Surge protection devices (SPDs) can save lives and assets, and they usually look like a small box. On many occasions I have been asked ‘how can that little thing stop lightning blowing something up’ but the truth is an effective surge protection device can do just that. But lightning is not the only concern. Electrical surges are on the increase due to the increased linking and networking of components, the increased presence of devices that contain microprocessors, and by increased power demands and providing a reliable suitably selected device is installed these electrical surges may never cause loss of service, assets or data again.
Prior to the publication of the lightning protection standard BS EN 62305 there was a widely used lightning protection standard called BS 6651. The old standard addressed surge protection in an appendix, and most people working with that standard opted to out-scope that part. BS EN 62305 has made surge protection an integral part of the standard and the global lightning protection sector is now having to address this electrical safety aspect to continue to certify their systems as meeting the requirements of the standard.
Obviously identifying the correct brand and supplier is an issue, but FM Sudafix customers can be assured that I have satisfied myself that the range is reliable and effective. Indeed, I recently wrote an article for Qatar Construction Sites where I outlined a variety of considerations where the FM Sudafix surge protection devices represent sector leading technology.
I truly hope that surge protection becomes a more regular consideration for installers and facility managers, because for a tiny outlay of money these sorts of devices will provide a fantastic level of protection.
A Nottingham based restaurateur has been helping returning servicemen and women through a unique and incredibly touching initiative. Arfan Razak (Raz), of The Curry Lounge, invited some serving British marines to receive his personal tuition in the art of creating special Indian cuisine dishes, and then allowed them to demonstrate their newly honed skills at a special charity event in his restaurant. The FM Sudafix Group was represented at the event by General Manager Calum Heath, and Strategy & Communications Director Sean Elliott-Maher. The event received national media attention and Sean was interviewed by a television crew about his opinion of the scheme and evening. Calum told the website team that, “It was a privilege to be part of this event, and I join with Raz and everyone who has given their time and effort to this incredibly worthy cause in supporting our service men and women all over the world. As many have said, you do not need to agree with why the armed forces may be where they are, or what they are doing, but they are doing so with courage and honour and that is something that as a nation, and as human beings, that we should applaud and support.”
More information about the event can be found here.
As the 2010-2011 Elite Ice Hockey League has drawn to a close the GMB Nottingham Panthers presented their annual player awards over two sessions. The first half of the awards took place after the last home game of the season, which was a loss to Challenge Cup runners up, the Belfast Giants. The Panthers were welcomed back on to the ice after the match where a number of individual awards were presented, and the Challenge Cup was re-presented in front of thousands of cheering fans. GMB Nottingham Panthers General Manager Gary Moran thanked players, sponsors and fans alike in terms of contributing to the club’s great successes this season.
The second half of the Player Awards took place in a private ceremony at Meadow Lane, where team and player sponsors were able to show their appreciation to the team. The historic home of Notts County Football Club provided a suitable venue for this special event hosted, as with the first by “GM the GM”. With numerous player sponsors eager to meet the team and receive their match-worn shirts the excitement and admiration for the team was tangible. After the shirts had been distributed the individual awards were presented. FM Sudafix Technical Director John Maher and Strategy and Communications Director Sean Elliott-Maher presented the award in the category of “Best British Player” which went to an eminently deserving David Clarke.
After the event John Maher commented: “This has been a wonderful occasion and it was nice for the team to see the gratitude of their supporters and get that sort of face to face recognition. It was an honour to present David Clarke with ‘Best Brit’ and speaking on behalf of the FM Sudafix Group I can say how delighted the company is that this star of British ice hockey will be back at the National Ice Centre next year with the Panthers.”
JMI Earthing Services has been providing the technical safety net for numerous companies projects the world over for some years now, but as with all things at the FM Sudafix Group, its development is by no means complete. As the ability of JMI to provide professional, effective, value engineered solutions for construction disciplines such as specialist earthing / grounding, coordinated surge protection systems, stray current management, cathodic protection systems and rail earthing / grounding elements is a core reason for customers returning to the FM Sudafix Group it was imperative that the resources behind the organisation were commensurate with the level of demand.
This week FM Sudafix Group Chief Executive Steve Hutchinson joined with JMI Earthing Technical Director John Maher and FM Sudafix Group General Manager to outline the future of JMI. Steve Hutchinson stated: “I have long regarded JMI as the jewel in the crown of FM Sudafix, and I find it very exciting to see this well respected brand continue to advance. Its services are sought by so many, so frequently, for a good reason and that is one of the many special factors that JMI continues to have such an enduring relevance in this sector.”
Focusing on the customer experience, the top management have identified new methods to enhance the JMI team including extra human resource, new process management techniques, and new technology. John Maher, the man who established JMI, proudly commented, “In honesty I never really expected that the company would ever command such a dominant position in our market segments of operation. Essentially we just wanted to offer a great service to our customers and in truth so much of the ongoing successes are really based upon the support of our customers. With the new enhancements I am quite confident that JMI will be making a real difference.”
FM Sudafix Group General Manager Calum Heath, who originally joined the FM Sudafix Group as part of the JMI technical team, was confident about the future of the organisation, “JMI means something, whether it is for our clients who have problems with substation earthing / grounding systems or whether it is our valued partners in light rail with whom we help with tram earthing or bonding / coupling or to help them effectively manage stray current. I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure that JMI continues to operate at the high standards it has come to represent and by embracing these new approaches we will be pushing JMI to the next level; Steve, John and I couldn’t be happier.”
The recent quarterly economic survey conducted by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce indicated that businesses in the East Midlands had continued to experience the ongoing challenges brought about by the global economic downturn. The FM Sudafix Group is based in Nottingham but unlike other companies based within the region has continued to demonstrate strength throughout the period. FM Sudafix Group General Manager, Calum Heath, was interviewed by a local news programme to discuss the remarkable achievements of the company that continue to buck the trend both regionally, and nationally. Calum Heath told the website team, “I was pleased to be able to discuss our successes with the news crew; but I think I fell victim to some unfortunate editing, because I am sure I was more articulate than that for the rest of the interview!” Calum said with a smile.
The FM Sudafix Group has released a new leaflet and it is having an immediate impact. The leaflet combines an attractive design with an important message and the marketplace is seemingly responding very positively. A noticeable spike in contact has been noticed from companies with no previous affiliation or experience of the FM Sudafix Group, and many are citing either referrals from our existing client portfolio or recent direct marketing initiatives as the incitement to get in touch. One caller advised, “I’ve been disappointed with other companies, and the prospect of working with an organization like FM Sudafix who have a fresh approach to electrical earthing systems is very welcome.” Sean Elliott-Maher, the FM Sudafix Group Strategy & Communications Director, discussed the design approach of this new leaflet, “As with all new projects I convened a meeting with my best people and discussed both the scope and message. The branding guidelines that we have developed at the FM Sudafix Group are stringent in terms of quality control, but flexible enough to allow designers a large amount of creative freedom so I knew that they would produce some pretty inspired work, and I’m sure anyone looking at the finished product will agree that they haven’t disappointed. The form of our leaflet is intended to reflect the journey through a project from design to completion, with each new panel building upon the developments of the last. This leaflet is intended to identify why the FM Sudafix Group is an exception in the electrical safety sector and why comparisons to manufacturers of earthing / grounding materials completely miss the point of what the company is and how it operates; we are proud to be different and so do our customers and clients. The colour pallet and interaction works effectively and I think the message is conveyed in a modern aesthetic. Okay, I know that I’m talking about a leaflet on a more involved level than most people would think is reasonable, but this is one of the ways that makes the FM Sudafix Group different. My team and I, and by the very fact that we exist the other senior management, are fully committed to investing time, money and effort into our communications with our fantastic customers; we value that point of interaction and know that we demonstrate that value by the quality of the communication. The people who work for the FM Sudafix Group are excellent and they are the reason for our ongoing success and that’s why we in the communications department are devoted to representing the wider Group’s efforts in a way that clearly shows how much effort we invest in them. To accompany the leaflet launch we created some exciting supplementary marketing tools, such as exhibition stands and banners, which all adopt the same branding and aesthetics. My team has done a great job, without them this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Railways have always attracted the attention of criminals and vandals due to the value of the various cables used in the systems, but FM Sudafix is developing solutions to reduce the need for copper in rail earthing / grounding systems. As the value of copper has sold high in recent weeks, following a three year broadly trended increase on the London Metal Exchange, the attraction of stealing copper cable is unlikely to diminish, and this coincides with FM Sudafix Group’s technical team working to reduce the reliance of rail systems on copper items in their earthing arrangements. Police and internal security forces all over the world have to face the problem of copper theft, and this is no exception in the UK, where the FM Sudafix Group operates on a number of systems providing effective design solutions and earthing / grounding materials, including cable.
The British Transport Police have been taking significant steps in pursuing copper thieves and bringing them to justice, which is well documented by the BBC in instances such as: here where a unit from the force undertakes a raid at a suspected copper thief’s home. With copper thefts costing rail systems a rumoured £770m a year, it is reported that the only higher priority for the British Transport Police is terrorism and as such it is evident that their noted efforts are only likely to increase.
It is not only rail systems that fall victim to vandals and thieves who seek copper, as everything from telecommunications sites to power infrastructure and utilities are likely to incorporate some form of copper in its electrical safety provision. As such the FM Sudafix Group is committed to ensuring it remains an effective part of the supply chain to provide earthing / grounding system products, specialist rail and power cables, amongst other products, in the shortest possible lead in time. Whilst the FM Sudafix Group prides itself on its responsiveness, where it really excels is in the proactive development of electrical safety systems which protect copper elements, or remove the need for them entirely. Our technical team will be happy to help so if copper theft and vandalism is a concern then please get in touch.
The unrest in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and Libya is concerning for British companies who trade in those markets, but not just for commercial reasons. FM Sudafix Group Strategy & Communications Director, Sean Elliott-Maher, was contacted by the BBC through their Radio Nottingham branch to discuss the impact that it was having on businesses in the East Midlands of the UK. Also joined in the debate by George Cowcher, the Chief Executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, Elliott-Maher highlighted that the whilst the Arabian markets were very important to ongoing business concerns that the most important aspect to consider is the humanitarian aspect.
One of the areas of discussion was what would be the domestic (UK) consequences if the unrest continued and expanded across to the Gulf States (GCC region); Sean Elliott-Maher stated that whilst he thought that it was unlikely to spread throughout the territory it could have a dramatic impact, potentially costing the company tens of millions of pounds, but that even in that worst case scenario every proactive measure would be taken to protect jobs and reassign staff to domestic projects, but that “difficult decisions” could not be ruled out; the website has asked him to elaborate:
“First and foremost I want to go on the record as stating that the FM Sudafix Group is most concerned, above anything else, with the human cost in the unrest because you cannot view these events at arms length; however that does not mean that we can sidestep the issue of what it could mean to the business performance and scope of operations for the company. Much of the current tone of debate is reactionary and almost alarmist when discussing the impacts on business caused by the events in the Arab world. We need to consider the root causes of what has generated the unrest. The people of the Middle East and Arabic countries of Africa share many of the same values as people in any other part of the world, and unrest is more likely in any society when you have concentrated centres of dissatisfied or disenfranchised poor, once these conditions are present then riots can occur and even transform into outright revolt, which is what we have seen.
“The FM Sudafix Group works in these countries, just like other international markets, on significant projects with a specific focus on power generation and transmission, telecommunication infrastructure and rail projects, which are the exact sorts of projects that require if not government funding then government sanction. A decentralised or disbanded government makes these sorts of projects difficult if not impossible, but they are necessary and as such will resume when stability is established. Will unrest spread throughout the GCC? I doubt it due to a higher standard of living and civically minded governments, which is an observation based upon inward investment, not a value judgment which would be beyond my limited experience. If it were to spread though, in a worst case scenario, on a purely business level it would cost the company tens of millions of pounds. Would such a situation result in company collapse? Not at all, we are not that dependent upon the market, but it would make things difficult.
“Also there has been an argument voiced that there is a moral question as to whether British companies should be working with these countries at all, which I think is such a narrow minded view and I believe during our discussion with the BBC George Crowcher addressed particularly well. The point is that Britain generates talented people and can provide specialist products and the people of countries all over the world can benefit from them. If British companies are helping to bring effective power, communications, safe water systems, effective transport and other vital services to the people of these countries. I am proud of our humanitarian efforts and the support we provide to developing countries, we very much consider ourselves a conscience and we always attempt to drive resources into the communities that generate our success. Businesses are run by people, and business is conducted between people, so the situation facing people in these regions is of paramount importance. I have friends and colleagues in these areas, just like everyone else in the company, and their health and wellbeing is essential. On a personal level I believe that no government should enact violence upon its people, wherever it is in the world and that wholly transcends any business issue. It is a moral responsibility for governments to act as a defender of its people, not as an aggressor, and that value should not be confined to judgements of the Arab world. I trust that recent unrest and responses offer lessons and reminders to all governments.
“In a worst case scenario we may have to take difficult decisions, but that would only happen after we had exhausted every opportunity to allocate human resource to other territories or domestic projects. The actual situation, as our team knows, is that we will continue to actively look to expand our team, so reducing staff levels could not be further from our ambition or business plan. Both internal and external parties need to focus on doing what we can to ensure a lasting peaceful settlement is reached and get back to providing our expertise and products to benefit these nations as soon as possible.”
You have joined the FM Sudafix Mailing List
You have been added to our mailing list and will receive the latest product and services information from the FM Sudafix Group
Join the FM StudaFix Mailing List
To keep up to date with the latest news and product information from the FM Sudafix Group, sign up to our mailing list. We won't share your details with any third party
JMI Earthing Services has been providing the technical safety net for numerous companies projects the world over for some years now, but as with all things at the FM Sudafix Group, its development is by no means complete. As the ability of JMI to provide professional, effective, value engineered solutions for construction disciplines such as specialist earthing / grounding, coordinated surge protection systems, stray current management, cathodic protection systems and rail earthing / grounding elements is a core reason for customers returning to the FM Sudafix Group it was imperative that the resources behind the organisation were commensurate with the level of demand.
