A new name in LV switchgear

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Havells is a new name in the UK for low voltage circuit protection and control. The Company has launched an exciting new range of consumer units, which will shortly be followed by a whole raft of new products including Type A and Type B distribution boards and MCCB panelboards.

Many people will have heard of Havells Sylvania, which is well known in the lighting industry for its Sylvania, Concord and Lumiance branded products. What is not so well known is that in recent years it has supplied an estimated 50 million poles of circuit breakers as OEM products to leading UK electrical companies and that the parent company, Havells India Ltd., is a fast-growing global manufacturer of residential and commercial switchgear giving it a unique advantage when it comes to entering this highly competitive market.

Having recognised that local market expertise is crucial to gain entry and credibility in the UK market, Havells has appointed a strong management team to handle its switchgear business under Curt Davenport, Managing Director Lighting & Switchgear. The team comprises Gino Stocchetti, Sales & Marketing Director; Mike Lawrence, UK Marketing Manager; Ray Turner, Regional Business Manager North; and Anant Savani, Regional Business Manager South. Together they represent over 100 years’ experience in the UK electrical business.

Marketing Manager, Mike Lawrence, stresses that the Havells range of products is designed to be UK-specific, concentrating on the particular requirements of the 17th Edition of The IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2008), the UK Building Regulations and other UK Regulations. They are manufactured to IEC, European and British standards and approved by leading test and approval authorities including Kema Keur.

The first product offering is the ‘Homesafe’ range of domestic consumer units and associated devices. The range extends from 6-way to 19-way designs with single, split-load and dual-RCD options. Reflecting Havells’ intention to meet specific requirements of the UK market, there is also an option which includes an MID-approved meter for landlord metering.

The consumer unit range will be followed by ‘Powersafe’ Type A and Type B distribution boards and MCCB panelboards. These are designed to satisfy the latest requirements for energy metering and surge protection. The distribution boards will include split-load units with two or three separate banks of MCBs and integral metering. Meters will provide true readings for each MCB group.

In partnership with Furse, the leading UK manufacturer of lightning protection systems, Havells will also be offering MCCB panelboards and distribution boards with standard surge protection kits integrated into the associated metering cableways. This solution eliminates installation variables with short connection leads and is better than the recommendations defined under section 535 of BS 7671 Revision 1.

Havells switchgear products received an enthusiastic response when previewed in September at Elex 2011 in Coventry. They will be shown again at Sandown Park, Esher (November 10-11). Leading distributors are already taking delivery of stocks.

“”We believe we know the UK market and have developed an innovative UK-specific product range that contractors will find competitively priced, reliable, easy to install and fully compliant with all major Regulations and recommendations in the United Kingdom”” says Mike Lawrence.

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