Electrical Marketing's LiveWire

GE (NYSE: GE) today unveiled the residential version of its GE WattStation electric vehicle charging station. The company introduced its Yves Behar-designed public charger in July to much fanfare. The residential WattStation, also designed by Behar, is intended to accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles by significantly decreasing time needed for vehicle charging. The system is set up to interface with smart grid systems, allowing utility companies to manage the impact of electric vehicles on the local and regional grids.

Michael Mahan, global product manager for GE WattStation, said, “The residential WattStation’s easy functionality and design allows for uncomplicated integration of quick electric vehicle charging into your everyday activities.”

The Wattstation will be commercially available worldwide in 2011 just as a new wave of electric vehicles hits the market.

GE's residential Wattstation EV charger

In a ceremony this morning, GE Lighting committed to investing $60 million in the company’s manufacturing plant in Bucyrus, Ohio. GE Lighting, headquartered in Cleveland, named the production plant in Bucyrus GE Lighting’s global center of excellence for the manufacture of energy-efficient linear fluorescent lamps. Employment is expected to nearly double with more than 130 jobs added over the next few years as the Bucyrus plant ramps up production. The first fluorescent lamps made from the newly installed equipment will begin to roll off production lines in December.

“GE Lighting’s vision is to lead a global lighting revolution by delivering innovative solutions that change the way people light and think about their world,” said GE Lighting President & CEO Michael B. Petras, Jr. “We’ll achieve that vision by investing in energy-efficient products like those made right here in Bucyrus. This investment we’re making, along with support from local, state and federal governments, allows us to expand manufacturing in Bucyrus to offer customers some of the best energy-efficient solutions in the world, while also creating new manufacturing jobs.”

Service Wire Co. (Culloden, W. Va.): David Mills has joined the company’s sales team in Phoenix. He brings 18 years of sales experience in the electrical industry, including 10 years as a regional sales manager for a wiring device company. During his career, Mills was named electrical vendor of the year by Handy Hardware, Leight Sales, and California Hardware.

SoloPower, Inc., San Jose, Calif., a manufacturer of flexible, thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, announced that its modules have passed the UL test. The company’s products are the first high-power flexible CIGS (copper indium gallium (di)selenide) PV modules certified under UL 1703, the safety standard for all PV module manufacturing.

SoloPower, which focuses on rooftop PV applications, will initially introduce the modules to the European and North American markets. The company is in the process of adding a second production line to increase its manufacturing capacity.

SoloPower release

Execs from WESCO Distribution Inc., Pittsburgh, will ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Sept. 29. The Opening Bell ceremony will celebrate WESCO Chairman Roy Haley’s 15 years of service as CEO and mark the one-year anniversary of WESCO’s management succession process implemented last year. To commemorate this occasion, John Engel, president and CEO, joined by members of the leadership team, will ring the NYSE opening bell.

Eaton Corp. (ETN), Cleveland has agreed to acquire CopperLogic, Inc., a manufacturer of electrical and electromechanical systems. Terms of the deal, which are subject to customary closing conditions, were not disclosed.
According to information on its website, CopperLogic is the exclusive North American representative of Moeller industrial control products and other world class electrical components that power industry. CopperLogic, which has a U.S. office in Houston and a Canadian office in Mississauga, Ontario, also manufactures electrical and electromechanical systems that are designed with, and controlled by the components we sell. CopperLogic was founded in 2004 from Moeller’s original U.S. and Canadian sales organizations. Eaton bought Germany’s Moeller Group for $2.2 billion in 2008.
In a press statement, said Jerry Whitaker, president—Americas Region, Electrical Sector, said the acquisition of CopperLogic will also bring a portfolio of IEC, CSA and UL assemblies to Eaton. Details

Integrated Electrical Services (IES), Houston, (IESC), has been awarded a contract for the installation of electrical systems at the Precision Measurement Laboratory (PML) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colo. (NIST). IES is responsible for installing the primary and emergency power systems for an installation that covers 68 laboratory and clean room facilities, encompassing more than 400,000 square feet.
Once completed, the PML will be one of the most technologically advanced buildings in the world and will consist of a Level 4 High Performance Lab, Level 5 Instrument Lab and Level 6 Precision Lab. The new facility will provide for the current needs of quantum science research in computing and communications, nanotechnology, improved atomic clock research, high speed electronic measurements, and micro-fabrication of research devices.

A report from IHS Global Insight Chief U.S. Economist Nigel Gault says that although headline durable goods orders were down 1.3 percent in August, that drop mostly reflected a plunge in volatile aircraft orders, which had surged higher in July.
Said Gault, “Under the surface, the news was good, pointing to a continuing revival in capital equipment demand. The bellwether indicator of capital equipment demand – orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft – rose 4.1 percent, wiping out most of a 5.3-percent decline in July (which itself was revised from a more severe 7.2-percent drop).

“Beginning-of-quarter declines in orders have become the norm. The rebound in August provides reassurance that capital equipment demand continues to revive. There’s little need for businesses to increase capacity, but they do need to address replacement needs that were neglected during the recession, and to boost productivity.

“Capital equipment spending was a major support for the economy in the first half of 2010, growing at a more than 20 perent% annual rate in both quarters. It won’t rise so strongly in the third quarter – we expect a rise of around 8.5 percent –but it remains one of the stronger sectors of the economy, and one of the bulwarks against a double dip.”
Wall Street was enthused about the increase, and stocks jumped 1654 points (1.5%) on Friday in early trading.

An article in the Triangle Business Journal said ABB will initially invest $10 million in the facility at North Carolina State University.