Staying in and staying warm with TPI this winter!

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It’s winter in the USA, and let’s be real, we’re cold. Our toes are cold. Our ears are cold. Our fingers? Cold. And all this cold is stuffing up our noses. And our noses being stuffy? Reminds us of spring allergies.

Looking for a heater that will keep you warm, but also aren’t forced air blowing around dust, allergens, and dander? We think you’re looking for tried and true baseboard heating, and our friends from TPI have the perfect solution for you.

A product that they presented at AHR this year was a baseboard heater! With no need to run any additional HVAC Systems, this is a great way to control the temperature within those extra cold rooms where the central heating just doesn’t reach or rooms like your basement!

Product Features:

  • Available in white or ivory with stainless steel heating element and aluminum fins
  • Painted 22 gauge steel front with 20 gauge junction boxes located on each end of the heater – junction boxes contain quick connect cable clamps and 6” ground lead wires
  • Over-temperature thermal limit extends the entire length of heated area
  • A full-length wireway provided along the back of the heater – enclosed conduit available
  • Heater can be mounted to the wall by using the key hole knockouts every 4” at the back of the heater
  • Optional in-built thermostats field installed in the junction box

~Samantha

Partner Spotlight: ABB in the Green with Innovation

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First, we saw ABB cable ties as integral parts of NASA’s space program, even going as far as Mars. Now ABB is back with a new innovation—albeit on Earth, this time.

Recently, ABB partnered with the United Kingdom Power Networks to reduce their use of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6).  For those who don’t know (we definitely didn’t know at first) SF6 is the world’s most potent greenhouse gas.

In their 2030 Sustainability Strategy ABB showcased its commitment to assisting its customers and suppliers reduce emissions. This partnership will use a Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) that features AirPlus gas, which acts as an insulator between the electrical contacts with almost zero impact on the earth’s atmosphere.  The GIS will enable UK Power Networks to reduce the SF6 for 8.3 million homes and businesses in their network. ABB was one of the first companies to offer SF6 free switchgear solutions and it is a major player in the company’s sustainability efforts where they are attempting to transition to a completely SF6 Free portfolio.

Between their new GIS in the UK and cable ties on Mars, keep an eye out for what comes next from ABB!

ABB and UK Power Networks switch to a sustainable future with the world's first 36 kV double busbar AirPlus™ switchgear

Photo Courtesy of: ABB

Company News: Samantha Moore Joins Gordon!

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Gordon Electric Supply is excited to announce the addition of Samantha Moore to the Kankakee branch as the new Marketing Coordinator. She completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Digital Marketing at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, IL and brings a wealth of graphic design experience to her new role. Previously, she worked as a freelance marketing coordinator in the food and beverage processing industry.

“Samantha’s design and marketing skills are a wonderful asset to our marketing team, and her enthusiasm for the coordinator position is valuable to everyone working with her,” said Kristine Weller, Marketing Associate.

Outside of the office, Samantha is a devoted hockey fan, who enjoys spending time with her family.

You  can read about this exciting news in the recent post from tED magazine.

Bring on the Cold!!

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Winter in the Midwest can be brutal!! Temps can plug below zero which can make working outside a very big challenge.

Keeping your body warm is not hard, a coat, insulated pants and gloves can usually do the trick.

Keeping your face warm is the challenge! As always, our friends from Klein Tools have a very cool solution!

The Heat Exchanger Balaclava. Well, when I first saw the name, I had to ask myself “Self, (I knew it was me because I recognized the voice) what is a Balaclava?

A balaclava, also known as a balaclava helmet or Bally (UK slang) or ski mask, is a form of cloth headgear designed to expose only part of the face, usually the eyes and mouth.

Klein has incorporated technology of a heat exchanger that captures heat from each exhaled breath and brings the heat back to the body’s core, helping to prevent loss of body heat. Plus, if you’re a comic book geek, when you where it, you look BANE FROM Batman!!!

  •  Balaclava is made with high-performance 320g fleece for cold weather
  •  The technology of the heat exchanger captures heat from each exhaled breath and brings the heat back to the body’s core, helping to prevent loss of body heat
  •  Heat exchanger is removable for versatility and adjusts with hook and loop attachment for a form-fit
  •  Designed to be worn with safety goggles
  •  Built-in aluminum nose piece allows for snug fit every time
  •  Controls moisture to keep skin dry
  •  One size fits most
  •  Machine washable

~Woody

Sitting At The 2021 Popular Table

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We know there is still one more month of 2021, but we are hoping our top 5 blog posts of 2021 will help move the end of the year closer. We are ready for 2022!

Without further ado, here are the top 5 Gordon blog posts of 2021. These were the posts most read by you this year.

If you haven’t checked out any of the top 5 posts of 2021, the links above will take you to each post.

Lastly, we want to wish everyone a happy New Year and thank you for tolerating our puns this year! Bye Bye Bye to 2021

The Ideal Wire Pulling Solution

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One summer my family took a day trip to a certain amusement park in northern Illinois, and I brought a friend along with my siblings. During a long, hot wait in line for a roller coaster with my friend and middle sister, I saved a kid’s life–well, his leg.

A little boy across from us in the winding line somehow pushed his leg very far between two of the fence posts. The line started moving and his family is tugging the little boy’s leg to move him along, but that was not working and the boy was in pain. To this day, I don’t know what went through my head when I pulled my Chapstick out of my pocket, handed it to the family, and said, “here, use this to lubricate each side of his leg before removing it.”

The family looked at me oddly, but they did as I suggested and the little boy’s leg was freed from the fence. Then the family gave me back my Chapstick like I would still use it after it was on a kid’s knee.

Like that curious little boy, sometimes you need a little extra help to pull wire, which is where the 31-388 ClearGuide Lubricant from IDEAL comes in handy. It may not be a teenager with chapstick, but this quart bottle gets the job done!

  • Perfect for all electrical and datacom pulls
  • Also safe with all cable jackets
  • Easy to apply by hand, brush, or pump
  • Its exceptional lubricity creates a super fast pull
  • Plus it is an easy clean-up!
  • The clear and colorless lubricant has a polymer-based formula
  • controlled evaporation rate is great for shorter runs
  • Remains stable over wide temperature ranges–usable from 32°F to 180°F (-1°C to 82°C)
  • Dries to a semi-fluid film that won’t clog conduit
  • Non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive

With the 31-388 ClearGuide Lubricant you can also save the day!

~Kristine

Company News: Buddy Check 22 Core Value Award

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On Saturday October 9, representatives from Gordon Electric Supply awarded a $1,000 donation to the local chapter of the Buddy Check 22 organization at their sixth annual Veteran Suicide Awareness Golf Scramble held at the Oak Springs Golf Club in St. Anne.

The donation was part of a semi-annual company program that rewards a peer-nominated employee for their embodiment of the company’s core values:  reliability, compassion, teamwork, and resourcefulness. The winner chooses a charity to which Gordon Electric Supply will donate $1,000. The purpose for the Core Values Award, according to Gordon CEO Cara Gordon Potter, “is to recognize an employee’s exceptional contribution and reward them with the honor of supporting our community with a donation from Gordon to the nonprofit of their choice.”

The most recent employee honored with the Core Values Award is Nelson Gowler, Operations Manager at Gordon’s Kankakee branch, who was recognized by coworkers for his resourcefulness and reliability to find solutions and motivate his team. He chose Buddy Check 22 for their dedication to supporting local veterans’ mental health. “I want to get the word out that the men and women who served our country need our support in return,” Gowler noted, “and calling a veteran you know to check in with them” can have a positive impact on veteran suicide rates.

Pictured at the donation ceremony is Kelly Frey and Don Ball of Buddy Check 22 along with Nelson Gowler and Dan Korthauer representing Gordon. At the completion of the award presentation, a veteran ceremony preceded the team golf scramble that Nelson Gowler was among the participants.

**UPDATE** You can read about this in The Electrical Distributor and The Daily Journal.

~Kristine

You Light Up My Life

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(Thank you Keystone Lighting)

This was the title of an annoying song from 1977. For those of you that were not alive back in the 70’s, the top 40 radio station would play the top song every 15 minutes. This made sure it was embedded in your brain forever!

Well today we are talking about Keystone Lighting. They have a very versatile and inexpensive way to light up your life. (Or your parking lot, back yard, or any area you need lit up.)

The KT-FLED100-R1A-UNV-8CSB-VDIM is a Compact 100W General-Purpose LED Flood Light.

Product Features:

  • Uniform, wide flood design (NEMA 7h × 7w distribution pattern)
  • Heavy-duty, die cast aluminum housing featuring built-in glare visor and tempered glass lens
  • Powered by Keystone 0–10V dimming LED drivers
  • Keystone Color Select Technology: Adjustable CCT (3000K, 4000K, or 5000K)
  • Built-in dusk-to-dawn photocell behind translucent 3/4” threaded plug with anti-yellowing agent
  • Heavy-duty slip fitter mount and trunnion mount options included
  • Ambient operating temperature: ?20ºC/?4ºF to 45ºC/113ºF
  • UL listed for wet locations, IP65
  • 0–10V dimming, 10% min • Power Factor: >0.95
  • THD: 100,000 hours @ 25ºC/77ºF ambient fixture temp
  • Meets FCC Part 15, Part B, Class A standards for conducted and radiated emissions

This also comes in a 75 watt. Whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong!

~Woody

The Tribe Has Spoken: This Downlight Kit Will NOT Be Voted Off the Island

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Have you ever noticed that in the early seasons of the television show, Survivor, the winners often were able to fit in with all of the factions and adjust their personality to stay in the game? Now, the later seasons are full of gimmicks that the worry of the contestants surviving extreme conditions is no longer a concern. There is the beauty versus brawn season and the battle of the genders, but as a viewer I don’t feel as worried about their survival as those first four seasons.

So, if the networked hired me to produce a Survivor-styled show for our industry, I would make sure the Sylvania 79751 LED recessed downlight was a contestant. It would be the contestant who knew how to make alliances with everyone else! Seriously, it is versatile enough for a range of applications like healthcare, hospitality, office, property management, residential, retail, and even durable for dry, damp, or wet locations. It has something to offer everyone on the island.

Its versatility is only one of its benefits, though. Check out what else the Sylvania 79751 LED recessed downlight can offer the tribe:

  • RT5/6 16 Watt LED Lamp Type with 5 or 6 Inch Nominal Aperture Size (Round aperture shape)
  • Airtight, Ultra LED Brand with initial intensity of 1200 Lumen
  • 3000 K color temperature & color rendering index 90
  • Beam angle is 80 degrees with an efficacy of 75 Lumen per Watt
  • RoHS Compliant and has FCC approval
  • It is lead-free and can replace up to 100W Incandescent

Hopefully my reality show pitch is picked up by a network, but until then keep this downlight kit in mind if you are trying out for Survivor.

~Kristine

Company News: Moving On Up!

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We are excited to announce the promotion of four Gordon team members this summer.

Rodney Ponton

Rodney Ponton has been promoted to Inside Sales Representative. Rodney began working at Gordon in 2019 as a part-time warehouse associate while attending Governor’s State University for a bachelor’s degree in computer science, which he completed this spring.

“Rodney will be a great addition to the team. I am really excited to see Rodney grow in his new role. He is smart, caring, and enthusiastic,” said Nelson Gowler, Operations Manager. These traits and his prior experience are a key asset to the inside sales team, who work directly with customers, fulfilling orders and forming relationships with daily customers.

You can read The Daily Journal news brief about Rodney’s promotion here.

Ernie Martin

Ernie Martin has been promoted to the Returns and Purchasing Coordinator position at Gordon Electric Supply. He will be working with the purchasing and warehouse teams to manage inventory accuracy and coordinating returns.

Previously, Ernie worked as a warehouse associate at the Kankakee branch where he helped ship and receive orders. His familiarity and experience with inventory management “should make for a smooth transition,” said Kim Boswell, Purchasing Manager at Gordon, adding that “Ernie’s promotion to the purchasing department is a natural fit and we’re very excited for him to join our team.”

News of Ernie’s promotion is featured in tED Magazine’s newsletter and website here.

Rob Burgess

Rob Burgess has been promoted to Team Leader of Web Order Management for Gordon Electric Supply. He began working at Gordon in 2016 as an eCommerce Sales Representative, bringing years of previous customer service experience.

In the past few years, Rob started leading the training of new web team members. These leadership and mentoring abilities will be key assets in his new role, which will include monitoring order processing productivity to ensure all orders meet established deadlines, developing and modifying procedures to improve efficiency and accuracy, and training team members to guarantee consistency of service.

“I’m excited for this new chapter in my career and eagerly await the challenge,” said Burgess, adding that he is “grateful to work for such a supportive company that has given me every opportunity to succeed.”

News of Rob’s promotion is featured in tED Magazine’s newsletter and website here.

Justin Routson

Justin Routson has been promoted to the position of Receiving Specialist. With seven years of experience and knowledge of Gordon logistics, Justin will be a vital resource for the sales and warehouse teams.

His hard work and positive attitude have made him a valuable part of the Gordon family through the years, according to Dave Brza, Warehouse Manager. Justin has often helped with the training of new warehouse associates and is familiar with the procedures for shipping and receiving as well as proficient moving stock with the forklift.

Gordon Electric Supply, a distributor of electrical and lighting supplies, is located at 1290 N. Hobbie Avenue in Kankakee. For more information, call 815-936-4700 or visit www.gordonelectricsupply.com.