Case Studies
Infrastructure
15.1.2008 - Wilts Wholesale Electrical Co. Ltd - ExcelWilts Wholesale Electrical Co. Ltd, established back in the 1920’s, is the UK’s largest independent electrical wholesaler. The Business is owned by the Kingsbury family and the company prides itself on delivering an outstanding service to its customers time and time again. The company offers superior levels of service, provided by well trained, friendly and effi cient staff. Staff members are keen to go the extra mile in helping customers fi nd exactly what they need.
Wilts is a company that has seen phenomenal growth over the last 15 years. To increase the size of its branch network, as well as the opening of green-field sites, the company acquired a number of businesses which subsequently led to it owning a series of buildings with different networks at different levels of capability. This is where the company’s problems stemmed from.
Each branch communicated with head offi ce in Trowbridge via a serial port computer system and ISDN lines which were slow and cumbersome. Nigel Hirst was appointed as IT Manager for Wilts with the task of upgrading all 71 branches. The fi rst job was to visit each branch to evaluate each existing system in order to accurately propose and implement a new software system. The network in turn needed upgrading to enable it to run the ERP software package that was chosen to be installed into each branch.
On closer inspection a number of branches were set up with a huge mismatch of outdated technologies ranging from Category 3 and Category 4 cabling systems. A decision was made to install a new cabling system in each branch. Wilts decided to employ the services of an experienced data network specialist DB Network Cabling, based in Coventry, West Midlands.
DB Network Cabling has over 7 years of experience carrying out data installations. They were herein advocates of the Excel Structured Cabling System which they use on a regular basis, due to its breadth of product range, ease of installation and competitive prices.
Excel is a complete end-to-end networking solution, offering exceptional value for money, performance and support manufactured to European quality standards and covered by one warranty. The brand was conceivedin 1997 and has enjoyed formidable growth. As reported in the 2007 BSRIA report, Excel is now the number 4 structured cabling brand in the UK.
David Birch, proprietor of DB Network Cabling commented, “The Excel Networking range of products were ideal for this installation. The client’s requirements could be met using the variety of products available to us from cabling and accessories through to cabinets and patch panels.”
The project was a very demanding one. Each branch still needed to continue to communicate with head offi ce throughout the install on a day-to-day basis. Branches varied in size from small 3 staff premises to much larger 40 staff premises. Branches were also spread throughout the Midlands, the South West and South East regions. It was therefore necessary for each system installed, to be slightly modifi ed to suit the style of each branch. It was critical that each update was completed in the minimum amount of time possible. This was achieved by the new cabling infrastructure being installed into each branch alongside the existing system.
Once each installation had been completed the network was swapped over from the old infrastructure to the new. This allowed the engineers to keep any downtime to an absolute minimum. The installation in each of the 71 branches was rolled out over a 6 month period from August 2006 up until January 2007.
The business benefi ts for Wilts have been remarkable. Network availability for all 71 branches is running at 99.9%. All branches can now communicate effectively with any one of the 200 employees at head offi ce in Trowbridge. Branch staff can now offer a far quicker and more effi cient service to their customers. The IT team also based in Trowbridge, has seen a signifi cant reduction in problems reported by individual branches, freeing up their time to work on other project based work.
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