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BISBEE’S BUZZ
October
often means Autumn and closes with Trick or Treat. This year, we are
experiencing a heat wave and it just doesn’t feel much like Fall. The season
still means Budget Planning for 2008. The challenge remains to forecast the
trends and the market ahead. The correct plans have big paybacks for the
manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and even the consumers.
In
the communications cabling industry, we see several hot areas for the upcoming
year. The convergence of these areas is often summarized under the headings of
SMART BUILDINGS & HOMES
- SAFETY
– PERSONAL & STRUCTURAL
- SECURITY
– PERSONAL & STRUCTURAL
- INTEGRATION
OF VARIED SYSTEMS
- ENVIRONMENTAL
FRIENDLY (LEEDS)
- FIBER
OPTICS (FTTX)
- SURVEILLENCE
- ACCESS
CONTROL
- SMART
BUILDING SERVICES
- IP
CONTROLS – REMOTE MONITORING
- REUSE-RECYCLE-REDUCE
- REDUCED
TOXIC MATERIALS
- ENERGY
CONTROLS & EFFICENCY
- INREASED
NETWORK SPEEDS AND CAPABILITIES
- DATA
STORAGE AND PROTECTION
Most of
these HOT issues were well represented at this month’s super successful NECA
Annual Conference in San Francisco.
www.necanet.org
We also
found several articles that pave the road to understanding in the
September/October issue of Canada’s
leading cabling industry’s publication - Cabling Networking Systems Magazine (www.cnsmagazine.com). Here is a good
article from that issue (You can see the whole issue online).
Intelligent Cabling & The ITIL
If high
availability, converged networks are to become a reality, a fundamental change
in network infrastructure change control, configuration and problem management
processes will be required.
The
migration toward the goal of high availability, converged corporate networks is
set to provide a considerable challenge to those wishing to reap the undoubted
business benefits.
By Tony
Beam
Corporate
information networks of the 21st century have become the core upon
which successful organizations are based and their competitive advantage derived.
The
critical nature of the corporate network is beyond doubt and its importance as
the primary source of commercial activity and communication is growing
exponentially. Consequently, there is a rapidly growing demand for network
infrastructures that offer levels of IT service availability akin to those
provided under a utility business model.
This demand
has also been fuelled by the trend toward the convergence of voice, data and
video services, to include non-traditional IT service systems (HVAC controls,
Lighting controls, IP security surveillance and access control systems), a move
which will only be possible if the near 100%, 24/7 service availability
currently enjoyed by voice networks is not compromised.
The
migration toward the goal of high availability, converged corporate networks is
set to provide a considerable challenge to those wishing to reap the undoubted
business benefits.
It will
require system downtime reductions in excess of 80% to achieve this goal,
however, it is extremely unlikely that improvements of this magnitude can be
delivered by the manual infrastructure management systems and processes in use
today.
If high
availability, converged networks are to become a reality, a fundamental change
in network infrastructure change control, configuration and problem management
processes is required.
The
realization that the 100% availability of IT services will assume ever-greater
significance has led to the introduction of IT Service Management. Setting the
benchmark for ‘best practice’ in service management is ITIL (IT Infrastructure
Library), which has been adopted as the de-facto global standard.
While past
attempts at service improvements were primarily focused on investments in
technology, the ITIL approach differs in that it defines the processes within
the particular services to be performed, thereby providing a ‘best practice’
framework for continuous IT service delivery and management.
Subhead:
Change management
At the core
of the ITIL framework is the network configuration and change management
processes. The accuracy and quality of the information contained within the
main configuration management database (CMDB) is fundamental in ensuring the
effectiveness, efficiency and quality of all associated IT Service Management
processes, particularly in complex environments.
Similarly,
the management of changes to this information is also critical as the network
manager must know the exact implications of carrying out any changes before
they take place. Avoiding the potential for a ‘butterfly effect’ to develop as
a result of a poorly executed change or problem resolution is essential if 100%
service availability is to be maintained.
Creating
such systems and processes based upon a traditionally managed cabling
infrastructure is an impossible task, as the connectivity and asset information
contained within traditional tools and documentation processes, being manually
maintained, is inevitably inaccurate, outdated and therefore cannot be
integrated into the core CMDB. This creates a large degree of uncertainty
concerning the physical location and associated connectivity and accountability
of network devices. It also severely limits the quality of IT service delivery
and management.
By adopting
the correct “intelligent cabling management system,” which involves both
hardware and software tools as a key part of their cabling strategy,
organizations can create a platform capable of addressing these problems,
providing a 100% accurate, real-time, trusted source of connectivity and asset
information that can be integrated within the core CMDB and consequently, the
associated IT Service Management tools and processes.
Any
physical changes to the network configuration are automatically updated and
reflected across all management processes, aiding communication between
organizational work-streams and co-ordinating events.
Market
acceptance growing
Intelligent
cabling infrastructure management systems have been on the market in excess of
five years from a number of different manufacturers.
Most
importantly, they have experienced continuance improvements both in hardware
and software plus overall reduction in price and ease of installation.
Now it is
possible to say that reliable, cost-effective systems are on the market, which
meet the needs and requirements of an effective cabling infrastructure
management system to support IT services.
Market
acceptance over the past five years has been mixed depending upon the industry
and the customer location. No doubt the industry that has accepted the
intelligent cabling infrastructure systems has been the financial industry
closely followed by any customer data or call centre locations.
Other
industries where adoption is strong are communications and media providers,
health care and government institutions.
Oddly
enough the deployment of intelligent cabling systems have seen the greatest
adoption in what would be considered the “developing countries” such as India,
Middle East, Eastern Europe, Mexico and Russia. The country of exception would
be the United Kingdom
where this technology was first introduced and has seen widespread adoption
based on the recognized benefits.
In Canada and the U.S., adoption has been slow, but
growing with indications that numerous enterprise customers are giving strong
considerations.
The primary
reason that adoption has been slow here and in the U.S., is likely because intelligent
cabling management systems are most cost-effectively implemented with new
builds and major renovations versus trying to retrofit existing cabling
systems. Additionally, it is often
difficult to the reach the decision maker who oversees this area, and to get
them to understand that there are now new and better methods.
First and
foremost the customer needs to insure that the system supports their IT service
practices and provides them the information that they need 24 hours, 7 days a
week and that the process ensures 100% accuracy of the information.
The
software along with the hardware must provide an automated, accurate, real-time
physical layer management system.
This
combined system should proactively respond to changes in connectivity and
intelligently record your cabling system and its devices with accurate
documentation. It should offer an integrated work order system, which can use
the compiled information to provide automated design and change recommendations
as well as monitoring the work order progress, therefore eliminating
time-consuming, often paper laden manual work order processes.
From the
hardware prospective, the customer needs to be assured that the system fully
supports all the various cabling solutions available to include unshielded and
shielded twisted-pair, and fiber optics to include 62.5, laser-optimized 50 and
single-mode in the various connector types (Duplex SC, MT-RJ, and Duplex LC).
Especially
for data and call centre applications the system should support the
plug-and-play solutions involving MPO for fiber optics and MRJ21 for copper.
The
hardware should be easy to install and most significantly not only support
cross-connect applications (between patch panels), but also interconnect
applications (between patch panel and switch).
Of
significant importance is that the hardware system needs to be self-discovering
of connectivity in the case of power, system or network outages so that
information remains accurate and up-to-date.
Additionally,
it should support massive connective changes but not requiring patch cords to
be removed sequentially or having to follow blinking LED lights, which would
require mandatory use of a work order system.
It needs to allow multiple technicians to work at the same time and to
remove, add and change patch cords in whatever way is most efficient for
business continuity.
Information alerts
The
hardware system should be fully-integrated with the software system to provide
the technician in the telecommunications closet with the information and alerts
necessary for them to perform their assigned work actions. It should also
provide them access to their assigned work actions, both connectivity and
general.
It should
provide the technician with immediate positive or negative feedback on
performing connectivity changes, such as good or bad audible tones. Finally, it
should immediately feed into the software database connectivity changes,
specifically the completion of work actions, as well as provide the technician
the ability to input the completion or issues associated with general work
actions.
The
software in conjunction with the hardware needs to provide the following:
Real-Time
Monitoring -- this automates the process of discovering, documenting,
monitoring, and managing the physical network’s connections and its devices.
Location
Based IP-Device Discover -- the system needs to not only discover IP-devices
attached to the network and their status but also correlate that to the
connectivity database to provide its physical location.
Flexible
Alert System -- the ability to send out alerts to designated individuals based
on a flexible filter system based on such items as location, time, authorized
or unauthorized changes.
Comprehensive
and Flexible Work Order System – the ability to assign access rights and
privileges as determined by the administrator allowing authorized users to
select proposed moves of workstations, phones, printers or other equipment.
Moves can be performed singly or in bulk, as in departmental relocation. The
system should automatically generate auto-routing, and a step-by-step work
order and schedule, which can be accepted or revised by the user. Tasks should
be able to be divided and distributed between various supervisors and
technicians. Work orders should include connectivity traces, wiring closet
diagrams and floor plans.
Detailed
Reports -- the software needs to provide a library of detailed reports of
cable, port and asset utilization and physical configurations. These reports
are invaluable to network administrators and asset managers.
The
adoption and implementation of an intelligent cabling and infrastructure
management system can insure the optimization of ITIL processes and the
resulting improvements in work-stream productivity and efficiency, ensuring
organizations that automate and integrate the management of the physical layer
as an integral part of the IT Service Management platform, will attain the goal
of continuous service delivery and maximize the return (ROI) on their IT
investments.
Tony Beam
is the product management director for AMPTRAC Connectivity Management System
from AMP NETCONNECT, a division of Tyco Electronics.
Reprinted
with permission from Cabling Networking Systems Magazine (www.cnsmagazine.com)
We agree.
At the core of the ITIL framework is the network configuration and change
management processes. Smart management means saved dollars and higher consumer
values.
Have a Safe
& Happy Halloween… and Pray for Peace.
But that’s
just my opinion,
Frank Bisbee
Heard On The Street" Monthly Column
www.wireville.com
4949 Sunbeam Rd, Suite 16
Jacksonville, FL 32257
Industry News
Leviton Manufacturing Mourns Passing Of CEO And Chairman Harold Leviton
Harold Leviton’s dedication to
the electrical industry and its key professional associations is
legendary. He served on many industry association and civic boards over a span of decades, rarely missing a meeting.
Well into his late 80s he traveled around the world to position his
third-generation family business, formed at the turn of the century, into a
global industry leader. His life revolved around his family, his company, his
hobbies and generous philanthropic and civic pursuits.
With great sadness Leviton
Manufacturing Company announces the passing of its Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, Harold Leviton, age 90. Leviton passed away Saturday afternoon
September 8, 2007 with his family at his bedside. He
is survived by his wife of more than 66 years, Shirley, daughters, Patricia,
Adrienne, and Elizabeth, son-in-laws, Donald J. Hendler, Steven B. Sokolow and
Andrew Kriegman, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"I am deeply saddened that
our industry has lost one of its foremost icons," said Donald J. Hendler,
Leviton company president. "Those of us who knew Harold had a deep
admiration and tremendous respect for him as a businessman with infinite
passion for the electrical industry. Harold took great pride in assuming
leadership of our large, private, family company and in ushering in another
generation. His legacy of continuing the family business will be carried
forward. I am proud to accept leadership responsibility on behalf of Harold and
the Leviton family.”
Born in 1917 in Brooklyn, New
York, Harold Leviton grew up with “electricity” and a
passion for the electrical business running through his veins. While his young
contemporaries were out playing stickball or softball on Saturdays, he
regularly accompanied his father on visits to the family’s Greenpoint, Brooklyn factory, where he spoke to employees at all
levels of the company and learned the business from the ground up.
After graduating from the University of Miami with a business degree in 1940, he
began full-time employment at the company. Starting out in the stock room, he
made his way through the company’s purchasing and personnel departments and
eventually became Director of Personnel, where he instituted forward-thinking
policies and diversified the workforce well before the nation’s
anti-discrimination laws were legislated. With the passing of his older brother
Bernard and his father Isidor two years later in 1965, he found himself sitting
at the company’s helm as its President, CEO and Chairman. Under his 42-year
long leadership, Leviton Manufacturing grew to become one of the leading
companies in the electrical industry with a product portfolio consisting of
more than 25,000 products used in homes, businesses and industrial
facilities.
In addition to presiding over
the company, Harold Leviton stood as a commanding presence and outspoken
advocate for safety standards in the electrical industry. Recalling the day he
received a letter from a parent thanking him for saving her child’s life, he
described the experience as a defining moment – one which exemplified why he
chose a career in electrical manufacturing. A mother had found a hairdryer in
the bottom of the bathtub with her child. After removing her child from the
bathtub she learned that the GFCI the hairdryer was plugged into had tripped,
saving her child’s life. “This is perhaps one of the best examples of giving
back,” he recalled. “Through the industry’s involvement in safety standards, we
gave back a child’s life.”
Leviton served as Chairman of
NEMA’s (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) Wiring Device Section
and Building and Equipment Division and as an honorary member of its Board of
Governors and Chairman of the Electrical Manufacturing Council. In addition, he
served as Vice Chairman Emeritus of the National Electrical Safety Foundation
(NESF).
His keen sense of social
responsibility and concern for the nation’s youth led him to institute the
Leviton Industrial Arts Award, which has since become a prestigious accolade
for New York City
High School students in
the electrical trades. Leviton played an active role with the United Jewish Y’s
of Long Island as both a benefactor and
one-time President and Chairman of its Board. He was also a founder of Technion
(Israel Institute of Technology) and a benefactor of the Albert Einstein
College of Medicine.
During his lifetime, he received
numerous distinguished awards, including the Anti-Defamation Torch of Liberty
Award; the Wire and Cable Club of America’s Charles D. Scott Distinguished
Career Award; NEMA’s Falk Award; and the Medal of Merit of the Portuguese
Communities, for the philanthropy and goodwill he extended to those of
Portuguese descent after a devastating volcano struck the Azores.
His civic activities were many
and varied, and included serving as a Trustee and Deputy Mayor of the Village
of Hewlett Harbor, New York and Vice President of the Board of the Woodmere (New
York) Academy. An avid salt-water game fisherman and
golfer, his signature hobbies included creating latch hook rugs and cork
trivets, which he often gave as gifts to friends, customers and
associates. The staff of the Leviton
Company will deeply miss him and are comforted by the legacy of market innovation,
philanthropy and goodwill he leaves behind. Services were held Monday,
September 10, 2007 at Temple Israel nearby his hometown of Hewlett Harbor. www.leviton.com.
Quickly And Economically Bundle And Position High-performance Cable With The Caddy® Mille-tie™
CADDY®
Mille-Tie™
from ERICO® offers a quick and economical solution for bundling and
positioning high-performance copper and fiber cable. The ties are ideal for use
in cable trays, non-continuous fasteners (J-Hooks, etc.), surface raceways,
wireways, service poles and in-wall cabling. They separate cables for voice,
data, video, alarm and building automation systems in horizontal and backbone
pathways, simplifying installation and identification for testing and
troubleshooting.
The
innovative design of the CADDY Mille-Tie helps protect cables from installation
damage and promotes maximum signal throughput. “Intelligent grip” technology
naturally controls and adjusts the level of tension to help ensure the perfect
grip. CADDY Mille-Tie holds cables in place and reduces the risk of compression
damage and slippage problems often associated with traditional nylon and fabric
cable ties.
CADDY
Mille-Tie cannot be over-tightened. The tie forms a smooth contour around the
cables to eliminate gaps and pinch points, greatly reducing the chance of
detrimental hot spots forming in the cable. They are easy to install, leave no
sharp edges when cut and can be quickly removed by hand. Additionally, one
strip can replace four or five conventional ties, reducing stock requirements
and waste and speeding installation.
CADDY
Mille-Tie is available in three versions: Plenum-rated for air-handling spaces,
low-smoke/zero halogen certified version and heavy-duty for containing and
supporting bulkier cables (up to 35 lbs). The heavy-duty version easily
accommodates bundles in excess of 6” dia. and is suitable for outdoor use.
For more
information, call 1-800-853-0878 or visit www.erico.com.
ERICO®
is a leading global designer, manufacturer and marketer of precision-engineered
specialty metal products serving niche markets in a diverse range of
electrical, construction, utility and rail applications. The company is
headquartered in Solon, Ohio, USA
with a network of sales locations serving more than 25 countries and with
manufacturing and distribution facilities worldwide. ERICO’s well-known brand
names include: CADDY® electrical and mechanical fixings, fasteners
and supports; CADWELD® welded electrical connections; CRITEC®
surge protection devices; ERICO® rail and industrial products;
ERIFLEX® low voltage power distribution; ERITECH®
facility electrical protection; and LENTON® concrete products. Visit
ERICO online at www.erico.com .
Entrust(tm) Line Interactive UPS Systems Introduced Entrust UPS Products
Cost-conscious users can now get the
full features of larger, more expensive uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)
with the compact, feature rich, Minuteman Entrust(tm) Line Interactive series.
It has the features necessary to fully protect valuable and power-sensitive
equipment and provides voltage regulation, spike and surge protection and
battery backup.
Packed with features typically found
only in higher-priced UPS products, the Entrust Line Interactive UPS series is
available in four sizes:
1. ETR500 UPS rated at 500VA/300W - 8A
2. ETR700 UPS rated at 700VA/420W - 10A
3. ETR1000 UPS rated at 1000VA/600W - 12A
4. ETR1500 UPS rated at 1500VA/900W - 12A
Each unit has four outlets that
provide backup battery support along with spike and surge protection. There are
an additional four spike and surge protected outlets for accessory devices that
don't require battery support.
In addition, two of the outlets are
specifically spaced to support equipment with transformer blocks.
The small, uniquely designed
footprint of the Entrust UPS is ideal for placement on or under a desk. All
models in the series can also be installed vertically on a shelf in a rack or
cabinet.
Additionally, Entrust UPS products
come with the award-winning service and support capabilities offered by Para
Systems/Minuteman UPS. This includes a three-year limited warranty (two-years
on the battery), and a $75,000 Platinum Protection Plan (U.S.A. and Canada only).
Entrust Features
· USB Communications - HID compliant USB
communication that is
automatically recognized by all
Windows(r) software versions and requires no special drivers.
· Buck/Boost Voltage Regulation - Provides
a stable AC source during
less than optimal power conditions
without constant use of internal batteries.
· Slim-line Profile - Provides users with
the ability to install the
Entrust UPS in a variety of settings
(rack or floor, desktop, etc.).
· RoHS Compliant - Compliant with European
Union's directive on the
reduction of hazardous substances
(RoHS) in electronic equipment.
· SentryPlus(tm) Software - SentryPlus
auto-shutdown and monitoring
software is included with every
unit. No special downloads or coupons are required.
· Larger Load Capacities - Para Systems
has increased the capacities
of all models in the Entrust UPS
line, allowing the units to support larger power requirements.
Entrust Line Interactive UPS
products have already started shipping to customers and are priced to sell to
end users in the $109 to $300 range.
For over 25 years, Para
Systems/Minuteman UPS has provided quality power products and offers excellent
personalized service and direct human response to all service and support
calls. Minuteman products pass extensive
quality control testing before being shipped to customers.
Background Para Systems, Inc. is a
leading provider of power technologies including the Minuteman(r)
uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) for mission-critical equipment protection
such as computers, telecommunications systems, security systems and Internet
devices. Minuteman(r) UPS products range
from 400VA standby units to true sine wave, line interactive and on-line models
rated up to 10kVA.
Para Systems provides SentryPlus(tm)
remote power and network management controller software for all popular
operating systems including Microsoft(r) Windows(r), Novell, Unix, and Linux.
Para Systems also sells power distribution units (PDU), power management
software, keyboard-video-mouse
(KVM) systems and surge suppressors.
Additional corporate and product
information is available at the Company's website www.minutemanups.com.
A free UPS sizing and selection tool is available at www.sizemyups.com
that can determine which Minuteman(r) UPS units can best meet your
application's power protection needs.
Graybar has “partnered” with IBEW Local Union 164
GRAYBAR & IBEW #164—a Sept. 14 article in The Paramus (N.J.)
Post noted that Graybar has “partnered” with IBEW Local Union 164 “to
establish a customized training laboratory featuring Square D” products. IBEW
164 is known as one of the most advanced local unions in the country it has a
40,000-square-foot training facility that, according to the newspaper, “is one
of the most technically advanced centers of its kind in the state.” “We are
committed to partnering with industry leaders like IBEW Local 164 for the
purpose of advancing training methods. Like 164, our goal is to preserve
worksite safety,” said David Pfenner, branch manager for Graybar. www.graybar.com
Bines Joins Alpha Technologies As South East Regional
Sales Manager
Larry Bines
has over 30 years of experience as Sales Manager for Power Protection Products
in various industries. Over the past few years, Larry has held the positions
with companies such as Magnetek, Para Systems and Wavetek. Larry’s extensive
knowledge and experience in both AC and DC power protection industry will be a
perfect fit in his new role with Alpha.
With 30
years of experience in power protection, Larry, along with the rest of the
Alpha Team, can offer the right solution for various markets that require
continuous clean reliable power. Larry Bines will be reporting to Frank Albano,
Vice President of CPS.
Alpha
Technologies is the leader in providing AC Power Backup to key markets such as
Traffic, Security, Data Communications, Medical, and OEM. Alpha Technologies
has a strong network of global partners who work together to provide
high-quality, feature-rich AC UPS and battery backup power systems that are
engineered to meet current industry requirements and withstand harsh
environmental conditions. Alpha Technologies is a member of The Alpha Group
which provides Total Power Solutions and is the leader in the power
industry with thirty years of outdoor power expertise, and over one-million
systems installed globally.
Please join
me in welcoming Larry to Alpha Technologies. We all look forward to his
contributions to the Alpha Group. Please contact www.alpha.com
for all of Larry’s contact information.
Harger’s Grounding Busbars & Line Card
Harger Lightning & Grounding
proudly introduces its complete line of grounding busbars. Harger also introduces its new Line Card as a
quick reference guide for your grounding needs. Harger ground bars are UL
Listed and meet the requirements for electrical grounding as well as BICSI and
ANSI-J-STD-607-A telecommunications standards.
Options include insulator bracket kits, tower mount kits, Ultraweld
exothermically welded pigtail conductors, plexiglass covers, and compression
lug kits. Standard ground bars are available for equipment racks and specialty
ground bars for FAA applications. Custom
designed ground bars are Harger's specialty and we provide this service at no
extra charge. Please contact our factory with your specifications.
Harger Lightning & Grounding
is a leading manufacturer of lightning protection and grounding equipment, as
well as Ultraweld® exothermic welding materials for the
communications and electrical industries. Harger also provides design and
engineering services and specializes in offering total systems solutions for
their customers. Let Harger apply its systematic approach to total system
protection to provide you the most cost effective solution to protect your
personnel and equipment against the effects of electrical transients. www.hargar.com
Graybar Takes A Stand Against Private Labeling
Graybar, one of the nation’s
leading distributors of electrical and communications products and related
supply chain management and logistics services, stated its opposition to
private-label products at the National Association of Electrical Distributors
(NAED) Annual Meeting May 5-9 in Washington,
D.C.
In the May show issue of TED
Magazine, NAED’s publication on the electrical distribution industry, Graybar
placed an ad with the headline ‘“No.” (Graybar takes a public stand on private
labeling.)’ Here the company outlined its stance and encouraged the industry to
follow suit.
“A number of people walked up to
me at the meeting and thanked us for the position Graybar is taking, and we
think it’s important,” said Robert A. Reynolds Jr., chairman, president and
chief executive officer of Graybar. “We
believe that working with our suppliers, not against them, is in everyone’s
best interest throughout the supply chain – right down to our mutual
customers. That’s why we refuse to
develop and market our own products.”
In the ad, Graybar expressed its
belief that distributors should focus on the important role of distribution
rather than circumventing the traditional manufacturer-distributor relationship
to create their own competing brands of products. Reasons cited included
breaking healthy industry alliances and potentially increasing customer
liability.
“Our relationship with our suppliers and their
brands is very important to us,” Reynolds emphasized. “It’s about trust, loyalty and
partnership. We have had many supplier
relationships for 82 years, and we don’t want to jeopardize them in any way.” http://graybar.com
Addison Commercial Real Estate, Inc. Joins TCN Worldwide As Its Newest Member
Grafton D. “Duke” Addison, III,
President and CEO of Addison Commercial Real Estate, Inc. has announced they
are the latest member to join TCN Worldwide, a growing international commercial
real estate organization. Addison
Commercial Real Estate Inc. is the largest independent/ privately held
commercial real estate firm in Northeast Florida, and will serve as the
exclusive TCN Worldwide affiliate in the Jacksonville,
Florida marketplace.
Recognized as one of the top ten
brokerage firms in both leasing and sales volume throughout the greater Jacksonville area, Addison Commercial Real Estate, Inc.
completed the largest office sales transaction in the City of Jacksonville in 2006 by selling five (5) suburban
office parks, totaling 739,968 sq. ft., for $73.9 million dollars. The 14-year
old, 8 agent firm is a full-service real estate brokerage company specializing
in office, industrial, retail, land and investment sales. In addition to Commercial Leasing and Sales,
Tenant and Landlord Representation, Property Management and maintenance are key
areas of focus.
Duke Addison said the following:
“We are thrilled to join TCN Worldwide and their national network of
brokers. Their platform will launch our
firm to new heights and deliver our clients/employees an expanded level of
resources. TCN’s culture and values are
a perfect match to our own. When
competing against national firms the only edge they had over our firm was they
had a national presence and we didn’t.
Our decision to join TCN levels the playing field and in my opinion now
gives us the clear advantage. While real
estate is mainly a local business, a national presence is critical in obtaining corporate accounts. TCN affords us
the ability to maintain our entrepreneurial spirit at Addison Commercial and
make decisions locally yet utilize our field offices around the country and
throughout Florida
to serve our clientele. TCN has
representation in the following Florida
cities: Orlando,
Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and now Jacksonville.
In just a few days we have already begun to refer business to our
partner offices in Chicago, Atlanta
and Tampa. We anticipate many new assignments headed our
way as we grow our relationships with other member firms within the
network. This is an excellent tool in
our kit for our experienced agents, new agents and recruits.”
Ross Ford, President and CEO of
TCN, added “We are extremely pleased to welcome Addison Commercial Real Estate,
Inc. to our growing organization. As TCN Worldwide continues to expand, the key
to our success remains our ability to attract the finest local firms in key
markets around the world. Addison
Commercial Real Estate, Inc. represents the type of outstanding firm that has
become synonymous with TCN Worldwide.”
About TCN Worldwide:
TCN Worldwide, a consortium of
independent commercial real estate firms, provides complete integrated real
estate solutions locally and internationally. With approximately $13.9
billion in annual transactions and over 100 million square feet of space under
management, the organization ranks as one of the largest service providers in
the industry. An extensive range of real estate services coupled with a
personal commitment to exceed client expectations is what allows TCN Worldwide
to be a leader within the commercial real estate industry. Formed in 1989, TCN Worldwide is comprised of
61 offices and over 1,200 commercial real estate professionals, which serve
more than 200 primary and secondary markets worldwide. www.acrei.com
http://www.tcnworldwide.com
Coleman Cable Increases Production Capabilities To Provide Wide Range of Cost-Competitive Welding Cable Products
Coleman
Cable Inc. (CCI) announces an increase in production capabilities and expansion
of its welding cable product line to cover the wide variety of performance
requirements for welding, power supply and battery power applications in the
industrial and construction markets.
”We’ve
recently completed significant investments in our welding cable production
facilities to increase our capabilities and solidify our leadership position as
a highly cost-competitive resource for top-quality welding cable products,”
remarked Jeff Johnston, Executive Vice President, Operations of Coleman Cable,
Inc. “CCI’s advanced manufacturing
process controls, quality assurance processes, extensive engineering resources
and vertically integrated copper fabrication facilities enable us to provide
our customers with the best possible service and products available.”
CCI offers three different constructions
and performance characteristics, backed by three widely-recognized brand names:
the Royal® brand of EPR (rubber) welding cable; Seoprene® brand of
thermoplastic elastomer, MSHA-approved welding cable; and Super Excelene® brand
UL-listed, thermoset (rubber) welding cable. www.colemancable.com
Solis Energy Unveils its Complete Solution for Reliable Outdoor Power Generation, Connectivity & Emergency Back-Up Supporting Traditional & 'Green' Powering Initiatives
Solis Energy, a global provider of
continuous outdoor power generation and connectivity, today announced its suite
of powerful, unique products that provide customers with easy, immediate access
to 100 percent power necessary to run critical, low-wattage devices (typically
100 watts or less), wherever they are located, even where grid-supplied
electricity is unavailable. Such critical,
low-wattage devices and applications include security/surveillance cameras,
WiFi hotspots, WiMax radios, lights, traffic control sensors, and more.
The use of low-wattage electronic
devices and applications is exploding as the demand increases for ubiquitous
wireless access and as security requirements are heightened globally. With the
resulting rapid expansion of WiFi technology and the growing deployment of
security technologies and devices, businesses, utilities and government
entities now demand easy, cost-effective ways to reach and guarantee 100
percent power to run these vital applications. These needs are currently unmet
by existing products - until now. Solis Energy is uniquely targeting these
growing markets with its suite of innovative products.
Solis Energy designs and manufactures
turnkey, stand-alone Solar Generators with Smart Enclosures - that support
today's enormous Going Green initiatives to conserve the global environment
with renewable energy sources - Outdoor Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS),
Streetlight Power Tap Adapters, and soon, devices for multiple DC power or
Power over Ethernet (POE) requirements, and Remote Power Monitoring (RPM) Combined, this solution creates the most reliable, rugged and
cost-effective independent outdoor powering solutions for low-wattage
applications and devices on the market today.
"Our products provide
continuous, reliable outdoor power generation, connectivity and
emergency/secondary power back-up, anywhere it's needed - including remote
locations that don't have power. Whether on-grid or off-grid, our products are
easy to install, requiring no special expertise, and they give our customers
the ability to take control of their outdoor power," said Solis Energy's
Founder and CEO Robert Reynolds.
Independent testing lab Technology
Assurance Labs' Co-Founder Douglas S. Peeples commented, "We find Solis
Energy's solutions to be 'engineer friendly,' having been designed by engineers
with actual field experience. The
component selection and layout is first rate.
The lab sees their products as robust, and they will fare well in
extreme climates. Engineers should give
fair consideration to the product set and not be fooled by its modest
cost."
Established in Sept. 2005, Solis
Energy was founded by seasoned executives and engineers whose values stemmed
from the critical infrastructure and high reliability demands of the
telecommunications industry. Solis
Energy's products were built from the ground up to provide cost-effective,
reliable and rugged outdoor power generation and connectivity to support the
most mission-critical low-voltage applications and electronic devices,
regardless of their location. Solis has
already gained an impressive list of highly visible customers locally and globally,
including, local/international airports, municipal WiFi projects (including the
WiFi network in Orlando,
provided by SmartCity), local/international theme parks, public utilities,
corporate enterprises and telecommunications companies.
Solis Energy's products are
distributed globally through resellers including Cypress Equipment and Power
Products Direct, and are field proven on applications by Motorola, SkyPilot
Networks, Airaya, F4W, and others.
Solis Energy's product suite
includes the Solar Power Plant SPP Series Solar Generators with Smart
Enclosures, Outdoor Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), Streetlight Power Tap
Adapters, and soon, devices for multiple DC power or Power over Ethernet (POE)
requirements, and Remote Power Monitoring (RPM):
Solar Power Plant SPP Series
The Solar Power Plant SPP Series is
a complete platform of solar generators with Smart Enclosures that provide a
renewable energy source for powering applications and devices where
conventional power doesn't exist or isn't viable to install. It is ideally
suited for low-wattage requirements and can be easily mounted to a pedestal,
side of pole or wall location. The Solar
Power Plant SPP Series support today's enormous Going Green initiatives to
conserve the global environment with renewable energy sources, and they make
great business sense. The one-time
capital expenditure for a Solis Energy Solar Power Plant is often less
expensive than having an electrician and/or power company extend power, and it
includes integrated brownout and blackout protection.
Outdoor UPS Series
Solis Energy's AC>DC Outdoor UPS
Series is ideal as a secondary power source for routine applications or as
battery back-up power for short-term emergency needs to maintain vital
applications like wireless communications and video surveillance security
systems.
Streetlight Power Tap Adapters
Solis Energy's Streetlight Power Tap
Adaptor provides easy access to 120 vAC power from outdoor lights for running
devices and applications like security/surveillance cameras, WiFi hotspots,
WiMax radios, traffic monitoring or Solis Energy's AC>DC Outdoor UPS
systems.
Squid and Octopus
Available later this year, the Squid
and Octopus are DC to DC converters that deliver field configurable 12-, 24- or
48- volt output over two or more independent circuits, perfect for multiple DC
power or POE requirements.
Remote Power Monitor (RPM)
Available later this year, the
Remote Power Monitor (RPM) provides highly scalable real-time visibility to
remote power plants.
Based in Orlando, Fla.,
Solis Energy is a privately held, independent global provider of reliable
outdoor power generation and connectivity for low-wattage applications and
electronic devices, such as WiFi hotspots, WiMax radios, lights, sensors,
security/surveillance cameras, traffic monitoring and other low-voltage
electronics.
Solis
Energy's products include reliable, rugged and cost-effective Solar Generators
with configurable output in Smart Enclosures to power applications where
grid-supplied electricity is unavailable, Outdoor Uninterruptible Power
Supplies (UPS) for emergency back-up or secondary power, Streetlight Power Tap
Adapters, and Remote Power Monitoring (RPM).
Today, Solis Energy products power vital applications and devices to
public utilities, state/local/municipal government, local/international theme
parks, local/international airports, telecommunications companies and corporate
enterprises. www.SolisEnergy.com.
Anixter International Inc. Announces Executive Management Changes
Anixter
International Inc. (NYSE: AXE - News), the world's leading
distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire &
cable and a leading distributor of fasteners and other small parts
("C" Class inventory components) to Original Equipment Manufacturers
("OEMs"), announced that Robert Eck has been promoted to the newly
created position of Executive Vice President -- Chief Operating Officer and
that Dennis Letham has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice
President -- Finance and Chief Financial Officer.
Mr. Eck, age 49, has
been with the Company's operating subsidiary, Anixter Inc., for 17 years in a
variety of staff and commercial positions. His most recent position, held since
2004, was Executive Vice President -- Enterprise Cabling and Security
Solutions. In this role Eck has overseen annual sales growth specific to this
end market of approximately 16 percent, including significant growth from our
initiative to develop our security products business. Previous key positions
include Senior Vice President -- Physical Security Products and Integrated
Supply (2003) and Senior Vice President -- Integrated Supply Solutions (2002).
Mr. Letham, age 56, has
been with Anixter for the past 14 years and has served as Senior Vice President
-- Finance and Chief Financial Officer for the past 12 years. During this time
he has overseen the finance, accounting, tax, internal audit and legal
activities of the Company.
Commenting on these
appointments, Robert Grubbs, President and Chief Executive Officer, said,
"The creation of the Chief Operating Officer position is a result of the
Company's rapid growth over the past few years. We feel Bob Eck's strong track
record at Ani | 
