Sparks Electrical News October 2017

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

10

MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS IN PERIODS OF RAPID GROWTH

FELO ERGONIC SCREW DRIVERS

A s an organisation moves through the five stages of the business lifecycle, rapid growth must be coupled with sound processes and access to in- formation in order to reach maturity. Where correct sys- tems are in place, a business can function at the same efficiency regardless of its size. However, if there are defi- ciencies in the systems, the deficits will grow as the busi- ness grows, ultimately resulting in the decline and death of the enterprise. With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, the professional world is becoming increasingly aware of the power of technology in developing, implementing and tracking systems. As the business’ footprint expands, it must effectively manage its finances, projects, sales, purchase orders, inventory and contracts – ensuring that supply can continue to meet demand. According to Jane Thomson, managing director at Softworx, an Infor partner, keeping pace with rapid growth and the continual addition of newly-acquired business units requires strategic software implementation. Thomson offers EOH’s most recent upgrade to Infor LN as an example of how technology can bolster growth and aid an organisation to garner new business. Zunaid Mayet, EOH Group CEO, confirms that; “Our distinction lies in our ability to deliver and execute on our promise to clients, and ultimately fulfil and exceed their expectations”. To continue to deliver on its promises as its expansion continued, EOH was determined to develop and maintain full integration, automated business intelligence and rich, analytical reporting. “Fully-integrated time and expense management was required to collect weekly time-sheets, approve those time-sheets and update the billing information to customers. The ability to submit, verify and approve expense claims and advances, as well as reimburse

employees, became a critical business process,” says Thomson. “Automated business intelligence and consolidated reporting was required, providing analysis by segment, industry and customer spend; business unit and revenue split analysis; and budgeting and forecasting.” To address these needs, the software deployment at EOH entailed a middleware solution to integrate financial, customer and project data in ERP to the time- sheets and expense reimbursement in XM, with reporting, analysis, budgeting and forecasting from BI. Realising full automation, ensured that all data was available in one central database and was consolidated seamlessly. “Infor LN gives EOH executives an up-to-date view of operations at any time, even as our business grows from day to day – we can make better executive decisions faster,” confirms John King, EOH CFO. “The integrated Infor solution set of ERP LN, XM and intelligent business reporting has greatly reduced the effort to produce standard, detailed reports on the revenue and costs of more than 230 EOH business units,” says Isobel Townsend, divisional director, Finance, EOH. Infor LN is currently live on over 100 sites at EOH, processing more than 90 000 expense claims and 30 000 time-sheets per annum through Infor XM. “As a result, EOH now has better control of its operations with automated business processes, which are more efficient, less labour intensive and completely standardised,” concludes Thomson. “This drives functionality, ensuring that the business’ processes can grow with it as it remains on an upward growth trajectory.”

THE FELO brand was awarded, for the third year in a row, the Torx® World Class Quality Award by Acument Global Technologies, licenser for Torx® drives. Felo has made a range of screw-drivers with a smooth, seamless, anti- roll handle for maximum comfort. The impact-proof handle core is coated with a scratch resistant elastomer containing cells of flexible plastics to cause less strain when in use. The black tipped driver is manufactured from chrome-molybdenum-vanadium steel with superior torque, which exceeds DIN and ISO requirements by up 100% and is GS tested for safety, with the EAN code on every product. All the units have a hanging hole for easy storage or to insert a lever. On the bottom of the handle is a hexagon bolster which allows the use of a spanner for more torque.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 314 7711

Enquiries: www.softworx.co.za or www.eoh.co.za.

TRANSFORM EXISTING ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS INTO A ‘SMART’ HOME

E xisting electrical in- stallations can be transformed into a ‘smart’ home without extra construction work or cable routing, owing to Hager’s coviva wireless retrofittable technology. The cost and time incurred by hard-wiring systems for ‘smart’ homes has inhibited growth in the sector. However, coviva’s micromodules can be combined with a smartbox

CLAMPING DOWN ON CABLE THEFT IN THE MINING INDUSTRY CABLE theft is a particular hazard on mine sites owing to the potential health and safety implications, especially for workers underground. The costs incurred by cable theft also have a negative impact on maintenance budgets. The UL4000-C Ultra-Lok® application tool has been designed specifically to replace band-and-buckle systems in high-volume applications. Combined with the Ultra-Lok® band-and-buckle system, the UL4000-C delivers a finished product that is stronger than traditional methods used to secure cable. Able to clamp three to five times faster than conventional banding tools when tensioning a band clamp,the UL4000-C is one of the most powerful portable band clamp installation tools on the market. The security of any traditional cable installation, such as on a mine site, can be increased significantly by applying a cost-effective Ultra-Lok® clamp as frequently as every 150 mm of cable. The costs of replacing stolen cables, and the resultant downtime, are very high.

PLUGFONES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA A t Plugfones, they believe work should be en- joyed so they designed, created and manu- factured an earplug-earbud product to allow exactly that. Unlike traditional earplugs, Plugfones allow users to hear outside low-level noises while listening to music, audiobooks, podcasts or mobile phones. Their benefits over traditional earplugs in- clude: • In-ear noise reduction: Users get the same silicone or foam earplugs to protect hearing and listen to music. Plugfones have certified noise reduction ratings (NRR) of 23 dB and 26 dB depending on the plugs used. • Comfort: The earplug-earbud hybrids are de- signed to fit all ears, and can be worn for hours at a time. The soft foam and silicone earplugs are interchangeable and can be replaced when they become dirty or worn out.

and app to enable the control and monitoring functions necessary for a ‘smart’ home. The smartbox itself also means less cabling through walls, and less rebuilding work. Once installed behind existing switches or connection boxes, the micromodules communicate wirelessly with each other. The user is able to automate multiple functions throughout the home, including lights and blinds. Each micromodule can be linked to a button that is fast and easy to program. Designed to deliver exceptional wireless reach, the micromodules can cross through two concrete slabs indoors, and still transmit up to 30 m. Outdoors, the range can extend as far as 100 m in an open field. The technology also permits connection to a range of devices. In addition to the micromodules, Hager coviva is also a hub for managing heating/cooling and security systems and other connected objects. The modular design means that any new components can be added seamlessly in order to suit changing customer requirements. The Hager coviva app allows homeowners to control lights, blinds, and other home systems anywhere and at any time. In addition, customers can create personalised scenes and associated rules, with all data stored on the local smartbox, accessible only by users for added security. Remote access is possible via an encrypted service.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 314 7711

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 974 0424

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 249 5000

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

OCTOBER 2017