As we prepare for 2023’s Awards, we take a look back at the highlights from last year. This month, editor Lisa Peake catches up with Therese McNaughten, at Ferret Tools, winner of ‘Trade Tool of the Year’ at Electrical Industry Awards 2022
Tell me about your role at Ferret Tools?
I am the co-founder and head of marketing and brand strategy for Ferret Tools globally. I manage the overall “look and feel of the Ferret brand” from concept to strategic execution and brand positioning globally. I have a talented brand team to support me with the strategic vision and direction of the brand for each new product. This includes coming up with the brand name, logo, design of packaging; dealing with sales collateral, merchandise, brand positioning, content messaging and channel partner management; writing press releases, articles, award submissions, web content, digital content, as well as driving the brand strategy for the company overall. I am also instrumental in recruiting the right talent to help grow the business globally.
How did you get into the world of tools?
Back in 2010, Andrew Wigney spoke with me about his Ferret idea. Andrew had the technical knowhow to build the product but needed help with the sales and marketing side of the business. The Ferret to me sounded like a fantastic product, with great potential. Even though I didn’t have a tool background, the synergy was there due to my in-depth knowledge and experience in sales and marketing, so I joined as a co-founder and built the Ferret brand team, giving the Ferret brand and product the look and feel it has today globally.
How did the idea for Ferret Plus come about?
Around 15 years ago, Andrew Wigney, co-founder of Ferret Tools, managed a data cabling business in Adelaide, Australia. Some of the team were working in a hotel, running internet cable, when a pilot hole was drilled and due to not seeing what was in the ceiling, it was drilled into a high pressure water pipe, which in turn created a very expensive water feature. Andrew knew then that there was a need for an inspection camera with far greater functionality that the regular borescopes that were on the market. Over the next five years the Ferret went from an idea to a commercialised product.
A Ferret is a small compact multipurpose wireless inspection camera and cable pulling tool that has a built in WiFi hot spot and is rechargeable, that allows the user to see and access dark, hard to reach spaces, and find and pull in cables easier, faster, and safer. You can attach the Ferret to a glow rod or fish stick and the Ferret slides easily into tight spaces, wall cavities, ceilings, under floors or anywhere access is hard to reach.
Tell me about Ferret Plus
The Ferret Plus is the ultimate in wireless inspection camera technology, boasting innovations in design, functionality, manoeuvrability, Wi-Fi connectivity and performance. The Ferret Plus features 8GB of built-in on-board memory, saves at 1080p to provide hours of recording even when out of WiFi range. View video from the on-board memory by transferring fi les wirelessly from camera to smartphone or via USB cable to your PC. It also features the first ever non-contact voltage detector that is not handheld. It keeps you safer and detects live cables from further away.
Manoeuvre the Ferret Plus next to a cable and the Ferret App provides both audio and visual alerts (Tested to CATIII 600V). It comes in a compact case with a variety of accessories to support user flexibility and functionality, – including the short rod, gooseneck and hook, to find, hook and pull in cable in half the time.
With a WiFi range of 15m and a selection of accessories, cabling and inspection jobs are completed more safely and efficiently. The free user-friendly Ferret App operates the camera from your smartphone.
What sets Ferret Plus apart from other products on the market?
The Ferret Plus’s design, technology, quality, innovative features, brand, and multipurpose use sets it apart. We created a new category in this inspection camera space, with our new range of wireless inspection cameras and cable pulling tools, and have now won 11 awards for innovation, excellence and contribution to the electrical and cabling industry globally.
Industry challenges including limitations using torches, phones, or borescope cameras are overcome by the cleverly designed features, and accessories packed into the compact Ferret Plus. The WiFi reach of Ferret Plus makes it ideal for high up inspections in unreachable locations such as ceilings and wall cavities. The unique shape allows the Ferret to “selfright” in a ceiling providing a more intuitive image. It’s almost impossible to get caught on beams or obstructions in ceilings or wall cavities.
You will always know you have a genuine Ferret product by its unique shape, brand functionality and for its multi awarded innovation. See the winning Ferret Plus model in action and visit Ferret Tools UK.
How did it feel to win in the Electrical Industry Awards ‘Trade Tool of the Year’ category?
Selected from a diverse range of products, the Ferret Tools team were extremely proud to be recognised for outstanding performance alongside the best and well-known brands in the industry with their entry – the Ferret Plus. This is the 4th award the Ferret Plus model has won for its innovation and contribution to the electrical and cabling industry, so the team were particularly honoured to hear they had won the “Trade Tool of the Year” category. To be considered the best and most innovative amongst your peers is truly an honour.
This sort of prestigious accolade cements the dedication, hard work and commitment we have to leading the way with continuous innovation in this wireless inspection camera technology for our customers. This is who we are doing this for and this is what it is all about. Our customers motivate us to constantly do better. We love hearing their feedback, so we always look forward to coming up with new innovation in smart inspection camera technology and adding new features to help them on the job, supporting an easier, faster, and fundamentally a safer work environment.
What would you say to other companies thinking about entering the awards?
Making a decision to enter your product into any award takes a lot of time, cost, energy and resources for a business however the benefits are many:
• Opportunity to showcase your new product
• Boost brand positioning
• Educate others on your product
• Product validation and industry recognition
• Raises your profile and brand
• Opportunity to interact and mix with industry leaders
• Recognises the efforts of the team
• Helps to attract and retain staff
• Helps with the company’s credibility
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