Brinley Buckley-Roberts, Head of Marketing at C.K Tools, discusses how the EV revolution is placing a spotlight on the electrical trade. The rise of the electric vehicle (EV) is well and truly upon us, as electric and hybrid car sales hit a global record in 2024.

The UK Government has demonstrated its commitment to establishing a robust, accessible, commercial, domestic and geographically abundant charging infrastructure – dedicating hundreds of millions of pounds of funding to support the delivery of thousands of charge points across England to facilitate the mass consumer adoption of EV.

But as the EV revolution continues to gain momentum, how will the electrical sector handle one of the biggest spotlights it has ever experienced? Designers, specifiers and installers will all have roles to play as they are tasked with the challenge of EV charger installation with the pre-wiring, upgrades, maintenance and not to mention repairs of the growing number of chargers up and down the country.

And so, change is well underway in the electrical trade. Universities and colleges nationwide are offering courses in electric vehicle engineering and maintenance. A skills-led green labour market will soon be upon us. There will be no shortage of demand for installers, with a great opportunity to either switch career focus or supplement the existing workload.

But how do electrical wholesalers ensure installers have the equipment they need to do their job? What tools and accessories? How does it differ from a standard electrician’s or electrical contractor’s kit?

The Institution of Engineering and Technology has launched its own code of practice to provide a clear directive on the considerations and mandatories for every type of EV charger equipment installation, in line with the very latest amendment to BS7671. While a tight code of practice (as you would expect), there is no specific requirement for new tools or accessories that aren’t readily available to the everyday electrician, more a requirement of specific tools and accessories to use.

Clarity, comfort and control

As we do with most of our product research and development here at C.K Tools, we spent time with our panel of electricians and installers to develop tools and kits specific for this job, to ensure clarity, comfort, control and efficiency on every job. As a result, we have assembled two high quality EV specific kits for both existing and newly qualified installers – an EV Hand Tool Kit and EV Power Tools Accessories (PTA) Kit. Combined they provide an easy one-stop-shop for any installer.

The C.K EV Hand Tool Kit (T5984) is a collection of premium hand tools that provide everything needed to get the job done efficiently and professionally. It includes a state-of-the-art C.K Magma Technician’s Wheeled Case packed full of 52 premium hand tools designed to complete the stages of: inspection and quotation; routing the cable from MCB to charger; mounting the charge point; fitting the cable to the charger point; terminating to MCB; fitting an earthing rod; and re-assembling the charge point.

The C.K PTA Kit (T5985) – which can be purchased separately – provides a great range of power tool accessories including quality drill bits, driver bits and hole saws to help complete the installation for EV chargers with the minimum of fuss.

The C.K EV specific kits offer everything needed to complete the steps involved to complete an installation efficiently and professionally.

As the proliferation of EV continues and growing demand for charging points is set to scale up dramatically over the next decade, the impact on the skill, capabilities, qualifications and accompanying tool kits of the EV charge equipment installer may also change.

As a business that has been at the forefront of hand tool manufacturing for more than 100 years and is passionate about driving product innovation to equip electricians with the tools they need to do their job effectively, we will continue to support our retail partners and the electrical trade as they navigate one of the biggest demands and opportunities in history on its workforce.

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Brinley Buckley-Roberts, Brand Manager at Carl Kammerling International, the home of C.K Tools, discusses why premium hand tools are worth the investment.

Whether you’re an electrical professional or stockist, reputation can be the difference in securing the next job or securing that repeat purchase.

Tool choice is a careful consideration for any electrician; an inadequate tool could compromise the finish, lead to unscheduled downtime or an unforecasted replacement purchase or – in the most serious circumstances, compromise safety. And if the tool choice was a recommendation at the service desk that can lead to a lack of trust in the stockist.

While there will always be the industry need to offer a range of options for customers, investing in premium hand tools can really make a difference in both the short and long-term for professionals and stockists alike.

But what defines a premium hand tool?

There are several elements that contribute to the ‘premium’ factor: from the R&D process; the source of the materials; the engineering and manufacturing procedures; to the quality control and accreditation. Each element undergoes a constant review as new materials, manufacturing techniques, or industry requirements are uncovered, with the effectiveness, durability and safety of the products always the top priority.

Clear thought process

Here at C.K Tools, the starting point for R&D is listening intently to what the industry is asking for. By working closely with a panel of professionals we can develop innovative solutions and product evolutions which tackle the everyday issues electricians face and make their job that much more efficient. Our NPD team will then consider the design, the multifunctionality, the durability, the ergonomics, and of course – the materials. There’s no product without a clear thought process behind it; each tool is methodically planned, CAD designed, prototyped and thoroughly tested to develop the industry-leading hand tools which C.K Tools is known for.

Exceptional strength and durability

Exceptional hand tools need to be made from exceptional materials. Material choice is of great importance to C.K Tools and has contributed considerably to the reputation we’ve built over more than 200 years. We’re committed to developing innovative tools which offer exceptional strength and durability. Many of our products feature steel from Germany, in particular the North Rhine, which is world-renowned for its steel production. The region’s steel has varying levels and mixes of chromium, which has excellent corrosion resistance, vanadium, which works as a deoxidiser and reduces wear, and molybdenum, which when combined with chromium gives greater strength and impact resistance for durable and long-lasting tools.

Manufacturing excellence

Carl Kammerling was founded in Germany in 1904 and many of its premium product range are still manufactured there today, meeting the highest standards of German engineering, safety and long-life performance.

The North Rhine is known as the industrial heartland for tool manufacturing. The steel mills, chemical and water treatment businesses, and manufacturing plants all reside there and have developed great ways of collaborating over the years to ensure that the potential of the raw material is not lost through the processing and engineering stages.

And the precision engineering techniques don’t stop at the steel; hand tools have to be inherently comfortable and safe to handle. To ensure this, every single screwdriver handle is injection moulded directly to the steel, giving the ultimate torsion-proof bond for increased reliability, durability, control and comfort.

Other engineering techniques are harnessed to ensure our products live up to the premium tag. Induction hardening is a process we use to ensure that parts of products – such as the jaws on pliers – are hardened to withstand heavy usage and ensure long-term performance. It involves electromagnetically heating up the steel and then rapidly cooling it to maintain the desired properties.

Commitment to safety

With safety and quality standards being of paramount importance in the electrical trade, premium tools not only enhance efficiency and accuracy but also reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

And don’t just take our word for it when it come to the safety and high quality of C.K Tools product range. When other bodies endorse a product you know it sits above the rest. Across certain lines, C.K Tools’ products are VDE certified, which is the highest form of independent safety testing in the electrical trade, while the majority achieve GS (Gepruefte Sicherheit) and DIN (Deutsche Institut) accreditation, which are German standards that indicate performance and quality.

Investing in a premium hand tool means you’re investing in a brand which understands their customers, the requirements of the trade and are committed to paving the way in product innovation to provide the safest, most reliable and durable tool for the job. It’s this emphasis on quality which is the key to driving long-term customer trust and repeat purchase, making for a wise investment in the long run.

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