Panasonic rebrands its Life Solutions Business

DUBAI, UAE, 22 May 2022: Panasonic Life Solutions Middle East Africa (PLSMEA), a division of Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa FZE (PMMAF) announced that it has changed its name to Panasonic Electric Works Middle East Africa (PEWMEA), as of April 1, 2022.

Making the announcement through a Press release, dated May 22, the company said that with the name change, PEWMEA will focus on realising the vision to devote its resources and activities to elevate the quality of all kinds of spaces, with a special emphasis on smart energy systems and living solutions to support sustainable and smart living. PEWMEA, it said, will lead the regional Energy Systems Business Division, Lighting Business Division, Smart Energy System Business Division and Indoor Air Quality Business Division.

According to the company, PEWMEA has been offering living solutions and a wide array of products, such as wiring devices, LED lighting, solar systems, fire alarm systems, home and building automation, ventilation fans, air treatment, air purifiers and air-moving solutions. Upon the company name change, PEWMEA will provide maximum satisfaction to the regional customers working together with partners utilising digital technologies revolving around electrical works in all kinds of living spaces that make up society, including housing, offices, hotels, commercial facilities and sports facilities, the company said.

Announcing the rebranding, Eiji Ito, Managing Director, said: “With solutions centered on electrical equipment and digital technology, we hope to provide a safe and comfortable space where everyone can spend a healthy and lively time. We will continue to update the space following changes in the social environment and lifestyle, and always deliver maximum satisfaction to our customers. With this sentiment, we will continue to work together with our partners to provide ‘human-oriented solutions’ that enable our customers to live their best.”

Ziehl-Abegg reports record sales of 716 million euros

KÜNZELSAU, Germany, 31 March 2022: Ziehl-Abegg reported record sales of 716 million euros in 2021, compared to 639 million euros in 2020. Making the announcement through a Press release, the manufacturer of electric motors and fans said the figure posted in 2021 represented a growth of 11.9%. 

Peter Fenkl, CEO, Ziehl-Abegg, describing 2021, said, “In view of the problems with global supply chains, we took a cautious approach at times and, ultimately, managed to do pretty well in terms of sales.”

The company said it was equally heartening that the number of employees worldwide rose to 4,700, compared to 4,300 in 2020. 

Fenkl described the earnings situation as “more than difficult”, as the supply chain problems not only had an impact on delivery times but on pricing, as well. “Some suppliers had already increased prices so quickly towards the end of 2020 and then repeatedly in 2021 that we were unable to pass these on to the market on a 1:1 basis,” he said.

Based on the experience in the first quarter, the manager knows that this situation will become more acute in the current year. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Fenkl said. It is relevant to highlight that Fenkl has been at the helm of the family-owned business for more than 20 years. 

Ziehl-Abegg said it is regarded as a company with a high level of vertical integration. “We now want to expand this even further,” Fenkl said. However, growth at the headquarters in Hohenlohe is problematical, as there is a serious shortage in the availability of the necessary additional workers there, the company said.

The intention, therefore, is to expand existing production facilities and establish new production sites, it added. Fenkl said: “Additional production sites will bring us closer to our customers.” 

The company said the 11.9% growth in sales last year provides a good base for further growth. Ventilation systems were the sales driver in the year just past, contributing EUR 637 million to the overall result, the company said.

Fenkl said he held no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead. “Work shifts are currently being repeatedly cancelled because of a lack of components – how can you realistically plan and how are you supposed to satisfy your customers?” he said.  

Ziehl-Abegg employs 2,600 people in Germany, 200 more than a year ago. The number of employees worldwide rose from 4,300 to 4,700. Since employees of the baby boom era in Germany are now increasingly reaching retirement age, this is having a direct impact on the available workforce potential. “Companies must, therefore, openly target Generation Z, the post-millennials,” Fenkl said. “We mustn’t persist with old ways of thinking but instead take the wishes and needs of young people seriously.” 

Airius launches new BACnet MS/TP fan controller

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, 31 January 2022: Colorado-based Airius, focused on air movement and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), announced the release of its new BACnet MS/TP destratification fan controller during the 2022 AHR Expo. The company made the announcement through a Press release.

“With our BACnet fan control integrated into your network, you can take better control of your building’s stratification issues, save money and improve building comfort by achieving the operational excellence you desire,” said Christian Avedon, Director of Sales & Marketing, Airius. “By providing improved control and monitoring, our new fan controller empowers you to command your facilities and provide a more consistent and comfortable environment.”

According to Airius, the destratification fan controller provides individual Airius fan control and status integration over the BACnet MS/TP network. Up to 63 fans can be connected per MS/TP network, and multiple networks can be created for integration of hundreds of fans, the company said. The new controller is easy to configure and install, with no software needed, enabling building owners and facility managers to monitor their Airius fan system, reduce their energy consumption and improve the comfort of their buildings, the company added.

According to Airius, additional features of the new controller include:

On/off, fan speed control and revolutions-per-minute (RPM) monitoring

Compatibility with electronically commutated (EC) motors

UL-accepted for use in plenum, NEMA 1-enclosed housing

Easy system addressing and baud rate changes through dual inline package (DIP) switch settings

AMCA initiates work on Standard 340

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Illinois, 18 October 2021: Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International Inc. is seeking volunteers to serve on the technical committee for a new AMCA Standard: AMCA Standard 340 – Laboratory Method of Sound Testing of Large-Diameter Ceiling Fans.

Making the announcement through a Press release, AMCA said the standard will develop a method of sound testing for large-diameter ceiling fans (LDCF), sometimes referred to as High Volume Low Speed, or HVLS, fans. The method would allow for the third-party certification of sound data in a manner that is cost-effective and produces accurate, repeatable results, and to provide standardized design data for the application of LDCF in occupied spaces, AMCA added.

​Currently, each LDCF manufacturer uses a different method of test, AMCA said. Existing sound test standards require acoustical testing chambers that are cost-prohibitive due to the large size of LDCF – up to 24 feet in diameter, AMCA said. A method of test is needed to provide consistent, accurate and comparable sound performance data for designers and end-users, AMCA added.

Committee members would be expected to participate in reviewing the standard and resolving any comments received, AMCA said, adding that meetings will be held virtually by conference call.

According to AMCA, stakeholders for the Standard include manufacturers of LDCF, building design engineers and architects, end-users, testing labs of LDCF, and trade associations and professional societies within the HVAC industry.​

AMCA invited those interested in volunteering to click here and complete and submit the form by the close of business on November 17. For more information, it encouraged those interested to contact Shruti Kohli-Bhargava, Manager, Publications & Standards at shrutik@amca.org.

STULZ, Mirus, ebm-papst to host webinar on harmonic mitigation in data centres

FREDERICK, Maryland, 26 September 2021: STULZ, Mirus International and ebm-papst will be conducting part 2 of a e-discussion on harmonic mitigation in data centres, STULZ said through a Press release. The webinar is on September 28, the company added.

To improve energy efficiencies in today’s modern custom air handlers, highly efficient electronically commutated (EC) fans are often incorporated for air movement, STULZ said. This is because the fan systems can improve efficiencies over conventional AC motors equipped with variable frequency drives (VFDs) by 30% or more, it said. An EC fan incorporates a brushless DC permanent magnet motor (BLDC) controlled by an integrated rectifier, inverter and smart electronics.

BLDC motors, with efficiencies greater than 90%, provide a more effective ventilation system, so that ‘free cooling’ becomes more easily achievable, which contributes to the energy savings potential, it said. Also, air distribution can be improved with multiple fan arrays allowing upstream or downstream components, such as filters or heat exchangers, to receive a more even airflow, thereby improving air filtering and heat transfer efficiency, it added.

In striving towards reliable and efficient systems, one significant factor sometimes overlooked is electrical harmonic distortion, STULZ said. One of the few things common with AC/VSD and EC fan systems is that they are both harmonic generating, non-linear loads, it said.

Without proper harmonic mitigation, non-linear loads can distort the AC power distribution and possibly expose a mission-critical facility to electrical issues, such as overheating distribution equipment and failure of sensitive equipment connected to the same electrical bus, it added.

The speakers include Dave Meadows, Director of Technology, STULZ USA; Tony Hoevenaars, President and CEO, Mirus International; and Joe Landrette, Director, VAC & Data Centers and Digital Solutions, ebm-papst. According to STULZ, the webinar, scheduled for a 2pm (Eastern Time, US and Canada) start, will be useful to electrical engineers, mechanical engineers and end-users.