Introduction
CBI-electric Group, at a glance...
- Established in 1949 as a joint venture with the
Heinemann Electric Company in Trenton, New Jersey.
- Part of the Reunert Group, which was listed on the JSE in 1948
- Corporate Headquarters in Elandsfontein,
Johannesburg, South Africa
- International operations in Africa,
Asia, Australia, Europe and USA
- CBI-electric: low voltage MD: Chris Oliver
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CBI-electric: low voltage, previously known as Circuit Breaker Industries or CBI, is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. CBI-electric: low voltage is a supplier of quality low voltage electrical distribution, protection and control equipment. The foundations of CBI were established in 1949 as a joint venture between the then Heinemann Electric Company in Trenton, New Jersey, USA. After a merger with Fuchs Electrical Industry during 1986, a new company called Circuit Breaker Industries Ltd (CBI) was created. CBI-electric: low voltage is fully owned by Reunert, which is listed on the JSE.
With an exciting background of ground breaking achievements, CBI-electric: low voltage has prospered for more than five decades to become a leader in the design, development and manufacture of Circuit Breakers, Residual Current Devices, Surge Protection, Wiring Accessories and Metering Products. CBI-electric: low voltage supplies products to supply authorities, utilities, original equipment manufacturers, commercial property developers and into industrial, mining, telecommunication and general power distribution applications. CBI-electric: low voltage is the appointed distributor of industrial control products for Mitsubishi Electric and Eaton for the South African market.
Over the past 10 years CBI-electric: low voltage has established itself as a supplier of specialised precision protection products in niche markets around the world. Based on the success of this strategy, the majority of our production output is exported.
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Shareholders
CBI-electric: low voltage is part of the CBI-electric Group which is owned by Reunert Limited. Reunert is a leading South African company listed on the JSE in the industrial goods and services (electronic and electrical equipment) sector. Reunert manages a number of businesses focused on electronics and electrical engineering and regularly ranks amongst the country’s top companies.
Reunert strives to achieve first or second place in its markets through its brands CBI-electric, Nashua and Reutech. The group’s telecommunication interest is through a 40 % stake in NSN.
Reunert promotes a decentralised management style. While operating decisions are made by the business units, the Reunert executive team defines and monitors long-term strategic plans and investment decisions. Significant capital allocation is approved by the Reunert board.
Reunert’s revenue in 2008 from local and international markets exceeded R10.9 billion. The group has over 7 000 employees, including many highly qualified and experienced engineers, technicians, research and development professionals and field support staff.
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Engineering and
Product Development
At CBI-electric: low voltage, we have made the commitment to continuously develop new technology and intellectual property. A substantial design and development capability has been established with approximately 4 % of total staff being employed in the R&D Department. They include professional engineers, technologists and technicians who have won many national design awards over the past two decades.
With access to the latest 3D modelling computer software, our engineers design the specialised tools required for the production of every individual component found in the electrical Circuit Breakers that we manufacture. Thus, from this early stage, CBI-electric: low voltage has the capability to design customised products, able to satisfy any of our customer’s individual needs.
CBI-electric: low voltage owns the intellectual property rights to all products manufactured by the company. We are a global leader in the development of electrical protection products based on hydraulic magnetic technology.
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Manufacturing
A single Circuit Breaker consists of over 200 individual manufactured parts and we have the manufacturing capabilities to produce over 25 million parts a month, all within very close specification.
Manufacturing is our core business and it’s our proficiency in this area that has allowed us to attain a majority market share in every region we operate.
CBI-electric: low voltage is a highly vertically integrated company, able to convert raw materials into finished products. All tooling required for the manufacturing of components are designed and manufactured in-house. We have one of the largest tooling design and manufacturing facilities in South Africa. All jigs, fixtures and test equipment required for the assembly and testing of our products are designed, manufactured and calibrated in-house.
To capitalise on competitive labour rates in the region, components are manufactured at our head office in Elandsfontein and transported to Lesotho where products are assembled in two facilities.
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Testing Facilities
CBI-electric: low voltage is able to rapidly design, develop and test customised prototype products. This ability, combined with the growing need to meet various international safety standards, has led CBI-electric: low voltage to establish a testing and research laboratory.
Our testing facilities, the only private testing facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, comprises of a control room, with two 10 kA and one 65 kA fully computerised test bay. Circuit Breakers up to 65 kA can be tested against local and international standards for overload, endurance and vibration, thereby reducing the time required to develop a product from inception to completion.
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The Product Range
Over the past 10 years, CBI-electric: low voltage has established itself as a supplier of specialised precision protection products in niche markets around the world. Based upon the success of this strategy, the majority of our manufactured output is exported.
The CBI-electric: low voltage product range consists of:
Circuit Breakers for Equipment
With ampere ratings ranging from a fraction of an ampere to thousands of amperes, these Circuit Breakers are available in industry standard styles. By using the hydraulic-magnetic principle, a large variety of tripping characteristics are available. Customised tripping characteristics can be supplied to suit a particular customer requirement.
Miniature Circuit Breakers
The Miniature Circuit Breaker range come in ampere ratings ranging from 5 A to 125 A. By using the hydraulic-magnetic principle, the company is able to offer these products with a large variety of tripping characteristics.
Moulded Case Circuit Breakers
CBI offers a full range of Moulded Case Circuit Breakers for the protection of installations and equipment against overload and short circuit conditions, suitable for industrial and power distribution applications. Moulded Case Circuit Breakers are offered up to a frame size of 1800 A.
Electronic Residual Current Devices
Being one of the leaders in this field, the
company offers advanced Electronic Residual Current Devices (RCDs) for use in residential
and industrial applications. These include RCD modules, which can be attached to Moulded Case Circuit Breakers.
Metering
CBI-electric: low voltage also manufactures state-of-the-art miniaturised electronic kWh Meters, which simply clip into Distribution Boards.
Besides being a world class local manufacturer, CBI-electric: low voltage is also a preferred local distributor for international suppliers. CBI is the authorised distributor for a number of the world’s leading technology manufacturers including Eaton and Mitsubishi.
Automation
CBI-electric: low voltage is the distributor of Mitsubishi Automation, Motor Control and Switchgear products for Sub-Saharan Africa. The product range includes Programmable Logic Controllers, Variable Speed Drives, Human Machine Interfaces, Servo Drives as well as Contactors and Relays.
These strategic global partnerships allow CBI-electric: low voltage to offer our customers the most extensive and comprehensive product range imaginable. The success of these partnerships relies on our ability to leverage these international brands through our knowledge of the local market.
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Quality
Internationally recognised quality standards ensure that our products meet the most demanding requirements. All operations within the company are certified to ISO 9001:2008.
Annually CBI-electric: low voltage invests substantially in the training of staff to ensure that quality systems are maintained and effectively implemented.
CBI-electric: low voltage products are mark-bearing and approvals are audited periodically by local and international standards authorities, such as the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), VDE, UL, CSA, CCC, CRCC, NSW and Ukr - Testing.
Our commitment to meeting and exceeding the most stringent of international quality and safety standards, combined with a relentless drive to continually develop new intellectual property, has also enabled us to make the leap from a local manufacturer to an international exporter of quality products.
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Distribution
Our vision is to distribute our products through a competent network that compliments the value chain. At CBI-electric: low voltage, we have strategically utilised our distribution network to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.
Our distribution network is designed to not only offer our customers easy access to our products but also to a full range of technical support services.
As the only local manufacturer of Circuit Breakers in South Africa, CBI-electric: low voltage is able to add value by empowering our customers through the transfer of skills and information. Through various training and certification initiatives, we ensure that local labourers and engineers are able to get the most out of our products.
These initiatives are just one of the many ways that we are fulfilling our vision of becoming your perfect partner in protection.
The CBI-electric: low voltage distribution network is expansive and ever growing. Over the past twenty years, CBI-electric: low voltage has expanded into a variety of markets throughout Africa, North America, Europe, the Far East and Australia.
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Corporate Responsibility and Training
Due to the immense skills shortage in the country, the need to invest in education has never been greater. Under the umbrella of the CBI-electric: low voltage College, we sponsor various education initiatives at secondary and tertiary levels in Technician Training Schemes, Apprentice Training and Commercial Advancement Training Schemes.
The CBI-electric: low voltage Concerned Business Initiative funds various South African projects to educate first time users of electricity and is also involved in small scale entrepreneurial support programmes targeted at previously disadvantaged communities. In addition, CBI-electric: low voltage provides jobs for people within this pool of transformed talent in order to fulfil the future needs of the company and our country.
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CBI-electric: low voltage and the Environment
CBI-electric: low voltage strives to achieve its goals in a manner compatible with the environment. It is inherent in the company’s manufacturing processes that very little environmental pollution is generated. Emissions of all types are carefully monitored and fall well within internationally acceptable norms. Scrap is either re-cycled or disposed of in a manner as to ensure that no harm is caused to the environment. Spent liquid chemicals are neutralised on site before being sent to local authorities for final treatment.
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Global Footprint
Through an international partnership with HEINEMANN ELECTRIC, the CBI-electric Group has established offices across the globe in the U.S.A., Australia and Germany.
Founded in 1888 in the U.S.A., HEINEMANN ELECTRIC was one of the pioneering companies in the rapidly growing business of installing industrial and residential wiring systems. HEINEMANN ELECTRIC Pty Ltd was established in Australia in 1959 and today known as CBI-electric: Australia is one of the largest Australian manufacturers and distributors of Circuit Breakers and Circuit Breaker Switchboards.
CBI Breakers, based in Exton, Pennsylvania, designs and manufactures Circuit Breakers for Equipment, Miniature Circuit Breakers, Moulded Case Circuit Breakers and Auxiliary products for the protection of installations and equipment against overload and short circuit.
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Contact Information
CBI-electric: low voltage Head Office
Postal Address
Private Bag 2016, Isando, South Africa,1600
Physical Address
CBI-electric: low voltage, Tripswitch Drive,
Elandsfontein, Gauteng
Telephone
+27 11 928 2000
Fax
+27 11 392 2354
Hotline
0860 BREAKR (273 257)
Email Address lowvoltage@cbi-electric.com
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CBI-electric: low voltage +27 11 928 2000