Unicrimp has strengthened its bootlace ferrule range with the introduction of two sizes: 16mm and 35mm. These additions build on installer and wholesaler feedback, expanding the range so customers can now access the full spectrum of sizes from one trusted supplier.

The introduction of these larger ferrule sizes further enhances Unicrimp’s comprehensive offering, giving electrical professionals an even more practical and convenient solution for terminating multi‑stranded cables safely and cleanly.

Feedback from the market had consistently identified the absence of 16mm and 35mm sizes within the existing Unicrimp bootlace ferrule offering. In response, Unicrimp has acted to address this gap, ensuring that customers can now source a complete and more practical range from a single, trusted supplier.

Key product benefits include:

• Improved wire safety
• Versatile range of sizes and colours
• Provides a clean end termination to multi stranded cables
• Insulating sleeves designed to accept tri-rated cables

The new 16mm and 35mm bootlace ferrules are available in Ivory French and Red French finishes, aligning with industry conventions and supporting clear identification during installation.

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This year marks a major milestone for Click Scolmore as the company proudly celebrates 35 years of continuous BSI Kitemark certification on its BS1363 socket outlets.

In a market where imitation products and misleading claims are becoming increasingly common, this achievement is more than a badge of honour – it is a powerful reminder of what genuine, independently verified quality looks like.

The BSI Kitemark has long been one of the most trusted symbols in the electrical industry. First registered in 1903, it confirms that a product has been rigorously tested, repeatedly checked and proven to meet recognised industry standards. It offers reassurance that what sits behind the faceplate is every bit as reliable as what you see on the surface.

That reassurance matters now more than ever. Copycat products and ‘like for like’ claims are increasingly finding their way into the market, and while many of these alternatives may look similar, the differences beneath the surface can be significant. Cheaper products often achieve their price point by substituting critical materials with inferior alternatives – thinner brass, or copper where brass should be – compromising durability, safety and long‑term performance.

Click Scolmore’s approach stands in stark contrast. Every product is designed in‑house in Tamworth, Staffordshire, by specialist teams, then developed in close collaboration with a small number of long‑standing overseas manufacturing partners. These factories operate exclusively for Scolmore, supported by investment in equipment, technology and skilled personnel. Regular site visits and strict quality systems ensure that every product meets the company’s exacting standards.

This controlled, transparent and accountable supply chain is not something that can be casually replicated. Yet some suppliers continue to imply that their products come from the same factories or are made to the same standards. Such claims mislead customers and undermine the importance of verified testing and approvals. Without the BSI Kitemark, there is simply no equivalent assurance of safety or performance.

As Click Scolmore celebrates 35 years of holding one of the industry’s most respected quality marks, the message to the market is clear: don’t judge a product by its appearance alone. Judge it by its testing, its materials, its provenance – and by whether it carries the Kitemark that proves its quality.

Commenting on the achievement, Shahm Barhom, Managing Director, Product Certification, BSI, said: “Marking 35 years of BSI Kitemark certification is a significant achievement and reflects Scolmore’s enduring commitment to quality, safety and trusted performance.

“Scolmore’s longstanding certification demonstrates not only compliance, but a proactive approach to maintaining the highest standards over time. We are proud to recognise this achievement and to support organisations like Scolmore that are dedicated to delivering excellence over the long term.”

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Thorne & Derrick International, a global supplier of specialist electrical, mechanical, and safety products to the energy, utilities, and industrial sectors, marked its 40th anniversary in spectacular fashion with an elegant celebration at the historic Beamish Hall in County Durham.

The milestone event, held on 3rd October brought together the team to honour four decades of innovation, resilience, and customer-focused service. The evening’s highlight was the presence of Brian Derrick, one of the company’s founders, who was welcomed as the Guest of Honour.

Founded in 1985 by Brian Derrick and Victor Thorne, Thorne & Derrick International began as a small regional enterprise and has since grown into a trusted international brand, renowned for its technical expertise, product quality, and commitment to safety.

“It’s incredibly humbling to see how far we’ve come,” said Brian Derrick. “From a single office with a handful of passionate people to a globally respected business, this is a testament to the dedication, integrity, and hard work of everyone who has been part of Thorne & Derrick over the past 40 years.”

Managing Director Richard Derrick added, “Brian’s pioneering spirit and unwavering standards laid the foundation for everything we do today. As we celebrate this significant milestone, we also look ahead with confidence, driven by our core values and a commitment to continued innovation and excellence.”

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Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO of the Electrical Distributors’ Association, explains how the EDA’s product data pool is giving wholesalers access to the best product information for use in their business.

In 2017 the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) embarked on a major initiative to help its members digitalise their businesses. This digitalisation drive hinged on converting manufacturers’ product information and images into a consistent digital format so that it was more easily transferable along the supply chain and available for wholesalers’ e-commerce platforms.

Manufacturers are the guardians of their product information – they know the part number, GTIN code, technical spec, measurements, performance, marketing wording, packaging and sustainability information, and have images in various orientations and colour-ways, and so on. The problem was, each manufacturer organised this information differently. For wholesalers dealing with multiple suppliers this was a massive headache. Over several years, the EDA team worked with manufacturers to standardise the way their data was classified and shared using the universal ETIM data standard as their starting point.

By 2020 plans were formed to create a standardised, cloud based portal where the information about manufacturers’ product information could be stored in a consistent format and graded for quality, consistency and completeness. The EDATA data pool was born.

Fast forward a few years, and by mid-2025 EDATA has swelled to offer valuable, enriched, deep, comprehensive technical information and images on over 300,000 products sold through UK electrical wholesalers. This volume grows daily, with over 200 leading electrotechnical brands opting to share their product information and images with multiple wholesalers via the data pool. It picked up a national Innovation of the Year Award in 2024.

EDATA is a ‘by the industry, for the industry’ enterprise governed by a board of equal numbers of wholesalers and manufacturers. Its strategic direction is determined by a Steering Group of representatives from 29 business sponsors – leading wholesalers and manufacturers that have committed to support EDATA and to volunteer time towards its development.

Three reasons why the EDATA data pool is so powerful

1. informative: information on hundreds of thousands of products available on demand to enhance wholesalers’ customer service.
2. intelligent: product descriptions, technical information, and images, all to the highest specification, to populate web sites and support sales.
3. indispensable: download Product Data Sheets, in a consistent format, for quotes, tenders, submittals, and Operation & Maintenance Manuals.

Here’s how EDA Wholesalers are using the EDATA data pool

Trade counter customer service: where speed, accuracy and efficiency matter

• Immediate access to an online portal with high-quality information on hundreds of thousands of SKUs in one time-saving hub.
• Download individual product data sheets to support sales conversations.

For Tenders, Submittals and Operation & Maintenance Manuals

• Time consuming, complex and often high stakes, anything that can transform response times and help wholesalers win more business is good news – and the EDATA data pool can do just that.
• New products and specification changes would be impossible to track if wholesalers had to deal with each manufacturer separately. EDATA keeps it all in one central hub.
• Wholesalers tell us how much they value EDATA’s PDF Product Data Sheets: created on demand using the latest information and images inside the data pool, making it easier for your customers to compare like-with-like.

Reporting on sustainability and packaging data

• Introduced in 2025, sustainability and packaging info, including embodied carbon, recycled content, WEEE/RoHS/REACH, energy efficiency as well as packaging volumetrics and material breakdown, plus other valuable data.

E-commerce, click and collect services: where compelling images and product descriptions drive sales

• Bulk download the latest product descriptions, marketing bullet points, technical spec and images from the data pool to drive websites, e-shops and click and collect services.

Still re-keying information for printed catalogues and e-catalogues?

• Re-keying information is a time-consuming and resource-heavy process, it also increases the risk of errors. Far better to streamline the whole project and take a feed of images and product information direct from EDATA.

EDATA integrates with your business software

• Work continues to integrate EDATA with wholesalers’ business systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management and stock control software, Product Information Management (PIM) systems and so on.
• Some software providers have already completed their EDATA integration with many EDA Wholesalers already benefitting from EDATA’s rich product information and images.

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Hazel Whittingham, Product Manager for BG Electrical, looks at how the latest wiring accessories manage to combine form with functionality.

It’s no longer enough for a product to just perform well, it’s got to look good too. And, in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, even products that were once seen as utilitarian – such as wiring accessories like sockets, switches and USB chargers – there is a growing demand for stylish designs that align with and enhance the aesthetic of an interior. And, whilst wiring accessories may be small, insignificant they are not. Good design can really pack a punch when it comes to the overall finish of an installation, particularly in open plan spaces where electrical accessories – that also need to deliver on all aspects of practicality – are more visible.

Appealing aesthetics

Whether it’s at home or work, people want their spaces to feel good and function well, and since electrical components are often visible, their design can impact the overall atmosphere of a room. Wiring accessories that have been thoughtfully designed, with sleek finishes and stylish colours, complement rather than detract from the surrounding décor, delivering a truly finished feel helping to elevate the space and make the essential wiring accessory products less intrusive.

More than good looks

However, looking good is not enough. Specified wiring accessory products need to deliver not only on looks but also on practical functionality – for example with the integration of fast charging capabilities. With the growing dependence on mobile phones, laptops, tablets and other electronic devices, the demand for rapid, efficient and reliable charging has never been greater – and looks set to rise.

Sockets incorporating high speed USB ports eliminate the need for bulky adaptors whilst delivering a convenient space-saving, clutter-free – and aesthetically pleasing – solution that provides end users with dedicated charging points delivering higher power for faster charging, significantly improving the entire user experience.’

Practicality and aesthetics

Specifically designed to answer this need and launched by Luceco under its specialist wiring and accessories brand BG Electrical, the Evolve range of decorative switches and sockets is ideal for both domestic and commercial applications and is the perfect way to ensure all essential power points enhance décor rather than detract from it. This range also makes decorative metal switches an accessible option for older homes which have no earth on the lighting circuit too, as no earthing is required for the decorative metal front plates due to their clever construction method.

Aesthetically attractive, the slimline switches and sockets are designed with screwless face plates which easily clip on and off making decorating easier and are available in eight different colours including brushed steel, black chrome, and matt blue as well as satin brass, polished copper, matt black, matt grey, and pearlescent white.

The range includes switches, sockets, innovative fast charge USB sockets, Wi-Fi range extenders, touch dimmer switches, as well as Grid range extensions and Euro module range extensions to combine power, data, TV, telephone and audio. The Evolve range includes a 25-year warranty (10 years on USB and Wi-Fi Extender sockets), with Asta Approval for assurance that these are best in class when it comes to wiring accessories. Colour coded terminals and captive screws also ensure a ‘right first time’ approach to any wiring installation.

End users expect both beauty and function in their wiring accessory products and the Evolve range combines aesthetics with practicality perfectly, making it the ideal choice for installers.

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When was Hispec formed and what were the original company objectives?

Hispec was established back in 2002, initially as an importer of general electrical products, ranging from electronic transformers to fluorescent lighting modulars.

The initial mission statement of Hispec was to offer a wide range of quality products to the electrical wholesale market, with an emphasis on providing excellent levels of customer service to every aspect of the supply chain.

What sets Hispec apart from other electrical product suppliers?

Over the past three years we have invested heavily in the recruitment of an experienced sales team that now offers national support for our electrical wholesale customers. I believe that a major contributor to our continued growth is the unrivalled support that we offer the wholesaler, whether it be through staff training, joint contractor visits, trade day support or free of charge POS displays for their branches.

Our team listen intently to the requirements of their customers and as a result we were able to design and develop a range of products that filled a niche in the domestic fire and CO market; specification quality detectors at an affordable price point.

Due to our vertical integration supply chain model, we are now able to adapt and diversify our product offering in a much shorter timeframe than some of our larger, more corporately owned competitors – thus allowing us to penetrate a variety of market sectors with not just our fire detection range but also our emergency lighting and general LED lighting solutions.

How has the drive to reduce energy use impacted the lighting market?

The concentrated drive to reduce energy use has led to the development and rapid advancement of energy-efficient lighting technologies, notably Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). As the demand for these energy-efficient products continues to rise, the market for incandescent bulbs has almost disappeared completely.

One of the largest impacts to the lighting market in recent years will be the upcoming legislative changes that will effectively ban the use or sale of all fluorescent lamps in the UK by February 2024 – this is primarily being driven by the government’s need to achieve Net Carbon Zero by 2050.

Another significant impact of the race to reduce our energy consumption is the development of innovative lighting solutions, such as the newly launched remote monitoring system by Hispec, designed to cut down CO2 emissions, maintenance costs and the environmental impact of commercial lighting.

What are the current trends in lighting and fire detection and what product lines have proved popular over the past 12 months?

We have seen the demand for life safety products increase significantly over the past 12 months, with a particular focus on Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Social landlords, property developers and private contractors have shifted a lot of their focus onto achieving their own corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals – one of the most prominent being the reduction in CO2 emissions that many are accomplishing through the enhanced use of IoT solutions and connected devices.

We believe that the implementation of the Building Safety Act in October 2023 will have a huge impact on how we as an industry approach life safety, focusing predominantly on testing measures and compliance records.

What are the future goals for Hispec?

 We have some very aggressive growth plans built into our most recent three-year strategy, focusing primarily on a major expansion of our product offering, launching exciting new technologies that are targeted towards compliance and then finally ensuring that the industry are educated and kept up to speed in the emerging markets and opportunities within the fire and lighting sectors.

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