Thursday 21 March 2013

ESE Pulsar v Faraday Cage


As the increase in popularity of the ESE (Early Streamer Emission) Pulsar systems for providing lightning protection increases the UK lightning protection industry and building designers are increasingly faced with finally confronting the barriers traditionalists and stalwarts of the Faraday cage system often present when electing to reject ESE Pulsars.

For example English Heritage will not entertain the thought of an ESE Pulsar even though aesthetically the Pulsar can be installed discretely, represent a cost saving and indeed greatly reduce the effects associated with metal theft.

What are the reasons behind this reluctance to accept ESE Pulsars? First lets look at the authors and those who contribute to the writing of lightning protection standards here in the UK.

As with the writing of most standards it often falls upon those with product knowledge and industry experience to produce the content for a standard, often these individuals will still be in employment and therefore it could be argued have a vested interest in promoting a particular ethos, in this case the traditional proven faraday cage system.

It is a well known fact that the use of a correctly designed ESE Pulsar requires considerably less materials and can be installed in a fraction of the time compared to a Faraday cage installation therefore greatly reducing revenues.

Secondly a reluctance to promote ESE Pulsars has also centred around questions raised about the quality of some products, particularly from the far east with stories including nothing being found  inside a sealed Pulsar unit once opened up!! Concerns have also been raised in relation to the validity of testing undertaken to prove the performance of a Pulsar however with the recent acquisition of Helita by ABB all of the aforementioned has been put to bed.

ABB testing facility at Pic du Midi located at 2877m in the French Pyreenes provides state of the art testing and with each and every pulsar produced tested before being dispatched the ABB Helita Pulsar supported by the French national standard NF C 17-102. ChurchillSC Ltd have embraced the ESE Pulsar because like it or not the Pulsar is here to stay and offers a very viable cost effective solution for providing lightning protection




Monday 11 March 2013

New Managing Director Appointed




Churchill Specialist Contracting Ltd is extremely pleased and proud to announce the appointment of Richard Rowson as the Managing Director of their lightning protection division.

A requirement to install a proven and respected industry achiever such as Richard to manage and direct Churchill’s rapidly increasing lightning protection division is considered by the owners to be not only a progressive step but also highly essential as part of the company’s growth strategy.

Churchill's CEO Wayne Murry has nothing but praise for Richard......" Richard Rowson is a highly respected proven performer in the lightning protection sector who prior to joining Churchill’s was the branch manager of the sectors largest and most successful business for the previous 12 years with over 23 years service in total. During his previous tenure Richard managed the growth of the Nottingham branch from a turnover of circa £1.5M to £4M and experienced at first hand growing pains companies at our stage undoubtedly encounter as they expand. It goes without saying that individuals of Richards’s stature do not become available every day so following our initial meeting things moved at a pace to secure Richards tenure. The directors of Churchill’s consider securing Richards appointment to be a huge compliment to the business and underlines how well respected Churchill's have become within the lightning protection sector in such a relativity short period"

Richard Rowson acknowledged his appointment by commenting "I consider my appointment as Managing Director of Churchill Specialist Contracting Lightning Protection division to be an honour and I am excited by the vision of the owners and highly impressed by how well structured and technologically advanced the business is.  I am looking forward to my new role and working with the owners and established Churchill team to continue with the structured and controlled growth of the division calling on my experience of having previously experienced a very similar position in my previous role. Having held discussions with the owners of Churchill’s it is very clear to me that there is no big fix required however I am confident that my experience will assist the division in continuing to move forward and assist the business in opening new markets"

In recognition of his achievements within Churchill’s lightning protection division Mark Hancock has been appointed a company director, in the role of Lightning Protection Operations Director Mark’s appointment will also add synergy to the business mirroring a role already established in the steeplejack/specialist access division.

Wayne Murry will continue in the business as CEO concentrating with the development and management in the areas of the business including steeplejacking, specialist access and training together with the rapidly increasing ecommerce venture that has recently seen ABB and Cleveland Cable add product ranges.