Gefen Becomes Part of Core Brands, Strengthening Portfolio of Solutions Offered to Growing Dealer Network

In a move designed to strengthen the synergies that already exist between the two organizations, Core Brands and Gefen today announced that, effective immediately, Gefen will join the Core Brands family of leading solutions offered to its growing network of residential and commercial integrators and installers.  The announcement was made by Core Brands President Joe Roberts and Gefen President Tony Dowzall. 

“As a leader in digital connectivity and innovator of A/V signal processing solutions for commercial and residential applications, Gefen is a natural addition to the existing portfolio of Core Brands solutions,” Roberts said today.  “Backed by an incredible heritage of groundbreaking practical innovation, Gefen provides intuitive connectivity products and solutions that bridge the gap between rapidly advancing technology and real-world applications. All of us at Core Brands look forward to collaborating with the Gefen team to become even stronger, well-rounded industry leaders. The incorporation of Gefen into the Core Brands family is going to expand the range of options we offer our customers and make it easier for them to transact more of their business through a single solutions provider.”

Amplifying these points, Dowzall stressed that Core Brands and Gefen have long enjoyed a close relationship as part of the same organizational structure inside Nortek. “Our two companies know each other well and complement one another in many important ways – both in terms of key industry verticals and common sales partners. This really is a perfect fit of philosophies, culture and values that are focused on a shared mission — delighting our customers with exceptional service and solutions.”

The integration of Gefen within Core Brands will also result in larger sales opportunities for many Gefen product lines, Dowzall emphasized. “In addition, because we will be part of a larger company with a greater amount of functional leverage, we will be better able to serve our customers at an even higher level.”

Panamax Wins 2015 Commercial Integrator BEST Award for Innovative SM3-Pro System Manager

Commercial Integrator magazine today announced that Panamax, the leader in electronic and electrical protection, filtration and control products, has been awarded a 2015 Commercial Integrator BEST Award for its SM3-PRO System Manager. The award was presented today at InfoComm 2015 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The Commercial Integrator BEST Awards program recognizes the most noteworthy solutions for an integration business. A panel of industry experts, integrators, and the editors of Commercial Integrator chose the winners by reviewing all aspects of the products submitted, including innovation, functionality, competitive advantages, and benefits to the installer. The SM3-PRO won the Commercial Integrator BEST Award in the Power Conditioning, Surge Suppression, & Energy Solutions category.

“Receiving a BEST Award from Commercial Integrator is truly an honor,” Core Brands Director of Power & Accessories, John Benz, stated. “Panamax strives to provide integrators with products that not only protect and monitor electronics, but also make their jobs easier and more efficient. The new SM3-PRO is the latest product fulfilling this goal. It does so in a form factor well suited for a variety of components in commercial installations that may be located at some distance from the main system rack, such as smart digital displays and networking hardware.”

The SM3-PRO, along with other Panamax Pro Products (the M4000-PRO, M4315-PRO, and M3420-PRO) is sold in parallel with Furman Pro products to commercial integrators. All Furman commercial dealers have access to Panamax Pro.

Measuring only 10” x 7” x 1.75”, this compact device is small enough to mount behind a flat panel display, next to a projector, or inside a structured wiring cabinet. Along with robust power protection and filtering, the SM3-PRO’s BlueBOLT interface gives integrators the ability to perform remote hard reboots, monitor energy usage and network status, program scheduled on/off commands to reduce energy consumption, and create custom triggers for on/off, reboots and alerts based on environmental conditions and sensor input.

The SM3-PRO features three AC outlets in two controlled and monitored banks. Connected equipment is safeguarded with Panamax’s exclusive Protect-or-Disconnect catastrophic surge protection and AVM over/under voltage protection. The 2-port Ethernet switch delivers easy network connectivity to neighboring devices. Two accessory inputs, allow triggering of power outlets on and off (as well as email alerts) for highly customizable and flexible integration applications.

BlueBOLT enables a comprehensive systems management solution with monitoring of energy use and network status. Users and integrators can set energy usage budgets and receive alerts when nearing or exceeding defined energy use parameters. BlueBOLT’s network management feature allows any IP address to be “pinged” by the SM3-PRO and action to be taken (power cycle, power sequence, email alert, etc.) to be triggered when a device is not responsive on the network or if network connectivity is lost at the location.

The SM3-PRO System Manager has a suggested retail price of $349.00, and will be a featured item in the Furman Booth #3843 at InfoComm 2015.

New Panamax Power360 Series Protects And Powers All Household Electronics, And Delivers Easy USB Charging

Consumers outfit our homes with more electronic devices than ever before, including expensive TVs, cable boxes, home theater systems, WiFi routers, computers, tablets and smartphones. And while we may not always think of it, every time we plug a device into an outlet there is the possibility of too much or too little power going to the device, and the last thing we want is a broken TV!

No one knows this better than Panamax, the country’s pre-eminent designer and manufacturer of electronic and electrical protection, filtration and control products. For almost 40 years Panamax has earned a reputation for creating unique solutions for the worldwide problem of power disturbances, has earned numerous industry awards for the quality of their products and is consistently rated #1 among custom installers.

Now the legendary Panamax protection is available to all in the new Power360 series. This affordably priced retail product line is designed to protect and charge all electronic devices.

Leading the way in the new Power360 Series is the Power360 Dock. This wall-mounted charging station delivers the Panamax “Circle of Protection” to connected devices while serving as a convenient USB charging station for smartphones and tablets. For just $39.95, the 360 Dock turns a normal power outlet into a serious power station with six surge-protected 120V outlets plus two 2 amp USB charger feeding two ports. The ingenious design also features two precision slots on top of the unit that allows consumers to rest a smartphone or tablet while charging, reducing clutter and eliminating anxiety about charging cables being too short.

And what is the Circle of Protection? Included in every product in the Power360 line, it provides consumers with three vital pieces of information in real-time, right on the front of the unit. The Protection indicator ensures that connected devices are protected from power surges. The Voltage indicator confirms that the Power360 product is operating correctly and delivering the right amount of power, and the Wiring indicator shows that the home’s wiring is performing safely.

The $59.95 Power360 SIX power strip is designed for computer desks and home theater setups, providing six side-by-side surge protected outlets, an integrated 2 amp USB charger with two ports, plus a coaxial in/out connection that protects the signal for the cable or satellite box. What makes this power strip stand out is the USB charger that can be extended to the tabletop with a micro USB cable, delivering ultimate flexibility that allows consumers to easily charge desktop devices without having to get on their hands and knees to plug them in. The SIX also features mounting holes so it can be fastened to a wall for convenience.

For larger workstations, or areas with a lot of devices, the $79.95 Power360 EIGHT combines eight surge-protected outlets with two detachable USB chargers, each with two ports for a total of four USB charging connections, plus the coaxial in/out for signal protection. It is shorter and wider than the SIX, and can similarly be mounted to a wall for convenience.

“With the introduction of the Panamax Power360 Series we really are bringing ‘power to the people,’” John Benz, Core Brands Director of Power emphasized today.  “Designed to look as good as they perform, and priced for retail, the Panamax Power360 Series will change the way consumers view protection and USB charging in their homes.  The era of poor performing, commodity power protection is over.”

For more information about the new Panamax Power360 Series, visit www.panamax.com/power360. 

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