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Vol. 1 No. 12 |
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October 2006
- Calling all Community Contractors! CALLING ALL COMMUNITY CONTRACTORS! At Electrical Business, we believe it's important to be a part of the community in which you live and work. That's why we're inviting readers from across the country to get in touch with us and let us know how they participate in their communities. Whether you sponsor a soccer team, give lessons at the local college, sponsor career days, or what have you... let us know! Your submissions will be featured in an upcoming issue of Electrical Business, as well as E-Line: Your Industry News Broadcast!
2006 NECA SHOW WRAP-UP There's
just something about a trade show involving hundreds of exhibitors and
dozens of educational sessions that makes my mouth water: such was the
scene at the 2006 NECA Show in Boston, Mass. The show and convention of
the National Electrical Contractors Association has become the premier
expo for the electrical, power and cabling industry south of the
border, and Electrical Business was there to check it out. (For photos
from the show, check out the Online Gallery by clicking here. Education sessions As such, Tom suggests implementing a plan whereby you establish standard prices for standard
tasks. As your workforce goes out into the world and completes jobs
based on T&M, keep track of what materials they're using and how
long it takes them to complete the work. Based on these numbers (which
are collected and analyzed over time), you will be able to determine
how much it costs you to send out a worker to, say, install a ceiling
fan in a bedroom. This
way, when a customer calls about a job, like the installation of a
ceiling fan, your office staff can ask them some questions about the
home involved, then say: "The price is $X.xx", rather than, "Well, we
need to send a guy over to look at your house, then we need to draw up
a work order, then he'll come back and, depending on how long it takes,
we will charge anywhere from $X.xx to $XX.xx". Furthermore, your
electrician will be able to bill the customer on the spot and get paid
on the spot, reducing time back at the office processing paperwork. Of
course, you need to be detailed in your analysis of standard tasks
before implementing a flat rate system, and it goes without saying that
you need to continuously monitor the rates (taking into account the
costs of labour, vehicles, tools, overhead and materials) to ensure
you're still making money. Done correctly, you'll be able to reduce
costs by streamlining a number of your operations while making your
customers happier with the experience. Trade show The WireGuard
reusable electrical box cover was invented by electrician J.T. Smith
who, after 30 years in the construction business, decided it was time
to do something about the mess that insulators, drywallers and painters
leave behind. Drywallers can cut and slice wires when they make
openings for the electrical boxes, while the marks on wires can get
painted over, making it hard to tell which wire is which. Hence
WireGuard, which is inserted into each box before drywall installation.
These protective inserts are made of 18-ga steel and, most importantly,
reusable. Just take them out when your work is done and they're ready
for the next site. Visit them here.
One particularly neat product is the Ramset
T3SS gas-powered fastening system, which gives you a new way to fasten
to concrete, hollow block, pan deck and steel/pan deck - without the
needing to change power levels or colour loads. The T3SS is a complete
fastening system, including a variety of preassembled fasteners, clips,
washered pins and threaded studs. The tool is light, quieter than
powder-actuated systems and, most importantly, requires no licence to
operate. Visit them here.
It only makes sense that Rand McNally,
the road atlas people, should come to market with GPS Navigator, a
complete personal navigation system that's simple enough for everyone
to use. This product comes complete with preloaded maps of Canada and
the United States, and is about a full inch thinner than many GPS
devices in its class. If you miss a turn, Navigator performs automatic
rerouting, while the Go Home button directs the driver from any
location. Among its many other features are multi-stop route planning
and mileage calculator. Visit them here.
Hubbell Wiring Systems
has boldly entered the residential market with the launch of its
homeSELECT electrical wiring devices and netSELECT communications, data
and structured wiring products. This residential product launch
represents the largest single product development program in the
company's history. The launch includes standard and decorator style
receptacles and switches, GFCIs, lighting controls, wallplates and
weather-resistant covers, lamp holders, electrical accessories,
residential delivery systems, VDV products and structured wiring
systems. There's so much to see, so be sure to check them out here.
CANADIAN COMPANY AIMS TO BUILD A BETTER LIGHT BULB The
quest to build a better light bulb took a big leap forward with the
news that a Canadian solid-state lighting technology will be developed,
the result of which could lead to a light bulb that uses 90% less
energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and lasts 20 years.
The announcement was made by Group IV Semiconductor Inc., Sustainable
Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and EnCana Corp. Group
IV's approach is to pass an electrical current through silicon to
produce light. The lighting project is a three-year, $9.1-million
initiative led by Group IV. Along with its partners (SDTC and EnCana),
Group IV plans to further develop the technology and demonstrate its
application in commercially viable lighting products. SDTC has
confirmed $2.1 million of funding for the project. EnCana has confirmed
$2.5 million, while Group IV has leveraged the remaining $4.5 million
from other sources, including McMaster University.
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON THE HOME DEPOT 'SMARTHOME' Imagine
a college dormitory that touts more A/V equipment than most theatres,
runs on electricity generated by solar panels and is protected with
biometric security. This unique living experience will become a reality
for 10 students of Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. Along
with a certain ubiquitous DIY giant, the university is creating The
Home Depot 'Smarthome', a residential laboratory where students will
research and develop innovative solutions for the home in areas such as
security and home monitoring, communications, energy efficiency,
entertainment, environment and health. The
Smarthome will be dedicated to the study of technology that enhances
energy efficiency, automation, quality of life, safety and
environmental sustainability, says Kristina M. Johnson, dean of the
Pratt School. "We also hope to transfer what we learn to homeowners who
want to incorporate smart technology into their own homes." Tom
Rose, the house's director, says embedded sensors in the house will
deliver information in real time, "making the house feel like a living
organism". Many of the dorm's systems, such as wire and pipe, will be
accessible using nothing more than a screwdriver, thereby simplifying
installations and maintenance. Among the features are solar panels that
track the sun throughout the day, increasing their efficiency by more
than 100%. Construction
has begun on the 6000-sf house, with completion expected by Fall 2007.
It has been designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) green building standards. The Home Depot's
sponsorship is valued at an estimated $2 million USD in cash and
in-kind donations over a three-year period to cover the cost of dorm
construction. Click here to learn more.
NEW ONLINE RESOURCES A new, free video on Panasonic Security Systems'
website gives you a complete tour of the company's new product
offerings as unveiled at ASIS 2006 (the annual show of the American
Society for Industrial Security). While at the site, visitors can check
out information about vertical markets and application examples, as
well as the company's entire video surveillance product line. To
download the video, click here.
(Note: you will be asked to provide information about yourself before
being allowed to download the video. The Windows Media Player video is
roughly 32MB [zipped file] while the QuickTime version is about 51MB
[also zipped].
Fluke Networks Canada
has launched a redesigned website that includes a Solutions Center,
which provides relevant technology information on current topics,
organized the way a networking professional would approach a problem.
You will notice an improved search tool that renders results by
category, including technical documentation, software downloads and
more. A task-based Product Finder and a product-based Product Compare
tool are also designed to help you access information in a variety of
ways.
Prescolite, a division of Hubbell Lighting Inc., has also launched a new website
to make it easier for you to find the product you need. Since different
people prefer different approaches, the site offers five ways of
searching for products. Each product comes with complete information,
including literature, .IES photometry files and installation
instructions.
The National Association of Electrical Distributors
(NAED) is offering over 100 manufacturer product training courses
through the NAED Learning Center (NLC), which are available free to
NAED members. Click here
to view a list of available courses (choose "Manufacturer Product
Training" under Category). Training activity is tracked on the
learner's NLC training transcript.
ACCUBID RELEASES VERSION 2 OF CADLIVE Accubid
has released version 2 of cadLive, its next-generation CAD-based
takeoff tool for contractors. The software offers some exciting new
features, such as: full support for Accubid Estimating 7 and AutoCad
2007; access to all database components, including specialized
takeoffs; the ability to build and edit all job assembly components
within cadLive; and improved sorting, grouping and filtering
capabilities. cadLive allows you to produce faster and more accurate
takeoffs, which are automatically incorporated into your Accubid
estimate, and is fully integrated with Accubid estimating solutions
COMING EVENTS VDV Network Cabling Systems Inspection Communications Systems & EMI Grounding & Bonding of Electrical Equipment Design, Installation & Maintenance of Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Locations Grounding - Bonding - Harmonics - Electrical Noise Static Grounding: One Spark, One Chance Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference Canadian Electrical Code 2006 Essentials APPrO 2006: The 18th Annual Canadian Power Conference & Trade Show NEC/CEC: A Comparison of Requirements Lighting Essentials Ontario Electrical Safety Code Want to see YOUR EVENT listed here?
ELECTRICAL BUSINESS, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 In
your November/December 2006 Electrical Business, we're very excited and
pleased to present our special showcase entitled "Excellence in
Technology". This special showcase brings you the latest information
from our industry partners that will help you propel your business
relationships and capabilities to the next level. Every item in this
showcase focuses on how technological excellence can help distinguish
you from the competition. Also
in your Nov/Dec edition, we'll have the latest in VDV technologies and
products, news from Atlantic Canada, and so much more. Don't forget
that along with your copy of Electrical Business, you'll be mailed the
Bluebook: The Source Directory for all things electrical, as well as
your 12-month wall calendar! Think someone else would enjoy receiving E-Line? Send them to EBmag.com where they can sign up right on the Home Page. |
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