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Message from the CEO
 
Fromm News
Have You Seen Us On TV?
 
The Fromm Logo is Everywhere!
 
From Our Departments
 
- Commercial Solutions
 
- Industrial Solutions
 
- Residential Solutions
 
- Energy Solutions
 
Upcoming Activities
 
- 4th Quarter 2011 Trainings
 
- 2011 Trainings Calendar
 
- 4th Quarter 2011 Events
 
- 2011 Events Calendar
 
Industry News
Sylvania's Rare Earth Phosphor Crisis
 
Presenting Your Estimate
 
Hanging by a Thread
 
Control System
Platforms Unplugged
 
LED History 101
 
Top 25 Revisions to the 2011 Edition of the NEC
 
Product Spotlight
The GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater by GE
 
Check Out Lutron's
Energi Tripak
 
Rockwell's NEMA CENTERLINE 2100 MCC with EtherNet/IP
 
SIEMENS SIMATIC HMI, The Leading Human Machine Interface Solution
 
This Quarter's
Lesser-Known Holidays
 
What People are
Saying About Fromm
 
 
FUN & GAMES
 
Fromm Libs #1
Like Mad Libs, but Frommier!
 
Power Line Word Search #1
Fill out and return this word search for your chance to win a t-shirt!
 
 
     
  Fromm Power Line Goes Digital!  
   
     
 
Michael Fromm, CEO
  Welcome to the first electronic issue of the Fromm Power Line.

Over the years (since 1997, in fact) we have published the Power Line in tabloid format; providing important information on trends in the electrical industry, announcing new product and service offerings and delivering valuable technical advice from our talented in-house professionals. From time to time, we have even shared some success stories that made us proud as well as anecdotes that made us laugh.

In its new digital format, the Power Line will help us communicate more efficiently with our customers, co-workers and other key stakeholders.

We hope you enjoy it. Feel free to let me know what you think.

Contact Michael

 
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  Fromm News  
     
 
  Have You Seen Us On TV?
   
 
Click the image above to see one of our commercials.
 
This commercial talks about our Energy Audit contest.
  Some of you have seen us on TV, some haven’t. So, here’s the cool news...

In cooperation with Lutron, we have embarked on a twelve month TV & web campaign on WBRE (NBC), WYOU (CBS) and pahomepage.com (look under the PA Professionals tab). Their coverage area includes much of northeastern PA, out towards the Bloomsburg area, north & western Berks County (extending into Dauphin), Schuylkill County and parts of the Lehigh Valley.

So, don't be surprised if the next time you turn on the TV, you see the Fromm logo!

     
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  The Fromm Logo is Everywhere!
   
 
Her kitchen may be driving her crazy, but her appliances, bought through Fromm, certainly aren't.
  The Fromm logo keeps popping up in unexpected places. Aside from our recent TV spots (see above), check out this video. Do you recognize the logo on the notepad stuck on the fridge?

This video, created by the Polak family of Philadelphia, surfaced on hgtv.com, in an attempt to get their kitchen remodeled for free. If you have a moment, why not help them out and leave a comment on their submission?

If you've seen the Fromm logo somewhere unexpected, tell us about it.

We'd love to hear from you!

     
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  Industry News  
     
 
  Rare Earth Phosphor Crisis
 
   
 

Rare earth metals are vital to the manufacturing of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, as they are a crucial component of the light-producing tri-phosphors inside the lamps.

The rare earth phosphor crisis is an issue facing every fluorescent lamp manufacturer and will have an impact on pricing throughout the world.


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  Presenting Your Estimate
 
   
  This article is for all the junior and associate estimators out there whose estimating clocks have run out. Your time is up. Addendum 7 isn’t coming, and that bid extension is not going to happen. It’s time to wrap everything up, finished or not, into an organized portfolio of solid facts, accurate figures and other critical information for presentation to your boss. It’s time to face the fire.


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  Hanging by a Thread
 
   
  Article 410, covering luminaires, and Article 411, covering low-voltage lighting systems at 30V or less, are the two primary lighting installation articles in the NEC pertaining to a new technology that uses low-voltage lighting power distribution at 30V or less where the suspended ceiling grid is a lighting power distribution system.


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  Control System Platforms Unplugged
 
   
  Do your customers prefer a traditional or converged approach to their building automation infrastructure? Does your toolkit include an understanding of standards-based wireless platforms? Is interoperability a growing part of your vocabulary? In a sensor-driven, digitally connected world, answers to these and similar questions will define an electrical contractor’s (EC) assets in the commercial building controls arena.


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  LED History 101
 
   
  "LED" is often used in casual converstion, and most people think they know what these initials stand for. Actally, most people don’t.

So, the critical and practical question is: what do electrical contractors really need to know about the history and development of LED technology in dealing with their customers?

Remember the adage that if somebody asks you what time it is, you shouldn’t tell him how to build a watch. So let’s try to keep it simple.


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  Top 25 Revisions to the 2011 Edition of the NEC
 
   
  It's no secret that many electrical professionals have a love/hate relationship with the National Electrical Code (NEC). The good news is it's revised on a three-year cycle. The bad news is that three years pass all too quickly. Just when you think you've got a firm grip on the last set of revisions, a new comprehensive set of changes comes rolling at you.

So find a quiet place, dive into this article, and take all the time you need to absorb the top 25 most significant new articles, sections, exceptions, and fine print notes in the 2011 NEC. When you're finished, you'll undoubtedly feel one step ahead of the game.



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  Product Spotlight  
     
 
 
The GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater by GE
     
 
Here’s just a bit of what the GeoSpring has to offer:
  • Savings: The GeoSpring costs less to operate, saving you $320 every year! Over the course of 10 years, you could save $3200 in operating costs by installing a GeoSpring versus a standard electric.
     
  • Incentives & Rebates: The GeoSpring qualifies for a $300 federal tax credit in 2011 and many state or utility rebates in almost 30 states.
     
  • Convenience: The GeoSpring provides the same amount of hot water as a traditional standard 50 gallon hot water heater and it installs easily too!
 
 
More From GE
     
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Check Out Lutron's Energi Tripak
     
 
Energi TriPak™ is a control system for single spaces such as classrooms, private offices and conference rooms. Energi TriPak includes wireless occupancy/vacancy and daylight sensors, wireless personal controls and load controllers. Together, these devices sense, adjust and conserve.

There are several load controller options that all work with Pico® wireless controls and Radio Powr Savr™ sensors to enhance energy savings and the usability of a space. The wireless technology of these devices allows for simple installation in new construction or retrofit applications.

 
 
More From Lutron
     
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Rockwell's NEMA CENTERLINE 2100 MCC
with EtherNet/IP
     
 
IntelliCENTER® technology enhances the intelligence of your CENTERLINE® MCC using a built-in pre-configured and tested network, integrated hardware and software.

It helps reduce installation time with its plug-and-play setup and can help minimize facility downtime by quickly providing intelligent diagnostic and predictive failure information.

With system-wide communications, you get diagnostic information for predictive maintenance, process monitoring and can see warnings before potential faults occur.

Fromm offers Rockwell Automation products to its Pottstown, Reading and Schuylkill Haven branches.

 
 
More From Rockwell
     
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SIEMENS SIMATIC HMI, The Leading Human Machine Interface Solution
     
 
With SIMATIC HMI, SIEMENS offer a complete, integrated Human Machine Interface suite that includes best-in-class products and systems for all HMI tasks. Their systems range includes operating devices and visualization software for machine-level HMI as well as the SCADA system, which can be used for a broad range of process visualization requirements.

As your single-source provider, SIEMENS’ human machine interface technology, SIMATIC HMI is engineered to meet the increasingly complex processes of your machines and systems. SIMATIC HMI is optimized to meet your specific human machine interface needs, using open and standardized interfaces in hardware and software, which allow efficient integration into your automation systems.

Fromm offers SIEMENS Automation & Control products to its Allentown, Honesdale, Scranton, and Souderton branches.

 
 
More From SIEMENS
     
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  This Quarter's Lesser-Known Holidays  
     
 
1) October 13th is supposedly International Skeptics Day, but we aren't so sure about that.
   
2) We don't recommend it, but November 24th is Use Even If Seal Is Broken Day.
   
3) December 30th is the Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute. (subject to change)
 
     
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  What People are Saying About Fromm  
     
  "We were looking at saving money on our electric bill for our plant and warehouse areas. Dan Knouse, our Fromm Sales Rep, came in and offered to do a lighting retrofit proposal from our 400w metal halide and HPS fixtures to a T5 solution, utilizing occupancy sensors. He came back with Marianne Seasholtz, Fromm Lighting Specialist, and did a complete walk through and presented us with a proposal including return on investment information and light level improvements.

After completion of the project we noticed a significant decrease in our electric bill. We are extremely happy with the improvement in light levels, in some cases doubling the levels while using less energy. The occupancy sensors were also extremely helpful in reducing our energy usage. The increased light levels are definitely helpful in maintaining a safe workplace. Also, employees can pick and ship material faster with increased lighting.

Dan and Marianne did a great job in presenting us with this solution and we could not be more pleased with the end result."

-Barry Avate, The Phoenix Forge Group

 
     
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  "Boscov’s re-lamped the vestibule chandelier in our Steamtown Store main entrance.

Our entrance chandelier is very large and reaches over 45 feet above the floor. It requires disassembly before re-lamping can be accomplished. Scaffolding to reach the top is very time consuming and expensive. By re-lamping with the Sylvania CF5ELA15DIMBL a 20,000 hour lamp will increase the time between lamp changes to at least 10 years.

Fromm and Cyndi Philips from Sylvania were very helpful in finding a solution which accomplished our goals."

- Ben Bowers, Boscov's Department Store, LLC

 
     
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