Auslec Solutions 12

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2012

AUSLEC BUILDING AUSTRALIA WORK & LIFE HAVE YOU GOT THE BALANCE?

CONSTRUCTING A GIANT

Performa Mesh... the heavyweight in mesh trays.

Flexible cabling solutions Clipsal’s range of Performa Mesh trays provides an ideal solution to route power and data cables for commercial and industrial applications.

For flexibility, strength and simplicity in cable support, insist on Clipsal Performa Mesh trays.

Features and benefits: • Patented double transversal wire design provides higher mechanical resistance, outstanding working load and eliminates the risk of hand injuries.

• Easy to make angles on-site. Simply cut, bend and use the fast-fix locking clips.

• Open structure ensures good ventilation and prevents overheating of cables.

• Complete range of screwless accessories – no tools required.

• Available in electro-zinc, hot-dip galvanised and stainless steel.

• 18 sizes for any cable capacity – widths: 60mm to 600mm, heights: 35mm, 70mm and 105mm.

For more information, contact your nearest L&H Electrical Wholesaler or visit clipsal.com To receive a copy of the Performa Mesh Tray brochure, visit promo.clipsal.com and enter keycode 23930A

CLIPCOM25090

© 2012 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved.

CONTENTS Published By L&H Group A.B.N. 19730 781 473 456 Lower Heidelberg Road Heidelberg VIC 3084 Australia Ph: +61 3 9243 3555 www.auslec.com.au Publisher Gavin Karthaus P: +61 3 9897 3758 E: info@badpanda.com.au W: www.badpanda.com.au Produced on behalf of L&H Group by

A.B.N. 67 150 113 101 PO Box 1258 Surrey Hills North, Victoria 3127 P: +61 9897 3758

04

OUR VIEW

06

BRANCHING OUT – BROKEN HILL

08

SUPPLIER VIEW – CLIPSAL

10

CAN WE BUILD IT?

14

AFTER WORK IT’S OFF TO THE FOOTY

18

PRODUCT CUT

22

DID YOU KNOW?

24

SUPPLIER’S VIEW - WATTMASTER

28

GIGANTIC GORGON

34

JOBSITE SOLUTIONS

All material appearing in AUSLEC SOLUTIONS magazine is protected under Australian copyright laws. Copyright L&H Group. Reproduction of any material in whole or part is prohibited without the express permission of the publisher.

The publisher does not take any responsibility for any statements, errors or omissions made in any editorial or advertising material that is published in this magazine.

The publisher hereby advises all readers to ensure that all instructions, safety precautions and training is adhered to before attempting to use or operate any product or equipment that is published in AUSLEC SOLUTIONS magazine If you have any comment on anything to do with Auslec Solutions, just drop us an email at solutionsmagazine@auslec.com.au

05

14

22

28

OUR VIEW AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

WHERE HAVE ALL THE SKILLS GONE?

4

It is almost bewildering that a country as prosperous as Australia suffers from a skills shortage across a myriad of industries that include mining, construction and electrical.

A skills shortage can be defined as “an insufficient supply of trained labour to meet the work demands at the present rates of pay”.

When dissecting the components that make up a skills shortage - availability of trained personnel, the current work demands and rates of pay - it is invariably the training of personnel (or more accurately, the lack of training) that stands out.

More needs to be done to encourage all levels of government to develop training programs and incentives that up skill current workers as well as develop young apprentices. Programs need to be attractive and incentivise participants to the point that they see the benefits of training and the real value in being educated.

When young people who are ready to enter the workforce see unskilled labouring jobs paying two to three times as much as a first year apprentice receives, long term career rationale can get overlooked in favour of short term financial gains; the incentive (in this case from a financial perspective) is not there.

Not surprisingly, industry associations such as NECA and The Electrical Contractors Association see the long term benefits in providing quality and relevant training programs but should it be left primarily to these bodies to educate; or

should governments play a greater role in developing skills? For example, are the funding subsidies currently available for businesses who take on apprentices and trainees attractive enough? Is the incentive there for businesses to train and educate?

So is a skills shortage all bad? Well, it’s certainly not for those who actually HAVE the skills.

This recognised shortage of skilled labour gives the skilled and trained contractor an opportunity to maximise their value proposition to customers.

With plenty of work around and fewer trained people around to do it, the laws of ‘supply and demand’ come into play.

Skilled contractors should rightly set their rates to truly reflect their knowledge and expertise rather than discounting to where price is the only point of difference for a customer. Savvy contractors who are conscious of a skills shortage will use this position to their advantage by building their skills, education and knowledge into their pricing.

Skill up! As a case in point, why not add solar capabilities to your offering? With Australia having the highest average solar radiation per square metre of any continent in the world and solar energy use in our country predicted to increase by 6% a year through to 2030, contractors who are trained in solar technology will literally be basking in the sun.

Training and skills acquisition shouldn’t just be of a technical nature. Meeting the demands of the market place will become

more and more critical for job seekers so ask yourself, “What are employers demanding?” For example, an electrical contractor who also has Occupational Health & Safety as well as Industrial Relations training becomes a very attractive proposition to a future employer…..at least more so than one who doesn’t.

At Auslec, we put a very high value on the ongoing training of our own staff to ensure we constantly achieve industry best practices. We acknowledge the benefits this brings to not only our staff, but most importantly to our customers so remember, training is an investment in both you and your business and without it, we’re really just adding to the skills shortage.

What’s YOUR view? Join the conversation and give us your thoughts on training and the skills shortage. Email us at solutionsmagazine@auslec.com.au

WORLD’S BIGGEST BRANCH?

The biggest and best electrical industry event in Australia has just come to an end following the Melbourne leg of Traders 500 – the Lawrence & Hanson/Auslec hosted trade show.

Kicking off in Brisbane in May, the Traders 500 juggernaut visited Sydney, Adelaide, Perth then Melbourne with more than 50 supplier partners in tow.

More than 3,500 people took time out of their hectic schedules and attended one of the five days according to Steve Emanouel, Group Marketing Manager for L&H Group. “We were absolutely thrilled with the turn out along with the feedback we received from customers attending.

The uniqueness of this event means that there is something for everyone”.

Visitors enjoyed trade show only special deals on products and earned “bonus bucks” on purchases over $50. “Bonus bucks were used to buy and bid on a fantastic array of prizes like a TaylorMade golf set, Stanley flask & cooler combos or picnic chair sets”, said Steve.

Once inside, attendees were able to speak with leading suppliers and learn about new and emerging technologies such as LED lighting and solar. Hundreds of products were on display, which meant many visitors spent the entire day on site, while a number of deals were seen to be completed between contractors and suppliers.

Some of the most impressive prizes ever offered at an industry event were also up for grabs. Trips to Paris were on offer in all states thanks to Olex, simply by spending $1,000 on cable while anyone spending $2,500 on Prysmian product was automatically entered into the major prize draw to win a Holden V6 ute worth over $30,000. Needless to say, this was all the incentive that many visitors needed to stock up!

To find out who the lucky winners were, log on to www.auslec.com.au

Leading the way According to Australian Industry Group’s economic outlook for the second half of 2012 and into 2013, Australia will maintain a similar multi-speed growth pattern to the one we have experienced over the past few years. Perhaps not surprisingly, this outlook suggests both Western Australia and Queensland with their heavy investment in mining related projects will fare a little better than the other states.

Now that’s an outlook; a helicopter view that’s all encompassing. So how do we get a more precise and dissected view of Australia’s economic position?

Well for a select few Auslec customers, they have been fortunate to attend one of Auslec’s Industrial Leaders Forums that have been taking place around the country this year. As we go to press, 100 Auslec customers in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide have heard from two of the countries most respected economists in Chris Caton, Chief Economist of BT Financial Group and Chris Richardson, Director of Deloitte Access Economics.

Both Chris’s presented reasons why our economy is relatively strong in world terms as well as what impact the current European

economic position may have on Australia going forward. Guests were provided with difficult to obtain commentary that relates directly to their business.

The Industrial Leaders Forums’ is an Auslec initiative introduced last year as a means of conveying business information to customers. By utilising top economists as keynote speakers, the forums provide a unique opportunity for business owners and managers to hear and discuss business and economic topics in an informal setting.

For readers in Western Australia, your turn to be involved in the Industrial

Leaders Forum comes on September 20 when Craig James, Chief Economist at Commsec presents, whilst for Victorians, Chris Richardson returns on November 28 after last years successful appearance to offer his views.

Places are strictly limited to 100 attendees at both events and based on feedback from the Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide forums, guests should expect an informative and enjoyable experience.

To attend, just contact your local Auslec branch manager or simply register at www.industrialleadersforum.com.au

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

A dedicated marketing strategy to promote Traders 500 was implemented across trade and consumer media including a very successful radio advertising campaign featuring L&H CEO, Robin Norris in which he guaranteed this year’s Traders 500 would be ‘the biggest yet’. And he was right!

5

BRANCHING OUT WITH You know you live in parched environment when your local community radio station is called 2DRY FM but it’s this subtle dose of humor that is perfectly reflective of the character of the residents of Broken Hill.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

This area of Australia has its beginnings back in 1844 when explorer Charles Sturt came across what he described as a ‘Broken Hill’ – a small grouping of ridges that looked to have a break in them.

6

AUSLEC BROKEN HILL, NSW Branch Manager – Brendan Thompson Branch/warehouse floor space – 800 m2 Number of staff – 4 P: 08 8087 1006 E: ausbrokenhill@auslec.com.au A: 3 52 Blende Street Broken Hill NSW 2880

Fast forward nearly 170 years and Broken Hill is a vibrant, world-renowned mining town with the richest deposits of silver, zinc and lead on the planet. It was home to Broken Hill Propriety; the company that would later become mining giant, BHP. Although a township of New South Wales, Broken Hill is only 500km northeast of Adelaide compared to 1100km west of Sydney, something that Auslec branch manager, Brendan Thompson is quick to point out. “We really are the capital of the outback”, he says. “Our position on the map makes us pretty unique”.

Making the Auslec branch unique to Broken Hill is the fact that it’s one of the towns newest businesses. “We only opened our doors in April this year and already we’ve become the morning smoko stop for many customers”, says Brendan. “All our staff are relatively new to Auslec so it’s a fantastic way for us to get to know our clients and each other”.

Helping Brendan develop the proactive and customer focused team is second in charge, Shane Tidswell. “Shane’s a trade qualified sparkie so his knowledge from that side is a real plus for us. It means we can provide extra value to our customers in the form of expert advice and product suggestions - but don’t tell him that; his head will never fit through the door”, says Brendan.

With a permanent population of around 20,000, there are plenty of businesses servicing Broken Hill and the surrounding

areas that need the support of Auslec.

Domestic and commercial electricians are well catered for, as are the numerous heavier industrial customers. Zinc, silver and lead miners Perilya and CBH Resources along with the Bemax owned mineral separation plant are being well serviced by Brendan and the team. “Whilst the mines are obviously a big part of our business, our range and focus of customers is matched with our product offering”, says Brendan. “We can supply anything from a light globe to a full machine safety sensing system because of the relationships we have with our supplier partners”.

Speaking of supplier partners, Brendan and the team are regularly busy coordinating product training both in-store and on-site depending on the needs of the customer. These training sessions allow for specific product-toapplication education and are a great way for customers to continually update their knowledge, as due to the tyranny of distance, it is often impractical for them to attend major trade shows or seminars.

So what’s on the vivid red horizon for Auslec Broken Hill? “Simple, we aim to continue our mantra of Great Service”, says Brendan. “We’ve assembled a fantastic team that ensures that our customers know as much about the status of their orders and accounts as we do and we intend to be the standout supplier of choice. Oh, and Shane needs to learn how to make a better cup of coffee!”.

NEW

E T N A E H T G N I UPP

SKILLED ELECTRICAL WORKERS DEMANDED THE BEST… SO WE ASKED OUR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO RESPOND…

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

THEY DID…IN BUCKETLOADS

7

VER I R D T C A UKEE IMP S S HE MILWA E T L R O H F S E U IBL

1/4” BR

ONS ERE RESP W CTS M A E T E PRODU &D R R U E S M A A E S M & THE LITY TEST HIGH QUA

SPEAK TO YOUR LOCAL AUSLEC STORE DIGITAL INSPECTION CAMERAS

LASER TEMP GUN for HVAC/R

FOR THE BEST PRICES VOLTAGE DETECTORS

LASER DISTANCE METERS

CLAMP METERS for Electricians and HVAC/R

FORK METERS for Electricians and HVAC/R

SUPPLIER’S VIEW Managing relationships is essential to any successful business outcome and generally speaking, the more people involved the greater the likelihood that things won’t go exactly to plan.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Take an end customer, two contracting companies, a wholesaler and a manufacturer and add to that nonnegotiable shut down time constraints and you’d be forgiven for thinking that mayhem would ensue.

8

This scenario was certainly on the minds of all parties when Clipsal was engaged by Auslec Gladstone to work with I&C Instrumentation & Electrical and Monadelphous Engineering on the Boyne Smelters’ new Carbon Bake stage 4 project.

Boyne Smelters is Australia’s largest aluminium smelter located near Gladstone in Central Queensland. In operation since 1982, the enterprise converts alumina powder to primary aluminium through a series of processes where it eventually ends up as formed ingots, T-bar and billet products. The carbon anodes used in the conversion process are manufactured on site in the Carbon Baking furnaces and are the key component that causes the oxygen in the alumina to separate and then combine with them.

As the smelter area is a harsh environment subject to intense heat as well as the existence of a constant fine mist of dust, all products used must be manufactured to withstand the most rigorous of conditions.

“Both the Clipsal 56 Series and Metalclad ranges have been tested for protection against the entry of water and dust to International Protection Ratings IP56 and IP66 making them perfectly suited to the unforgiving smelter conditions”, said Michael.

The successful upgrade of the Boyne Smelter project further strengthened the working relationship between Clipsal and Auslec and showed what could be achieved through partnering.

It is this collaborative approach that continues to get results across a range of industry sectors.

Commercial buildings and office fitouts is another area where Clipsal and L&H Group have worked closely on several major projects in recent times.

An 18 story office fit-out Brisbane CBD saw Clipsal’s team deliver a cutting edge solution incorporating a DALI

in the design lighting lighting

and emergency system that included a range of Clipsal lighting, exit & emergency signs and Clipsal soft wiring solutions supplied by L&H Rocklea.

Gary Northey, Business Development Manager for Clipsal said that the lighting solution provided was a big contributor in the building achieving a solid Green Star rating. “The whole building has a strong focus on green initiatives so our lighting solution was designed with that in mind”, he said. “The end result was a 4 star Green Star rating which indicates best practice in environmentally sustainable design and construction”.

The use of a soft wiring solution also delivered labour savings for the contractor as major re-fit works were not required for power and communications.

“Using our Moduline products, we were able to provide accessible power and data to workstations and perimeter walls without the need for expensive and extensive works”, said Gary.

Thanks to the the successful delivery of this Brisbane venture, Clipsal and L&H have partnered on two further projects with the same contractor to the tune of $1 million proving that good relationships can be very rewarding.

Not surprisingly, the multi-million dollar upgrade required the smelter to be shut down as Michael Prizeman from Auslec Gladstone explains. “As with any technology upgrade of this size, it’s not practical for the operation to continue so the process was shut down; that and the 900 odd degree temperature of the smelters makes it impossible to keep going!”

Clipsal worked closely with both Auslec and the contractors to understand the project challenges, identify the installation issues and determine the most effective product solutions which included the Clipsal 56 Series and Metalclad industrial switchgear ranges.

Constructing relationships proves a winner for Clipsal

Nylon Cable Glands 12mm – 63mm IP68 ALCMG

EMC Premium weatherproof cable glands for screened variable speed drive (vsd) cable 12mm – 75mm IP66/68 ALCEMC

General purpose weatherproof glands for armoured cable 16mm – 90mm IP66/68 ALCAW Ex d, Ex e, DIP A21

Hazardous area weatherproof glands for armoured cable 20mm – 90mm IP66/68 ALCHAW

Harzardous area weatherproof barrier glands for pvc/swa/pvc cable 20mm – 90mm IP66/68 ALCHAW-B Ex d, Ex e, DIP A21

Hazardous area weatherproof glands for unamoured cable 20mm – 90mm IP66/68 ALCHUW Ex d, Ex e, DIP A21

Hazardous area weatherproof glands for unarmoured cable Barbed nut for use with protective rubber hose 20mm – 50mm IP66/68 ALCHUW-H Ex d, Ex e, DIP A21

Hazardous area weatherproof glands for unarmoured cable Adaptor nut for use with Anaconda Metal Flexible Conduit 16mm – 63mm IP66/68 ALCHUW-LTA Ex d, Ex e, DIP A21

BRGM shutter type stainless steel cable gland for unarmoured cable 16mm – 63mm IP68 ALCBRGM-SS

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

General purpose weatherproof gland for unarmoured cable 12mm – 120mm IP66/68 ALCUW

9

Accessories: shrouds, earth tags and locknuts. Locknut and washer are included with glands

54 Lakewood Boulevard, Carrum Downs Victoria, 3201 AUSTRALIA T: 1300 300 747 F: 1300 300 074 www.wattmaster.com.au

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

CAN WE BUILD IT? YES WE CAN

10

Look at any boom and you’ll find the people who prospered most were those who provided infrastructure – picks and shovels for gold rushes, freight companies for the online-shopping explosion, ship builders at the height of the British Empire; the list goes on.

Applying that phenomenon to Australia’s current mining boom, there’s no mistaking the immense opportunities that have emerged from it for our construction industry. While Gina Reinhardt makes headlines about her runaway wealth from mining, Australia’s construction and engineering companies are quietly building their fortunes on its back too.

Construction statistics The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) ‘Engineering Construction Activity in Australia’ report paints a very positive picture, stating: “The value of total engineering construction work done in the March 2012 quarter was $29,232 million, up 33% on the same time last year.

“The value of work done for the private sector in the March quarter was $21,857.8 million, up 52% on last year, [however] the value of work done for the public sector was $7,386.6 million, down 3% on last year. The value of work commenced in the quarter was $20,806.6 million, up 4.7% from the December quarter.”

The decline in public-sector spending indicates we’re at the tail-end of the government’s stimulus programs,

‘under construction’ or ‘committed to commence soon’). In December 2011, they reached a value of $415.4 billion, a massive 43% rise over the past year.”

that part of Australia above the ‘Brisbane Line’ dominates, with $161.3 billion of investment under construction – 46% of the total”.

The Deloitte document reports a far greater value in construction projects than the ABS report because it includes proposed projects that haven’t commenced yet.

The report reveals that the project pipeline is even irregular, with $323.5 billion of investment committed or in planning above the ‘Brisbane Line’ which is an enormous 57% of total investment being committed or is in planning.

“Major investment projects have continued to transition through planning stages despite the uncertainties we have seen with the global economy over recent months,” continues the report.

“These include Origin Energy’s $19.6 billion Australia Pacific LNG project at Gladstone that’s now underway, and the recently approved $33 billion giant Inpex gas project in Darwin.

“The value of projects underway provides the bulk of growth for the Australian economy at the moment, forming a healthy buffer against any potential global economic slowdown. Not surprisingly, engineering construction activity accounted for all of the growth in Australia’s economy during the September 2011 quarter. Rarely have Australia’s economic prospects been as geographically skewed as they are at present.”

The Brisbane Line In describing the current ‘geographically skewed’ state of our economy, Deloitte likens it to the fabled ‘Brisbane Line’.

The ‘Brisbane Line’ was supposedly a secret World War II Defence plan to concede a large part of Australia – everything north of Brisbane – to the Japanese in the event of a full-scale Japanese invasion.

Brisbane

Adelaide

The report notes that mining account for 46% of all investment projects currently under construction or committed, helping to deliver the strongest growth in business investment spending ever seen.

“But this isn’t likely to be the end of the investment surge in Australia,” the report adds. “Deloitte expects investment levels to continue rising over the next three years.

This is very much driven by the healthy pipeline of projects awaiting approval”.

“The investment agenda for infrastructure (transport, ports, energy, water and telecommunications projects) is also partially caught in the slipstream of the mining investment boom, particularly via a range of ports and energy projects.

But long overdue improvements to urban

“While Gina Reinhardt makes headlines about her runaway wealth from mining, Australia’s construction and engineering companies are quietly building their fortunes on its back too”. whereas private-sector investment in infrastructure is growing strongly, well against the global trend of diminishing investment in infrastructure. A recent Deloitte media release shed further light on this incredible phenomenon, commenting that “Australia’s investment agenda continues to grow”.

The release quoted from its December 2011 issue of Investment Monitor, stating: “Much of the recent growth has been in definite projects (classed as

Deloitte now refers to the ‘Brisbane Line’ in characterising Australia’s current economy – drawing a new line from Brisbane to Adelaide to delineate the robust economic activity in the north and west that protects Australia against the weak global economic environment.

“The area north and west of the ‘Brisbane Line’ accounts for only 20% of Australia’s employment,” the report explains, “yet when it comes to major investment projects under construction,

infrastructure are also on the priority list. Spending on flood reconstruction and NBN rollout are also supporting the agenda, and will be for some time yet.”

Auslec and Australia’s construction industry For decades, Auslec has been intimately involved in Australia’s large-scale construction programs, providing products, service and support for all levels of the construction supply chain, all of which have differing needs and priorities.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

It has been said that in every gold rush, more fortunes are made in selling picks and shovels than in finding gold itself.

11

“Construction for large-scale industrial projects is essentially stratified into four layers,” explains Rick Alcock, L&H Group’s National Manager – Construction Oil & Gas. “At the top are project owners, like mining and oil companies. The next layer has EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) companies who manage entire projects on behalf of clients. Beneath that are large building contractors and beneath that are the various services sub-contractors”.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

“Auslec, and to a broader extent, the entire L&H Group interacts with companies in all of these layers. What we do and how we deal with each of them depends largely on what they want us to do. Our value to each of them is in providing solutions to their specific needs. For example, on some very large projects, we work with the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) teams of EPCMs”, says Rick.

12

In the early stages of a new or conceptual project, there is a need to define the basic scope, parameters and economic impact(s). Importantly the amount of financial capital required to carry out the project has to be defined at this point as well in order for management to make a final decision on the project’s feasibility. In order to reach this milestone, funds are required for engineering and development in defining the project objectives and it is this FEED money that is used to define the overall project objectives – such as economic incentives, process requirements, capital investment and any other special requirements.

From the FEED teams’ findings, designs and plans are tabled along with cost and time frame estimates. Pending approval from the client, more detailed planning along with allocation of packages of work are awarded, including the setting up of the site or “fly camps” (a temporary advance camp). These fly camps – where geologists have identified mineral deposits worth mining - can literally be in the middle of nowhere but before anything can begin to be extracted, the site has to be developed from nothing to a working construction camp.

The nominated fly camp builder commences building more permanent accommodation villages for construction workers who then move in to engage prep-work for the major infrastructure works – earthworks, extraction, airfields, ports, roads, electrical and plumbing services, etc. When they finish, they move out and the mining people move in to extract and process the minerals.

“In these situations, we’ve literally dropped in containers, some set up as electrical reticulation units (HV-in/LV-out); others fitted with ice machines to keep workers comfortable and happy; and others with PPE and apparel. Whatever these teams need, be it safety gear, industrial plant, tools, PPE, garments, even solar panels – we supply it”, says Rick.

Rick points out that when he mentions this to people who haven’t experienced the Auslec supply chain, they commonly react: “I didn’t know you guys did all that!”

Auslec prides itself in providing solutions, not just products. Its product and service portfolio is very broad and its own internal infrastructure flexible, enabling it to create unique solutions for its large-scale construction clients, often beyond the scope of other supply chains.

“Construction and engineering supply chains are complex webs,” continues Rick.

“It’s important for any entity involved in it to fully understand its dynamics to deal with procurement effectively. That applies equally to buyers and sellers – again the focus must be on solutions, not just buying and selling”.

This principle can be highlighted by an experience last year by a major construction company that previously had had limited dealings with Asulec.

Rick was given an hour to present to the National Procurement Manager and after hearing the solutions strategy said: ‘I didn’t know you did all that.’

Discussions around the aggregation of supply, scales of economy, ad-hoc versus strategic purchasing and integrated supply chain management took place and as a result, Auslec were given a trial six-month supply contract, which enabled them to demonstrate their total compliance to the customers needs, which yielded substantial financial and project timing improvements. “Now we deal with them on a closer working relationship, where we have regular meetings at both national and local levels to discuss solutions for their needs”, says Rick. “This open and transparent dialogue enables us to continuously adapt and even pre-empt our solutions to their requirements”.

“In exploring needs with another major construction company, we offered them solar energy systems as a solution for their construction teams in remote locations.

Once again, their National Projects Manager said: ‘I didn’t know you did that.’

Typically that opens up the discussion on

what else Auslec can offer to solve their needs”.

“One of the big concerns we’ve found construction companies with remote projects have is staff turnover. Despite the higher incomes, many workers find conditions too hard to handle once they get there – the remoteness, distance from families, the work-cycle, whatever.

Naturally, construction companies want to minimise turnover – discontinuity of workers on large-scale projects significantly impedes project schedules.

They want to look after their workers and keep them happy”.

“While that’s not really our issue, we’ve addressed it with our clients and developed strategies to assist them minimise turnover.

In several projects, Auslec has agreements in place to supply bulk garment and PPE kits for workers. So, when new workers arrive, they get measured up and their measurements get sent to us and our local branch provides them with their kit, which might consist of five shirts, a few pairs of trousers, a couple pairs of boots and personalised safety gear”.

“Now, we’re talking quality apparel and PPE here. Nothing tells a worker that they’re valued more than an employer investing in good quality gear for them.

It says that they care about their comfort and safety so as a result, PPE and apparel are often the first supply agreements we get in place with our construction clients”.

“In construction/camp sites, accesscontrol and security are equally important, so we go to great lengths to ensure we can service our clients at both national and local levels with technical support and equipment supply and servicing for these systems.”

In summing up, Rick reiterates the importance of working strategically with companies at all layers in construction: “Australia currently has many largescale construction projects underway and many more in the pipeline. While these projects vary considerably, their fundamental objectives are the same – to deliver compliant infrastructure on-time and on-budget. To reach those objectives, companies involved in them should work closely with their supply chain to jointly explore and develop beneficial solutions.”

ITEM 3 HEADING GOES HERE

we are...

here

here

here

here here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here here

here

here here

here

here

here here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here here

here

here

here

here

here here here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

here

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

here

here

here

here

here

here

13

If it’s Hazardous Area Equipment, it’s NHP Ex. With over 40 years experience, NHP specialise in Hazardous Area Equipment, Motor Control, Power Distribution and Automation Systems and are able to offer the Australasian market the complete industrial electrical and automation solutions package.

Ex d Junction Boxes & Enclosures

Coming soon to your local Auslec branch.

Plugs & Sockets

Local Control Stations

Ex Fluorescent Fittings

14

IT’S A BALANCING ACT

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

With the pointy end of both the AFL and NRL seasons fast approaching, most Australians tend to take an even greater interest in our country’s two major football codes. It’s a practice that’s been taking place for decades as the winter chills recede and the warmer spring brings with it all its opportunities.

Perhaps not surprisingly, crowds at each and every finals game will be bigger than all but the biggest blockbuster home and away rounds such as the traditional Anzac day clash between arch rivals

was discovered that one in every two employees attended to work related matters in their personal time while 51 percent of those surveyed conducted personal matters while at work.

According to Chief Executive of Randstad, Fred Van Der Tang, the results of this survey reflect how our modern workforce has been transformed, thanks in part to developments in technology. “Historically, changes in our working environments have been driven by pressure on productivity, the demand by employees for greater

There is no agreed definition of ‘work-life balance’ however common acceptance of the term is the ability for an someone to successfully manage work and everything else that makes up an individual’s life - the ability to balance the responsibilities, expectations, needs and desires of ourselves, our partners, families, friends and employers.

Interestingly, it’s not just employees who are benefitting from a better work-life balance. Australian employers are quickly realising how important a work-life

Collingwood and Essendon or an opening round clash between foundation member clubs, South Sydney and the Roosters.

It could be argued that this is a time when perhaps our work-life balance is in a better position than at any other stage of the year. Could it be that September is the month where, thanks in part to the footy finals, a parity is reached and our workload and social experiences are in harmony?

As Australians along with the rest of the developed world continue to work longer hours, the opportunities for socialising and relaxing have become less frequent.

According to a number of surveys conducted by organisations such as The Australia Institute and the Australian Institute of Family Studies, around 40% of Australian men in full time employment work more than 45 hours a week and 30% of these put in more than 50 hours. These figures are even higher for business owners and senior managers of both incorporated and un-incorporated companies and when travel to and from the workplace is included, 55 and 60 hour weeks are not uncommon.

Added to the long ‘contact’ hours that we are working, the technological advancements that in some ways have made our lives easier, are somewhat dissolving the boundaries between our work and leisure time. In a recent survey conducted by leading recruitment and human resources firm Randstad, it

flexibility and the need for businesses to operate within global timeframes. But it’s the emergence of smart phones, tablets and improved Wi-Fi networks that has facilitated this change. This is the reason why, in recent years, we’ve seen a greater blurring of the lines between our work and personal lives,” Van Der Tang said.

Whist laptops, smartphones and iPads have certainly enriched our lives in many ways, our work day has also been extended to the point where we are answering emails and making arrangements for tomorrow, just ten minutes after walking through the front door at night.

So how do Australians actually begin to balance out their lives?

The first step in achieving an acceptable work-life balance is to determine what that actually means to you because the fact is, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Generally speaking, we all have very different lives and more specifically, we all have very different priorities in life.

Take a single, 25 year old electrical contractor working for a mining company in Mount Isa for example. He is going to have very different priorities and requirements to that of a 45 year old owner of a construction company who is married with three kids. Whilst both may be looking for a better work-life balance, they will more than likely be looking for different things to help them achieve it.

balance is to the productivity and creativity of their staff.

According to SafeWork South Australia, many employees rate wages as only their second or third priority when evaluating a prospective job. The established culture within a business, quality of life, company reputation and legal compliance are all important ingredients for job seekers.

Employers with a developed work life balance strategy are attracting and retaining staff at a greater rate than those without one. As a result, these employers are enjoying a workforce that is more productive thanks to higher levels of staff morale, a reduced rate of absenteeism and less levels of stress amongst its workers. Initiatives such as flexible working arrangements have helped some companies become employers of choice.

In some cases, these organisations have also had their name and brand positively impacted as a result of their modern workforce attitudes.

So with many companies recognising the benefits of a better balance for their staff, as an individual, what is important to you?

Would more time with your family, more time with your mates or being able to do the things that you want to do help in achieving a better balance?

Recognising the work heavy lifestyle of many customers led Auslec to develop a program designed to help inject a

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

“The first step in achieving an acceptable work-life balance is to determine what that actually means to you because the fact is, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach”.

15

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au 16

little downtime. Carly Bowyer, Manager Customer Programs at L&H Group says the Auslec TicketMAX entertainment program is designed specifically with the customer in mind. “We understand the long hours that our loyal customers put in. These days, it’s a lot more than just the time spent on site and we felt we could play a role in helping to balance that out”.

TicketMAX gives customers access to the events they want. “The beauty about TicketMAX is the program can be personalised”, says Carly. “Each of our branches can work exclusively with their customers to create something that they want; something unique”.

One such unique event was recently created for some NSW Auslec customers to experience game two of State of Origin at ANZ Stadium in June. Travelling in style, the group arrived in Hummers to enjoy

drinks and a two-course pre game dinner before settling in to watch NSW defeat the Maroons by 4 points in front of 83,000 screaming fans. “Being NSW supporters meant that their night was topped off by the win”, said Carly. “They’ll certainly be remembering Origin Two for a while”.

Another successful TicketMAX experience was enjoyed by a South Australian group of customers who were flown to Melbourne for a memorable game of AFL. Watching traditional enemies Carlton and Collingwood from an executive suite at the MCG is a sure fire way to forget about work for a while! The boys were able to cheer Carlton on to somewhat of a surprise four goal victory over the Magpies before heading back to their hotel which was literally just a few minutes walk away from the ground.

Providing a ‘release valve’ for customers is the reasoning behind the TicketMAX program. “We want to provide our customers with a unique, packaged experience that they won’t get anywhere else”, says Carly. “Whether it’s AFL, NRL, V8 Supercars or horse racing, we want to ensure a fantastic and memorable experience for them”.

So with September upon us and the finals commencing, it’s as good a reason as any to look at your worklife balance and determine whether it needs some subtle adjusting. With the AFL and NRL premiers being decided on the weekend of 29th and 30th of September, your starting point for a better work-life balance might be as easy as being one of the thousands of Australians who will scream themselves hoarse from the grandstands!

LEGRAND FOR THE

HEAVY HITTERS

When you are working on the big, industrial projects in harsh environments, you want to be working with proven, robust and reliable products from a brand you can trust. Much more than emergency lighting and domestic switches and sockets, Legrand is a world leader solely focussed on delivering the best products for electrical installations. We offer you a full range of solutions to cater for a variety of industrial applications.

With a dedicated Technical Team you can be confident we will support you in any project, from specification to completion.

Choose your enclosure from simple IP55 metal enclosures up to IP66 stainless steel or glass reinforced polyester cabinets.

2 Fit intrinsically safe slotted duct and terminal blocks

3 Equip them with single-phase transformers up to 8000VA.

4 Use Starfix ferrules and crimping tools to terminate your cables.

5

17

Then mark them using Cab3 clip-on or Memocab sleeve type markers.

6 Our industrial offer is expanding rapidly. Ask for a copy of our new catalogue out now!

1300 369 777 www.legrand.com.au

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

ITEM 3 HEADING GOES HERE

1

PRODUCT CUT

AVAILABLE FROM & RECOMMENDED BY AUSLEC. USE THE BRANCH LOCATOR AT WWW.AUSLEC.COM.AU

AUSLEC AUSLECwww.auslec.com.au www.auslec.com.au

LED FLOODLIGHT The new ConTempo LED floodlight introduces a combination of efficiency, reliability and affordability into the world of façade, billboard and area lighting.

Featuring a modular LEDgine LED board, Xitanium driver and robust aluminum housing with integrated heat sink to ensure prolonged lifetime, the ConTempo LED offers maximum luminosity with the highest quality at an affordable price.

Available in 56w, 108w and 150w to replace 75w, 150w and 250w HID respectively, there has never been a better time to install or upgrade your outdoor lighting.

ENCLOSURES Australian mining regions experience some of the most extreme weather conditions; often prone to high dust, strong wind and torrential rain.

B&R Enclosures understand the stress these conditions can place on electrical equipment and design their mining enclosures for use in such environments.

Designed in consultation with the mining industry, B&R Enclosures manufacture a range of products to suit various mining applications with features including a sloping roof, sunshades and LockSock® protective lock cover.

FULL BODY HARNESS

18 18

NYLON CORRUGATED CONDUIT ALCO corrugated nylon conduit provides protection for cable in electrical installations and is highly flexible and lightweight.

UV and crush resistant, this conduit carries an IP68 rating and ranges in sizes from 12mm to 63mm.

With an effective temperature range of -40°C to + 100°C, this durable and cost effective conduit is available with fittings in both straight and 90 degree configurations.

Capital Safety has announced the launch of a new generation of Delta™ fall protection full body harnesses that provides absolute safety, comfort and peace of mind.

DELTA™ II builds upon the existing range’s features and incorporates the patented No-Tangle™ design, stand-up spring loaded dorsal D-ring, velcro® covered label pack that protects the new permanent indented print labels and i-Safe™.

Featuring industry first technology such as quick connect buckles for fast and efficient donning, REPEL™ technology webbing that provides superior abrasion resistance and rip-stitch impact indicators to let you know if the harness has been involved in a fall, the DELTA™ II comes with a bonus harness storage bag to take care of your valuable lifesaving equipment.

NHP offer a complete range of operator console solutions ideal for crane, dredger or dragline applications.

With ergonomic design, adjustable foot rests and seat cushions, the superior level of comfort provides increased spinal support to form the ultimate in operator consoles.

Featuring rotatable, fixed base and vertical height adjustments, the consoles allow greater maneuverability that not only reduces operator fatigue and back related injury but also improves productivity.

VIBRATION METER Make ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ maintenance decisions with confidence with the Fluke 805 Vibration Meter - the most reliable vibration screening device available for frontline mechanical troubleshooting where repeatable, severity-scaled readings of overall vibration and bearing condition is required.

The 805 Vibration Meter measures overall vibration as well as specific variables such as bearing condition and temperature and has a combination vibration and force sensor tip that compensates for user variance (force or angle) yielding accurate, repeatable readings.

A four-level severity scale and onboard processor calculate bearing condition and overall vibration using easy-to-understand text alerts. Sensor sensitivity can read a wide range of frequencies (10 to 1,000 Hz and 4,000 to 20,000 Hz).

ZIP SIDED BOOT

MOBILE REFUELLING The Alemlube 400 litre 40040PA is a user friendly transportable diesel fuel storage and dispensing kit comprising of a polyethylene storage tank, self priming rotary vane pump, antistatic fuel delivery hose, two metre long battery cables and an automatic dispensing nozzle.

With flow rates of up to 50L/min, refuelling is quick. Internal baffles add stability whilst pallet lift points and tie down strap recesses ensure that operator safety is not compromised.

Already in use by earth moving contractors, road builders, in industry, agriculture and mine sites, the 40040PA represents mobile refuelling at its best.

The AT 55-232Z zip sided boot from Oliver is highly water resistant and features a dual density nitrile rubber outsole with a polyurethane midsole that can resist surface contact of up to 300°C and offers excellent slip resistance.

The exterior side zip allows fast donning and exit from the boot and safety protection for the wearer is provided by the NATUREform Type 1 toe cap with a wide profile shape so that greater comfort is provided without toes coming into contact with the cap itself.

With TECtuff toe bumper and heel protection that prevents scuffing or premature exterior wear caused by abrasion or impacts, this latest Oliver AT release also features a lace-locking device and Kevlar stitching across critical seams for increased strength and is available in sizes from 4 to 14 with half size increments 6 ½ to 10 ½.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

OPERATOR CONSOLE SOLUTIONS

19

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

QUINT POWER Power Supply Units With

20

‌Ensuring System Availability With SFB Technology (Selective FuseBreaking Technology), six times the nominal current for 12 ms, standard circuit breakers can now also be triggered quickly and reliably. Faulty current paths are disconnected selectively, the error is localized, and important system parts can continue operating. Comprehensive diagnostics are provided through constant monitoring of the output voltage and current. This preventive function monitoring visualizes critical operating states and indicates them to the control system before errors occur.

Call us today: 1300 786 411 or visit phoenixcontact.com.au

Š Phoenix ConTaCT 2012

PRODUCT CUT

AVAILABLE FROM & RECOMMENDED BY AUSLEC. USE THE BRANCH LOCATOR AT WWW.AUSLEC.COM.AU

FLEXIBLE CONDUIT

With drill robustness, precision, long life and speed, the Ultimax drill bit was developed for deep drilling through reinforced concrete.

With six cutting edges, a selfcentering tip and reduced vibration during drilling, the Ultimax drill bit won’t bind in concrete and comes in sizes ranging from 16-45mm and 340-1500mm in length.

LED HIGHBAY Ideal for factories, warehouses, distribution centers and light industrial environments, the Philips GreenPerform LED highbay offers energy savings of up to 60% when compared to similar output HPI highbays.

Offering 100W and 200W variants to replace 250W and 400W HPI fittings, the GreenPerform LED highbay defines its range with class-leading output, efficacy, lifetime and colour temp choice.

At 100lm/W and 50,000hr (@L70) lifetime, this highbay offers both efficiency and power without compromise.

Anaconda AEF type conduit provides superior heat, oil, chemical and weather protection in harsh environments both indoors and outdoors.

This flexible all-purpose wiring conduit with galvanized steel core provides flexible protection of cables and uses standard liquid-tight fittings for easy installation.

With no copper ground wire and an IP67 rating, this conduit comes in 10mm to 128mm sizing and fittings are available in straight, swivel, 45 degree and 90 degree nickel plated brass and is temperature rated from -20°C to + 60°C.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

DEEP CORE DRILLING

21

CORDLESS GREASE GUN The 670AN3 450g 18V Lithium-ion cordless grease gun from Alemlube is an innovative grease gun that develops a maximum operating pressure of 8,000psi facilitating fast and efficient greasing.

A must for any busy maintenance facility, the 670AN3 is capable of delivery rates of up to 170 g/min and can dispense up to twenty four 450g cartridges before recharging is required. Fast recharging is possible in just one hour so you’ll never be without greasing power to complete the job.

Lightweight at just 3.5kg, the 670AN3 features a 90cm long grease gun flex, a heavy duty coupler and has the versatility of three way loading – a 450g cartridge, bulk grease or filler pump and comes in a durable plastic moulded carry case.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know this about Australia’s construction industry?

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Rights to the airspace of adjoining buildings must be negotiated before erecting a tower crane on a construction site

Some 340,000 businesses employ over 1,020,000 people in Australia’s construction industry

22

Approximately

6,000,000 Australian made steel rivets were used in the construction of the Sydney Harbor bridge

The 1.2 km long rail component of Perth’s City Link project will be built using 4,800 sleepers and require 83,000 cubic metres of earth to be removed

The tunnel boring machines being used on Brisbane’s City to Airport tunnel project can burrow through 85 metres of rock a week and require a team of 22 personnel

tonnes of concrete was used in the construction of Melbourne’s

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

110,000

At 2.7 kilometres long, the Ted Smout memorial bridge linking Brisbane to Redcliffe is Australia’s longest bridge

297 metre high Eureka Tower

23

Twenty six 2 metre wide, 40 metre deep piles provide the foundation that helps make the Gold Coast’s Q1 Tower the tallest building in Australia at

322m

The roof sections on the Sydney Opera House are bound together by over

350kms of high tensioned steel cable

SUPPLIER’S VIEW The name Wattmaster was established back in 1977 and since then has developed a strong and stable reputation as a reliable and trustworthy supplier amongst Australian industry.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Driven by the simple motivation of providing quality, trade tough products, Wattmaster markets and distributes many well known brands of hand tools, storage systems, screwdrivers, cable glands, conduits and fittings such as Marvel, ALCO, Witte and Anaconda.

24

Whilst the supply of high calibre product is at the core of Wattmaster’s business model, partnering with end customers and distributors like Auslec is one of the things that sets them apart from the competition.

Ken Ebb, National Sales Manager for Wattmaster says that a focus on partnerships is integral to ongoing success. “We don’t just recognise the importance of our partners, we try to integrate our business with theirs so as to fully understand their requirements.

By working closely with all levels of the supply chain, we have a better chance of ensuring a favorable outcome for all parties”.

for the final manufacture, assembly and fit out of 626 new Waratah passenger carriages at their Cardiff manufacturing facility. It is here that the ALCO cable glands were specified for use after initial trials had been conducted and engineering approval gained.

Brad Mason from Wattmaster says the supply of ALCO glands for this project was a long time in the making. “From initial discussions to eventually having our products spec’d in took the best part of twelve months. EDI Rail were using an alternative gland but we felt the ALCO product would provide better value for them in the long term”.

With Downer EDI Rail required to ensure 72 trains are available for service each day for the next 30 years, the size of this project becomes apparent. “To have our ALCO cable glands specified in on

Australia’s largest ever rolling stock project is testament to the quality of the product as well as the partnering undertaken by Wattmaster and Auslec”, says Brad. “At this stage, it looks as though many tens of thousands of cable glands will be ordered each year to help keep Sydney’s trains running and we are very proud of that”.

With that amount of product required and the importance of keeping trains on the tracks, capability of supply will be a critical factor. Frith Christiansen from L&H Cardiff says stock availability was a major reason why the ALCO glands are now being used.

“Previously there were issues with supply and this can cause unwanted downtime for the customer”, says Frith. “Continuity of supply is something we can guarantee with the ALCO cable glands so we were able to take that issue off the table and provide both a better product as well as a real supply solution to EDI Rail”.

Illustrating this partnership strategy is the approval for the use of ALCO cable glands by engineering and infrastructure management services giant, Downer EDI on the rollout of Sydney’s new suburban trains.

One of Wattmaster’s leading product lines, the ALCO cable gland range was the first to provide a comprehensive selection of metal cable glands that were designed here in Australia to meet both local and international standards. Helping maintain the high integrity of all ALCO products, strict controls are exercised for the raw manufacturing materials such as the use of high quality nickel coated brass as a base material and machine moulded seals that must achieve an operating temperature of 80°C or higher.

As part of this new Sydney transport project, Downer EDI Rail are responsible

For Wattmaster, partnering is core to their business

®

Provides 40,000 hours* life and extended maintenance.

40,000

Hours

66

IP

Rated average lamp life.*

Secure silicone lens seal provides IP66 protection.

Prisons, subways, railway stations and underground carparks.

Energy Efficient

Long life

For product online reference data, simply install and activate a QR code scanner application on your smartphone. For more information visit www.pierlite.com

*Based on application of Pierlite’s operating and maintenance guidelines; see www.pierlite.com

Pierlite is a member of the Gerard Lighting Group.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Vandaguard -Vandalux TLED. Tough enough to handle the tough stuff. ®

25

PRODUCT CUT

AVAILABLE FROM & RECOMMENDED BY AUSLEC. USE THE BRANCH LOCATOR AT WWW.AUSLEC.COM.AU

ZINC IN A CAN

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

NON-METALLIC CONDUIT Anaconda’s NMUA type conduit is a onepiece construction of rigid, non-metallic reinforcement that is embedded in a flexible PVC wall for exceptional crush and corrosion resistance.

This conduit is durable, sunlight resistant and made of flame retardant thermoplastic PVC that resists heat, oil and chemical breakdown. It will withstand temperature demands from -27°C to + 80°C Available in grey, black and orange, it features convenient markings for measurement and comes in straight and 90 degree fittings with sizes ranging from 10mm to 128mm.

26

CONNECTOR SYSTEMS The Marechal heavy duty PF-series of electrical connector systems is ideally suited for feeding electrical power to the heavy construction industry with current ratings of 300A, 400A, 500A and 600A. Whether it’s powering aerial lifts, concrete pumps, welding appliances, conveyors or any manner of construction equipment, Marechal have a range of connector systems to suit your needs.

CRC Zinc-It is a single component zinc rich compound with a special epoxy binder that contains over 90% pure zinc in the dry film.

Zinc-It fuses directly to a clean iron or steel surface through an electrochemical action and presents a hard, single-time protection against corrosion for many years.

This non paint coating actively fights rust and corrosion creepage with a flexible, continuous film that is ideal for use on structural steel, trailers, welding seams, fencing and coastal or ship-borne installations.

METAL HALIDE LAMP Offering up to 15% more light compared with its predecessors, the POWERSTAR HQI® -TS EXCELLENCE lamp offers outstanding performance benefits including an extended life of 12,000 hours, a smaller and more compact design and excellent colour rendering properties.

The lamp provides an intense and uniform distribution of light in combination with a high luminous flux and is available in 70W and 150W in three light colours - Warm White DE LUXE, Neutral White DE LUXE and Daylight.

POWERSTAR HQI® -TS EXCELLENCE metal halide lamps are a direct replacement for corresponding conventional HQI-TS lamps from OSRAM and have been developed using UV filter technology.

The lamp is extremely versatile and is ideal for outdoor, industrial and commercial applications.

PRODUCT CUT

AVAILABLE FROM & RECOMMENDED BY AUSLEC. USE THE BRANCH LOCATOR AT WWW.AUSLEC.COM.AU

SELF RETRACTING LIFELINE RANGE

The Klein Grizzly速 Bar is a heavy, strong multipurpose tool that saves time and effort on any job.

The 76mm blade width, 1.4m length and 5.5kg weight gives it plenty of grunt when using it for stripping forms, aligning walls, rolling/aligning pipes, removing flooring or a multitude of other tasks.

Made from quality forged alloy steel, this all-in-one tool is painted in safety orange colour and can be used as a crowbar, a nail and spike puller, a pry bar and much more.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

MULTI PURPOSE BAR

The new Nano-Lok self retracting lifelines are the most compact and lightweight self retracting lifelines on the market while still being able to protect workers up to 140kgs.

Available with multiple anchorage options, the quick-connect anchorage connector allows the SRL to be attached directly to the back of the harness around the web, enabling the D-ring to be used for other equipment or rescue. The cab-mount anchorage connector allows the SRL to be attached directly to the cab of an order picker while the swiveling loop provides a full range of motion.

The Nono-Lok can also be arranged in a twin-leg SRL configuration providing 100 percent tie-off capabilities and continuous fall protection with added mobility when moving from one location to another.

27

HEAVY DUTY LIMIT SWITCHES

MASONRY BIT With all the physical characteristics of the Booster Plus tip and with an SDS Max Shank, Diager B3 Max drills are capable of withstanding powerful impact, reinforced steel and mesh in concrete.

Available in sizes from 12-20mm and lengths of 340-540mm, these masonry bits are manufactured to a calibre that exceeds standard bits.

The NHP range of Austrol Heavy Duty Limit Switches are engineered and manufactured in Australia to suit Australian conditions.

This quality range of Austrol Type 77 limit switches are designed for heavy duty applications and consist of two models - the Hatchway Limit Switch (77HL) and the Track Limit Switch (77TL).

With proven reliability in adverse conditions thanks to their durable cast construction (Hatchway- cast aluminium, Track- cast iron), the Austrol Type 77 limit switches are weatherproof and dustproof to IP54. Rounding out the features and benefits of these high quality limit switches, the contacts are manufactured in fine silver for improved reliability and reduced possibility of oxidation.

GIGANTIC

GORGON One word says it all about Gorgon – massive!

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

While many Australians may have heard of the Gorgon Project, few could say they fully appreciate the enormity, the complexity, the technologies, the sensitivity and the economic importance of it. Immense in every respect, it has significant impact on all Australians.

28

Size and scale The Gorgon Project is one of the world’s largest natural-gas projects and the largest single-resource natural-gas project in Australia’s history. To put its size into perspective, it has been compared to the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme which, at its time, was Australia’s largest and most ambitious engineering and construction project – taking 25 years to build, at a cost of $820 million (equivalent to $6 billion today) and employing over 100,000 people from over 30 diferent countries.

Whilst the Snowy Mountains Hydro project was a defining event in Australia’s history, the Gorgon Project is appreciably larger and could become even more iconic in years to come in its transformation of Australia.

In case you don’t know, the Gorgon Project is located on Barrow Island, 60 km off the north-west coast of Western Australia. It involves the construction of a three-train, 15 million tonnes per-annum Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility, a 300 terajoule (TJ) per-day domestic-gas plant, fed by the Gorgon and Jansz/Io gas fields (located a further 70 km out) and the establishment of international shipping facilities. The domestic-gas component will be fed by a subsea pipeline to the mainland grid, with the first LNG production from Gorgon scheduled for 2014.

It’s operated by Chevron Australia and owned by a joint-venture comprising Chevron Australia (47%) and Australian subsidiaries of ExxonMobil (25%), Shell (25%), Osaka Gas (1.25%), Tokyo Gas (1%) and Chubu Electric Company (0.417%).

The equities held by the latter companies are part of their Purchase and Supply agreements with Chevron Australia.

Complexity Here’s a brief outline of the plant that’s sure to impress upon you the project’s size and complexity. 2 x 180,000 m3 LNG storage tanks, 4 x 38,000 m3 condensate tanks, 300 TJ/day domestic-gas processing plant, 5 x 118 MW gas-turbine power generation units, 8.4 km of pipeline to inject CO2 into wells, 2.1-km long materials offloading facility, 2.1-km long LNG jetty with two loading berths and airport and road upgrades.

To reticulate gas from the gas fields to the Barrow Island LNG plant, a vast subsea and onshore system of pipelines and control umbilicals is being built. Altogether, 245 km of 30-inch subsea pipeline, 24 km of onshore pipeline and 245 km of parallel umbilical-service pipelines will be laid.

Leading-edge commercial-scale carbon dioxide (CO2) injection technology deployed at Gorgon will position Australia as a world-leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which could be adopted in schemes around the world and assist in offsetting the environmental impact

environmental management, industry and conservation can coexist.”

Johann van der Merwe, Quarantine Manager, Chevron Australia added: “Our QMS is likely to be establishing a new global standard and illustrates what can be achieved when community, government and industry work together. The system can be replicated in other regions of the world to protect the environment.”

Chevron’s QMS consists of over 300 procedures, specifications, checklists and guidelines to protect the biodiversity

Recent media articles have estimated the overall cost to construct Gorgon to be around $40 to $50 billion and engaging around 10,000 workers, with another 3,500 direct and indirect jobs to operate the plant throughout its lifespan.

The Gorgon project has reportedly already resulted in $15 billion spent and 7,000 jobs delivered to Australian industry.

Over the next 4 to 5 years, another $20 billion will be spent on Australian goods and services. Long-term, the economic benefits of Gorgon will cross generations.

Chevron Australia utilises the vendor

of energy projects. CO2 in the raw gasstream will be stripped away and then injected into natural formations deep below the island, forming huge carbon capture-and-storage facilities, with 3.4 to 4 million tonnes of CO2 projected to be stored annually instead of being released into the atmosphere.

Environmental sensitivity Barrow Island has been a Class-A Nature Reserve since 1910 so construction and engineering works in the area must be carried out with the utmost environmental sensitivity. The Gorgon Project will use 300 hectares on the island; amounting to only 1.3% of its land area. The Project is being undertaken in accordance with strict environmental and quarantine standards to preserve the island’s unique ecology. The quarantine management effort is the world’s biggest non-government quarantine initiative ever undertaken.

In June, Chevron’s Quarantine Management System (QMS) at Gorgon received the United Nations (UN) Association of Australia ‘Business Award for Best Practice Program’ at its 2012 World Environment Awards, recognising its excellence in environmental management and sustainable development, consistent with global UN standards.

Commenting on the Award, Scott Young, Gorgon Development Director, Chevron Australia, said: “Chevron places the highest priority on environmental stewardship and demonstrating how, with appropriate

and surrounding waters of Barrow Island where the Gorgon Project is under construction. It’s recognised by the WA Environmental Protection Authority as “likely to be world’s best practice”.

Importantly, the net global impact of using Gorgon LNG as an alternative to coalfired energy generation is a reduction of about 45 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – equivalent to taking twothirds of all vehicles off Australian roads.

Economic significance The gas fields are said to contain 1 trillion (1,000,000,000,000) m3 of natural gas and could deliver LNG for 60 years, potentially increasing Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by a whopping $64 billion.

Most of the LNG will be exported. Chevron Australia already has agreements in place with several Japanese and Korean energy companies for millions of tonnes per annum of LNG for periods of up to 25 years, while the Australian subsidiaries of ExxonMobil and Shell have also signed long-term sales and purchase agreements with energy companies across Asia and India.

The WA government has stipulated that 2,000 petajoules (PJ) of gas from the fields be reserved for delivery into the domestic market. As such, the domesticgas project was established to connect into the domestic transmission system, thereby increasing domestic gas supplies into WA by about a third.

identification services of the Industry Capability Network to provide qualified information on Australian suppliers.

For the Gorgon Project, the www. projectconnect.com.au website is utilised to advertise upcoming procurement and contract opportunities.

“Auslec has been involved in the Gorgon Project for some time,” noted Rick Alcock, L&H Group’s National Manager – Construction Oil & Gas, “supplying industrial, electrical and safety goods and services to the EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) and construction companies in several ‘packages’ within the overall project.

“Essentially, they need large quantities of products and equipment that subcontractors typically can’t provide as efficiently or as cost-effectively. Their critical project schedules cannot afford impediments. This is where Auslec’s solutions-based approach offers very tangible benefits that can help them stay on track and ultimately save millions in construction and related costs”.

“The ProjectConnect website is a great initiative by Chevron, as it enables the entire Australian industrial supply chain to see what’s on offer and how it’s interrelated with the overall project.

This is a massive opportunity for Australian industry to get behind a landmark project.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

“The gas fields are said to contain 1 trillion m3 of natural gas and could deliver LNG for 60 years”

29

MORE POWER TO YOU All industrial facilities, from manufacturing to mining, have one common objective – to keep functioning. Stoppages, whether through environmental interruptions or equipment failure can have catastrophic consequences. In fact, today’s largescale industrial plants can often be as mission-critical as airports and hospitals.

As such, every effort is made to develop appropriate plans to mitigate the risk of disruption.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Since virtually all industrial facilities require a constant and reliable source of electricity, no risk-mitigation strategy can be without a suitable uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system.

30

In industrial applications, UPS systems ensure the seamless delivery of constant and regulated power necessary to keep plants fully operational, with key attributes such as double conversion on-line topology, zero transfer time and tight voltage regulation.

But, as Pacific Datacom National Business Development Manager, Warren Sainsbury points out: “While voltage regulation and switching times are vital considerations in all UPS applications, there are other factors that can’t be overlooked in industrial applications – robustness, mean time to repair (MTTR) and scalability”.

“Let’s face it – industrial sites are nothing like conventional UPS applications such as offices and data centres. In industrial environments, UPS’s typically get treated like just another piece of process equipment – exposed to dust, fluids, vibration, temperature extremes and the odd knock from stray trolleys or workers.

So, to deliver reliable power in industrial applications, UPS’s themselves need be fit-for-purpose”.

“Working with our industrial clients, we always discuss the environmental considerations before recommending a UPS, to make sure they make informed long-term decisions”.

“For the general 10-40 kVA three-phase industrial markets like manufacturing, heavy engineering and mining, we often recommend the APC by Schneider-Electric MGE Galaxy 3500 UPS. It’s specifically designed for harsh industrial environments, made from a 2 mm reinforced steel-plate enclosure that’s NEMA 12/IP51-rated to protect it against harsh handling, dirt and dripping liquids. It also features replaceable air filters – a must to prevent dust and debris affecting performance.”

As desirable as it is to maintain continuous production, it’s impossible to totally avoid disruptions, be they planned or unplanned.

So it’s important to deploy systems that enable the plant be quickly brought back online following a disruption.

Warren recommends UPS’s with attributes that contribute to short MTTR: “Look for a modular construction that features hotswappable batteries as well as the ability to change faulty power modules quickly . As a result MTTR is shorter and becomes more predictable”.

“Make sure the maintenance bypass-switch is accessible from the front because it will

need to be used from time to time; make sure there’s a dual mains input/output that allows for connection to two separate power inputs for increased availability – all these ‘one-percenters’ contribute to reduced downtime and MTTR.” Scalability is an important consideration because of the dynamic nature of the loads protected by UPS’s in industrial applications – production load variations, changes to the number and type of equipment in the production line, expansion or contraction of production line.

“It’s important to dimension a UPS from a long-term perspective,” notes Warren.

“That way you’re factoring future changes that can occur and readily accommodate them without disrupting the system. For example, the Galaxy 3500 is designed for users to add or replace batteries themselves, as needs arise. But the battery frames are installed

by APC service engineers during the initial installation; so to minimise disruptions, we usually recommend configuring the size of the battery-frame to suit the greatest projected battery capacity. That way, when changes occur over the life of the UPS, battery changes are easily made, without disrupting the plant’s operation”.

“Incidentally, the Galaxy 3500 features busbar connections for easy connection to extended-run battery cabinets if needed.

It also provides up to four-unit parallel capability for either capacity or redundancy for greater flexibility of evolution.”

Warren points out one last important facet of UPS deployment in industrial applications: “We always recommend clients deploy UPS’s that ship with start-up to ensure a zero-default installation, virtually eliminating the risk of failure or malfunction due to incorrect operation at start. This is how the Galaxy 3500 ships to clients”.

“For added confidence, you might also want to consider a remote monitoring service, such as what Schneider-Electric offers, enabling facility managers to meet service level objectives and minimise costs.”

The MGE Galaxy 3500: Performance power protection for critical applications APC comes from a history of innovation, quality, and reliability. The newly released MGE Galaxy 3500, from APC, offers a new way for electrical contractors and facility managers to achieve reliable and cost-effective protection for mission-critical applications. Suited for a wide array of applications and environments in the 10-40 kVA range, the Galaxy 3500 gives your customers the reliability and robustness they expect from an MGE Galaxy product, and adds the efficiency, modularity and scalability they deserve.

As part of Schneider’s complete electrical solution, MGE Galaxy 3500 enjoys the same wide availability as the rest of our products. When you’re stocking up for your next installation, contact Pacific Datacom for APC and protect your expertise with the very best of ours.

Pacific Datacom, part of the L&H Group, with six offices nationally is a specialist distributor of communication infrastructure solutions. Pacific Datacom are now a proud distributor of the APC range of products.

Please visit www.pacificdatacom.com.au for more details.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Meet the UPS that delivers peace of mind

31

Discover the MGE Galaxy 3500 • The Galaxy 3500’s user hot-swappable batteries reduce downtime and increase scalability.

• The double-conversion, on-line topology delivers zero trasfer time and perfect regulation. Parallel capability - up to four units - for either capacity or redundancy delivers flexibility of evolution.

• Sturdy enclosure for demanding industrial environments - 2mm-thick, steel front panel, as well as its NEMA 12/IP51 protection with easy-to-replace air filters.

• Reduced cost of ownership - up to 96% efficiency

©2012 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, APC, Back-UPS, and Legendary Reliability are owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companis.e-mail:esupport@apc.com • 78 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park, NSW 2113 AUSTRALIA • Tel: 1800 652 725

PRODUCT CUT

AVAILABLE FROM & RECOMMENDED BY AUSLEC. USE THE BRANCH LOCATOR AT WWW.AUSLEC.COM.AU

PANELBOARDS To remain at the forefront of Panelboard technology, the latest edition to the Concept Plus range now offers a safer, more efficient Panelboard with new features including a mechanical encapsulated busbar system (NC chassis) and new flush door handle with optional pad-locking or special key coding.

To complete the range, NHP have just launched a new and exciting drawing program called Concept Express which allows NHP to automatically produce drawings on certain customised options and importantly, complete the manufacture of the Panelboard within 48 hours from the order being received.

HOLE SAWS

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Starrett Dual Pitch Hole Saws are the latest development in multi-use Bi-Metal hole saws.

Featuring hardened heat and abrasion resistant high-speed steel teeth with a tough alloy body and cap, these hole saws provide exceptional strength and durability and are shatter resistance for operator safety.

With a smooth cutting action combined with an aggressive metal penetration and swarf clearance, they will cut equally well on thin or thicker gauge material including stainless steel, wood, plastics or fibreglass in either a hand held drill or drill press.

Sizes range from 14mm to 210mm.

32

FIBREGLASS PLATFORM STEP LADDER The Bailey fibreglass platform step ladder is perfect for all jobs at height, especially those with electrical applications. Made with strength and durability whilst boasting non-conductivity, the ladder has an Industrial Load Rating of 150KG and is industrial duty rated for use on work sites where greater stability and safety is required.

This ladder has strong electro-safe fibreglass construction and a stable work area with a wide anti-slip platform, accessories tray and tool holder. A triangular plate bracing and anti-slip rubber boots offer added protection whilst the easy addition of a safety gate can provide an enclosed work zone.

Available in a range of sizes from 2 to 8 steps.

LONG NOSE PLIERS Well known for their quality power tools, Milwaukee has just released a new range of hand tools that have been specifically designed for those working in electrical environments.

After examining and testing all hand tools presently on the market, Milwaukee’s research and development department designed this new range from the ground up.

The first offering is a 6-in-1 Long Nose Plier that has the ability to replace a number of tools in an electrician’s kit and features a nail puller, side cutter, wire stripper, reaming head and loop maker.

PRODUCT CUT

AVAILABLE FROM & RECOMMENDED BY AUSLEC. USE THE BRANCH LOCATOR AT WWW.AUSLEC.COM.AU

THERMAL IMAGER

LUBRICATION KITS

Troubleshoot and identify potential problems before they happen with the IDEAL HeatSeeker® Thermal Imager.

These thermal imagers have dual cursors that instantly locate the hottest and coldest temperatures on a live screen and the ability to blend a thermal image on top of a digital image for easy on-the-job decision making.

Images can be saved with either text or voice annotation and ThermalVision™PC software is included.

A Class II laser, built in LED light and IP54 rating make the HeatSeeker® Thermal Imager a cost-effective tool for electrical service, industrial maintenance, building inspection or data centre evaluation

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Beka Max lubrication kits have been developed to take the hard work out of designing and installing automatic lubrication systems on both on-the-road equipment such as trucks and trailers and construction machinary such as wheel loaders and excavators.

Systems are designed so that chains, gears and bearings get the correct delivery of lubricant at frequent intervals. Equipment operates more efficiently when lubrication is automated, resulting in less downtime, more productivity and better resale.

33

TOOL RIG

LED BATTEN The Philips GreenPerform LED batten fulfills the high demands of industrial lighting such as low maintenance, high efficiency and long lifetime.

With up to 50% increased efficiency (100lm/W) over traditional T8 and T5 fittings and a rated life time of 50,000hrs (@L70), the GreenPerform LED batten offers superior performance in a ‘fit and forget’ package.

Available in both surface and suspended applications with the ability to link up to 25 fittings consecutively, this LED batten is one of the most efficient, durable and versatile available.

IRWIN has introduced the latest in synthetic work wear tool rigs - the BALLISTIC nylon tool rig with suspenders.

With superior strength and durability, the heavy duty 1680 denier woven nylon fabric is extremely high wear and tear resistant and is perfect for heavy construction use.

Lasting up to 3 times longer than standard nylon, the BALLISTIC nylon tool rig features fully adjustable suspenders, gel padded shoulder straps for comfort, multiple pockets and loops for maximum tool and fastener storage as well as a handy removable phone holder.

Hook and loop backing and tunnel loop tops for repositioning and individual customisation make it one of the most comfortable tool rigs on the market.

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

SOLUTIONS...

ON SITE

34

Look around any job site and you’re sure to see a host of power tools; many different products used for many different applications.

Some of these tools may have even been used to complete a task for which they were never designed. Some tools on the other hand, probably aren’t being used to their full potential.

Now this is not really the fault of the user as many tool usage practices are acquired from others. Worksite storage areas can also be messy and disorganised places full of outdated tools and equipment so whilst it’s not ideal, it’s at least understandable when corners are cut or tool functions are not maximised. Added to this, how often do you really get the time to find out about new products - perhaps at a very occasional trade show or through the pages of this magazine?

Understanding these challenges, leading power tool manufacturer Milwaukee have developed an exciting initiative in on-site power tool usage.

Called Job Site Solutions, dedicated job site specialists visit commercial, industrial, mining and oil & gas facilities to conduct a thorough appraisal in to how workers are using their tools and what applications and obstacles they face on a daily basis.

This first hand look is critical to achieving the best outcome for customers.

James Ballantyne, Business Development Manager – Industrial for Milwaukee explains. “We realised that productivity was being impacted on work sites and that we could do something to help”.

Our Job Site Solutions specialists come in, make an assessment of common tool usage and inventory, get an understanding of current and likely future work processes and then present a no obligation tailored recommendation.

We’ve been able to provide real solutions by increasing productivity with new application ideas and substantially reduce costs by streamlining and consolidating a customer’s cordless tool platform”.

The JSS program aims to provide direct productivity and cost savings by advising on tool and accessory systems that best suit the application requirements of each individual user. “By getting in there and really understanding the customer’s tool usage and application, our JSS teams have been able to deliver immediate efficiency improvements and this quickly results in a more profitable operation”, says James.

Thanks to the strong relationships that Auslec and L&H have with their customers, the Milwaukee JSS visits are often suggested and arranged by L&H. George Azzam, State Sales Manager, VIC/TAS for L&H describes how events unfolded recently with a large national customer. “We were initially quoting on a

couple of drills to replace some outdated ones and suggested the Milwaukee 18V hammer drill so that if needed, batteries could be swapped with other Milwaukee products. We explained the benefits of having as many products as possible on the same cordless platform”.

Impressed with George’s reasoning, the customer then saw only the upside in a JSS assessment of their tool usage.

“Working in conjunction with Milwaukee, we were able to present an overall solution to the customer that addressed their problems. Being able to efficiently interchange tools on site has led to productivity improvements and increased worker satisfaction”, says George. “From initial discussions around a couple of drills to recently supplying a couple of hundred drills and angle grinders, we are now in discussions with the customer in relation to their accessories requirements as they see both L&H and Milwaukee as overall solution providers”.

The Job Site Solutions program benefits all parties in the supply chain relationship says James. “It’s a win/win all round. The customer is rewarded with the absolute best value for money overall, our supplier partners like Auslec and L&H continue to deliver solutions and it challenges us to continually develop groundbreaking tools for our end users”.

35

AUSLEC www.auslec.com.au

Sometimes it’s more than simply turning the lights off

Schneider Electric’s range of meters shows you how you use your energy, so you can reduce consumption.

With rising power costs and compliance, energy efficiency is high on the agenda for every business. But before effective change can be made, it’s essential to understand where, when and how your energy is being consumed.

Schneider Electric’s advanced range of power meters makes it easy to measure energy use, and identify potential savings and dysfunctions. They also enable sub-metering in multi-tenant environments and loads on one or three-phase supplies.

It then becomes a whole lot easier to plan a strategy to lower energy consumption, achieve targets and comply with all relevant legislation.

To find out more, go to schneider-electric.com.au or contact your branch representative.

(Available now)

PM5350 is just one of the meters from Schneider Electric’s comprehensive range of energy monitoring devices.

Brand new range - available soon

iEM2000

iEM3000

PM3000

© 2012 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric and Make the most of your energy are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies.

• 78 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park, NSW 2113 AUSTRALIA • www.schneider-electric.com.au • 1300 369 233 CLIPCOM24697

PM1200 (Available now)