GLOBAL CIRCUIT #2

GLOBALCIRCUIT A PUBLICATION OF THE WORLDWIDE IMELCO NETWORK DEDICATED TO THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL ALL OVER THE WORLD

2015 ISSUE 2

MARKETING

IMELCO SUPPLIER AWARD PROGRAM 2015

OPPORTUNITIES CONTROL OF ENERGY RESOURCES, E-MOBILITY GAINSHARE AND GATEWAY TO GROWTH PROGRAMS OF IMARK

NETWORKING ARMASUL GETS INTRODUCED TO THE IMELCO COMMUNITY

MODERN CIRCUIT PROTECTION

INNOVATIVE WAYS TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON 1

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contents GLOBALCIRCUIT EDITOR’S LETTER

3 4 6 6 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14

IMELCO takes "glocal" action

from IMELCO Managing Director, Elena Reignier

marketing IMELCO Supplier Award Program 2015: “Let us network and stay on the move together !”

business The new V20/V50 arrestor series of OBO Bettermann: New look. Added performance.

Safety vs. reliability? No more compromise!

Update by GE Industrial Solutions Safely in the right position!

Individually planned hard foam inlays, new offer of CIMCO Cimco builds a new logistic center ABB+Thomas & Betts, a strong match: New complete portfolio of Engineered Installation Products Thomas & Betts: A member of the ABB Group

Opportunities Optimize: Control of energy resources Gainshare: The IMARK GainShare joint planning program for member distributors and manufacturers The IMARK Gateway to Growth Program GRUDILEC launches project to promote electric cars

networking Networking Event 2015 Grudilec appoints Alberto González as Business Director Schedule of the upcoming activities with and for our partner suppliers (2015/2016)

If you wish to contribute to the editorial content of the Global Circuit’s next issue, please contact: Mrs. Elena Reignier | Tel: +49 511 615 99 14 | e-mail: elena.reignier@imelco.com

Editorial Board: Elena Reignier (IMELCO), Steve Ruane (IMARK), Simon Sanfilippo (ELEX ITALIA) Design & production: jerome.vadon.fr / jerome@vadon.fr All materials published in Global Circuit is copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without the written approval of the publisher. Copyright IMELCO 2015 - IMELCO s.p.r.l. - 1151 Chaussée de Waterloo - 1180 Bruxelles - Belgique Photo credits: Cover: © bluebay2014 | Photodune.net / Envato - "Abstract design of business network" (ID: 10508762), Other material / datas : provided by third parties and published under their sole responsibility.

GLOBALCIRCUIT 2

“

PERSPECTIVES

IMELCO TAKES

"GLOCAL"

ACTION Dear reader, dear partner, Since the beginning of 2015, IMELCO has been carrying out the new scope of international marketing activities helping to ensure that the global strategy of our suppliers is deployed throughout IMELCO countries in line with the local situations of each IMELCO member organization.

We are very glad to see that the efforts invested in this field find a broad approval not only from our partner suppliers but also from the worldwide independent electrical wholesalers.

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This year, we launched the IMELCO Supplier Award Program which was created to recognize and reward IMELCO partner suppliers that were deemed to provide the best support to our associated wholesalers throughout all IMELCO markets worldwide.

As a next step, IMELCO will share the statistical outcomes of this online poll carried out with local wholesalers in each IMELCO country with the national IMELCO Managing Directors to complete the picture of each supplier’s local sales organization so as to provide more specific feedback and guidance to each participating IMELCO supplier.

All IMELCO supplier partners taking part in this Program will receive their individual Supplier Surveys not later than September. The last and final step of the Program will be made at the second session of MDs-Suppliers meetings in October in Paris: On this

occasion, we will discuss with our partners how they assess the feedback given from IMELCO countries, which corrective and/or additional promotional measures shall be taken locally under the guidance of IMELCO as well as which substantial questions may be included into the next year’s edition of the IMELCO Supplier Award Program.

In conclusion, I wish to thank all national IMELCO Managing Directors who activated the Program in their countries and, of course, all local wholesalers who provided their assessment.

Elena Reignier IMELCO Managing Director

MARKETING

LET US NETWORK AND

STAY ON THE MOVE TOGETHER!

E

very year, IMELCO provides members and partner suppliers with an additional opportunity to network in a casual atmosphere to strengthen not only their business but also personal relationships.

markets: as soon as different supplier brands and sales organizations were involved, this was considered in the individual questionnaire set-up for the country. In order to provide the most objective evaluation possible, the cases and countries The central theme of our past where a supplier has no operative Networking Event, which was held business were filtered out so as to on the 4th of June in Lisbon in the put all suppliers at the equal basis marvelous setting of St. George’s for evaluation: in the end, not the Castle, were the results of the number of responses counted or worldwide evaluation of IMELCO the number of countries a supplier partner suppliers’ sales organizations. is represented in, but the average of the valuation submitted.

After the official welcome by the President, Joan Garcia i Duch, Elena Reignier reported how the online rating and the valuation process of the results were set up.

For the first time in IMELCO’s history, this central marketing activity reached out to all local IMELCO wholesalers at the same time. By launching this Program, IMELCO pursued several targets: on one hand, the target to enhance the visibility of the IMELCO brand locally, on the other hand, the target to remind all local wholesalers who those global strategic suppliers are that shall enjoy their preferential treatment.

The online questionnaire was carried out in 8 different languages and consisted of five (5) main categories, each of them split into different sub-categories. Each main category as well as sub-category had different weighting in the evaluation. The questionnaire was customized according to the situation of local

Thanks again to all IMELCO wholesalers for this excellent result!

Winning IMELCO Suppliers earned recognition based on the results of a survey conducted with key executives at IMELCO associated wholesalers level from all over the world.

Unique honorary certificates as well as the IMELCO Supplier Award 2015 were handed over to those IMELCO partners who excel on a global basis in the following areas: • OBO Bettermann in the category “Marketing support” • Schneider Electric in the category “Sales Force Effectiveness” • OBO Bettermann in the category “Delivery and Logistics” • legrand in the category “Loyalty to Wholesalers” • Thomas&Betts for the highest score reached in a single sub-category “Quality and Reliability of Supply” The IMELCO Supplier Award 2015: OBO Bettermann.

In this first year, we reached a solid level of responsiveness from the part of our associated wholesalers: 86%! Every wholesaler belonging to seven (7) member organizations of IMELCO (14 in total) completed the questionnaire.

In conclusion, Elena Reignier referred to the message given in the design of the Supplier Award 2015: it is an image of a sportsman who wins a global competition leaving his peers behind. “Stay on the move!” will be the motto of the 9th Convention in 2016 in Paris. IMELCO wishes to stay on the move together with its partner suppliers who are cordially invited to participate in this event and celebrate IMELCO’s 25 years of existence.

GLOBALCIRCUIT 4

MARKETING

IMELCO Networking Event on the 4th June 2015, at the Casa do Leao, , Lisbon, Portugal,

Joan Garcia i Duch,

"IMELCO Supplier Award 2015",

IMELCO Chairman

OBO Bettermann, Frank Dahl with Elena Reignier

“Quality and Reliability of Supply”,

“Loyalty to Wholesalers”,

ABB/Thomas&Betts, Massimo Lattuada with Joan Garcia i Duch

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Schneider Electric, Jean-Marc Debeaux with Joan Garcia i Duch

legrand, Jean-François Fredon with Joan Garcia i Duch

Constructive talks in an informal atmosphere 5

"Sales Force Effectiveness",

Mrs. Elena Reignier,

IMELCO Managing Director

BUSINESS

THE NEW V20/V50 ARRESTOR SERIES

NEW LOOK. ADDED PERFORMANCE.

They fit perfectly into OBO’s comprehensive system of lightning and electrical surge protection. The series consist of modular, pluggable arrestors featuring a dynamic cut-off device and optical status display. From now on, OBO’s lightning and surge protection products will be very easy to distinguish. The new design of the lightning and surge protection logo makes them easy to recognize in any installation.

Modular design facilitates diverse configurations.

Their highgrade materials and intelligent designs enable them to be used even under tough physical conditions.

Find out more about lightning protection in our impressive movie:

Intelligent design, lots of useful details The advantages of the new arrestor series lie in its numerous wellthoughtout components.

These arrestors can be installed without difficulty in just a few moves.

Source: OBO

SAFETY VS. RELIABILITY? NO MORE COMPROMISE! Have you heard of a situation where a major plant has been closed down by an electrical fault? Or seen the effects of an arcing fault in switchgear? Circumstances like these are rarely black and white.

However, they beg to question, “Could this happen to me?”

Design an electrical system based solely on safety and you will be faced with nuisance tripping and costly unplanned downtime. Likewise, design a system singularly focused on uptime and you may be putting your people, plant and equipment at risk. Thankfully, circuit breaker technology advancements are emerging that enable you to strike a better balance of safety and uptime, so you are not forced to compromise.

Making power systems safer from arc flash is about more than E=IR, lock out/

tag out and following required codes.

Critical power applications in hospitals and data centers simply can’t go down.

Uptime is also critical in industrial systems

and commercial applications, where no power means no revenue or – even worse – it could mean danger to workers and damage to expensive equipment. We have to keep the lights on.

Necessity, the Mother of Invention The good news is that there are a lot of new and innovative ways to keep the lights on. The bad news is that many of those ways involve tradeoffs that may not always be acceptable. Our job is to find the right technologies to keep our systems as safe and as productive as possible. By integrating modern circuit protection, coordination selectivity and communications, we can keep our systems up and running safely.

“The Old Days” Were All About Circuit Protection At the most basic level circuit breakers do just what their name indicates; they break the circuit if there is an overload or short circuit problem.

They are not inherently very smart, but they offer basic wire and equipment GLOBALCIRCUIT 6

BUSINESS protection. You size the breaker to the load and you are done. You have circuit protection, but little protection from significant arc flash dangers, unless you de-energize the equipment.

Coordination for Selectivity IEC60947-2 Provides guidance to selectivity and the requirements to meet the standards. Selectivity is a sound principle: In case of a fault it is necessary that the device nearest to the fault reacts while all others remain closed. It has long been considered as good practice to factor it into every project to some degree. Based on application, type of facility and risk factors, we use experience and judgment to optimize the inherent trade-off for reliability (selective coordination) and safety (arc flash mitigation). But that is the trade-off problem we face: increase system reliability at the expense of system safety. Manufacturers have responded with technologies to lessen the danger. Zone Selective Interlocking (ZSI) systems; for example, coordinate protection between upstream and downstream breakers. ZSI still allows significant incident energy from an arc flash event at higher fault levels–

1000.00

because there is a compromise between selectivity and protection.

Communication Completes the Picture Circuit breaker communication is not new – but the latest generation of smarter circuit breaker technology communicates in new and better ways and helps provide more options for both arc flash safety and selectivity within the same system.

Time current curves tell us which breakers are going to trip at what instance, though sometimes we need more than that, where ZSI is used. ZSI allows a set of breakers to communicate and automatically change response time to a mid-level (short-time) or ground fault. Illustrating that premise in diagram 1, a system coordinated to 10kA level could limit the arc flash incident energy while maintaining optimized selectivity.

With Short - Time & Instantaneous ZSI Enabled: Selective to 85kA

100.00

WFR Recognizes Current Limitation Downstream

Seconds

10.00

10,000

0.01 100

1,000

2 cm al/ 8c

0.10

10,000 Amperes

100,000

85 kA

100,000

Curve Overlap Shows Selectivity Limit

2 cm al/ 8c

1.00

Curve Overlap Shows Selectivity Limit

6 kA

10,000

100,000

Curve Overlap Shows Selectivity Limit

Normal Operations: Sensitive Response; Short - Time Protection Limits Selectivity to less than 6kA As the curve overlap illustrates (see lower right diagram), zone selective interlocking (ZSI) is effective, but has limitations. With no ZSI, selectivity is limited to <6kA. With ZSI, it improves to >10kA. With Instantaneous Zone Selective Interlocking (I-ZSI), shown in the upper right diagram, 85kA selectivity is achieved and instantaneous protection still provides reduced arc flash energy to maximize both system reliability and protection.

Graphic courtesy of GE’s Industrial Solutions.

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I-ZSI allows multiple layers of circuit breakers and all of their protections to operate as a system. With small overloads or large faults, breakers communicate with one another, adapting and responding accordingly.

Then, each circuit breaker only operates when needed and acts as back up only when necessary. Here’s the math.

However, new technologies introduced and available today, greatly expand the communications of ZSI. By automatically adapting not only shorttime and ground fault delays, that is ZSI, but also instantaneous response

800A 1600A MCC ACB B

250A MCC B

(I-ZSI), the system maintains the same level of arc flash mitigation but at a range of up to 85kA – continuously without manual intervention (see diagram). Where ZSI brings protection capabilities beyond what can be achieved in a ‘traditional’ static curve based study, I-ZSI adds protection and coordination beyond previous limitations.

With I-ZSI each breaker has line of sight to what’s happening throughout the system. As a result, the system gives a facility protection and selectivity, helping operators meet demanding uptime business objectives without increasing risk. It’s a “language” that speaks uptime and safety in the same breath.

Real World Example If you are challenged with putting together an electrical plan for a processing plant manager who is concerned with safety, certainly,

BUSINESS

MB I will stand! down

I will stand! down

I-ZSI Fault

.

I got itn! ow d d n ta S

MB I know

These simple diagrams represent how the circuit breakers communicate using I-ZSI or WFR to simultaneously provide selective coordination and arc flash mitigation.

Fault I

Option 1 – Super Safe I could give him super-high safety with INST pickups all set to their minimums. He’d have top safety but a benign, unanticipated motor start-up might result in a trip and bring the whole operation to a screeching halt.

Ultimately, his business would suffer because of my compromise.

Option 2 – Always Running From the previous experience, I now change my approach and design for ultimate uptime instead. There is no way this system is going to lose power because of something (seemingly small) added to the load plan. I will use all non-INST air circuit breakers and dial the INST protections to the maximum.

I’ve got it perfectly configured for selectivity, but now if there is an arc flash event, my response times aren’t sensitive enough to mitigate it. Not only am I putting people who may be operating the system at risk, but an arc flash accident also means extensive damage to the equipment and facility, requiring even more downtime to fix.

Ironically by planning for uptime, I am still risking a major shutdown, not to mention employee safety.

Option 3 - The Sweet Spot Robust circuit breaker technologies like ZSI and I-ZSI deliver a more balanced solution making it possible to enable an electrical system design that

got it .

The upstream breakers monitor the power line and react appropriately to downstream breaker activity

The switching breaker notifies upstream breakers that the fault is contained

but also the pressure of maintaining uptime. What are your options?

WFR

maximizes both safety and uptime.

My customer benefits from increased uptime and continued productivity, helping their business meet or exceed operating objectives.

At the same time, we are protecting the business from a potentially catastrophic arc flash event. Our previous scenarios were exaggerated to prove a point. Obviously, neither you nor I would design a system to those single-minded parameters; it does however illustrate the challenge system designers are faced with to balance uptime reliability, safety and compliance.

You Don’t Need to Compromise Safety for Selectivity The reality is that no business can afford to trade protection for greater uptime reliability. Fortunately, today's technologies are smart enough to deliver mandated selectivity and protection simultaneously. Engineers who investigate and apply these new

technologies can design systems that help their customers reap the business benefits they want, while lowering risk and providing safer operations at the same time. Safety and selectivity are no longer mutually exclusive propositions.

And with GE’s propriertary ArcWatch technology, which also incorporates Wave Form Recognition (WFR), you can easily achieve a balance of both.

Learn more at www.geindustrial.com/ ArcWatch GE Industrial Solutions' products that are ArcWatch capable are the EntelliGuard global air circuit breaker (ACB) and, coming in 2016, the GuardEon global molded case circuit breaker (MCCB). Learn more at www.geindustrial.com/GuardEon.

Source: Tim Ford, GE Global Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB) Product Manager and Professional Engineer (PE). Adapted by Yorick Arlen, Product Manager for Industrial Breakers, Europe.

System Reliability

System Protection

Selective Coordination

Arc Flash Mitigation

GE ArcWatch provides a balanced solution.

GLOBALCIRCUIT 8

BUSINESS

SAFELY IN THE RIGHT POSITION! INDIVIDUALLY PLANNED HARD FOAM INLAYS – SIMPLY PERFECT, PERFECTLY SIMPLE

Companies are increasingly faced with issues such as occupational safety, responsibility for quality and optimisation of work processes. Even if you do not initially associate order and cleanliness at your own workplace with this, recent studies show that these are often the basic conditions for structured work processes. This not only reinforces responsibility for quality towards the customer but also automatically supports occupational safety.

Have you ever thought about a mandatory and therefore orderly and clear way of organising your manual tools?

Be it a case, a workshop trolley or other containers, with the newly developed Individual Tool Storage System (ITSS), the online foam configurator from CIMCO, you can plan and organise your individual hard foam inlay online. With approximately 1000 pre-installed tools from the comprehensive CIMCO product range, you can compile your inlays and configure them completely flexibly according to your own

requirements!

To ensure careful, safe storage of your tools, a mandatory system of order in tool trolleys, cases and cabinets is indispensable. The two-colour contrast of the hard foam inlays (red / black) provides a quick overview of the completeness of the tools

If you cannot find a tool in the manufacturer database, you can also send in your tool and thus also obtain customised foam inlays. In the planning process, it is even easier to photograph the tool which you cannot find on a suitable grid and then load it directly into the configuration tool.

ALL ADVANTAGES AT A GLANCE

• Non-slip grip of your tools thanks to high clamping force • Very low-maintenance and easy to clean • Intuitive planning and photo-realistic implementation of your flexibly designed rigid foam insert • Two-colour contrast of the foam material provides a quick overview of the completeness of the tools which you have inserted • Online calculation and quotation phase via your specialist electrical wholesaler ensure the necessary cost transparency

which you have inserted.

Visit the tool manufacturer website to test the online configurator completely without obligation and free of charge. The new service is very simple: based on the toolbar displayed, you can plan, alter and supplement your organisation systems in a photo-realistic way. Select the corresponding cutting die from more than 1,000 tools in the CIMCO product database and position them as you require on the hard foam inlay pre-configured by you. If you place a tool with too little space when planning, the system protects you against incorrect planning with corresponding warnings.

When planning has then been completed successfully, you automatically receive a suitable offer from your specialist electrical wholesaler for the foam inlays which you have planned.

With this new, innovative system, the CIMCO tool factory from Remscheid offers you a tool which you should try out completely free of obligation and without obligation on the manufacturer's site.

Further information is also available on the manufacturer's website or from your local specialist electrical wholesaler.

www.cimco.de

TOOL MANUFACTURER BUILDS

NEW LOGISTICS CENTER “CIMCO-Werkzeugfabrik” is also placing its confidence in the Remscheid site in future.

The construction work had already begun in November 2013 on the opposite side of the road to the headquarters of “CIMCOWerkzeugfabrik” and, thanks to the mild winter, it was possible to complete it 4 weeks ahead of schedule. “With the construction of the new logistics center, we have already prepared for the future logistical requirements of our customers”, explains Achim Ebbinghaus, Managing 9

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Director of “CIMCO-Werkzeugfabrik”. The sixmetre-high warehouse space was created over an area of 2,600 square metres and was equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

Thanks to the newly created areas, CIMCO can now not only expand its logistics center but also its own production and quality control departments. Users of manual tools justifiably demand continual improvements in quality and these can now be achieved with specific processes and control mechanisms. “The safety of

CIMCO tools can be relied on at all times”, reports Achim Ebbinghaus. For example, all insulated tools are individually tested in a water bath at 10,000 volts according to the valid directives.

The tool manufacturer from the “Bergisches Land” region was founded in 1827 and has been managed as a family-run company for six generations. CIMCO develops and produces special tools for electrical applications and currently employs approximately 80 persons.

BUSINESS ABB+THOMAS & BETTS

A STRONG MATCH

NEW COMPLETE PORTFOLIO OF ENGINEERED INSTALLATION PRODUCTS

Following ABB’s acquisition of Thomas & Betts, ABB is now ready to introduce a truly global range of engineered installation products to complement its portfolio of circuit breaker, switch, DINrail and control products technology. The new ranges are being launched in most European countries through key existing ABB wholesale partners as IMELCO.

Access to the wire & cable management and low voltage connection expertise of its new North American subsidiary, Thomas & Betts, has enabled ABB to complete a range of ABB branded installation products that offer OEMs, automation panel builders, systems integrators and machine control builders a “complete panel solution”. As a result, the same customers will now soon be able to find the complete portfolio of general use cable ties, heat shrink, wire terminals, wiring duct and lugs available at the same point of sales.

In fact, ABB now offers more of the components you need every day than any other single manufacturer in the world. In addition to the wire & cable management

range for installers and panel builders, OEM customers will benefit from a new ABB branded portfolio of nylon and metallic conduits and fittings. Moreover, Ty-Rap®, the performance cable ties range invented

by Thomas & Betts, will also be available to IMELCO partners around Europe.

“Geographically, this is the largest product launch we have done so far. We will be launching the new ABB range in home countries for us like Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands as well as most other regions in Europe” said Chad Smith, Global Product Group Manager for Thomas & Betts.

THOMASA&MEMBER BETTS OF THE ABB GROUP Since June 2012, Thomas & Betts (T&B) is a Member of the ABB Group. ABB is a leading power and automation technology group, active in more than 100 countries with about 140.000 employees worldwide.

With this acquisition ABB expanded its Low Voltage Products division into new geographies, sectors and products, mainly in North America. The complementary combination of Thomas & Betts’ portfolio and ABB’s low voltage protection, control and measurement products will create a broader low voltage offering.

Who we are - ABB in brief ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the company employs 140.000 people and operates in

approximately 100 countries. The firm’s shares are traded on the stock exchanges

In our portfolio of new Engineered Installation Products you will now find: Spec-Kon® cable ties General use of cable ties for the right application Shrink-Kon® heat shrink Broad range of reliable heat shrink insulation products to cover every control panel and OEM application need Spec-Kon® wire terminals For easier installation and a better connection in a metric terminal Color-Keyed® lugs Metric compression connectors, with more copper + a better crimp = a better, more reliable connection Adaptaflex® conduits & fittings Protection of critical power and data cables Wiring duct PVC, Halogen and flexible wiring duct and plastic trunking

of Zurich, Stockholm and New York. ABB’s business is comprised of five divisions that are in turn organized in relation to the customers and industries we serve.

Our five divisions include: Power products, Power systems, Discrete Automation & Motion, Low Voltage Products and Process Automation.

Please see for more information:

www.abb.com/lowvoltage GLOBALCIRCUIT 10

OPPORTUNITIES

OPTIMIZE

CONTROL OF

ENERGY RESOURCES

Energy management is a significant challenge for all sectors in which its availability and cost are priorities.

service for the energy balances of your installation, outlining corrective measures which allow improved yield.

Energy efficiency means reducing energy consumption, encouraging sustainable behaviour in terms of energy use, and ensuring its supply without impacting the levels of service, comfort and quality of life of its consumers (industrial and domestic, public or private).

Optimize offers an advisory and analytical

Our engineering department supports the use of technical equipment and promotes technologies which offer a wide range of energy efficient solutions to you. Optimize belongs to ELECTROCLUB, a group with over three decades of market presence, which stands for service quality and promotes it at the national level.

Optimize’s aim is to search for the best energy solution: • Personalized for each installation.

• Adjusted to financial parameters.

We offer solutions adapted to each installation: • Studies on specific savings.

• Solutions coordinated with the owners or regular maintenance facilities of the end customer.

• Depreciation plans for each of the proposals.

Source: OPTIMIZE, Electroclub

PUBLIC SECTOR VS. PRIVATE SECTOR

AREAS OF PERFORMANCE

SOLUTIONS

• Sports centres • Public buildings • Schools • Cinemas and theatres • Hotels • Shops and shopping centres • Offices • Industrial plants • Housing • Street lighting

• Interior / Exterior lighting • Control units • Heating and air-conditioning • ACS • Ventilation / Extraction • Water treatment

• Renewal of light sources, use of control and regulation elements • Rate study • Power quality • Control of temperature • Electrical panel studies • Measurements and thermography • Monitoring and energy management • Electrical engine solutions

GAINSHARE

The IMARK GainShare joint planning program for member distributors and manufacturers The IMARK GainShare joint planning program offers additional incentives for members that achieve aggressive annual purchase goals with the IMARK manufacturers with whom they establish annual plans.

The GainShare program offers IMARK members the opportunity to set annual purchase objectives with a select group of IMARK suppliers. Members and suppliers negotiate a customized annual purchase goal based on local market conditions and the current level of distributor support of their manufacturing partner.

All planning is conducted on the IMARK website. Each completed (by the member) and approved ( by the supplier) GainShare plan results in a member purchase goal that is tracked by both parties throughout the year on the IMARK website. When the goal is achieved, the member earns additional 11

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rebate dollars and the supplier achieves or exceeds its sales goal with the member.

Supplier HQ personnel will upload member purchase data related to each member’s GainShare plans onto the IMARK website on a monthly basis starting in May of the planning year.

Plan is on pace to meet goal

within the IMARK member and their customer base. It can also spur partial or total distributor conversions from non IMARK competitive suppliers.

The IMARK GainShare joint market planning program has proven one of the best drivers of above market rates of sales growth in the electrical distribution industry.

Plan is within 10% of annual goal Plan is more than 10% behind pace to meet goal

Monthly updates for each GainShare plan can be viewed by distributors and manufacturers on the IMARK website. For each plan member listed, IMARK places a highly visible icon which indicates progress towards the annual GainShare goal.

IMARK suppliers are encouraged to use this program to increase their market share

For more information about these programs, please contact Steve Ruane, VP, Marketing of IMARK Group at sruane@imarkgroup.com.

OPPORTUNITIES

THE IMARK GATEWAY TO GROWTH PROGRAM The IMARK Gateway to Growth sales development program is designed to spur the growth of sales of new and innovative products from over 65 IMARK Suppliers.

Over 325 IMARK member distributors are participating in the 2015 edition of the program. Participating member companies earn Gateway to Growth ‘points’ based on their purchases of products designated as such by participating IMARK suppliers.

Gateway to Growth products offered by the supplier will be ‘in play’ throughout 2015— however suppliers can add new Gateway to Growth products at any time during the year.

IMARK suppliers upload product sales data (by member) on to the IMARK website every other month so members can keep track of the points they’ve earned.

GATEWAY TO GROWTH Points from activities Also, participating members can earn Gateway to Growth points when they conduct and document the following joint activities with participating IMARK supplier personnel • Pre-planned and well executed joint sales calls • Pre-scheduled and formal training meetings with member and/or customer personnel.

Participating IMARK members can redeem their Gateway to Growth points merchandise and gift cards on the IMARK website at any time during the year.

Learn and Win!!

The IMARK website will feature hundreds of product ‘capsules’ on Gateway to Growth products. These capsules (in standard, audio and video) form will include concise description of key product benefits and application. Each product capsule will

include links to cut sheets, web pages, literature, etc.

An American flag will be displayed on these product capsules for products ‘Made in the USA’. Only products associated with the Gateway to Growth program are featured on this website.

In addition, individual IMARK member sales personnel will have opportunities to learn about new products throughout the year. IMARK Group, in conjunction with participating IMARK suppliers will award thousands of gift cards ($10 and $25 denominations) to member employees that take the time to review and rate the product capsules. Since program inception in 2014, more than 1,500 gift cards have been awarded (on a random basis) to individual IMARK member employees.

For more information about these programs, please contact Steve Ruane, VP, Marketing of IMARK Group at sruane@ imarkgroup.com.

GRUDILEC LAUNCHES PROJECT TO PROMOTE

ELECTRIC CARS GRUDILEC, management company for a group electrical distributors (formed by Grupo Coelca, Electro Idella, Emsa, Grupo Peisa y Sumiaraiz), is continuously evolving to be at the forefront of the electrical sector. Their project is to promote and provide advice on electrical mobility; this sector has experienced a remarkable development due to the adoption of the national ITC BT 52 regulations.

GRUDILEC is aware of the progress of new and more efficient means of transport and of the new global emission regulations in larger cities. It has developed several initiatives in order to promote and complete similar projects which are already being undertaken by other players in this sector, such as manufacturers, associations, public institutions, etc.

“The publication of the ITC BT 52 opens up

new business opportunities in the sector, such as sales of electric vehicles, as well as charging systems. We believe that it is a great opportunity to demonstrate our confidence in e-mobility. We will present our customers our products, with specific technical support and specialised training” said Mr. Joaquín Araiz, GRUDILEC Chairman.

As a starting point, GRUDILEC has created a specific section about electric cars on its website www.grudilec.com. This section includes information about new products from the main manufacturers, details on projects, regulations and grants. Reviews about recently launched electric cars as well as prototype studies are also provided.

Throughout 2015, a corresponding working-plan will be established in collaboration with the principal national entities for the development and

promotion of e-mobility. The objective is to implement valuable projects and show the commitment of GRUDILEC with emerging technologies and the responsible use of energy.

GRUDILEC has been a member of IMELCO since 2007, and is the initiative of a Group of Electrical Spanish Wholesaling Companies. Its main objective is to establish different strategies together, focusing on offering the best experience and the highest value to customers, members, suppliers and employees.

Currently, GRUDILEC is composed of seven companies and corporate groups, with over 35 years’ experience in electrical material distribution, and have more than 60 points of sale throughout the Peninsula and Islands.

GLOBALCIRCUIT 12

NETWORKING

NETWORKING EVENT 2015 At the past Networking Event, the representatives of IMELCO were glad to be introduced to the new member of Electroclub. The company owner, Humberto Costa, as well as Nuno Soares, Country Business Manager attended for the first time the IMELCO Networking Event. At the table of Portuguese participants, Mr. Costa and Mr. Soares had the opportunity to network and strengthen relationships with local representatives of Osram, Philips Lighting and Phoenix Contact.

From the very first day of their membership in Electroclub and, indirectly, within IMELCO, ARMASUL has been actively participating in all IMELCO-related programs and the daily work of the

organization, providing valuable insights in the tendencies of the Portuguese market as well as ARMASUL’s own recent achievements.

Once again, we congratulate Electroclub on this important addition in Portugal and thank ARMASUL for their active involvement at IMELCO level!

Left to right: Oscar Cantaré Nueno (Electroclub), Nuno Soares (Armasul), Joan Garcia I Duch (Electroclub), Humberto Costa (Armasul)

GRUDILEC APPOINTS

ALBERTO GONZÁLEZ

AS BUSINESS DIRECTOR The management company for a group electrical distributors GRUDILEC, formed

by Coelca Group, Electro Idella, Emsa, Mesur, Peisa Group, Sumiaraiz and Trimatik, has recently expanded their team with the incorporation of Alberto González Dueñas as Bussines Director.

ALBERTO GONZÁLEZ BUSINESS DIRECTOR GRUDILEC 13 IMELCO.COM

Civil Engineer, with a brilliant academic record, González has complemented his knowledge with training programmes on leadership and team management, trade negotiations skills and management of the supply chain and logistics. In his professional career, he has worked in task forces for the development of new business lines in industrial engineering of multinationals and building companies.

Additionally he has particular expertise in the implementation and coordination of business projects.

“We are convinced that Alberto's appointment will help us to boost our new initiatives, which are being developed, and to keep the current activities that always distinguished ourselves qualitatively as organization.

These initiatives make up the GRUDILEC’s strategic plan for the next years.

Furthermore, this corporate structure will allow us to coordinate, even in a more effective way, the joint actions of the members who form GRUDILEC and to improve the partnership with prefered suppliers”, comments Mr. Araiz, Grudi Nuso S.L. Chairman.

In this way, GRUDILEC invests in emerging talents, who can contribute dynamism and actual solid proposals, in order to continue providing differential values in the Sector of Electrical Distribution.

NETWORKING SCHEDULE OF THE UPCOMING ACTIVITIES WITH AND FOR OUR

PARTNER SUPPLIERS (2015/2016)

As amendment to the schedule given in the 1st edition of “Global Circuit”.

- August / September 2015

Partner suppliers supporting the new marketing activities of IMELCO will receive their individual Supplier Surveys on how IMELCO wholesalers assess their positioning in the relevant markets

- 15 / 16 of October 2015 th

th

2nd edition of MDs-Suppliers Meetings in Paris

- 09th / 11th of November 2015

A delegation of IMELCO representatives will hold meetings with GEMCELL and Australian representatives of our partner suppliers in Sydney. Separate meetings with GEMCELL will be scheduled on demand.

- February 2016

3rd edition of “Global Circuit”

- March 2016

Annual report 2015 / Outlook 2016 and MDs-Suppliers Meetings in Amsterdam

www.ahlsell.com

www.electroclub.com

www.imarkgroup.com

www.elexitalia.it

www.grudilec.com

www.imagrogroep.nl

www.anew.co.uk

www.gemcell.com.au

www.iesa.pl

www.socoda.fr

www.mentavill.hu

www.mitegro.de

www.imarkcanada.com

www.gibed.be

www.raec.su

Global Circuit would love to picture your organisation in the next issue. Please contact us, if you are interested: Mrs. Elena Reignier | Tel: +49 511 615 99 14 | e-mail: elena.reignier@imelco.com GLOBALCIRCUIT 14