Brand-Rex Appoints Global Sales and Marketing Director

The Board of Directors of Brand Rex, the leading cable and data solutions company, has announced the appointment of Martin Gossling as Global Sales and Marketing Director (Communications Business). A business leader with a wealth of international experience and distinguished track record, Martin will be responsible for providing strategic direction and dynamic leadership to a global sales team, as Brand-Rex looks to drive its business forward.

“I am delighted to appoint Martin Gossling as Global Sales and Marketing Director (Communications Business) with immediate effect,” says Brand-Rex CEO, Paul Lines. “He brings with him a wealth of sales and marketing knowledge and considerable international experience.”

Having held senior management positions at world-class corporate and privately-funded organisations including Regeneris, Motorola, and Heraeus Silica & Metals Ltd., Martin has led at the forefront of technology and electronics innovation for more than 25 years. He has a First Class Honours Degree in Design & Technology from Loughborough University, and extensive experience at all stages of the product lifecycle – from design and components, through to commercial hardware and software products, after-sales service and support. Moreover, he has experience in contract law and contract development for business deals worth over US$500 million, and also won numerous awards for business development, sales, and team leadership – including Motorola’s ‘Teaming for Excellence Award’ and EMEA salesperson of the year – even managing the team that scooped a BAFTA in the ‘interactive music’ category for mobile music creation during his time as VP Global Sales at Tao Group.

“Brand-Rex is a great British company that has established a world-class portfolio of communications cabling products and solutions, backed by a proud history of innovation and project delivery on the global stage,” states Martin Gossling. “It has a very strong customer base and respected brand, and competes with the major corporations in today’s very challenging economic conditions. We will be even smarter, more dynamic and visible in winning new business, and I aim to build on our history of success, and reputation as a supplier of excellence to cement Brand-Rex’ position as a Tier-1 provider of both datacommunication and telecommunication solutions worldwide.”

The appointment of Martin Gossling, complements the selection of Alistair Black as Operations Director earlier this year, and reflects Brand-Rex’ determination to drive forward business growth. Ian Wilkie, formerly Business & Marketing Director, will take up the appointment of Supply Chain Director.

Brand-Rex has won a number of major international contracts this year, and was also recently confirmed as the UK leader in structured cabling for the second year running, by independent research firm BSRIA. This accolade was achieved following sales of over 1.1 million data outlets in 2009, which gave Brand-Rex an 18 percent share of the UK market – 3 percent higher than that of its closest rival.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0320

Brand-Rex signs as Silver Sponsor for Europe’s DataCentre Expo

Global cabling specialist Brand-Rex has confirmed as Silver Sponsor to DataCentre Expo, Europe’s largest single event for the data centre industry. Being held September 16-17 2010 in Düsseldorf, Germany, and organised by IM2 Events, DataCentre Expo will gather thousands of data centre professionals in one place for Europe’s premier annual expo and conference.

With the resurgence in data centre build-outs gathering pace, Brand-Rex will be demonstrating its latest advances in High Density Copper and Fibre Cabling Systems, which deliver superior bandwidth performance in horizontal wiring, data centres and storage area networks (SANs). Brand-Rex innovations on display at DataCentre Expo will include the 10GPlus Zone Cable, a 3P-approved solution that is 50 per cent smaller and 30 per cent lighter than conventional cables, and the company’s unique cable management systems, designed for use in high-density environments.

“Being Silver Sponsor at DataCentre Expo provides us with the perfect platform to demonstrate first-hand our expertise in meeting the connectivity challenges faced today by professionals tasked with operating or planning data centres or server rooms,” said Ken Hodge, Chief Engineer at Brand-Rex. “The reality of centralised server technology and high-speed computing power is a vast increase in cooling requirements, energy consumption, and cabling volumes. This calls for a fresh approach to cable design and management, and makes choice of cabling critical when specifying new data centre equipment.”

Brand-Rex 10GPlus Zone cable has been developed specifically for use in the most challenging data centre environments and provides clear advantages to installers and operators. Fully backwards compatible with all Cat6 (Class E) and Cat5e (Class D) products, 10GPlus Zone cable is a ClassEA performance product with an outside diameter of 5.4mm, making it the smallest and lightest cable on the market with such a high specification. By saving space in pathways and reducing the loads in cabling trays and racks, 10GPlus Zone cable improves airflow throughout the data centre, and also combines an industry-leading level of transmission with exceptional screening technology to eliminate alien crosstalk problems. This ensures optimal protection against any forms of electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Brand-Rex will also be showcasing its unique cable management systems, which transform cabinet installation layouts and greatly reduce the amount of floor space required in data centres and server rooms. The fibre system comprises frame, HDFC cabinet, cable/patch cord management and fibre cassettes, and accommodates up to 1,824 fibre ports in standard configuration. The cabinet also supports up to 912 Duplex LC connector ports when used in conjunction with the Brand-Rex fibre management panel and dual ½ U fibre cassettes. The latter are compatible with 17” and 19? frames, support LC or SC adaptors, and feature a unique and patent-pending mechanism allowing cassettes to pivot, slide and hinge within the HDFC cabinet, enabling technicians to dress and work on spliced fibres without removing the cassette, and without compromising live lines on adjacent cassettes.

Meanwhile, the Brand-Rex High Density Copper Cabling System offers exceptional storage density, with a capacity of up to 1,728 patch ports in a 900mm x 1000mm footprint. The cabinet is half the normal depth of traditional products, allowing it to be installed back-to-back, effectively doubling patching density, or alternatively saving on valuable floor space. Combined with the Brand-Rex tool-free jack and the V12 angled panel, the system eliminates the need for horizontal cable management, resulting in additional space to logically manage high volumes of patch cords.

“As an industry-leading provider of high-speed and high-density solutions, Brand-Rex has created connectivity systems that clearly benefit both the end user/operator and the installer/maintainer,” Ken continued. “Our miniaturised cabling solutions have been developed specifically for use in data centres and feature smaller diameters, improved flexibility and lower weight, not only reducing the space required in pathways for direct savings in energy costs, but also making them ideal for use in high-density cross-connects and other areas of cable congestion – as found in the SANs. At the same time, our High Density Cabling systems deliver an open construction for effortless cross patching, easy installation and maintenance, and simple, clear and repeatable access.” 

Ken will also be speaking at the DataCentre Expo event. A Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology, Ken has been involved in the industry since 1982, researching, designing and developing optical fibre and high frequency cabling for LAN and Telecom networking. He is actively involved in BSI, IEC and CENELEC activities in International Standardisation in the cabling sector.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0314

Brand-Rex High Speed Infrastructure Underpins TelecityGroup’s State-of-the-art Data Centre in Paris

Robust, 10Gb copper and fibre infrastructure from Brand-Rex chosen for innovative, energy efficient Condorcet data centre

Brand-Rex today announced that it was the chosen supplier for the high speed copper and fibre infrastructure underpinning TelecityGroup’s new Paris data centre, Condorcet.  Designed and built to be one of Europe’s most technically advanced and energy efficient data centres in Europe, Condorcet uses innovative design throughout to maximise energy efficiency.

“Condorcet is a prestigious and forward looking project that will lead the way for data centres in the future,” says Paul Lines, CEO, Brand-Rex. “We are delighted to be chosen for our ability to contribute to the technical merits of the building and demonstrate our commitment to quality, reliability and competitiveness as well as the stringent environmental standards set by Telecity Group.”

The innovative design of Condorcet includes a Climate Change Arboretum that will be used by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research to investigate which species from around the world will be most adaptable to the predicted climate in 50 years time. The giant greenhouse is heated using the waste energy from the data centre. Energy efficiency has been designed into every part of the building including a white roof to mitigate solar gain and free cooling to reduce energy consumption. These innovations will provide a significant reduction in power consumption compared to a traditional data centre, equivalent to an annual reduction of 28 million kWh, or 2,500 tonnes of CO₂ each year. The Condorcet data centre has already been awarded ‘Best European Colocation Facility’ at the 2010 Data Centre Europe Awards in recognition for its innovation both in terms of design and operational quality, and as one of the most technically advanced and energy efficient data centres in Europe.

With 10Gb Ethernet mandatory throughout the data centre Nicolas Buono, Director of Operations, TelecityGroup France, underlines that Brand-Rex was chosen as the preferred supplier for the high performance and excellence of its products and its ability to offer both fibre and copper systems. “Brand-Rex also differentiated itself from the competition by designing a product for us that directly addressed the special connectivity needs of the Condorcet data centre in terms of rack size and weight,” says Nicolas Buono.. “Brand-Rex products are well designed, highly reliable and are straightforward to install which makes life on site easier.”

Brand-Rex low smoke, low halogen 10Gb Zone Copper cabling with its reduced diameter of only 5.4mm was another winning factor in the technical proposal. The reduced size and weight of the Brand-Rex cabling allowed TelecityGroup to fit more cables in each of the cabling trays. The infrastructure design of Condorcet uses horizontal cable runs from comms rooms situated above customer racks. Keeping floor spaces clear of cables significantly improves air flow to racks and offers additional security as the cabling links between customer’s racks and the Telecity racks cannot be touched.

The Brand-Rex V12 angled panel has been used throughout for its ability to route cables easily without the need for additional horizontal cable management. The tool-free RJ45 jack also made installation faster and simpler.

“Condorcet is a showcase data centre site that leads the way in energy and performance efficiency and we are delighted that a Brand-Rex infrastructure was chosen for its performance, flexibility and reliability,” says Lines. “Our integrated fibre and copper infrastructure has contributed to Condorcet’s ability to demonstrate the best environmental practice in Europe.”

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0267

New Managing Director appointed for Brand-Rex Germany

International cabling specialist Brand-Rex has appointed Joerg Schimke as its new managing director for Germany.

Joerg brings more than 30 years experience in the cabling industry to Brand-Rex, which will be instrumental in strengthening the company’s position in Germany, the second largest structured cabling market globally.

Brand-Rex CEO Paul Lines comments: “With Joerg at the helm of Brand-Rex Germany we are well placed to increase our share of this important structured cabling market.”

After completing degrees in electrical engineering and information technology, Joerg began his career at KWO Kabel AG, the predecessor of BICC Kabel GmbH, in Berlin. Following positions in sales and marketing at Alcatel and Nexans he became the sales manager at Corning, Germany in 2001. After overseeing sales in a number of European markets, Joerg was promoted to sales director Central Europe at Corning where he was instrumental in implementing a new strategy to develop and maintain relationships with end-users as well as distribution partners.

Brand-Rex is a new challenge for the seasoned cabling professional. “My passion is business development. I’m constantly trying to find ways to access new markets and find new customers. Brand-Rex has a challenging new strategy for Europe and I’m hoping to contribute to a successful implementation,” Joerg Schimke comments on taking up his new post.

Customer relationship management and distribution partnerships are at the forefront of Joerg’s plans for improving Brand-Rex’s future in the German market. “Our responsibility doesn’t end with handing over the product to the distributor. We need to actively engage with our distribution partners and reach out to our end customers in order to guarantee customer satisfaction. The Brand-Rex name carries a lot of brand value and we need to make sure this doesn’t change,” Joerg states.

Based in Gummersbach, staff at Brand-Rex Germany provide sales and technical support to Brand-Rex customers all over Germany. Their main focus is the further development of the German market and the introduction of new high performance solutions such as the U-MediaPlus and 10GPlus-Systems.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

 BRX0312

Brand-Rex launches 2010-2011 Catalogue

The new Brand-Rex catalogue features more than 2600 products. Showcasing the extensive range of industry leading high performance copper and fibre solutions, the 168 page, full-colour catalogue also reflects the company’s recent ‘back to the drawing-board” approach by giving top billing to its new data centre line, products designed in conjunction with data centre managers to meet their real, operational needs.

It includes the innovative High Density Copper and Fibre Cabling Systems, the unique cable management systems comprising frame, cabinet, cable/patch cord management and sophisticated management panels to transform cabinet installation layouts and reduce floor space required.

The catalogue features the unique Brand-Rex MT-Connect MPO Fibre Connect system, a high performance high density fibre solution which is fast to install and reliable to use. The MPO solution also offers an in-built space saving solution by packing 12 fibres into a single patch-cable with an outside diameter of less than 4mm and a single 12-fibre MPO connector at either end.

There is also a new section on the SmartPatch IIMS infrastructure management platform, an industry leading intelligent infrastructure management system (IIMS).

Other new products include the range of 10GPlus and Cat6Plus shielded tool-free jacks, our smallest shielded jack yet which is quick and easy to install and offers multiple cable entry points making it the most flexible jack available on the market today.

The catalogue is now available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

www.brand-rex.com  

 Photo: is available on request from direland@turtleconsulting.com

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0027

Brand-Rex announce distribution of EPV Solution from RiT Technologies

Easy to install, affordable infrastructure connectivity management for small and medium sized networks now available from Brand-Rex.

Brand-Rex, leading manufacturer of copper and fibre structured cabling systems, today announced the launch of the EPV Cable Management Solution from RiT Technologies.

Providing real-time, connectivity monitoring of a network infrastructure, from the communications room to remote sites, the EPV appliance based cable monitoring system is aimed at large as well as small to medium sized organisations.

“EPV takes a new, easy implementation, approach to real-time connectivity management,” says Ian Wilkie, Business & Marketing Director, Brand-Rex. “We are delighted to build on our 10 year partnership with RiT, viewing EPV as an extension to our existing copper, fibre and intelligent infrastructure management solutions that will allow us to offer accessible and affordable infrastructure management monitoring to both new and existing clients.”

Aimed at organisations who want the functionality of a traditional enterprise monitoring system without the complexity yet with no compromise on fundamental sophisticated features as well as the peace of mind of knowing how well their network is performing, the EPV is a standalone solution that requires no additional software or servers. Based on RiT’s advanced infrastructure management technologies, once installed EPV continuously collects information within the network patch panels and communication racks. Any change in connectivity is immediately detected, prompting the system to send notifications and email alerts to designated staff. All network connectivity information, including notifications and alerts, are easily accessed using a user-friendly, permission based GUI from a web browser, making EPV the ideal solution for monitoring and managing connectivity across the network at both local and remote sites.

“We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with Brand-Rex through its adoption of our EPV solution to complement its cabling infrastructure technologies,” says Zvi Braun, Senior Director – Product and Project Management, RiT Technologies. “EPV is an innovative product that brings a new concept to market: infrastructure management that can be deployed on a ‘plug-n-play’ basis without investment in new servers or software. EPV can be easily upgraded to a full-featured intelligent infrastructure management (IIM) solution, enabling customers to grow as required from initial installations to large-scale deployments.”

About Brand-Rex

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

About RiT Technologies

RiT is a leading provider of intelligent solutions for infrastructure management, asset management, environment and security, and network utilization. RiT Enterprise solutions address datacenters, communication rooms and workspace environments, ensuring maximum utilization, reliability, decreased downtime, physical security, automated deployment, asset tracking, and troubleshooting. RiT Environment and Security solutions enable companies to effectively control their datacenters, communications rooms and remote physical sites and facilities in real-time, comprehensively and accurately. RiT Carrier solutions provide carriers with the full array of network mapping, testing and bandwidth qualification capabilities needed for access network installation and service provisioning. RiT’s field-tested solutions are delivering value in thousands of installations for top-tier enterprises and operators throughout the world.

For more information, please visit our website: www.rittech.com

BRX0304

Fifth Olympic project win makes Brand-Rex the de-facto Olympic structured cabling supplier: Westfield Stratford City Olympic Shopping Complex

Dimension Data wins bid to install robust, converged technology infrastructure from Brand-Rex at Westfield Stratford City  - The Prestigious New Olympic Shopping Complex

24 June 2010: Brand-Rex today announced that Dimension Data (www.dimensiondata.com) has been awarded the contract to supply and install a Brand-Rex high speed data and communications infrastructure for Westfield’s new £1.45bn Olympic Shopping Centre development: Westfield Stratford City. The prestigious gateway to the London 2012 Olympics, the 1.9 million sq ft development will be Europe’s largest urban shopping mall. It is anticipated that 70 per cent of all visitors to the London Olympic Games will pass through the centre.

Westfiled Stratford City project is the fifth major Olympics-related structured cabling project that British based, Brand-Rex has won, with its high performance copper and fibre infrastructure products. this now confirms Brand-Rex as the de-facto supplier of choice for Olympics projects.

“This is a prestigious and exciting win for Dimension Data and Brand-Rex,” says Paul Lines, CEO Brand-Rex. “To be confirmed  as the ideal infrastructure solution to underpin the complex technology required in a project this size, together with four other major Olympics projects that will all be part of the world stage in 2012, demonstrates the quality, reliability and competitiveness of our infrastructure products. Our dedicated Olympics Team together with our leading installation partners are on track to secure the majority of the Olympics business.”

The innovative design of the shopping centre complex creates different retail zones spread over three levels and includes a beautifully designed 24 hour lifestyle street to create interest and functionality. Costing £1.45 billion the centre also connects the two transportation hubs of Stratford Regional Station and Stratford International Station. As one of the most environmentally efficient retail centres in the UK, Westfield Stratford City has been designed to achieve excellence in sustainability with some of the most stringent guidelines imposed on its construction and on-going management, and this extends to the high performance structured cabling installation.

The technological infrastructure required to support a project of this size is enormous and complex. “There will be technology in use throughout the building,” says Kari Baden, MD at Dimension Data. CCTV, Access Control, BMS, WiFi, car parking to electronic tills, High Definition Digital Signage, Footfall – and even identity tags to prevent children getting lost! This is going to be a hardworking completely utilised, fully integrated network and needs a robust, high performance infrastructure to support it.”

Underpinning the infrastructure is a primary and secondary optical fibre structured cabling backbone that connects every telecommunications room to the primary equipment rooms as well as linking in external services from telecoms providers, mobile carriers and satellite equipment.

The Brand-Rex air blown fibre solution Blolite+ was chosen specifically for the project due to its flexibility and scalability, allowing additional connectivity for further services and devices in the future without disruption. The unique Blolite+ system uses compressed air to blow specially coated optical fibres into pre-installed plastic tubes, microducts, providing a flexible and cost effective method of installing optical fibre with unlimited future-proofing potential.

With two mirrored data centres and 77 separate comms rooms this is a challenging project. Each of the comms rooms will be pre-manufactured, provisioned and tested off-site by Dimension Data before being craned into position at the appropriate point in the build process. Weighing over one ton each, and measuring 6m x 1m x 2.1m high, they contain three fully equipped comms cabinets together with the necessary structured cabling, air conditioning, power and lighting in a protected unit that is IP55 rated to prevent access of dust and water.

Brand-Rex 10GPlus Cat6a structured cabling capable of delivering speeds of 10 Gb/sec will be used together with the Blolite+ fibre optic backbones to deliver the fixed infrastructure to the whole of the shopping complex and commercial areas. In addition, the Brand-Rex infrastructure will support a 700 access node wireless network giving public access within the shopping complex. “This is a showcase site for London and we are delighted that Brand-Rex products were chosen for their reliability, performance and flexibility,” says Lines. “Blolite+ optical fibre together with10GPlus copper cabling provides a high performance, cost effective and robust solution for all today’s integrated communication needs.”

About Brand-Rex 10GPlus:

10GPlus is the ultimate performance Augmented Category 6/Class EA structured cabling system from Brand-Rex. This industry leading, high quality solution offers superior performance and user friendly installation features allowing simple and speedy deployment of high speed cabling infrastructure. Designed to fully support 10GBASE-T applications, 10GPlus offers IT managers a solution that will support their needs both today and in the future.

About Brand-Rex Blolite+

Blolite+ is the ideal solution for backbone cabling systems providing a flexible and scalable infrastructure that allows for future expansion. Installed networks can be simply reconfigured, expanded or changed without disruption to existing services and minimum interference with the original installation. Repairs are fast and simple, damaged ducts can be replaced and new fibre blown in using compressed air. Blolite+ offers significant savings in lifecycle costs when compared to conventional fibre optic cabling solutions and has been designed to fully support today’s integrated communication requirements.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0294

Brand-Rex Becomes an Investor in Excellence

Brand-Rex has joined an elite band of businesses to have achieved Investor in Excellence status, one of Europe’s highest quality standards. 

The company’s Speciality division in Leigh, Lancashire, is now one of just 200 European businesses to be awarded the accolade, which demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement.

The Investor in Excellence standard has been designed to encourage organisations of any size, and from any sector, to work towards a common standard that reflects quality and excellence.

The company received its award from North of England Excellence, which was presented to Brand-Rex by local MP Andy Burnham.

The standard is built around the EFQM (European Foundation of Quality Management) Excellence Model, which is widely used throughout Europe as a framework for improving organisations.

Brand-Rex has used the model as its main business improvement tool for the last decade, working alongside quality specialists North of England Excellence. And last year they won the North of England Excellence Quality Award in the category Private Company Less Than 250 Employees.  In 2008 the company won a special award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

Brand-Rex’s speciality division manufactures high performance electrical cables for the aerospace, automotive and rail industries.  General Manager Steve Tickle explains: “Many of our products are designed to operate in extreme environments, and across a range of industries where high quality must be a given. Achieving an accreditation like this reassures all our customers that we’re a company that always puts quality first.

“This strong emphasis on quality is another reason why the company as a whole has performed so strongly in recent years. It’s helped us to win contracts both in new sectors and in new international markets.”

Among the key benefits of working towards the standard, says Tickle, is that it helps to embed continuous improvement into an organisation, while it is also a natural progression on from other quality standards such as ISO TS 16949, AS9100 and ISO 9001:2000, all of which Brand-Rex has already achieved.

And Tickle adds: “Attainment of the Investor in Excellence standard from North of England Excellence has been an excellent achievement for Brand-Rex.  All our staff deserve a well earned pat on the back for their efforts in helping the company to attain this Blue Riband standard.”

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0305

New distribution partner

Brand-Rex, the UK’s market leader in the manufacturer and supply of  high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communication systems, has appointed specialist communications company Webro as a distribution partner offering the full range of Brand-Rex products.

Established in 1980, Webro is a major supplier of composite and bespoke communication cables and connectors to a wide range of industries including rail networks, automotive, fire alarm, security, tv and satellite as well as large scale commercial installations.

Announcing the partnership, Ian Wilkie, Brand-Rex Business & Marketing Director said, “I am delighted that a company with the pedigree and experience of Webro has become one of our distribution partners today. Brand-Rex has a long commitment to supporting the work of its channel, and is looking forward to partnering with the enthusiastic sales and engineering teams at Webro as they take Brand-Rex products in new directions.”

With the focus on high quality products and excellent service, Webro and Brand-Rex make an ideal partnership. Already established as the largest provider of coaxial cable in the UK, Webro currently supplies enough cable to reach the moon and back each year. With the addition of the Brand-Rex fibre and copper product ranges, Webro will be able to offer a wide choice of infrastructure solutions to the diverse markets it operates in.

On receiving the news, Webro’s managing director, Roger Webster said “We are delighted to be partnered with the UK’s number one in the structured cabling market. The partnership with Brand-Rex will help Webro push forward into new markets, helping both companies secure new business partners. I am very excited about the developments to come and with the help of our strong team, I am sure that business will continue to grow.”

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0303

Alistair Black Takes New Operational Role at Brand-Rex

Brand-Rex has appointed Alistair Black as their new Operations Director with a specific remit to ensure the structured cabling specialist achieves its ambitious manufacturing improvement objectives and continues to offer excellent levels of customer service.  

Alistair’s wide ranging career includes five years in the Scotch Whisky industry and over ten years with Japanese manufacturing company Minebea, where he held board-level positions in its European and American subsidiaries. Amongst his responsibilities, Alistair ran Minebea’s European and US Power Electronics operations, and gained extensive experience in World–Class manufacturing techniques at the company’s factories throughout Asia.

In 2004 he established Business Base, providing financial management, strategic analysis, lean thinking and operational improvement support to manufacturing companies throughout the UK.

Key successes included leading a Lean Transformation project for a major UK defence contractor, as well as supporting a specialist manufacturing group through a value for money audit that resulted in a significant new business win.

And it is these skills, and experience of the global manufacturing sector, that Brand-Rex CEO Paul Lines was keen to bring to the business.  “I am delighted to welcome Alistair to Brand-Rex. His appointment is evidence of our continued commitment to improve operational excellence, Alistair’s extensive operational experience will be invaluable to Brand-Rex as we continue our development,” comments Lines.

 Alistair explains: “In order to remain competitive, it’s essential that we constantly challenge the way we do things within manufacturing. As a relative newcomer to the cable industry I have had the opportunity of looking at our operations with a fresh pair of eyes, and this has allowed me to develop a new set of goals for our Glenrothes site.”

Further improvements will be made to cut waste and scrap from all areas of the business, and there will be even greater efforts to minimise the company’s environmental impact, by cutting energy consumption and water use.

Brand-Rex is also developing closer working relationships with suppliers  and equipment manufacturers as a way of improving the way in which the company operates, explains Alistair.

“This will allow us to benchmark ourselves against other cable manufacturers, gain access to the latest manufacturing and process developments and draw upon the expert knowledge they have in specific fields.”

The changes will ensure that Brand-Rex maintains its reputation for offering an unprecedented level of customer care, while greater efficiency will also help Brand-Rex improve lead-times and maintain its competitive price structure, says Alistair.

And he adds: “Everyone throughout a business needs to understand the commercial consequences of what they do. Different teams are already working well together across all areas of Brand-Rex – my job is to make them work even closer, and to develop a greater understanding of the commercial impact of the decisions they make.”

45 year-old Alistair, who is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, lives in Perthshire with his wife Gillian and two daughters.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0299

Brand-Rex U/UTP Cat6A cable delivers Permanent Link to 3P-Certified 10 Gigabit Ethernet Performance

Brand-Rex’s premium grade 10GPlus U/UTP Augmented Category 6/Class EA cabling system has received an ‘Attestation of Conformity’ from independent testing laboratory, 3P Third Party Testing. 3P’s certificate of conformity verifies that Brand-Rex’s 10GPlus Augmented Cat 6 U/UTP cable and components provide the performance required to support any current and future Class EA application, including   10GBASE-T. 

The permanent link test model sets a crucial baseline by assuring that installed cabling meets the performance and interoperability requirements specified by international standards. Comprising Brand-Rex’s 3P-approved Augmented Cat 6 U/UTP cable, and 3P-approved tool-free RJ45 Snap-In-Jack, the UTP permanent link is now also certified by 3P as compliant with the Class EA requirements of amendment 2, 2^nd Edition ISO/IEC 11801, and Category 6A requirements of ANSI/TIA-568-C.2. This assures that the system is ready to support IEEE 802.3an, the IEEE standard for 10GBASE-T. 3P is one of the most respected testing laboratories serving the international cabling and electronics industries. Based in Denmark, it has been working with the performance of data cabling since the 1980s, and carries out certification testing on all elements of communication systems, from cables and connecting hardware to patch cords, permanent links and channels. 

“It is vital that owners and installers be confident that their structured cabling installations are compliant with the exacting requirements of international standards,” states Ken Hodge, R&D manager at Brand-Rex. “The attestation of conformity awarded by 3P Third Party Testing confirms that Brand-Rex’s Augmented Cat 6 U/UTP cable and cabling not only meets and exceeds the performance requirements in EIA/TIA for Augmented Category 6, but also meets and exceeds requirements in ISO/IEC for Class EA. This certification provides owners and installers with assured system performance when deploying Brand-Rex Augmented Cat 6 U/UTP cable and components.” 

Designed to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet in horizontal and backbone applications, Brand-Rex’s Cat 6 U/UTP cable employs a ‘Reuleaux Triangle’ design to overcome Alien Crosstalk and to ensure that the cable diameter remains as small as possible to optimise on containment requirements. It forms part of Brand-Rex’s industry-leading 10GPlus range, which is further enhanced by a family of innovative connectivity products, including the tool-free RJ45 Snap-In-Jack and ‘Zone’ Cable. The tool-free RJ45 Snap-In-Jack has been shown to halve installation times, whilst the 10GPlus Zone Cable is a high performance Augmented Category 6 solution designed for use in challenging data centre environments. Smaller and 30% lighter than conventional cables, Zone Cable makes possible a 100% increase in the number of cables per cable tray, and was recently fully certified by 3P Third Party Testing as one of the highest performing cables currently available. 

“In addition to the certificate of performance at permanent link level, the Brand-Rex Augmented Cat 6 U/UTP cable, tool-free RJ45 Snap-In-Jack, and Zone Cable are approved by 3P Third Party Testing,” continues Hodge. “This gives Brand-Rex’s 10GPlus system unparalleled levels of certification, underscored by the fact that the most variable component in the link, the cable, is manufactured under controlled conditions by Brand-Rex at its state-of-the-art facilities in Glenrothes (Scotland) under the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard, and ISO 9001:2008 Quality management systems factory control.” 

ABOUT BRAND-REX Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0296

Brand-Rex confirmed as UK’s Number One in the UK Market for the Second Year Running

For the second consecutive year, structured cabling specialist Brand-Rex is reported to be the highest volume supplier in the UK market according to the latest report by market analysts BSRIA.

With 1.139 million structured cabling outlets shipped in 2009, Brand-Rex beat the number two player’s volume of 995,349 by an astounding 143,744 outlets putting Brand-Rex 14.4% ahead in volume of product shipped.

And, despite the recession, Brand-Rex output was up on its 2008 record of 1.119 million structured cabling outlets shipped.

The BSRIA figures show that Brand-Rex is top in volume shipments for Shielded solutions as well as for conventional UTP unshielded with 20.9 percent of the shielded market (the number two player in shielded has 19.4%) and Brand-Rex has 17.2% of the unshielded market compared to its closest rival in UTP which has only 16.9 percent.

Interestingly the number two companies in each of these sectors are different – each one specialising in either shielded or unshielded – rather than comprehensively covering users’ varying needs. As Brand-Rex Business Director Ian Wilkie comments, “We don’t need to try to sway customers’ choices based on only manufacturing one solution or the other. With Brand-Rex, they know they can trust us to advise the correct technical and economic solution for their needs rather than trying to sell them on the incorrect solution just in order to get their business.”

Because there is no other company with significant volume in both sectors, Brand-Rex leads the combined market with a volume share of  17.5% compared to the overall number two which has only 15.3%.

Major innovations in 2009 included the launch of 10GPlus Zone Cable, which is specifically designed for use in challenging Data Centre environments. It has also received certification from leading global testing laboratory 3P, which officially recognised the kit as one of the highest performing cables on the market.

As well as topping the market and beating the recession, 2009 also saw the launch of the new Brand-Rex High Density Fibre Cabinet (HDFC) Solution, which combines high density frames, cabinets, management panels with integrated fibre cassettes, cables and patch cord management. The cabinet’s key benefit is that by better organising the patching fields, the system reduces the floor space required for managing a high volume of optical connectivity.

The success has also been built on a number of key project wins over the last 12 months including a major contract supplying BT Operate with a  range of custom built, high density patching frames for both copper and fibre cabling. The frames are helping BT to achieve around 30 per cent more cabling capacity in its data centres, with an increase in footprint of only 5 per cent. 

BT Operate is currently implementing a major seven year programme to transform all its data centres, with the Brand-Rex frames are set to play a central role.

Brand-Rex has also continued to work closely with its network of installers, many of which took advantage of the Brand Breaks loyalty scheme. The programme rewards companies that meet sales targets with a choice of foreign holidays.

And Brand-Rex capped off a remarkable 12 months when they were voted structured cabling provider of the year for the second year running at the Network Commuting Awards. 

Ian Wilkie, Business Director at Brand-Rex said: “We have once again increased our market share despite the difficult trading conditions, reinforcing our position as the leading UK supplier and a major player in global markets too.

“As ever, the loyalty and commitment of our customers, along with the hard work and dedication of our staff, have been crucial in helping us buck the current trend and record continued growth.”

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0269

Industry’s Leading Loyalty Programme Begins Third Year

Global cabling specialist Brand–Rex is rolling out its popular Brand-Breaks Loyalty Programme for a third successive year.

The award programme is open to all Brand-Rex customers, both large and small, and offers the chance to win a top prize of an all inclusive week in the Caribbean for two.

Installers are set achievable targets based around sales of Brand-Rex’s extensive range of cabling solutions. The sales period covers a nine month window from April until the end of 2010, and the more installers specify Brand-Rex products, the quicker they achieve their targets.

Achieve a Gold Reward, and installers can enjoy a UK weekend break for two, while those achieving the Platinum Reward will receive an all-inclusive holiday for two to the Caribbean

Paul Lines, Brand-Rex’s chief executive, explains: “Our installers are a key part of the team and Brand-Breaks rewards them for their loyalty, hard work and commitment. It also recognises achievements and the high quality work that is carried out by installers but which sometimes goes un-noticed.

“Last year we took 20 people to Barbados, and we’ll shortly be setting off to a luxury resort in St Lucia with another group, so I think it’s fair to say that Brand- Breaks is now one of the industry’s leading loyalty programmes.”

To take part in Brand-Breaks 2010, all installers need to do is register at www.brand-rex.com/brandbreaks, Brand-Rex will then develop a unique sales target for them and send them regular updates on their progress.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0292

Brand-Rex 10GPlus Zone Cable is certified by 3P Third Party Testing

Brand-Rex’s high performance Augmented Category 6 (10GPlus) Zone Cable has now been fully certified by 3P Third Party Testing, the independent testing laboratory.

3P’s certification confirms the Zone Cable’s status as one of the highest performing cables currently available, making it ideally suited for the most demanding applications, especially 10GBASE-T.

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, 3P is one of the most respected testing laboratories serving the international cabling and electronics industries. It has been working with the performance of data cabling since the 1980s, and carries out certification testing on all elements of communication systems, from cables and connecting hardware to patch cords, permanent links and channels.

“3P has tested our cable in accordance with the Category 6_A performance requirements of the IEC 61156-6 cable standard,” said Iain Ballingall, Brand-Rex’s Technical Director. “Its tests have confirmed all the specifications of the cable, in particular its excellent skew, crosstalk and EMC performances. ”

“This proves that the cable’s screening performance ensures the alien crosstalk values of any system employing this product will be >>10dB better than the specification requirements, assuming terminations are done correctly. And that not only means it will support 10GBASE-T but that the installer will not have to check the Alien crosstalk of the cabling system to prove system compliance. We do not know of any one else supplying this level of product with an equivalent level of certified approval.”

The cable’s construction also ensures it easily passes other performance requirements stipulated in the relevant standards (e.g. NEXT, PSNEXT, ELFEXT etc…) and provides headroom in the critical characteristics.

The 10GPlus Zone Cable is designed to provide high bandwidth performance for use in horizontal wiring in structured cabling installations, in data centres and storage area networks (SANs), and in shorter length backbones.

Suitable for use in the most challenging Data Centre environments, it is smaller and 30% lighter than conventional cables, and makes possible a 100% increase in the number of cables per cable tray. The 10GPlus Zone Cable is also more flexible and easier to install, and is suitable for channel lengths up to 70m.

The Zone Cable is one element in Brand-Rex’s 10GPLUS Cabling System, in which performance is guaranteed to meet ClassEA Channel limits, when 10GPLUS cables are used as part of the 10GPLUS installation.

Low Smoke and fume Zero Halogen (LSOH) cable jacket material is fitted as standard, and the Brand-Rex warranty is available when it forms part of a 10GPLUS installation.

As well as supporting 10GBASE-T the Zone Cable provides the perfect foundation for building high performance, reliable LANs for transmission of Class A, B, C, D, E and E_A applications as currently defined in ISO 11801 and EN 50173, including voice, broadband video and Power Over Ethernet.

Photos: available by e-mail from direland@turtleconsulting.com

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0285

Brand-Rex Voted Structured Cabling Provider of the Year for Second Year Running

Leading global cable and data solutions company Brand-Rex, has been voted Structured Cabling Provider of the Year 20010 in the Network Computing Awards. The award was voted for by readers of Network Computing Magazine from a shortlist of major structured cabling manufacturers.  The ceremony took place in the Guoman Tower Hotel in London on 4^th March 2010, following a final round of on-line voting to decide the winners.

On winning the award, Ian Wilkie, Business & Marketing Director at Brand-Rex said, “We are delighted to receive this award for the second year running.  Brand-Rex has worked tirelessly over the past two years to provide the best support to its customers during a very challenging economic period.  Whilst most suppliers have seen sales fall dramatically, Brand-Rex has increased its market share, cementing our position as the number one supplier in the UK market and a global leader.”

2009 was a successful year for Brand-Rex with the launch of many new and exciting products including the High Density Fibre System, designed for data centres and telecoms rooms and the unique Cat6Plus ½ U Patch Panel.  Brand-Rex was awarded many high profile contracts with the likes of Cable & Wireless, BT and Audi in a year which saw the company strengthen its sales force around the world to cope with increasing market share.

“Winning the Structured Cabling Provider of the Year award is testament to the commitment, hard work and dedication delivered by both Brand-Rex staff and our many loyal and supportive channel partners,” said Wilkie. “I would like to dedicate this award to them all.”

Network Computing magazine is read by 17,500 industry professionals who buy and use networking hardware, software and related services. The Network Computing Awards were launched to recognise the products, services and companies that have particularly impressed readers of the magazine.  2010 saw the 4th annual Network Computing Awards take place with more than 20,000  votes cast on-line.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0283

Networks Centre Promoted

Released: January 2010

Networks Centre has been promoted by Brand-Rex.

Already a successful distributor for Brand-Rex Fibre Cabling Systems; three years of constant success, dedication and commitment combined with unparalleled sales growth has led Brand-Rex (now recognised as the UK’s leading structured cabling systems manufacturer) to start the new year by promoting Networks Centre to be one of its small elite group of Premier Distribution Partners.

This means that Networks Centre www.networkscentre.com will now distribute the full Brand-Rex range of copper and fibre structured cabling systems and are now able to offer a complete one-stop service for installers and integrators.

In announcing the promotion, Brand-Rex Business and Marketing Director Ian Wilkie said,  ”I’m delighted to announce the appointment of Networks Centre to become one of our Premier Distribution Partners today.  Brand-Rex has placed Customer Service at the heart of its business strategy in recent years because we believe that this gives us a massive differentiation in the market.

“We’re very pleased that Networks Centre share the same vision as Brand-Rex  -  their business approach is very much one of  customer focus and responsiveness.  The fact that they have exhibited such impressive sales growth is testament to the effectiveness of this strategy.

Wilkie continued by saying that with loyal distribution partners such as Networks Centre, Brand-Rex will continue to offer a service unmatched by most in the industry.

On receiving the news of their promotion, Networks Centre Managing Director Duncan Lindsay said, “We are delighted. Through our customer-centred business model, Networks Centre has grown substantially over the past three years and has become a significant distributor in the IT and Telecoms sectors. We are committed to ensuring we provide our customers with leading edge products and systems to meet the needs of their customers. The new appointment will ensure we continue to do so.

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0276

Cable&Wireless Places Three Year Fibre Contract with Brand-Rex

Released: December 2009

One of the world’s leading international communications companies, Cable&Wireless Worldwide has awarded a new contract to Brand-Rex. Under the terms of the contract, Brand-Rex will supply Cable&Wireless with optical fibre in the UK and Ireland for the next three years.

During the past five years, Brand-Rex supplied fibre cable to the telecommunications operator, THUS. Last year, Cable&Wireless acquired THUS and took the decision to consolidate all its fibre requirements to ensure that the expanded business was able to benefit from the most competitive fibre cable supplier.

Roger Dashwood, Category Manager for Cable&Wireless Worldwide said, ““Brand-Rex was able to demonstrate an ability to support our demand from its UK manufactured and held stock and also to provide short manufacturing lead times. This gives us flexibility in our optical fibre supply and enables us to provide excellent levels of service delivery and support for our customers.”

Ian Wilkie, Business and Marketing Director for Brand-Rex, added: “We are very proud to have secured such a prestigious contract from a world leading player in the telecommunications market.  Our focus was to understand the specific needs of Cable&Wireless and its customers, which allowed us to propose a service model that we believed was best suited to meeting their business needs.”

“Our UK cable factory supplies copper and fibre communications cables to customers throughout the world and has been doing so for almost 40 years. As a UK based fibre cable manufacturer we can offer Cable&Wireless far shorter lead times than companies located in other countries. It means we can accommodate rush orders, and can switch output as the customer requires, even up to the very moment of manufacture.

“Such levels of service ultimately depend on the commitment and dedication of the whole Brand-Rex team, and as a result of that, we are proud to have won this important contract.”

To support this new contract, Brand-Rex has invested in new plant at its Glenrothes factory to expand the capabilities of this already impressive and modern facility.

All the fibre used within these cables meets Cable&Wireless’ Standards and Specifications necessary to deliver mission critical communications.

ABOUT CABLE AND WIRELESS

Cable and Wireless plc is one of the world’s leading international communications companies. It operates through two standalone business units – Worldwide and CWI.

The Worldwide business (formerly Europe, Asia & US) specialises in offering high quality communications services such as IP, data, voice and hosting to large enterprise, reseller and carrier customers. It operates globally, with core markets in UK, Asia and EMEA, and provides connectivity in 153 countries.

CWI is an owner and operator of leading regional telecoms businesses. Headquartered in London, it operates businesses through four regional operations the Caribbean, Panama, Macau and Monaco & Islands delivering world class service and efficiency. CWI is a full-service telecommunications provider offering mobile, broadband, and domestic and international fixed line services, as well as enterprise and managed service solutions.

For more information about Cable&Wireless, go to http://www.cw.com 

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com  

BRX0249

Brand-Rex Ends Agreement with UK Distributor Mayflex

Released: December 2009

UK’s Leading Manufacturer of Structured Cabling Systems Reviews Partner Base as part of Growth Strategy

Following our unparalleled success in market share growth over recent years Brand-Rex, now recognised within the industry as the leading player in the UK market, has decided to end its distribution agreement with Mayflex.

This decision will not affect most Brand-Rex installation partners who will continue to source all of their needs through existing long established and highly supportive distribution partners.  Brand-Rex will continue to service its Value Added Resellers directly from its large UK logistics hub. 

This announcement to terminate the Mayflex agreement follows a strategic review of the Brand-Rex UK partner network as the company seeks to capitalise further on its success in growing its UK market share.  Brand-Rex Business & Marketing Director Ian Wilkie, said today “Brand-Rex has enjoyed a hugely successful two years in the UK, growing our market share during an extremely tough period in which many of our competitors have lost ground.

 “As we at Brand-Rex developed and reviewed our business growth strategy we highlighted the need for supportive partnerships that are motivated by mutual benefits. The relationship with Mayflex has changed during recent years and we now have different and sometimes conflicting objectives.  In view of this, we believe this relationship has reached a natural conclusion, allowing us both to move on and focus on our own business needs.” 

Wilkie explains that the company’s significant growth in market share to become the UK leading brand is the result of extraordinary levels of customer service, “Brand-Rex has placed Customer Service at the heart of its business strategy in recent years and we believe that, along with our other loyal distribution partners, we are able to offer a service unmatched by most in the industry.”

As part of its unrivalled customer service approach, Brand-Rex is already personally contacting every one of its customers formerly supplied through Mayflex and arranging meetings with them.  This will ensure that the most appropriate purchasing channel is identified to support them, ensuring total continuity of supply.  “Customers who source their Brand-Rex products through channels other than Mayflex will not be affected in any way,” says Wilkie, “they will continue to get the high quality of supply and service they expect from Brand-Rex.”

In explaining the decision to bring to an end the Mayflex relationship, Wilkie states “Mayflex has been an important partner to Brand-Rex for many years in the UK.  Likewise, the association with Brand-Rex allowed Mayflex to develop the successful structured cabling distribution business it has today.”

In concluding, Wilkie states,  “We believe this move will reassure our customers that Brand-Rex remains committed to a channel strategy that is dedicated to providing them with the highest level of service and support and where second-best simply isn’t an option.”

Brand-Rex is now the number one structured cabling supplier in the UK market and is in the top three in many other countries in Europe.

Photo: can be found here: http://fs.turtleconsulting.co.uk/PICS/BRX0273%20Mayflex%20cancelled_Ian_Wilkie.jpg

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0273

Redstone installs high performance converged infrastructure from Brand-Rex at prestigious new Logistics Centre

Released: November 2009

High performance, reliable converged network infrastructure from Brand-Rex provides showcase facilities for Redstone’s new Elstree facilities

 Brand-Rex today announced that Redstone Converged Solutions (www.redstone.com) has installed over 1,300 outlets and 29 kilometres of Brand-Rex structured cabling throughout its prestigious new 27,000 sq foot Logistic Centre in Elstree, Hertfordshire. The new building is home to Redstone’s infrastructure provisioning services. With over 1,000 employees and a turnover in excess of £200 million pa, Redstone provides converged IP solutions from structured cabling works through to innovative IP communications and fully integrated intelligent building solutions to customers across the UK and Ireland. The Logistics Centre is designed to provide the highest levels of service and ensure the smoothest possible implementation of client projects.

Formerly laboratory space, the 10 year old building was suitable for conversion and refurbishment to provide the required mix of showroom, warehouse, office and technical workshop space. As part of the refurbishment a new high performance, converged network was designed. The fully converged Brand-Rex network is capable of supporting voice, data and video plus all the building management services.

The Brand-Rex Cat6Plus structured cabling solution was chosen for its reliability, performance and ’future ready’ capabilities. In addition to its outstanding quality of components the entire network is backed by the Brand-Rex 25 year warranty to give additional peace of mind.

“This is a showcase site for Redstone customers and we are delighted that Brand-Rex was chosen for its high capacity infrastructure,” says Tim Jemmett, customer relations manager, Brand-Rex. “Our Cat6Plus cabling systems provide a high performance, cost effective, reliable solution for both today’s and tomorrow’s integrated business communication needs.”

The Brand-Rex solution was chosen because it offered the best value and represented a proven, reliable technology that is readily available. The fibre backbone topology design will allow for expansion with an infrastructure design capable of supporting the business in the future.

“Brand-Rex met all the requirements in terms of performance, quality and affordability,” says Jemmett. “In addition, we have delivered an infrastructure that demonstrates the capabilities and versatility of the Brand-Rex product range.”

Because of the unique construction of the building several installation techniques for the Brand-Rex products are on display – including under-floor and in-ceiling as well as conventional trunked routing of cables. “Brand-Rex cables are more flexible and thinner than many other manufacturers, and so lend themselves more easily to a variety of installation techniques,” says Jemmett. “In addition, our angled patching frames offer a significant improvement over traditional designs, making installation easier as well as offering a neat looking solution.”

Brand-Rex, has delivered a network infrastructure that meets Redstone’s requirements in terms of performance, flexibility, robustness and future-proofing.

Photos: can be found here; http://fs.turtleconsulting.co.uk/PICS/BRX0247%20Redstone%20New%20Logistics%20Centre.JPG

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0247

Tests Show that Cat6 UTP cabling cannot support 10GBASE-T

Released: September 2009

Startling results from interference testing with high performance cabling systems and the recently available 10GBASE-T interface cards have indicated that unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Category 6 cable is seriously susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and Alien crosstalk.

Echoing Brand-Rex’s position at least one major global electronics manufacturer advises that shielded cabling, and not unshielded, should be used for 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks.

Brand-Rex conducted tests with the application running on different types of cabling in an EMC chamber to the EMCD requirements and demonstrated that 10GBASE-T is susceptible to EMI when transmitted on UTP cabling. A leading active equipment manufacturer also supports this position and states that Cat 6A screened cable is needed for devices to pass the EMCD immunity requirements.  Screened systems provide a greater degree of immunity to EMI than UTP systems. 

EMI is not the only problem for Cat 6 UTP cable. In the initial stages of the 10GBASE-T standardisation process, the committees advised that Cat 6 UTP cable would support the new application on link lengths up to 37m or 55m, and further if the cabling was carefully managed to protect it from noise picked up from adjacent cabling (alien crosstalk).

Unfortunately, theory does not always reflect what happens in the real world. For example, if links are completely isolated to eliminate potential noise from one link to the next, Cat 6 UTP cable works. But if the patch cords and cables are bunched – as in practice they usually are – there are going to be severe problems.

This is supported by further recent testing carried out by Brand-Rex on 10GBASE-T devices – believed to be the first such tests in Europe – using various types of cabling, including Cat 6 and Augmented Cat 6 performance products. The results are clear: a distance of just 10m was difficult to achieve on Cat 6 UTP, unless the cabling was managed with special care.

As Brand-Rex’s Technical Manager Ken Hodge says, many end users may be looking to install Cat 6 UTP systems, believing them to be future proof.

“Cat 6 UTP is an excellent platform for Gigabit Ethernet but it does not have the performance required to support 10GBASE-T. The bottom line is: if you are looking to implement a future-proof networking infrastructure you need to look at installing a higher specification product. Yes, there may be something of a premium to pay for a Cat 6A solution. But this will almost certainly be tiny compared with the costs involved if a Cat 6 UTP system is put in, and then soon has to be replaced.”

In short, Augmented Cat 6 products are required to support the evolution of IT systems to 10GBASE-T and screened cabling is the best solution to install, particularly when there may be a risk of EMI.

Photo: can be found here: http://fs.turtleconsulting.co.uk/PICS/BRX0250_10GPlus_S_FTP_Copper_Cable.JPG

ABOUT BRAND-REX

Brand-Rex Ltd is a global operation, designing, developing and manufacturing the most sophisticated, high performance copper and fibre cabling systems for communications and extreme environment applications. Headquartered in Scotland, the company is committed to being a trusted market leading provider of best-in-class communication infrastructure solutions that are truly ‘future proof’. For more information visit www.brand-rex.com

BRX0250