Electrical Marketing's LiveWire

Wes Smith, president of Mayer Electric Supply Co. Inc. Birmingham, Ala., recently announced the opening of Mayer’s newest location in Calvert, Ala. The location, to be known as Mayer-Mobile North (Calvert), is Mayer’s 51st location in the southeast and its 16th location in Alabama. The new warehouse and branch office is at 22128 Highway 43, in the location that was formerly owned by Triple H Specialty, another electrical distributor. It’s located 25 miles north of the city of Mobile and less than a mile from the entrance to the new ThyssenKrupp plant.
“We are pleased to have found what we believe is the right location to serve customers in the area north of the city of Mobile,” said Wes Smith. “We believe that the combination local inventory, close proximity to this growing area, and an experienced customer service team will be of great value to contractors, industrial plants, and other businesses in the area.” Details

The EMCOR Government Services unit won a contract from the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing for its Western Currency Facility located in Fort Worth, Texas. EMCOR Government Services (EGS) will be responsible for 24/7 support of the underlying infrastructure at the facility, including its fire and life safety system, building automation system, central chiller plant, water treatment, UPS systems, generators and vertical transportation. EGS will also oversee several unique industrial systems, such as industrial shredders, compressed air systems, and vacuum systems.
The Western Currency Facility’s printing presses account for more than half of the paper currency printed in the United States. In January 2010, the facility printed approximately $2.6 billion dollars in $1 and $20 dollar denominations.
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Schneider Electric, Legrand & Scame are forming an alliance to promote the use of a high safety plug and socket solution for electric vehicle charge infrastructure in Europe. The EV Plug Alliance seeks rapid adoption of a European standard for electric vehicle infrastructure plugs that meets security levels required for installation in homes and buildings. Doing so at an optimized cost is a key factor to develop the nascent electric vehicle market. The Alliance aims to provide a label that guarantees full compliance with the Type 3 of the IEC standard for plug & socket in finalization.

The plug endorsed by the Alliance will ensure compatibility between multiple suppliers’ products. Charge at a power up to 24 kW, in mono or three phase installations will allow charging electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. It will offer the highest level of safety with the use of shutters to protect against accidental touch of electric parts. The first products labeled by the EV Plug Alliance are expected to be available at the end of second quarter 2010. Schneider release

There was a roomful of angry Texans at a recent town hall meeting in Grand Prairie, Texas. Some citizens were outraged about billing errors allegedly caused by the new smart meters installed by electric utility Oncor Electric Delivery, according to a posting on the Environmental News Network. Oncor has installed nearly 800,000 smart meters in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.

HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, San Diego, has launched a dedicated Hospitality Sales Organization to focus on the unique needs of hospitality customers. The new sales organization will have a national footprint and 100 employees. Douglas Peterson, market vice president, Hospitality Sales, will lead the organization and oversee the hospitality national account team, which now includes six regional sales managers responsible for 60 field account representatives and more than 25 inside sales representatives.
HD Supply Facilities Maintenance offers more than 20,000 stocked products, from its 35 distribution centers with same-day shipping and delivery within two days. The company has not stopped there. As a single-source supplier HD Supply Facilities Maintenance provides both housekeeping and maintenance supplies from one source, saving customers time and money. We make it very easy for our customers to buy all of their products from a single source,” said David Kahn, vice president of Hospitality at HD Supply Facilities Maintenance. “From light bulbs to linens, air conditioners to amenities, Facilities Maintenance has it all.”
HD Supply press release

Sonnhalter, Berea, Ohio, a communications firm marketing to the professional tradesman in the construction, industrial and MRO markets, is hosting a free one-hour webinar on best practices for manufacturers using the evolving digital marketplace.“Digital Media: Top Ten Tactics Your Company Should be Implementing,” will be held on Tuesday, April 6, at 2 p.m. EDT. Click here to register.
The webinar will provide tips to navigate through digital channels and best practices that leading marketers are deploying across a variety of industries. Presenting ten pragmatic insider tips, the Webinar will help companies reduce the risks and surprises awaiting manufacturers who wish to embrace the digital age.
“The dawn of the digital era is upon us and navigating this maze is critical to aiding organizations wanting to capitalize on emerging opportunities,” said John Sonnhalter, rainmaker Sonnhalter’s president. “In today’s world, marketing expenditures might feel more like placing bets rather than sound investments, but this Webinar will show best practices and provide valuable tips on how to embrace the digital marketplace.”