It’s that time of year again – May is National Electrical Safety Month, and ESFi has some helpful materials for us. Electrical Safety Foundation International has provided a link to their 2012 Electrical Safety Toolkit. Be sure to check out their page and post this helpful information in your office, classroom, or even at home. Link to ESFi’s Toolkit
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Speaking earlier this month at the Raymond James Annual Institutional Investors Conference, John Engel president, chairman and CEO of WESCO revealed the direction the company has chosen. “We’re focused on…providing complete solutions for demand streams…MRO indirect suppliers and services—not just electrical, but industrial. OEM direct materials and value-added assemblies. And capital projects…” Engel said. Click here to read full TedMag.com article.
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Launched on March 7, 2012 by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, this Project Green Light initiative is called Sustainia. A main difference in the approach in this initiative as compared to others like it is that it focuses on the positive rather than the negative when it comes to implementing sustainable solutions. The Sustainia website offers a more hopeful environment that we could potentially achieve by 2020 if we were to increase our sustainable habits. The Initiative proposes a better quality of life simply...
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ROSEMONT, IL, February 23, 2012 — By introducing its new Areamaster LED luminaire, Appleton has re-invented the floodlight category with a fixture offering the industry’s highest lumens-per-watt output, superior color rendering, and a service life of more than 60,000 hours. Inheriting the corrosion-resistant protection of the original Areamaster yet weighing less than half its weight with a much smaller footprint, this completely redesigned luminaire is an energy-saving solution targeted for adverse and hazardous locations (Class I Div.2.). Suggested applications include petrochemical plants, pulp and paper mills, sewage treatment centers,...
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In April 2011 Thailand’s state electrial utility Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) announced that it would invest $13 billion to develop a nationwide intelligent power network over the next 15 years. Part of this effort consisted of their purchase of 90 Siemens Energy wind turbines earlier this month. Following installation in the spring, these wind turbines will provide a combined capacity of 200 megawatts of power for two power plants. Viet Nam is not far behind as their National Power Transmission has invested in a 500 kilovolt electric grid to...
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ManuFacts ABB KEMA certification—KEMA, which provides business and technical consulting, has certified ABB’s IEC 61850 electrical integration interface. Saudi Arabia—ABB will build six substations for Saudi Electricity (value: $93 million). Solar—a company release says ABB has purchased a 35% stake in Novatec Solar of Karlsruhe, Germany (with an option to buy the rest). The headline: “ABB investment sharpens solar focus.” General Electric Energy optimization specialists—“we aren’t just selling a product…we are combining industry domain experience with GE’s engineering capabilities to create and install solutions that will allow our customers...
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Shares of WESCO International, Inc. (WCC) hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday. The stock traded as high as $64.90 during mid-day trading and last traded at $62.90. The stock previously closed at $63.42. Separately, analysts at Zacks Investment Research reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of WESCO International, Inc. in a research note to investors on Monday, March 28th. They now have a $64.00 price target on the stock. Also, analysts at Barclays Capital (NYSE: BCS) raised their price target on shares of WESCO International, Inc. from $62.00...
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Mississauga, ON — Fluke Corporation, a manufacturer of portable electronic test and measurement equipment, is providing contractors, electricians and others with an inside look at how it brings innovative products to market. From April 2011 through to June 30, 2011, interested professionals can visit a special website, www.fluke.com/innovationinside, which takes visitors through Fluke’s unique process of developing innovative tools. “Listening to people who use our products to get their jobs done is a vital part of our development process. We take their input and combine it with our experience...
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BROOK PARK, Ohio (February, 24, 2011) – Calvert Wire & Cable, a division of WESCO Distribution and a leading national supplier of wire and cable products, and RSCC (Rockbestos-Surprenant Cable Corporation), a world leader in engineered wire and cable products, are proud to announce a new strategic alliance. This agreement will allow Calvert Wire & Cable to offer fire rated polymeric technology to complement their mineral insulated product line. Under this agreement, Calvert Wire & Cable will sell commercial fire resistant wiring products manufactured by RSCC under the brand...
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Why guess when you can see the difference that great lighting can make? That’s the idea behind the brand new WESCO Lighting Solutions Center – a beautiful 6,000 square foot facility housed in WESCO’s Boston-Metro Branch. Opening in May 2011, the new WESCO Lighting Solutions Center incorporates lamps, ballasts, fixtures and controls from WESCO’s top preferred lighting suppliers: Philips, Advance, Cooper Lighting, Day-Brite, Hubbell Lighting, Juno Lighting, Lightolier, Lithonia, Lutron and more. The Center features five application vignettes, allowing customers the opportunity to experience lighting in an environment that...
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As families strive to live healthier, part of that involves creating a safe place to live. Yet electrical fires harm thousands of people every year. These incidents usually stem from a lack of education and minimal maintenance of electronics. Fortunately, individuals can prevent many of these fires. Because May is National Electrical Safety Month, the Electrical Safety Foundation International, http://www.esfi.org/, developed a list of tips and resources the public can use to stay safe around the growing number of electrical devices in their lives. Everyday Safety: •Turn off your...
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Most consumers have seen the ENERGY STAR rating on products that they purchase, but it’s safe to say that a majority of them are unaware of what requirements must be met in order to qualify for this distinction. ENERGY STAR sets forth specific guidelines and minimum requirements that need to be achieved before a product is even considered worthy of its approval, and this extends to the Philips EnduraLED 12.5- watt A-19 lamp as well, which recently achieved ENERGY STAR status. According to Philips Lighting: “To earn an ENERGY...
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According to Modern Distribution Management’s list of top 25 electrical distributors, WESCO Distribution, Inc. is in second place, surpassing the fifth place ranking from 2010. MDM’s 2011 list is based on 2010′s sales, with an average growth of 11.3% for the 25 companies for the most recently completed fiscal or calendar year. (MDM Names Top 25 Electrical Distributors, TedMag.com)
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The dog days of summer are right around the corner and homeowners are looking for ways to stay cool, without breaking the bank on energy costs. The average home spends $2,200 each year on utility bills and, with cooling accounting for almost 20 percent of it. Depending on where you live, replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with equipment that’s earned the ENERGY STAR can cut your annual energy bill by more than $200. ENERGY STAR offers the following simple cooling tips to help beat the heat, save...
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Q2 sales at WESCO saw a 21.1% increase, taking net sales to $1.52 billion. The increase was made up of 12.7% organic sales growth, 7.4% increase from acquisitions and 1.0% gain from favorable foreign exchange rates. That ended a first half that took the company just shy of $3 billion in sales (at $2.955.8B), up 22.8% (of which 14.6% was organic growth). A transcript of WESCO’s Q2 earnings conference call with analysts was posted to SeekingAlpha.com. This was the first such transcript posted for WESCO since 2009’s Q3. In...
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Philips Product Delivers on Department’s Challenge to Replace Common Light Bulb with Energy-Saving Lighting Alternative Washington, USA – The U.S. Department of Energy today announced that Philips Lighting North America has won the 60-watt replacement bulb category of the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) competition. The Department of Energy’s L Prize challenged the lighting industry to develop high performance, energy-saving replacements for conventional light bulbs that will save American consumers and businesses money. If every 60-watt incandescent bulb in the U.S. was replaced with the 10-watt L Prize...
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In anticipation of hazards posed by water-damaged electrical equipment in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) offers complimentary copies of Guidelines for Handling Water-Damaged Electrical Equipment, to electrical distributors, contractors, inspectors, and residents in water-damaged regions. It may be downloaded at www.nema.org/stds/water-damaged.cfm. The document is designed for use by suppliers, installers, inspectors, and users of electrical products. It provides advice on the safe handling of electrical equipment that has been exposed to water and outlines which items will require...
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WESCO International, Inc. ranked seventh on MultiChannel Merchant magazine’s 19th annual MCM 100 list. Dell came in first, IBM third and Staples fourth. Grainger was in 18th place, and MSC Industrial Direct came in at No. 19. WESCO also took first place on the break-out list of the Top 10 Industrial/MRO companies. In addition to Grainger and MSC (fourth and fifth on this list, respectively), Interline ranked sixth and HD Supply took seventh place. Earlier in the year, MultiChannel Merchant honored WESCO’s Sustainable Energy Guide 2010 as the Silver...
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Third-quarter sales at WESCO were $1.58 billion, up 19.3% from Q3/2010. This year’s number included a company estimate of 6.9% in increases from acquisitions and a 1.1% gain from foreign exchange transactions—leaving sales up 11.3% on an “organic” comparison with last year. “We have now posted five consecutive quarters of double-digit organic sales and backlog growth,” said John Engel, chairman and CEO. For the nine-month period ending Sept. 30, sales of $4.54 billion were up 21.5% compared to the same period in 2010. The organic sales growth rate for...
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Molex Innovative Interconnects Power UMsolar Car on 1,800 Mile Outback Journey Empowering the next generation of innovative design engineers, Molex solutions support University of Michigan Solar Car team (UMsolar) in its bid to win the 2011 World Solar Challenge LISLE, Ill. Aug. 17, 2011 – Molex Incorporated enthusiastically endorses the University of Michigan Solar Car team (UMsolar) in its bid to win the 2011 World Solar Challenge. Hosted in Australia, the biannual competition takes place October 16-23, 2011. The University of Michigan team’s entry car “Quantum” and rival teams...
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Here are some tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) on how to stay safe during the holidays. For Indoor Lights and Electrical Decorations: • Always purchase electrical decorations and lights from reputable retailers that you trust. • Before decorating, determine how many outlets are available and where they are located. Plan your displays accordingly. • Avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many decorations or electrical devices. They can overheat and cause a fire. • Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires,...
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Electric Vehicle News Blackberry app: According to a news release, “Now available for free from the Blackberry App World store, the updated ChargePoint app provides electric vehicles (EV) drivers new features including the ability to locate and check occupancy status and make reservations for a charging station, more detailed station information including pricing and the ability to view your home charging station and its status.” ChargePoint is Coulomb Technologies’ program. California program includes milestone: In a news release, ClipperCreek CEO Jason France, “ClipperCreek has maximized the job creation opportunity...
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WESCO has acquired RS Electronics, a company which reportedly has eight branches and 2011 sales of around $60 million. In a company news release, WESCO chairman and CEO John Engel said, “Along with our acquisitions of Carlton Bates Company in 2005 and AA Electric in 2008, RS Electronics expands our industrial OEM customer base and electronic-based product offerings.” According to the acquired company’s website, “RS Electronics is a wholesale distributor of electronic components, test and measurement instruments, as well as customized purchasing and inventory management services. Founded in 1929,...
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2012 holds much potential for the Solar industry. Third quarter numbers from 2011 show great success and are sure to carry over into this New Year. A few questions arise however, regarding certain obstacles the Industry may encounter. For example the Solyndra scandal last year left many people with doubt as to how funds were getting spent on improving Solar capabilities. Additionally the 1603 Grant, which “reimbursed eligible applicants for a portion of the cost of installing specified energy property”, became expired (www.treasury.gov). That being said, an opportunity that...
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Martel Electronics Corporation joins forces with Fluke Corporation, after 16 years of assisting Fluke in developing and manufacturing process tools and calibration instruments. Martel will remain in operation in its current location of Derry, NH while reporting through the Fluke Calibration division. To read the full MRO Magazine article, click here.
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ABB to acquire Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion to become major player in North American low-voltage products market – ABB and Thomas & Betts announce agreement pursuant to which ABB will acquire Thomas & Betts for $72 per share in cash – ABB gains access to Thomas & Betts network of more than 6,000 distributor locations and wholesalers in North America – Transaction doubles ABB’s addressable low-voltage products market to approximately $24 billion in North America and enables distribution of Thomas & Betts products through ABB’s extensive global...
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WESCO’s 2011 success can be seen, in part, in the 11.6% rise in its stock price from Jan. 13 to Jan. 26, the day it made Q4 and full-year 2011 results public (the S&P 500 average rose 2.2% in the same period). Why was WESCO such a standout? Q4 sales came in 19.4% higher than those of 2010, at $1.59 billion; full-year sales were $6.13 billion, up 21%. The company’s Oct. 20 “guidance” to analysts on Q4 chalked out sales growth of 14% or better. Full-year gross margins were...
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The Obama Administration announced on January 18 the launch of new online tools that will allow consumers to download household energy use data. These tools, packaged as a website feature called “Green Button,” are designed to help households save energy and money. Two of California’s largest utilities—Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company—have taken the lead in launching the Green Button as a new feature on their websites, allowing nearly six million households to download their own detailed energy use data. Additional utilities...
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