WESCO International : Best of the WESCO Blog 2020

This year, organizations across our industry adapted to stay up and running in an unprecedented working environment. While 2020 presented unique operational and safety challenges, we stayed focused on employee safety, business continuity, and continuous improvement.

From safety and security to lighting and smart technology, the WESCO Blog dives into timely topics that keep you informed of industry trends, new technologies, and innovative solutions to help your business stay safe, connected and productive.

Across multiple industries and topics, here are our top 14 articles of 2020.

What Is Ultraviolet Disinfection and How Can Your Facility Benefit?

As cities, counties, and states re-open amid the COVID-19 pandemic, facilities managers are being bombarded with information about ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. What is it, and how can it be used? This article provides guidance and can help you start to imagine how you can leverage UV disinfection to safely operate your facility.

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Avoid the Risk of Counterfeits and Unauthorized Vendors

From direct counterfeits and fake products to the dangers of buying genuine parts from unauthorized distributors, there are growing risks from criminal enterprises that have put time and energy into the gray market. When it comes to electrical products, replacing the part would be the easiest cost to pay, but an electrical incident can cause critical system downtime or serious injury.

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Thermal Monitoring: A First Line of Defense in the Age of COVID-19

As businesses, schools, governments, and communities look to safely reopen and resume some semblance of normal operations, the sheer volume of information and opinions available can overwhelm the senses. Thermography can provide an extra layer of security in a wide variety of environments and industries.

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The Case for Remote Maintenance in Manufacturing

In the highly competitive, fast-paced manufacturing marketplace of today, time is money. But while teams are minimizing in-person exposure, many have deferred to conference calls where they must verbally explain the issue, often causing delays or confusion. Managing maintenance problems digitally is critical in this era. In this article, we will cover methods to increase uptime and diagnose problems remotely.

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5 Steps for a Successful Turnaround Project

At one point or another, every facility will experience a turnaround. Typically, these issues are on a large scale and cannot be addressed while the plant is operational. Unexpected situations, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, can present an opportunity or even mandate for facilities to undergo a shutdown. Here's a five-step approach to optimize performance, improve safety, lower costs, and increase profit.

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Why You Should Add an LED Upgrade to Your Reopening Checklist

What steps can your business take to ensure a safe and successful re-opening? LED lighting, with its dramatic effects on employee experience, well-being, and even safety, can be a simple, cost-effective solution. From noticeably-improved aesthetics to efficiency, this article provides a list of potential gains from an LED retrofit project.

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The Traditional Mindset of Cost Savings Is Dead

Even today, 90 percent of procurement team's measure effectiveness by pure-play cost savings. To help optimize the supply chain for efficiencies, consider issuing multiple pairs of gloves to the foreman, which adds productivity to the extended value chain. The future of supply chain lies in redefining the first and last mile.

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Beyond Security: How Video Cameras Benefit Remote Learning and In-Classroom Education

Keeping children safe in schools is always top of mind in today's world. Beyond security, cameras can be valuable tools for enhancing and expanding educational opportunities for teachers and students, giving administrators good cause to look at incorporating high-definition cameras into their budgets.

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Maintaining a Safer Work Environment With Restoration Contractor Expertise

As businesses re-open offices, they're looking to do so as safely as possible so employees can have peace of mind when walking through the front doors. By leveraging restoration contractors, best practices, protocols, and procedures, your company can minimize exposure risks in the workplace.

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The Arc Flash Numbers You Need to Act On

By preparing a safety plan, utilizing proper PPE, and understanding the dangers of arc flash, your facility can reduce the risk of an electrical incident. An arc flash study can calculate the potential energy to model how severe an event would be. Are you confident with your arc flash preparation?

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Single-Mode Fiber Migration into Enterprise Data Communications Networks

Single-mode fiber's recent and growing migration across the enterprise and end-user networks has begun to replace multi-mode fiber more than ever before. This article discusses the how's and why's of this ongoing growth.

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Providing Safe and Compliant Power to Patient Care Spaces

To ensure safe and reliable electrical connections in patient care spaces, a standard, store-bought power strip is not sufficient. Health care facilities should use medical-grade power strips, often mounted to moveable pieces of equipment, such as a medical cart. This provides flexibility and an extra layer of safety.

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Facial Recognition Demystified: What It Is and What It Isn't

Many of us use facial recognition every day as a tool to unlock our cellphone or to tag photos. But the truth is that the use of facial recognition goes far beyond social media. From local police to border patrol agents, the technology assists law-enforcement in their duty to protect and serve. To differentiate the hype from reality, we cover what facial recognition is and deconstruct common myths.

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WESCO Expert Webinar Series

By partnering with electrical and technological experts, the WESCO Expert Webinar Series provides up-to-date information to help you stay at the top of your field. 2020 saw 12 new webinars added to our library with topics ranging from electrical safety to smart technology and industrial security to the internet of things (IoT).

View the on-demand webinar library.

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