Electrical Marketing's LiveWire

Schneider Electric named Jeff Drees president of the company’s Palatine, Ill.-based U.S. operations, effective June 1. Drees will be accountable for driving growth and profitability of Schneider Electric in the U.S., as well as coordinating the company’s energy-efficiency and solutions initiatives across all businesses, Schneider said in a release.

Drees joined the company in 2001 and has served in various roles, leading the partner division and Energy Solutions sales, and working with the corporate global office in partner recruitment and acquisition analysis. His most recent role was president of the Buildings business of Schneider Electric in the Americas, where he was responsible for overseeing the business’ performance in the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America.

“Having worked closely with Jeff over the last few years, I have seen firsthand his ability to drive growth in our business and motivate and inspire his team,” said Chris Curtis, president and CEO of Schneider Electric in North America. “We are uniquely positioned to help solve our energy dilemma and Jeff has the passion and leadership needed to lead these efforts in our company and with our customers.”

Prior to joining Schneider Electric, Drees held management and engineering positions at Caterpillar Inc. and Honeywell Inc. and served as a technician for the U.S. Air Force. Drees replaces Amy Huntington, who after 22 years with Schneider Electric has decided to leave the company to devote more time to her personal and charitable interests.

Schneider release via NEMA

The electrical equipment market in India is seeing growth that manufacturers and distributors in the flat North American market can only dream of. A story in the Economic Times (an India-based newspaper) reports that economic recovery in the country’s manufacturing sector is being led by automation projects and electrical equipment manufacturing, which saw sales in some product categories grow 30 percent in the fourth quarter.

“This demand growth could likely see a two-fold increase in the next 2-3 years,” said Sunil More, director-general of the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association (IEEMA), adding that this was due to a pick-up in housing and construction, the Economic Times reported.

Economic Times story

NEMA’s CFL Lamp Index showed a return to growth in sales of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) after a year of successive quarterly declines. CFL sales grew about three percent in the first quarter of 2010 while sales of incandescent lamps continued to fall. NEMA’s incandescent lamp index fell to its second-lowest level on record showing a year-over-year decline of 2.2 percent during the first quarter of 2010, which maintains a three and a half year streak of deterioration for this market segment, NEMA said in announcing the results.

Medium screw-base CFLs regained market share against the incandescents they replace, increasing to 24.2 percent from 22.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, which NEMA attributed to the economic recovery. “Consumers appear to be more willing to absorb the higher up-front costs of CFLs versus incandescent lamps, due in part to the U.S. economy remaining on a path of recovery.”

NEMA Release

Here’s further evidence that lighting products distribution will change significantly with the shift to solid-state technologies: LED lighting manufacturer Luminus Devices, Billerica, Mass., has made a distribution agreement with electronics distribution giant Avnet Electronics, Phoenix, to distribute its lighting products in the Asia market through Avnet.

Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia will provide comprehensive distribution services, design-chain services and supply-chain optimization solutions to help Luminus’ customers accelerate product development for a variety of general illumination and specialty lighting applications, said a Luminus release out today.

“The demand for our PhlatLight LEDs in Asia is growing exponentially,” said Luminus CEO Keith Ward. “Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia’s reach and reputation in that part of the world as a specialist in distributing electronic components are exceptional and we’re excited to be aligned with them in serving our customers.”

Release

NEMA has released a white paper, “LSD 54-2010 The Strengths and Potentials of Metal Halide Lighting Systems,” which reviews the benefits of metal halide high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting, including high energy efficiency and viability in outdoor and other lighting applications. The paper argues for the inclusion of HID lamps in ENERGY STAR requirements and for allocations of federal funding to help propel further research and development.

You can order the free report from the NEMA website.

Cree Inc., Durham, N.C., has formed a partnership with Habitat for Humanity to put Cree downlights in the kitchens of all Habitat homes built in the U.S. over the next three years. The $1.5 million agreement gives more than 1,500 Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the U.S. access to the lighting package, which features Cree’s newest CR6 LED downlight. The CR6 is designed to last 50,000 hours, which is more than 22 years if the lights are used six hours a day, the company said.

“By providing cost-saving, energy-efficient lighting, Cree is helping Habitat build sustainable, affordable homes in partnership with thousands of low-income families across the United States,” said Chuck Swoboda, Cree chairman and CEO. “Future Habitat homeowners can enjoy lower electricity costs and most likely won’t have to change their light bulbs for the next two decades.”

Raymond Wood, senior vice president of government operations and one of the founders of Technology Research Corp. (TRC), Clearwater, Fla., will be retiring on Aug. 5. and stepping down from the company’s board of directors after 29 years. Wood will continue to consult with the engineers at TRC, which makes safety, power monitoring and control equipment.

“[Wood's] expertise, experience and industry leadership in the military market and in high power generating systems has been instrumental in developing our new strategic direction for returning to growth,” said Owen Farren, president and CEO of TRC.