluke, along with instructors at two- and four-year educational settings and apprenticeship programs, is bringing test and measurement expertise into the classroom. Available through a company Web site, the Fluke Education Partnership is a program that combines educational material and application information with product discount.

The classroom modules, which cover topics like electrical measurement safety and insulation resistance testing, were created by the company and include colorful graphics and a step-by-step guide to solving real-world problems. They feature an overview and planning aid to preview content, presentations with talking points, lesson materials that include application notes and articles, and visual aids.

Educators that enroll in the program receive 25% off the list price of the company’s tools for use in classrooms and labs.

June 25, 2004

Cresent/Stonco launches FloodPak Web site

Cresent/Stonco, a division of Genlyte, recently launched a new Web site for its FloodPak outdoor lighting fixture, www.FloodPak.com. Visitors can view photos and lighting applications, as well as download photometrics, installation instructions, mounting templates, and specification sheets.

The site also features various lighting scenarios. Photos include information about compliance requirements, installation requirements, and accessories. The FloodPak can be rotated at different angles to distribute light six different ways like flood, indirect/accent, and forward throw, façade and indirect lighting, and surface mount.

June 24, 2004

Post Glover Resistors to incorporate transit division of sister company

Post Glover Resistors, an Erlanger, Ky.-based electrical resistor manufacturer, recently announced plans to expand the company’s existing transit business by incorporating the transit division of sister Halma company, Cressall Resistors. The manufacturing functions of Cressall’s Melton Constable transit resistor facility in the United Kingdom will be fully integrated into Post Glover’s plant by the end of June.

Cressall will continue to serve its industrial resistor customers from its Leicester, U.K. facility, as it will maintain a sales, service, and engineering office in Dereham, U.K.

June 23, 2004

ABB offers new selective testing and repair/retrofit program

ABB recently announced the Selective Testing and Repair/Retrofit (STAR) program, which gives its customers a choice when refurbishing low- and medium-voltage lineage circuit breakers. The levels include the Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and STAR Plus packages.

The Bronze package includes the complete disassembly and refurbishment of the operating mechanism and contact assemblies (air magnetic only), and the removal of exterior lubricant and re-lubrication of the truck/frame assembly (including the jackshaft and pushrods), and racking mechanism assembly.

The Silver package includes the complete disassembly and refurbishment of the operating mechanism and contact assemblies (air magnetic only) and the racking mechanism assembly, and the removal of exterior lubricant and re-lubrication of the truck/frame assembly (including the jackshaft and pushrods).

The Gold package includes the complete disassembly and refurbishment of the operating mechanism and contact assemblies (air magnetic only), the racking mechanism assembly, and the truck/frame assembly (including the jackshaft and pushrods).

The Platinum package includes the complete disassembly and refurbishment of the operating mechanism and contact assemblies (air magnetic only), the racking mechanism assembly, and the truck/frame assembly (including the jackshaft and pushrods), as well as the wiring package/control pan (includes control device and auxiliary switch assemblies).

The STAR Plus package can be added to any of the above options for low-voltage breakers to retrofit the breaker’s existing trip system to the customer’s choice of MPSC-2000 or Powershield/SS trip system.

June 22, 2004

Schneider Electric/Square D logs nine months on Idea House project

Schneider Electric/Square D recently marked nine months as a participant in Southern Living magazine’s Idea House real estate development. Located in Panama City, Fla., the house is part of a five-year building project for which the company is the supplier of electrical distribution equipment.

The house, open to the public through Sept. 26, is a showcase for innovative building methods and materials, and it’s part of a larger project that entails a series of residential, office, and retail developments along the Gulf Coast.

The company’s products that are featured in the house include the Square D QO load center, Multi-Link structure wiring system, Surgebreaker plus Multi-Path surge protector, and Arc-D-tect arc fault circuit interrupters.

June 21, 2004

GE Energy to acquire several business units from S.D. Myers

GE Energy recently signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of three business units from S.D. Myers, a Tallmadge, Ohio-based supplier of services for transformers and substations. The also company signed another agreement to acquire the assets of Fluidex Engineering, a South African manufacturer and exporter of transformer oil, which is owned indirectly by the Myers family that owns S.D. Myers.

The three units in the first agreement are Ohio Transformer, a repair, rewind, and re-manufacturing service for transformers; S.D. Myers Substation Services, a supplier of field services for substation maintenance like fluid services, mechanical services, and load tap changer maintenance; and S.D. Myers Engineered Transformer Products, a company that provides oil reclamation systems, dry-out solutions, and oil-cooling systems for transformers.

The two acquisitions are expected to close within the next few months and may close independently of one another.

June 18, 2004

Rockwell Automation opens resource center in Houston

Rockwell Automation recently announced the creation of the Rockwell Automation Center for Integrated Conditioning Monitoring in Houston. Developed as a resource for process and petrochemical manufacturers, the center’s mission is to promote improved production performance by monitoring and protecting the effectiveness of plant issues.

The center will help organizations integrate monitoring and protection technology into a facility’s existing networking infrastructure and help with its maintenance activities based on actual asset condition, rather than routine maintenance.

June 17, 2004

Duraline updates Web site

Duraline recently updated its Web site, www.jbn-duraline.com, with a redesigned homepage that features a list of the company’s products and features. The site also includes an updated contact page and a library of new product photos.

June 16, 2004

Chicago’s new public buildings to receive LEED certification

Chicago mayor, Richard M. Daley recently announced that the city’s newly constructed public buildings will be LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The mayor said this certification process is part of the Chicago’s effort to be one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the United States.

The Chicago Center for Green Technology has already received a Platinum rating—LEED’s highest— from the USGBC. The building, which uses the earth’s temperature to cool and heat itself, was built on a former brownfield site with recycled materials and includes a rooftop garden, rainwater cisterns, and smart lighting systems.

June 15, 2004

Graybar wins military/federal civilian contract renewal

Graybar recently announced that it has won a two-year contract renewal with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) valued at $51.8 million. Under the contract, the company will provide maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) supplies and related services to the U.S. military and federal civilian agencies in the DLA South Central region.

This is the second DLA contract renewal for the company this year, and it includes provisions for eight one-year extensions. It’s one of six companies that competed for the contract and was the incumbent contract holder for this region. The company has been serving the DLA South Central region since 1998.

June 14, 2004

Smarthome releases Insteon automatic network technology for the home

Smarthome recently released Insteon, the first home automation network technology that combines the home’s existing wiring or powerline with radio frequency (RF) communications for automatic or remote control of lighting, security, entertainment systems, appliances, and climate. The system is designed to work with OEM products like washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, HVAC devices, and garage door openers.

Users plug in two RF access points in their home and two filters to prevent interference with PC power strips or certain brands of televisions. The system can be set to not turn the washing machine on until someone is out of the shower, automatically fill a swimming pool, or remotely lock the front door.

June 11, 2004

Equity Electrical Associates presents vendor awards

Equity Electrical Associates, a nationwide organization of independent electrical distributors, recently presented its vendor awards at its annual conference April 15-18. The awards, divided into five categories, measured overall supplier performance and distributor satisfaction.

Ideal Industries and Fluke Electronics took home the Merchandise Award; the Product Award went to RAB and Intermatic; Osram Sylvania and Southwire received the Adminstration Award; Osram Sylvania and Bridgeport Fittings won the Delivery Award; and the Marketing Award went to Arlington Industries and Cooper Wiring Devices. In addition, Osram Sylvania received the James Hennessy Award of Excellence, which recognized the company for having the “best overall supplier performance” in 2003.

June 10, 2004

NAED elects new officers

The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) recently announced its new Board of Directors officers for 2004-2005. Peter de Steiger, CEO of Raymond De Steiger, is the new chairman of the board, and Bill Elliot, president of Elliott Electric Supply, was appointed chair-elect. For a complete list of officers, visit the NAED Web site.

June 9, 2004

Electric Supply Center moves to new facility

Electric Supply Center (ESC) recently moved to a new facility in Burlington, Mass. The warehouse features state-of-the-art stocking systems, an emergency generator, a secure fenced yard, training rooms, guided aisles with bar-coded products, and a covered loading dock.

Larry LaFreniere, president of ESC, says this bigger warehouse will help the company better serve its customers. “Our trucks return home in the afternoon and are filled with our customer’s orders for the next day before the sun come up, arriving at our customer’s jobsites before they get there.”

June 8, 2004

Southwire to acquire Alflex

Southwire recently announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase Alflex, a Louisville, Ky.-based subsidiary of Commonwealth Industries. In the deal, which is expected to close at the end of the summer, Southwire will acquire all aspects of the Aflex business like manufacturing facilities in Long Beach, Calif., and Rocky Mount, N.C., which produce a variety of armored cable and flexible conduit products for residential, commercial, industrial, and OEM markets.

June 7, 2004

Ideal Industries launches “Road Trip 2004” promotion

Ideal Industries recently announced its “Road Trip 2004” promotional contest. The company is giving away car detailing packages, sport flashlights, and emergency jump-start kits. Customers can go to their local distributors to find out the required purchase levels of the company’s Twister, Twister-Pro, Wing-Nut, B-Cap Term-a-Nut, In-Sure, and Wire-Nut connectors. The promotion will carry on as long as supplies last.

June 4, 2004

Ballard Power Systems teams with Alpha Technologies Limited

Ballard Power Systems and Alpha Technologies Limited, a supplier of broadband UPS systems for the Canadian cable television market, recently signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and field test backup power systems. The systems will consist of Ballard’s Nexa RM series fuel cell modules and an Alpha power supply and enclosure. The product will be integrated and tested by Alpha Technologies in 2004.

June 3, 2004

Leviton teams with A.C.T Lighting

Leviton Manufacturing has entered into an alliance with A.C.T Lighting, the North American distributor for MA lighting consoles, to offer grandMA lighting consoles as part of the company’s lighting control systems offerings. The German company MA Lighting Technology BmbH manufactures the lighting consoles.

The consoles are available in grandMA, grandMA light, grandMA ultra-light, and grandMA micro models, and the grandMA replay unit operates as a playback controller. Both companies will provide service and support for the line.

June 2, 2004

Siemens Energy and Automation opens motor center in Cincinnati

Siemens Energy and Automation recently opened a second U.S. motor distribution and modification center in Cincinnati, which allows the company to modify and ship a motor to customer specifications within two working days.

The center carries a full line of the company’s 1-hp to 400-hp NEMA industrial motors, which includes 3,600-rpm, 1,800-rpm, 1,200-rpm, and 900-rpm models with ODP, TEFC, and explosion-proof enclosures. The center can perform modification services and installations like nameplate changes, space heaters, C-face, D-flange, IEEE-compliant ground device, shaft end Inpro Seal, breather/drain, Aleminte grease relief, auxiliary nameplate, and fungus-proofing.

June 1, 2004

Eaton receives “Power Quality Company of the Year” award

Frost & Sullivan recently named Eaton Corp. the “Power Quality Company of the Year” for its contributions to the electrical power quality industry in 2003. This award is presented annually to an organization that demonstrates market share growth, successful execution of innovative strategies, new market penetration, heightened customer satisfaction and loyalty, technological innovation, industry leadership, and strong brand recognition.

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