As C-TEC celebrates its historic birthday in 2021, we take a look at how the company has adapted over the past few decades to meet the challenges presented by an ever-evolving market. What is the common thread connecting The Verve, Heinz baked beans, and C-TEC critical life safety systems manufacturer? A commitment to excellence perhaps? What about a reputation for delivering high-quality presentations that are often copied but rarely matched? Well, that depends on what you think of The Verve and the baked beans, in all honesty! In fact, all three are related to each other through the same place of birth. Located in the picturesque and historic county of Lancashire, Wigan is a city that prides itself on its industrial past and the resulting exports. A key element in the northern constellation of cities and towns that formed the backbone of British industry in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Wigan’s position as a center for coal and textile production is something that is still visible today through its still existing red-brick mills and mills. stands up. This isn’t just limited to heavy industry, as the city historically stands as a world leader in food production, something that remains true today with 76% of the world’s 25 largest food companies based in the town. And how can you talk about Wigan and not mention pancakes? While the city looks fondly on its past and current successes, there is also reason to be optimistic about the future. This is due to one of Wigan’s most enduring success stories – that of C-TEC, which celebrates its 40th birthday this year. As one of the largest manufacturers of life safety systems in the UK, C-TEC prides itself on a range of high quality products that include conventional addressable fire alarm systems, disabled shelter systems, communication systems and hearing loop systems. A 40-year presence in an industry is certainly not an easy thing to achieve, and the reasons for C-TEC’s enduring success are varied and manifold. However, there is one reason that is difficult to pinpoint, but which is very important to any company, and that is the soul or spirit. C-TEC supports a culture of investing in people and this finds its way into every aspect of the business. Although the company has grown exponentially in the past four decades, with millions of customers in more than 70 countries around the world, C-TEC upholds the same spirit and operating philosophy that a family business can. By focusing on investing in people and taking care of its customers, it has managed to retain its unique charm and reputation for customer care, despite impressive growth. Quality in Abundance While C-TEC’s ethos undoubtedly plays an important role in its success and reputation, the most important aspect of any life safety equipment manufacturer is a commitment to quality. When we talk about equipment designed to save lives and prevent injury, there should be no attempts to cut back on quality, and C-TEC clearly puts this at the top of its list of priorities. This is reflected in the company’s obtaining third-party product certifications and plant process approvals from multiple certification bodies including LPCB, VdS, BSI, Intertek and Kiwa Telefication. In addition to being ISO 9001 certified, C-TEC is a founding member of the Fire Industry Association, the Fire Protection Association, the Institute of Audio, Communication and Visual Engineers, and the International Association of Hearing Ring Manufacturers. C-TEC not only invests heavily in people, but also in manufacturing, testing, and research and development. With the latest technology at our dedicated R&D facility in Mawdesley, Lancashire, our 20-strong R&D team benefits from a custom-designed electromagnetic testing laboratory, semi-anechoic test chamber and state-of-the-art – a state-of-the-art light test lab. This results in quality design and production by a proud British manufacturer, able to innovate quickly to meet market demands. It has also helped elevate C-TEC’s position from its original market position as a component supplier, to its position as a complete systems manufacturer. With all of the company’s control panels, detectors and alarms designed and manufactured in the UK’s most modern manufacturing facility, installers can be confident that each individual component will integrate flawlessly to create perfectly functioning systems – from a simple one. Out, it’s all down to advanced networked, multi-panel systems. The recently introduced CAST System (CAST for C-TEC Address System Technology), Residential Hush System and EVAC-ALERT Evacuation Alert System are all great examples of this. Training gains there Another case of ethos that still serves C-TEC well is the amount of free training it offers professionals in the field.Product ‘hands-on’ training is offered to installers at C-TEC’s Wigan headquarters and elsewhere in the UK, and while proven Personal Training While it’s a challenge during the pandemic, it hasn’t stopped installers from accessing CPD-certified webinars, free shipping Webinars – run via Zoom – are designed to raise awareness of life safety systems Educational seminars cover commercial fire alarm systems home, evacuation alert systems, visual alarms, handicapped shelter systems, and educational seminars are open to all.The seminars feature a question-and-answer session at the end as well, allowing installers to get first-hand answers to any pressing questions they may have.Support AWARD WINNING TECHNICAL C-TEC’s technical support doesn’t just end there, first-class technical support is offered to customers around the clock. Industry-trained technical support staff are available during normal business hours to guide customers with any support they may need, but should an installer need assistance outside of business hours, C-TEC boasts a range of instruction manuals, sales literature, approval certificates, help videos and downloads Images, CAD and BIM drawings, advisor specifications and application notes via the Support Hub available on the C-TEC website for free. It’s no surprise that today C-TEC is a one-stop shop for all things life safety equipment – the reputation it has truly earned since its inception. With a major trend toward British manufacturing likely in the next few years, there really isn’t much that could be the limit for the Wigan-based manufacturer. One thing is for sure, however, that C-TEC will go on to prove the old saying that life really begins at age 40! Find out more about C-TEC and its range of products by clicking here
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