ISKRA MAGAZINE

ISKRA’S FOCUS – ENERGY AND POWER QUALITY

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

ISKRA’S BEST PRACTICES(CASE STUDIES AND

REFERENCES)

ISKRA DIALOGUE (COMPANY DIGITALIZATION, TRADE FAIRS,

EVENTS AND NEWS)

I N D U STR I A L SO LUTI O N S FO R TH E FUTU R E

7 1 2 1 5

1 ST I S S U E

ISKRA PRESENT AND FUTURE.Iskra of tomorrow would represent a globally well-established supplier that would dictate the most sophisticated technological trends and new business models.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E2 1 ST I S S U E

CONTENT

Iskra News is a magazine for energy and electronics manufacturing professionals. Prepared, printed and read by key decision makers throughout the industry.

We are reaching an audience of more than 10,000 people and cover all areas of engineering and technology including energy, telecommunication and traffic sectors, electrotechnical components and efficient installations. We will present products and solution updates, industry news and innovation announcements.

The content is available in print and online. Concept and design Arih Dinamik.

I N D U STR I A L SO LUTI O N S FO R TH E FUTU R E

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

A WO R D F RO M TH E M A N AG E M E NT Introduction from President of the Board - Dušan Šešok 03

0 6

I S K RA U N I TS I N FOC U S We want to bring you in depth stories about Iskra’s people and their vision. In this issue we present you the Metering Instruments Business Unit and its head of Iskra’s research center Dr. Matjaž Verderber.

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I S K RA’ S STRAT EG I C M I L E STO N ES The strength of the company Iskra lies not only in its products and technology, but also in the company’s history, written by inventors, workers and brilliant engineers. Read about the facts that define us.

1 2

S M A RT T EC H N O LOG I ES CAS E STU DY. We are proud to have thousands of satisfied customers all around the world. In this article you can find a selection of our latest and biggest challenges.

1 4I S K RA D I G ITA L Digitization is becoming the center of our activities in all areas.

1 5

I S K RA D I A LOG U E Trade fairs, conferences, business events are more than just a marketing tool, it is an opportunity to improve the business process.

07I S K RA’ S E XP E RTI S E : E N E RGY A N D POW E R Q UA L ITY M A N AG E M E NT SO LUTI O N S

ENERGY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONIskra has had decades long tradition of manufacturing a wide range of electrical measuring instruments for placing into LV (low voltage) and MV (middle voltage) installations. Our products can be found in all continents of the globe and usually represent the crucial building block of monitoring or automation systems in various industries. With the increased need for complete system solutions in this area, specialists at Iskra have developed several new system solutions addressing issues such as energy management, power quality management, feeder protection control, traffic supervision systems and many more.

SMART CITY SOLUTIONSOne of Iskra’s biggest projects in recent years was the Markovec tunnel. It is a twin-tube tunnel on highway H6 from Koper towards Izola, which relieves the coastal road of transit traffic. There are more than 20,000 signals and information points. Iskra’s work included the following: electrical and mechanical equipment and installation in the tunnel, security and management systems for the tunnel, equipment for data transmission, including audio and video data, tunnel control system, software update in the regional control center Kozina and general construction and artisanal works

DIGITALIZATION In the initial phase of digitization, Iskra group targeted the optimization of the business processes, their connectivity, simplification and transparency. Digitization is becoming the center of our activities in all areas, not only in the development processes of new products, production processes, managing relations with customers and suppliers, but also in the field of managing relations with employees. It is the introduction of intelligent technologies that can enhance both the operating results and the development of sustainable innovations and business practices.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 31 ST I S S U E

The year 2016 was for Iskra, elektro in elektron-ska industrija, d.d. particularly important as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. The origins of the company’s operation in fact date back to 1946 when the then government created a composite organiza-tion of associated labor Iskra, to work in the field of electrical engineering and mechanics. In those times the most development-oriented organization was uniting professionals, adopting the latest trends from Europe and incorporating them in all areas of Iskra - marketing, production, technology. In this (we could say long period), the company has expe-rienced ups and downs. And from one as from the other it was possible to learn, create and innovate something.

Understandably we cannot compare today’s Iskra to its predecessor. We must not forget and we should

be proud that in those times programs were devel-oped, which are important not only for Iskra, but also for the wider community. On these programs is also founded today’s generation of Iskra - Iskra, elektro in elektronska industrija, d.d.

Today’s generation of Iskra became 2016 a global provider of electrotechnical products and industrial solutions. We are the largest national company in the field of process automation, communication and safety systems for power distribution, transmission and networking, powerline communications, au-tomation of railway and road traffic and software solutions in the field of energy. Our product range is wide. It is divided in the following groups: power electronic capacitors, switchgear, electrical measur-ing instruments, batteries, antennas, cores and po-tentiometers.

We are constantly looking for new challenges and opportunities in the field of new product develop-ment as well as in the field of customer relation-ship management. The company has an important focus on the promotion and management of in-novations as well as shortening the development time of new products. The driving force, which our company is constantly pursuing is the aware-ness and importance of knowledge and creativity. The electrotechnical industry is no exception when it comes to the demand for technologically innova-tive products. The tempo of creating innovations is fast and mostly set by the market conditions and the research achievements. We are trying to identify the customers’ needs, to focus on key customers and together with them develop a successful and long-term cooperation. At the same time we are adapting business models, are establishing new partnerships and are upgrading the valued existing partnerships. Every step counts. It is like a piece in the mosaic of achieving our goals.

I wish that Iskra of tomorrow would represent glob-ally well-established supplier that would dictate the most sophisticated technological trends and new business models. At the same time, I wish that Iskra would continuously work toward sustainable devel-opment as its predecessors have, and that it could contribute to better lifestyle and high quality of liv-ing of its employees and wider society.

I invite you to read the following contributions of our colleagues about the most important achieve-

ments of Iskra’s present generation. You will recog-nize results, direction, will and determination.

COMMITMENT TO GOALS, DESIRE TO SUCCEED AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

Iskra of tomorrow would represent a globally well-established supplier that would dictate the most sophisticated technological trends and new business models. At the same time, Iskra would continuously work toward a sustainable development as its predecessors have, and contribute to

a better lifestyle and to a higher life quality for its employees and the wider society.

D U ŠA N Š E Š O KP R ES I D E NT O F TH E BOA R D

We are constantly looking for new challenges and opportunities in the field of new product development as well as in the field of customer relationship management. Iskra’s focus is on the management of innovations as well as on shortening the development time of new products. The driving force is the awareness and importance of knowledge and creativity.

We are the largest national company in the field of process automation, communication and safety systems for power distribution, transmission and networking, powerline communications, automation of railway and road traffic and software solutions in the field of energy.

Dear colleagues, Dear partners,

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E4 1 ST I S S U E

FACTS, THAT DEFINE USThe strength of the company Iskra lies not only in its products and technology, but also

in the company’s history, written by inventors, workers and brilliant engineers. Today Iskra Company is present in more than 80 countries with a global sales

network, it is the regional leading manufacturer of industrial solutions and cutting edge electrotechnical products.

PRODUCTIONPLANTS

KRANJ, SEMIČ, OTOČE, ŠENTVID PRI STIČNI, GLINEK, LJUBLJANA,

LAKTAŠI(BIH)

7

1127

R&DEMPLOYEES

EMPLOYEES

81

CERTIFICATESCE, VDE, UL, NF, SEMKO, CRS, GOST, LLOYDS, CQC, CSA, ATEX QAN, IECEX,

STANDARDSISO 9001:2015ISO 14001:2015

LABORATORY FOR CALIBRATION

IN OTOČE (ACCORDING TO IEC

17025:2005 STANDARD)

1

1946

YEARS OF TRADITION

FOUNDED IN

70

4 R&D DEPARTMENTS- LOW VOLTGE SWITCHGEAR IN KRANJ - CAPACITORS IN SEMIČ- MEASURING INSTRUMENTS IN OTOČE- SYSTEM SOLUTIONS IN LJUBLJANA

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 51 ST I S S U E

BUSINESS RESULTS THAT ISKRA HAS ACHIEVED,

HAVE ITS ROOTS IN ISKRA’S STRATEGIC VALUES

Our strength is not only in our ideas. Our strength is not only in our ability to make these ideas come to life. Our unique strength lies in our ability to take what some say can’t be

done and make it the new standard. Iskra standard.Our standards and values help us to strengthen personal

involvement and alignment, inspire us to action and shape our organizational culture.

ISKRA’S STRATEGIC

MILESTONES

March 1946: Iskra has been founded. The Iskra brand was one of the first brands registered in Europe.

1947: First switchgear was developed.1956-1958: First FM & TV antennas was developed.1959: First Contactor was developed.1964: First system solutions were developed. Iskra started as a provider of system solutions for the railroad sector.1970: Iskra became the biggest company in the region in the field of electrical engineering and

automatization. It had 35.000 employees.1984: Iskra’s capacitors first offered to market X and Y capacitors to reduce RFM with impregnated metallized polypropylene dielectric.1988: First cable system in Ljubljana city was developed.1992: Motor protection switch MS25 was developed1996: The first measuring center (Center Measuring MI 7120) was developed in digital technology.2006: Measuring centers MC700. The first family of network quality analyzers with USB communication were developed according to EN 50160 standard.2011: New 32 A installation contactors were developed (appropriate for electric car chargers).2012: MiSmart - information system for collecting data from measuring instruments with a database and a web application for data analysis was developed.2013: The first network measurement analyzer with certified class A standard EN61000-4-30 was developed.2015: Bistable switch BICOM. The first family of bistable switches with PLC and Modbus communication for remote control of loads was developed.2016: Residual current circuit breaker F and B type were developed for residential use.2016: Measuring center iMC784. Class A high-performance network analyzer with color

display, waveform and transient oscillography recording was developed. 2017: New residual current circuit breaker BFI up to 125 A, 2-pole and 4-pole, type A, K(G), S, F and B-type.

ISKRA’S VALUES

OURVISION

1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION. Meeting and anticipating the market and customer needs through the product development to ensure efficient business environment.2. STRONG TEAM AND PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT. We have an amazing team and our primary task is to create an environment for their realization and professional growth. 3. PERSONAL APPROACH AND FLEXIBILITY4. QUALITY POLICY. For decades we have solid reputation due to our strict quality policy and focus on developing high quality, reliable and intelligent products.5. Sustainable Development. Environmental, social and business responsibilities.

We will remain a recognized provider of turn-key solutions, services and high added value products in the fields of energy, installation components, efficient installations, traffic, telecommunications and security, supply and management. We will provide our customers with high quality and innovative products, solutions and services which will facilitate their work, optimize their business, minimize their costs and maximize their productivity. Our main attention will be paid to maximal flexibility and responsiveness to the market conditions. Highly qualified and motivated staff will adjust our solutions and products to the market demands as quickly as possible.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E6 1 ST I S S U E

We introduce you to Iskra’s units and its teams. We want to bring you in depth stories about Iskra’s peo-ple and their vision. In this issue we present you the Metering Instru-ments Business Unit and its head of Iskra’s research center Dr. Matjaž Verderber.Iskra’s Metering Instruments Busi-ness Unit portfolio includes products and solutions that are used for the measurement of power consump-tion, the monitoring of its quality and the effective management of a variety of energy sources (electrici-ty, water, gas). Our portfolio is rep-resented by measurement centers, measuring converters, communica-tion interfaces, software solutions for energy management and pro-tection systems. Our target custom-ers are thus divided into three main segments: distributers of electricity, households and industry, for which our company aggressively targets new areas such as renewable energy, smart grids, house automation and advanced installations. Iskra’s Metering Instruments Busi-ness unit is faced today with rapid-ly changing market expectations, which demands from us continuous improvement of our products and solutions. Expectations are currently focused on improving the measure-ment algorithms, data processing, integrative characteristics of the products, adding new functionality solutions, providing quality services,

etc. Therefore we will continue our constant improvement of our prod-ucts and solutions, with the integra-tion of services with a higher added value and with emphasis on the in-tegrity of providing solutions. We will follow the objectives with short and innovative development cycles, with a flexible and simultaneous procedure planning and implemen-

tation, as well as the integration of the communication with end buyers when it comes to the design of prod-ucts and solutions. Our challenges are global and also vary according to geographic mar-kets. Nevertheless, it is possible to detect global guidelines, which we will keep pursuing as well in the

future. From a technological per-spective the challenge to coordi-nate the increasing production and consumption of energy can already be perceived. In the next decade we can therefor expect to notice new solutions in the field of smart grids, renewable energy, energy reservoirs and protective systems. For the Me-tering Instruments Business Unit in this context, we see opportunities for further development of our solu-tions for the performance-support of different energy analysis, perfor-mance optimization and security of energy systems. In addition, we per-ceive opportunities for the upgrade of solutions in the segment of pro-viding solutions to the industry, for industrial automation and ensuring their openness and connectivity to solutions of end users. Nevertheless it has to be empha-sized, that in addition to the techno-logical challenges, the market itself brings significant challenges and opportunities in marketing new, ad-vanced solutions and in creation of new business models and the coop-eration with complementary part-ners. With a wisely designed modu-lar development of our solutions, we will also in the future continue to be directed at providing solutions with a high added value.

ISKRA UNITS IN FOCUS

Tradition, innovation, knowledge and experience are words that perfectly represent ISKRA. But the most important and valuable part of Iskra are the employees. People who make the

business possible and every day special.

D R . M ATJA Ž V E R D E R B E RH EA D O F I S K RA R ES EA RC H C E N T E R

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 71 ST I S S U E

ISKRA’S EXPERTISE: ENERGY AND POWER QUALITY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

The estimates of the various studies differ a lot, but all point to a common factor: the bad power quality consequences costs are enormous. Overall, these costs within the industry and

commerce, in the European Union alone, are estimated at 10 billion EUR per year. D R . T I M OT E J KO D E K , P RO D U CT M A N AG E R , B U M EAS U R E M E NT I N STR U M E NTS

Iskra has had decades long tradition of manufacturing a wide range of electrical measuring instruments for placing

into LV (low voltage) and MV (middle voltage) installations. Our products can be found in all continents of the globe and

usually represent the crucial building block of monitoring or automation systems in various industries. With the

increased need for complete system solutions in this area, specialists at Iskra have developed several new system

solutions addressing issues such as energy management, power quality management, feeder protection control,

traffic supervision systems and many more. This was done by incorporating Iskra’s manufactured instruments together with software products and all necessary know-how related

to such projects.

One of the most crucial parts of our solutions are energy management solutions: “Energy management” is a term that has a num-ber of meanings, but it is mainly used in relation to saving energy. If this process is addressed in a smart way a lot of money can be saved at the end of the day through reduced bills for electricity, water and gas consumption. This is a global issue facing all industrial consumers as well as commer-cial, office and residential buildings, and even util-ity or telco companies.

Power quality issues are also important: “Power Quality Management” relates to continu-ously monitoring the power quality related param-eters (voltage, power, energy) of the electrical grid with the long-term goal of power quality improve-ment. By properly addressing the power quality is-sues one can better plan, maintain and understand the power quality related issues, enabling long-term savings by protecting the equipment and reducing maintenance costs. This issue is well known to all electrical utility companies as well as to key users within industrial or commercial buildings.

Portable NetworkAnalyzer

Medium VoltageSurge Arresters

MV Filter Power Factor Correction SystemMV Power Capacitors

Measuring Centres & Network Analyzers

LV Automatic Capacitor BankLV Power Capacitors

LowVoltageMedium

Voltage

MeasuringTransducers

Software for monitoring and analyzing of energy

consumption in buildings

LAN,WAN

Database

DataCollector

WebServer

RemoteSystem

DataMonitoring

WebClients

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E8 1 ST I S S U E

Why does Iskra address both these issues and why are they so important?There are several reasons for energy saving and increasing power quality requirements:• Global need to reduce the damage and depen-

dence on the fossil fuels that are becoming lim-ited in supply.

• The widespread use of electronic equipment.• Increase of power electronics usage.• Increase of unbalanced and non-linear loads like

large furnaces and rectifiers.• Liberalization of energy markets (more demand-

ing power regulation due to increase of grid con-nected renewable energy sources, reduction of infrastructure investments).

A nightmare of any business: huge financial loss-es, loss of productivity, competitiveness, normal operation interruption, reduced equipment life. Production stops and safety issues can become a reality when a disturbance in normal business op-erations occurs due to bad power quality.The estimates of the various studies differ a lot, but all point to a common factor: the bad power quality consequences costs are enormous. Overall, these costs within the industry and commerce, in the European Union alone, are estimated at 10 bil-lion EUR per year.

Controlling energy consumption and increasing power quality at your organization enables you to:• Reduce costs. Continuous monitoring of energy

systems in a buContinuous monitoring of ener-gy systems in a building can reduce your annual energy cost from 10% to 20%.

• Reduce carbon emissions and the environ-mental damage that they cause, as well as the cost-related implications of carbon taxes and the like. Your organization may be keen to reduce its carbon footprint to promote a green, sustainable image.

• Reduce risk of financial losses because of nor-mal operation interruption, short equipment life and safety issues.

What to do and how to improve?Energy management is the process of monitor-ing, controlling, and conserving energy.

Typically this involves the following steps:• Metering your energy consumption and collect-

ing the data. If you don’t have a monitoring sys-

tem in place, you may not even be aware of what is causing your problems.

• Analyzing your results and finding opportuni-ties to save energy and increase power quality. Many clients are trying to solve problems, not even knowing the cause of them. This is both costly and ineffective.

• Taking action to target opportunities to save en-ergy and increase power quality.

• Control and supervise in order to see how well your efforts have worked.

How to manage your energy consumption and system behavior in the best way?The two crucial steps of implementing energy-man-agement:1. Metering your energy consumption and data collection:The more data you can get and the more detailed it is, the better.Managing your energy consumption could be a full-time job, but Iskra will help you to achieve better results with the help of our equipment.Iskra offers you metering systems that automati-cally measure and record energy consumption at short regular intervals.Detailed interval energy consumption data makes it possible to see patterns of energy waste, which would otherwise be impossible to detect. And see-ing these patterns makes it much easier to find the routine waste in your building.2. Continuous data monitoring:By continuously monitoring parameters of the grid it is possible to analyze the behavior of the electrical system based on data history as well as on real-time alarm monitoring system. Apart from this the vast amount of data also enables finding and quantifying opportunities for saving energy of particular consumers.Detailed continuous metering data is the ideal way to find routine energy waste and to increase the power quality level in the long run.

Managing your energy consumption could be a full-time job, but Iskra will help you to achieve better results with the help of our equipment

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 91 ST I S S U E

Iskra’s MiSMART server centrally collects in-strument data from many meter points. It is pri-marily targeted for use in the industry as well as in the energy distribution and production sectors. The system collects electricity, gas or water con-sumption data, as well as many other power qual-ity related electrical parameters (power, current, voltage, frequency, power factor…). The sys-tem also includes alarms and power quality data which is quickly available to any energy man-ager or power quality operator. The MiSMART data collector with a “push” communication sys-tem allows automatic records of all predefined measuring parameters. They are stored in the MiSMART database, while leaving a copy of the same parameters stored locally in memory of each device as a backup copy. The database can be searched and viewed in application software. The database records can involve numerous pa-rameters of a three-phase system, power quality parameters, physical parameters (temperature, pressure, wind speed, etc.) as well as alarms and detailed time-stamped event logs.

MiSMART KEY FUNCTIONALITIES

CONFIGURATION TOOLS:• Device data configuration.• Setting up the system grid structure.• User management.

DATA MONITOR:• Measurement monitoring.• Alarm monitoring.• Basic statistical functions.• EN50160 power quality support.• Table and chart data reviewing.• Exporting data into Excel.• Filtering relevant data from the grid.• Data comparison from different meter points.• Virtual metering points.

BENEFITS:• Analysis of power quality in the grid for later

corrective measurements.• Cost savings due to fast response to outages for

better maintenance.• Energy savings after corrective measures have

been implemented.• Data history for better planning.• Proactive equipment protection.• More reliable grid operations.• Better control of power theft and power losses

in the network – this will be especially obvious when more sites are equipped with power quali-ty analyzers.

ISKRA SUGGESTS THE PERFECT SOFTWARE TOOL FOR SMART GRID DATA MONITORING

AS WELL AS FOR SITE-BASED ENERGY MONITORING WHICH ADDRESSES ALL THE

ISSUES MENTIONED ABOVE:

MiSMART – The Iskra Software Solution for

Power Quality Management and Instrument Remote

Monitoring

Meter points 5

WebClients

RemoteDevice

Setting & Monitoring

LocalDevice

Setting & Monitoring

SystemServer

Meter points 6Meter

points 7

Meter points 1

Meter points 2

Meter points 3

Database

DataCollector

WebServer

RemoteSystem

DataMonitoring

GPRS/UMTSHSPA/WiMAX

Meter points 4

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E1 0 1 ST I S S U E

It can connect to any type of measurement device and enables the following key functionalities:• Bill tracking and validation.• Fiscal metering.• Monitoring and targeting.• Analytics and benchmarking.• Alarming and reporting.

The MiEM software represents the key building block of providing a complete solution service package to Iskra’s end costumers, consisting of energy resource consumption analysis, metering project, implementation, continuous energy man-agement and ISO 50001 compliance certificate.

DRIVERS FOR PURCHASING THE MIEM ENERGY MANAGEMENT SERVICE:• 67% cost savings.• 40% energy target.• 33% financial data tracking.• 27% carbon management.• 27% reporting.

ONCE YOU HAVE TAKEN THIS ACTIONS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAKE ENERGY MANAGEMENT AN ONGOING PROCESS WHICH ISKRA WILL HELP YOU WITH, BY DEVELOPING THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS

MiEM – ISKRA’S ENERGY

MANAGEMENT SERVICE

MiEM is an established energy management software, which enables the fulfilment

of the complete energy management value chain

under one roof. It is a cloud-based energy management

analytics software, enabling energy management oriented

users to reduce energy use and cost in the long run.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 1 11 ST I S S U E

The iMC784 can be used in power utilities (for evaluation against standards) as well as for indus-try purposes (monitoring supplied power quality). It performs measurements in compliance with regulatory requested standard EN 61000-4-30 and evaluates recorded parameters for analysis accord-ing to parameters defined in European power qual-ity standard EN50160.

KEY ADVANTAGES

1. 4 FUNCTIONALITIES IN 1 INSTRUMENT: The device combines: - Functionality of a power quality analyzer. - A multi-functional measuring device with addi-

tional alarm functionality for control and supervi-sion operations.

- Secondary protection (voltage, frequency, cur-rent …).

- Accurate energy meter.

2. SIMPLE AND USER FRIENDLY SETTING PRO-CEDURE: - User friendly and intuitive setting software User

friendly and intuitive setting software MiQen. - Software features and instantaneous help for all

settings are available in different languages. 3. WIDE RANGE OF INPUT AND OUTPUT MOD-ULES:- Monitoring other physical parameters. - Controlling switches and other actuators.

4. REAL-TIME SYNCHRONIZATION SOURCES: - NTP, GPS, IRIG-B.

5. SELF-GENERATED POWER QUALITY REPORTS, WHICH ARE STORED INSIDE THE DEVICE’S INTERNAL MEMORY THAT CAN STORE MORE THAN 2 YEARS OF POWER QUALITY REPORTS AND DETAILS: - Records are stored in standardized Pqdif and

COMTRADE file format.

ISKRA’S ANSWER TO POWER QUALITY DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS – THE BRAND NEW

CLASS A POWER QUALITY ANALYZER iMC784.

The iMC784 Advanced Power Quality Analyser can be used as a standalone PQ monitoring device for detection

and analysis of local PQ deviations, transients, alarms and periodic measurements. It could be used by industrial and

commercial energy consumers to monitor quality of delivered electric energy or at medium or low voltage feeders to monitor, detect and record possible disturbances caused by operation of consumers. The implementation of a PQ system itself will not

prevent disturbances in network but rather help diagnose their origins and effects by comparing and scrutinizing data from

multiple time synchronized measurement points.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E1 2 1 ST I S S U E

SMART TECHNOLOGIES CASE STUDY

Iskra has provided hundreds of solutions and shipped millions of electrotechnical products to customers in more than 80 countries around the world. We are proud to have thousands of satisfied customers and partners. Below you can find a selection of our case studies, showing

you our latest and biggest challenges.

TRAFFIC DIVISION

Markovec tunnelMarkovec tunnel is a twin-tube tunnel on highway H6 from Koper towards Izola, which relieves the coastal road of transit traffic. Iskra d. d. signed a contract with DARS worth 11,996,422.16 euros for the installation of electrical and mechanical equipment in Markovec tunnel (ESC Markovec). Our work included the following:- Electrical and mechanical equipment and installation in the tunnel.- Security and management systems for the tunnel.- Equipment for data transmission, including audio and video data.- Tunnel control system.- Software update in Kozina regional control center.- General construction and artisanal works.

All the work was completed within the contractual period: 5 months and 45 days of testing.The length of the right tube is 2145 m and the length of the left tube is 2175 m. Power stations are located on the east and west side of the tunnel.The tunnel is ventilated naturally and by tunnel fans in longitudinal direction. The left tube consists of 12 fans and the right tube consists of 8 fans. 2 fans are installed in the first and the last (eighth) transverse pits.Two transformers with 2x630 kVA of power are implemented within all the corre-sponding equipment. The tunnel cabling consists of more than 200 km of different cables types and functionality.We incorporated over 100 switch blocks and manifolds, for the switch-on and the control of separate subordinate systems.Over 500 control and security elements were mounted (traffic variable message signs, illuminated traffic boards, traffic lights, blinkers, loops ...).

More than 700 lighting elements were installed.In order to provide the video surveillance, automatic traffic detection and identificaIn order to provide the video surveillance, automatic traffic detection and identification of hazardous cargo, more than 90 cameras have been set up. The following partial installation systems were connected and integrated to form a functional whole:- 20 kV electrical power supply system- 400/230 V to supply electrical power- Emergency electrical power supply- Lighting protection system- Ventilation system- Traffic management system- System for measuring the concentration of CO, visibility and air flow- Video surveillance system and system for automatic traffic detection- Fire alarm system- Intruder detection system- Radio device and acoustic system in the tunnel- Emergency call system- Tunnel control system- Other signalization equipment- Extension of the Kozina regional control center and data transmission equipment- General construction and artisanal worksThere are more than 20,000 signals and information points.In each tube, a one-way traffic flow is established. However, in exceptional cases and in case of an emergency, the tunnel can be opened for a two-way traffic flow.

ENERGY DIVISION

Instrument remote monitoring in KovisThe tradition of the Kovis foundry goes back to 1968. Foundry provides cast-ings for customers from various industries: the manufacture of railway vehi-cles, machine building, production of agricultural machinery, production of construction machinery, production of pumps, fittings and valves, castings for construction.

Situation before the introduction of the system:Because of the lack of power quality and consumption information there were big challenges to face before the introduction of our system. Kovis foundry didn’t have any information about energy consumption of different machines. It was almost impossible to determine the amount of consumed energy within the factory in relation to a particular large consumer (ma-chine). They had difficulties composing energy consumption annual reports for regulator (IEC standardization) purposes. Supervision and determina-tion of energy leakages from different sources like gas, water, compressed air or electricity within the factory was also very difficult. Prediction of en-ergy consumption was complicated, because no power profile data history was available. They had no means to centrally monitor their large energy consumers.

Our solution:To be more cost effective the management of Kovis foundry wanted to have better insight into energy consumption of the factory. For this reason we proposed an installation of Iskra’s electrical measuring instruments at different measuring points within the factory. Instruments were placed at strategic big energy consumption locations throughout the factory (elec-tric furnaces, robots, cranes, etc.) as well as in the central transformer sta-tion. We installed 44 low-end instruments (20 MC 330 and 24 MC 350). All measuring instruments monitor energy, active power, reactive power, currents, voltages and phase angles. For measuring of electrical energy consumption of crucial large consumers we distributed 23 energy meters (MC 330 and WS 1302) throughout the factory. We also equipped all mea-suring equipment with current transformers for the required current mea-surements.

User benefits:- Remote and centralized key electrical parameter data for energy, active

power, reactive power, currents, voltages, phase angles monitoring, with special emphasis on electrical energy and reagent (gas, water, compressed air) consumption.

- Real-time information on the operation of installed equipment and are also able to respond, without delay, to possible failures.

- Operational and strategic decisions based on failure analysis.- Better supervision of energy losses within the factory as well as better and

faster maintenance planning according to data history. The system architec-ture is modular and so easily extendable to other locations and measurement points.

- Quick Excel data export capability is available for regulator reporting, which enables the customer to have energy consumption reports ready after a few clicks.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 1 31 ST I S S U E

SMART TECHNOLOGIES CASE STUDY

EFFICIENT INSTALLATIONS

Low and medium voltage services for FENI Industrija AD

FENI is the largest producer of nickel in Macedonia. It controls a mine, opencast mines and a smelting plant for ferronickel in Kavadarci, northern Macedonia.

Situation before the introduction of the system:The company has two melting furnaces, each one is powered by a 110/35 kV dry power transformer at 100 MVA. The system entailed unnecessary additional costs of electricity for the company. The monthly costs of reactive energy exceeded 16,000 euros. For this reason, the company management decided to collect the bids to change the entire MV compensation solution into a turnkey solution.

Our solution:Iskra has provided a system for a transformer station of 110/35kV, nominal power 100MVA in order to change the entire MV compensation solution for FENI Indus-trija AD. Our company got selected in a strong international competition. We were select-ed primarily because of the high quality technical specifications for compensation. Firstly, we conducted the measurements, on the basis of which we decided to com-pensate reactive energy of the first transformer first. The same compensation is planned for the second transformer. Earthworks, including the preparation of the route for 35 kV cables and the preparation of communication channels with the main control room, have been completed.

Facts about the project:- This system is provided for a transformer station of 110/35kV, nominal power

100MVA.- Total cos φ before installing this system was 0, 90.- Total cos φ after installing this system is 0, 96 – switched on first step 8Mvar.- Costs of the project 0, 4 Mio € - whereas costs for reactive energy before the

installation of this system were 15.000€/month.- Total time needed for realization: 10 months.

TELECOMMUNICATION DIVISION

Gazprom Corporate Backbone and Access

We are proud of having long-lasting relationships with our clients and part-ners. The cooperation with some of the clients has already been measured by decades. One of those partners is the Russian company Gazprom.

Cooperation with Gazprom is a strategically important partnership for Isk-ra’s telecommunication division. In the past 10 years we have done several important projects with them, one of those projects was Gazprom Corporate Backbone and Access.

A long-term cooperation of Iskra’s systems with Gazprom Russia started in 2003 after considerable investments in R&D in order to meet tough climatic requirements of Russian GOST standard agency, demanding customers’ ex-pectations and security parameters in order to smoothly operate the commu-nications along pipeline networks in North Pole area and Siberia. All systems are fully redundant and support operation under extreme conditions of -50 degrees Celsius. So far, five regional backbone networks have been deployed in St. Petersburg, Ukhta, Volgograd, Tomsk, Arhangelsk, Sochi and Krasno-dar, summing up to over 5.000 km of span. The PDH and SDH links deployed are used for voice communications, video, data transmission, telemetry, Tetra and communication of PBXs.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E1 4 1 ST I S S U E

This year Iskra celebrates 70 years of operation. The company is offering a wide range of complete and innovative solutions that ensure an effective and economic management in the fields of energy, effi-cient installations, traffic and telecommunications.Iskra operates in global markets. It is our goal to ensure that also our operational processes and broad supply chain become more flexible in real-time, and that they allow us not only to adapt to the chang-es of the business environment rapidly, but also to find new solutions and new business models more quickly.

In the initial phase of digitization, Iskra group tar-geted the optimization of the business processes, their connectivity, simplification and transparency. Now we are focused more on how to connect dif-ferent platforms in order to achieve intelligent man-ufacturing processes, but also in a wider sense to reach the concept of a rapid supply chain. Digitali-zation is becoming the center of our activities in all

areas, not only in the development processes of new products, production processes, managing relations with customers and suppliers, but also in the field of managing relations with employees. Investing in digitalization is not a one-time activity, it is imple-mented continuously. This is the way we work.

In our processes and solutions, we install “brains”. As a corporation, we are certainly fit to expect rev-enue in the future, not only savings. We believe that the revenue will come from different areas, among which the most significant are expected to be the development of new products, reducing the time between inventing and launching new products into the market, new ways of connection in the value chain and better understanding of customers.

It is the introduction of intelligent technologies that can enhance both the operating results and the development of sustainable innovations and busi-ness practices. We believe that the introduction of

advanced technology also has a positive impact on the environment and can prolong work inclusion of the active population. In this regard, it is our belief that working places need to be suitable for the needs of every employee. Iskra is actively trying to reach this challenge.

Digital leadership requires and brings changes in the organizational culture. It establishes an op-portunity to respond more quickly, an opportunity for exchange, participation, independence, mobili-ty and experimentation. It also requires acquiring new skills and competencies. The above mentioned facts without any doubt result in the business cul-ture of the organization and in the implementation of a wide range of digitization initiatives in specific areas. Overall coordination of digital initiatives is closely and actively monitored by the senior man-agers at Iskra.

Our task is to benefit from the opportunities brought by the digital revolution. On the one hand, we in-tend to follow this idea in order to manage our own processes and chains. On the other hand, we are obliged due to our area of operation to use new technologies and new approaches also in the devel-opment of the products and solutions (integration of renewable energy sources in the network, distribut-ed energy generation, requirements to provide the powerful smart grids, etc.). This is our focus and our future.

ISKRA DIGITAL

Iskra is introducing intelligent technologies that can enhance both the operating results and the development of sustainable innovations and business practices

Digitalization is becoming the center of our activities in all areas, not only in the development processes of new products, production processes, managing relations with customers and

suppliers, but also in the field of managing relations with employees. Investing in digitalization is not a one-time activity, it is implemented continuously. This is the way we work

M AG . K R I ST I N A B O G ATA J H A BJA N , P ROJ ECT COO R D I N ATO R & PA RTN E R S H I PS

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 1 51 ST I S S U E

The most important and valuable in Iskra are our employees. People who make the business possible and special every day. We have an amazing team and our primary task is to create an environment for their profession and per-sonal growth and allow optimal work-life balance. We have a lot of initiatives in Iskra that focus on our employee needs and development.Below are just a part of the most important projects:

Informing employees:• Once per month we have a digital newsletter. It gives us the chance to speak

to all employees about company news and to express appreciation for what employees contribute to help the business succeed. Internal newsletter is intended to be an employee-focused publication, we listen to ideas from our staff. Ask them what kind of information they would like to read about. We also accept feedback from our employees regarding whether the newsletter is meeting their needs and how it could be improved.

Getting the feedback from the employees• “Red box” initiative: the project gives us the opportunity to make Iskra

better with a help of creative ideas from our employees for products, servi-ces or working process. How does it work? Our employees can find Redbox at every location in Iskra. It looks like a red box that contains instructions and a card with 500€ deposit for development of their idea.

• »Imam idejo« initiative – employees could share their ideas about any part of ISKR’s daily activities, the best ideas are rewarded at the end of each month.

Employees’ educationWe must do everything possible to stay competitive and maintain a highly skilled, motivated staff. In order to keep employees satisfied, boost morale, and remain competitive, we offer continual employee training and education.One of the most important reasons to offer further training and education to employees is to ensure that work skills stay current. Keeping employees up-to-date with software applications, the industry expertise and ways to im-prove efficiency are all necessary to keep businesses on a right level.

• Language courses: one of the most important initiatives in Iskra are langu-age classes. We provide our employees with free lessons of foreign langua-ges. We have lots of options to choose from: English, German, Russian and Spanish.

• Education and workshops for R&D employees with leading experts from the industry.

• 6-Sigma trainings.• Education for carrier starters and young managers with cooperation of

IEDC business school.• Courses to improve digital and computer skills.

BETTER PEOPLE. BETTER SOLUTIONS. BETTER WORLD.

We have a lot of initiatives in Iskra that focus on our employee needs and development.

More digitalization influences each sphere of our life – more we should cherish personal relationship and its human touch

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E1 6 1 ST I S S U E

Cooperation with educational institutions

Iskra Student Challenge We invite young generation of innovators (who has a student status) to parti-cipate in a competition organized by ISKRA.

We challenge our participants to: • Generate new ideas and prototypes for new products and services based on

emerging technologies.• Generate design concepts and ergonomically designed user interfaces for

the upcoming generation of users.• Demonstrate new prototypes and concepts.• Introduce new business models and strategies of their applications on the market.• A particular emphasis of the challenge is interdisciplinary. We especially in-

vite enthusiasts from the following areas: Computer and IT Science, Electri-cal Engineering, Industrial Design, Business Studies, Engineering.

The awards are:- Preparation of professional publications - journal article or conference.- Financial rewards in the amount of € 6,000.- Enrolment in the International Summer School 2017 “Discover Entrepre-

neurial Management Program«, which will be held by IEDC Bled School of Management. The award is given by an educational partner IEDC Bled School of Management.

Conferences

• Sales conference.It is an event series devoted to help executives in sales, sales operations and marketing learn how to better leverage technologies and strategies to foster improved sales performance and results. Attendees learn insight and best practices on topics that include the following: - Sales process improvement, - Social selling, - Customer engagement and retention, - Leadership, culture, and strategy.

Conferences touches on every aspect of scaling, and developing a successful sales organization.

Initiatives that promote family- life balanceBalancing job and family life is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Iskra creates a number of initiatives to foster a pro-family culture and envi-ronment. • One of those creative ideas is an event for children and grandchildren of

our employees. We make it fun with a lot of presents, games, tasty food and shows. This year the first Miklavž visit will happen 02.12.

• Iskra employees meeting. It is organized as a pleasant evening. The party arranges a series amazing shows such as dancing, singing songs, playing bowling and other interesting links. The programs bring everyone a specta-cular visual feast. Staff can enjoy the delicious dinner and the wonderful programs, at the same time, they also received a moving and deep concern from the Iskra family.

Bonus & Promotion We have introduced a system of bonuses, promotions at the workplace, rewar-ding innovation and stimulation of employees’ best sales performance.

Environmental concernWe care about our common future and environment we will live in.Our actions in this field include:- Preserving the environment by promoting optimizing energy consumption. - Promotion of continues waste management and sorting.- Promotion of rational water use. - In all our new projects and innovations we take care of being environmen-tally friendly.

Sponsorship - ISKRA is one of the sponsors of LIGHTING GUERILLA FESTIVAL. The

annual festival presents a program of light installations set up in Ljubljana's streets, parks and a number of galleries. The festival makes Ljubljana’s pu-blic spaces come alive with all kinds of lighting objects, exhibitions, video, installations, performances and art workshops.

- The spirit of giving and making a difference in the community is definitely one of the most powerful feelings. This year we bought greeting cards from charity organizations in Slovenia: Sonček – Cerebral Palsy Association of Slovenia and UNICEF.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 1 71 ST I S S U E

What is stress? Stress is an individual’s perception and assessment of the environment and fuels their ability to cope according to the requirements of the situation.

Normal level of stress is actually good, because the body needs a certain level of stress for optimal functioning. There is another extreme level of stress which is beyond the normal level and at this point performance really drops down. It can lead to serious con-sequences, when you can’t control or motivate yourself. In this case, you are so overwhelmed with stress that you can’t perform normally and if you remain in the danger zone over a period of time it creates STRAIN.

MANAGING STRESS. INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR HENDRIK

SEBASTIAAN (DRIKUS) KRIEK

You may feel there’s nothing you can do about stress. There will never be more hours

in the day and your responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. Stress management is all about taking charge: of your lifestyle, thoughts, emotions, and the

way you deal with problems. No matter how stressful your life seems, there are steps you can take to relieve the pressure and regain

control. This interview will help you to recognise and understand anxiety and stress

which may arise during everyday life. We will try to offer guidance and strategies to

help you detect, manage and minimise stress.

YARKES-DODSON-PERFORMANCE CURVE

For optimal performance a teamor person needs some level of

stress or tension to get this level.The ideal is to stay in the ”zone”

sufficient stress but not toomuch i.e. optimal.

However, if you experience toomuch stress you FREEZE

and performance drop to zero

PERFORMANCE

STR

ESS

TOO MUCHSTRESS

PERFORMANCE

STR

ESS

OPTIMALZONE

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E1 8 1 ST I S S U E

What are the origins of stress? Origins of stress differ from person to person. But here is the list of the most common LIFE--STYLE STRESSORS

• PHYSICAL• THREAT• PERFORMANCE• FRUSTRATION• BEREAVEMENT• BOREDOM

There are many actors influencing stressors, but the most important of them are:• Intensity• Duration• Number of other lifestyle stressors

What are the typical reactions to stressful si-tuations?They can be clustered in 3 groups:• Thoughts (Cognitions) are words, images, sto-

ries that occupy our thinking based on opini-ons, beliefs, history and can be true or false. These thoughts are about future strategy, plans (realistic and not) or the past (things that oc-curred to me and that are rehashed, revisited). However, some are true and some are false.

Some are real and some are made-up. Some good thoughts lead to bad behaviour (a drunk thinks he can drive home). Some bad lead to good (I’m going to be dismissed leads to better performance).

“I’m not good enough. We’re going to get fired, We not going to make it, I’m underqualified, Head office makes it impossible. I’ve got to do better, better…This guy is much better than I am…«

• Feelings (Emotions). Feelings are sensations in the body -like the we-ather-always changing but always there. Some people are more comfortable with feelings, others not. Some feelings (and reactions to it) are unpredictable, some unexpected“I’m afraid the boss unsettles me, the boss is an-gry at me, I’m tense, I worry about my perfor-mance”

• Behaviours (Experiences). Actions or experien-ces (voluntary and involuntary). At work and beyond work.

Behaviours are a reaction to:• Environment (provoked, superior, colleagues

influence, challenges at work)• Internal talk (trying to prove yourself leads to

unnecessary extra touch/risk)• Emotional state (nervousness, anxiety because

of a meeting, pressure induced mistakes)“I made a silly mistake, I’m underqualified, The boss makes me angry, I don’t work properly, I should’ve done…”

These Feelings (F), Thoughts (T) and Behaviours (B) influence the way we interact, work, prepare, anticipate and approach different events in our life. They influence EVERYTHING we do and it causes stress/strain!!Feelings (F), Thoughts (T) and Behaviours (B) are always influence us, but the most impor-tant indicator, is whether they are helping me in getting to my Optimal stress zone.

Are there any myths about stress that we shou-ld forget? We need to learn to accept the emotions that come with stress. We always run into this myths that we need to be happy all the time that we have to be the best in what we do, that we cannot be down. There is a lot of pressure from modern culture, social media, TV screen – you see a culture of leaders -active, energetic, and if you do not feel this way – you have a problem. It is not true.It is OK to have negative feelings, they don’t always have an impact on your life or your perfor-mance it is just a natural part of life – sometimes we feel down, sometimes we are angry, sometimes we feel depressed. You just need to live through it and try to get more comfortable.

Here are the most popular Myths: Myth One:I must feel positive about going to work all the time, i.e. it is the natural state to feel good about being there and you are not supposed to feel wor-ried/concerned/nervous, etc.Myth Two:If I don’t feel positive all the time, something is wrong with meMyth Three:Must get rid of negative thoughts and uncomfor-table feelings(E.g. feel more positive) Myth Four:I should be able to control feelings and thoughts (E.g. pull yourself together, snap out of it, and get a grip)

But the biggest myth is that stress is something we need to fight. No. It’s something we need to accept. We need to find coping mechanism and ways how to manage it. The biggest challenge is to make sure that we stay in the optimal zone because if we don’t have any stress or too much of it, we’ll not be able to function normally. It sounds very easy, but it takes time & effort to teach yourself how to manage your Feelings (F), Thoughts (T) and Behaviours (B) in order to control the stress.

How to manage stress?Before you can make FTBs work for you…You have to see yourself as a player- coach of your own FTB’s.

To FOCUS is to optimise your FTB’s and learn to participate as a player but also to observe your feelings, thoughts and behaviours while you parti-cipate as a coach.

Make FTB’S helpful in managing your stress level.

FRAME YOUR FTBsThe first skill is to employ your FTB s i.e. to sha-pe, modify, adjust them to help you in your quest to meet your goals - we must frame a situation to “stress-up” and “stress-down”.

It is helpful to: • Visualise –direct your thoughts• Imagery –train your emotional responses• Relaxation –practice to “switch off”

OPEN TO FEELINGS• Context: Fully experience the moment through

all senses• In-tune with body: Scan your body for all feelin-

gs, positions and sensations• Connect with breathing: In-out experience,

rhythm• Experience sounds: the office, teammates,

phones, etc• Practice with a familiar experience: a weekly

meeting• Practice with a good sensation: a deal or a sales

success• Practice with a feeling you avoid: a bad experi-

ence with a stakeholder

CONNECT WITH EXPERIENCEExperience the fullness of every moment. When you are fused in FBT’s it is different than being connected…• Fused in history (“if only I did this or that”) com-

pared to being fully engaged• Fused in future (“what if this is going to happen”)

compared to being fully connected

Be a player Be a coach

Participating selfThinkingPlanningFeelingComparingDoingVisualisingImaginingAnalysing

Observing selfAwarenessNoticingObservingEvaluatingAttentionConsciousnessStrategising

FOCUS

FRAME

OPEN THE FEELINGS

CONNECT WITH EXPERIENCE

UNHOOK THOUGHTS

STRATEGISE AROUND HAPPINESS

No matter how stressful your life seems, there are steps you can take to relieve the pressure and regain control.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 1 91 ST I S S U E

• Fused in being judgmental (“I should’ve…” com-pared to being involved

• Fused in being bored compared to being curious and inquisitive

UNHOOK FROM THOUGHTSNatural reaction to them is to regard them as…• The TRUTH and therefore Believe them• ORDERS and therefore Obey them• IMPORTANT and therefore Give full attention• ADVICE and therefore Do what they suggest• THREATS and therefore Treat them as dangerous

Exercise 1: Take any FTB and put the following words before it: “I notice that I…”

Exercise2: Thought bubble: Imagine the FTB inside a thought bubble of a comic book• Fonts: Imagine it is written on a computer screen and play with the fonts• Radio/TV:Picture FTB’s as radio commentary, change volume or slow motion• Image change: Put image on T-shirt, front page

STRATEGISE TO BE HAPPYStress is always connected with happiness.There are important principles that we need to re-member about happiness:

1. The Happiness is not success or “out there” or “one day”

• Spend Money—not on objects but on experiences • Find Something to Look Forward to• Commit Conscious Acts of Kindness • Exercise Signature Strengths• Exercise

2. Training Your Brain to Capitalize on PossibilityTetris gamers start to “see” the world around them like Tetris shapes. “Selective Perception” is seeing what we’re looking for. When we hear a new word or buy a new car, we hear and see the same all around us. Optimism and gratitude

3. The Zorro Circle:How can Limiting Your Focus to Small, Manageable Goals Expand Your Sphere of Power.Zorro learned to become a great swordsman by mastering small circles (small chunks of learning) and then expanding his circles. Avoid reaching for the stars—rather go one step at a time.

4. Invest in givingWhy Social Support is Your Single Greatest Asset. It is a great idea to invest in social capital at work:• Introduce people around to each other. • Ask “what’s on the other side of your business

card?”• Be a catalyst, the get it done guy, the inspirer,

etc?” • Send a “thank you” email to someone at work

every day. • Keep a gratitude journal. After a month it will

become a positive habit…visible and infectious.

5. Balance pleasure and purposeHappiness always has 2 components: pleasure com-ponent and purpose component. And if stress makes you happy, that’s good. When stress stops you from being happy, it is a sign that you need to start doing things differently.If you think about pleasure & purpose components as swings, we are always in-between of both ends. Sometimes we start to get deeper into the purpose part so much that everything starts to be domina-ted by purpose either this is career, money, wish to be successful or wish to be a good parent. We are prepared to sacrifice so many things that we do not enjoy ourselves any more. Other people just try to enjoy themselves all the time, so purpose does not exist anymore. Those swings are something we need to try to ma-

nage. Engage to your purpose and engage in fin-ding pleasure in your work and beyond. Remem-ber, you cannot just expect for the purpose to come without you actively trying to engage.

Where to start?It can be overwhelming if you do not know what to do and where to start.Try “Zorro circle” – be perfect in what you can control very “near” you and after that, you can go further. It should be within your range. You can use it as core skills or as key to your comfort and then you can grow it into something bigger.

What do you say to yourself when you are under stress? OK..bad things happen, calm down…The first thing you do – you do not say “calm down”. Because this means you are falling exactly into this trap. You should not control your emotions, you need to learn to live with this emotion, experience this emo-tion. As soon as you acknowledge it, you will find the right way and deal with this. Otherwise what happens, if the things are falling apart and I say “calm down” and try to be in control, all your energy goes to buil-ding a wall between the problem and yourself, instead of experiencing and dealing with the problem. It takes 2-times more energy to build the wall and to actually deal with a problem. You should not stay calm and lie to yourself. Even if you are trying to push it away it does not go away. You are starting an internal fight that it is much big-ger than the actual fight with a problem. Find something you are good at, that could become a signature of yours. In this messy word, everybody needs to find something that could be a differentiator, I call it a leader value proposition. It is what I bring to community, company, a family that is different, valu-able, that only I can do. It is the thing that will create your career, build it around this capability/skill. As soon as you have it, all the stress will go away.

GET TO KNOW PROFESSOR HENDRIK SEBASTIAAN (DRIKUS) KRIEKProf Hendrik Sebastiaan (Drikus) Kriek is Deputy Dean for Research and Executive Director of the PhD programme at IEDC-Bled School of Management. He is former Director of the Leadership Development Centre and Associate-Professor in Human Resource Management at the Wits Business School (WBS) of the University of the Witwatersrand. Previously he had been Associate-Professor in Organisational Behaviour and Leadership at the Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) of the University of South Africa and is former Head of the Strategy and Leadership Area of the school.

He studied Clinical Psychology and received his MA (Clin Psych) and MBA degrees both cum laude from the Rand Afrikaans University and the University of Stellenbosch respectively. Prof Kriek received his Doctorate from the University of Pretoria and is a graduate from Yale University in the United States. He spent his Sabbatical leave at the Integral Leadership Centre (Wilber-based) of the Graduate School of Management of The University of Western Australia with Prof Ron Cacciople, renowned leadership development expert and practitioner.

His research, publications and teaching focus mainly on teambuilding, leadership and change management and he has published in popular- and accredited academic journals and has presented his research to local and international forums. He was named Researcher of the Year for 2006/7 at the SBL and his books are all related to teams and teaming. His article on African Change leaders (with Prof Stella Nkomo) has been awarded the Best Paper of 2011 of the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (one of the top five in the field).

PLEASURE-PURPOSE-PENDULUMENGAGEMENT

PLEASURE

NOW

PURPOSE

Stress management is all about taking charge: of your lifestyle, thoughts, emotions, and the way you deal with problems.

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E2 0 1 ST I S S U E

ISKRA DIALOGUE

Trade fairs, conferences, business events and exhibitions are more than just a marketing tool, they are an opportunity to interact with our clients, partners and competitors, to analyze the

information and make our business process better.

In the coming months Iskra will present its intelli-gent solutions and products at large international, national and regional trade fairs.

Trade fairs are knowledge hubs for exchanging innovative ideas and responding to industry challenges.

FAIR MIDDLE EAST ELECTRICITY DESCRIPTIONLeading exhibition for power industry DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)14th - 16th of February 2017, Dubai World Trade Centre, UAEFOCUS (PRODUCTS)Iskra will present you innovative products from:- Capacitor products- LVS program- Measuring Instruments

FAIR HANNOVER MESSEDESCRIPTIONThe world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology. Hannover Messe covers a wider range of themes and exhibits– R&D, industrial automation, industrial supply, production engineering and services, as well as energy and environmental technology. DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)24th - 28th of April 2017 in HannoverFOCUS (PRODUCTS)You will discover Iskra latest product innovations and the latest technology Energy sector:- Power System Protection and Control- Power and Industrial Automation- Power Factor Correction Equipment- Power, DC link and Snubber Capacitors- Power Quality Meters- Software Solution for Instrument Efficient installations-Modular Contactors- Motor Protection Switches- Residual Current Circuit Breakers- Bistable Switches- Molded Case Circuit Breakers- Overvoltage Protection- Switch Disconnectors- Cores. Iskra’s New Realized Products

FAIR INTERSOLAR MUNICHDESCRIPTIONIntersolar Europe is the world’s leading exhibition for energy industry. Focus is on the areas of photovoltaics, energy storage systems, renewable heating technologies, as well as on products and solutions for smart renewable energy. DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)31st of May - 2nd of June 2017 in MunichFOCUS (PRODUCTS)Iskra will present you: Energy sector products and solutions:- Power System Protection and Control- Power and Industrial Automation- Power Factor Correction Equipment- Power, DC link and Snubber Capacitors

FAIR ELEKTROTECHNIEKDESCRIPTIONTrade Fair for Electrical Equipment and Industrial Electronics. DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)26th of September - 29th of September 2017 in The Netherlands (Jaarbeurs Utrecht)FOCUS (PRODUCTS)We will inform you on innovations and trends in measuring instrument business by presenting:- Installation material- Industrial electronics- Measuring instruments- Controlling and testing equipment- Electronic safety systems and automation- Building-management systems

FAIR EUROPEAN UTILITY WEEKSDESCRIPTIONThe exhibition dedicated to the European energy and utilities industry.DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)2nd – 5th of October, RAI Amsterdam, The NetherlandsFOCUS (PRODUCTS)Iskra will cover the following topics:- Meter Data Management- Improving network automation with advanced

monitoring and control solutions- Smart Metering Operations We will present the following products and solutions:- Substation technology- Measuring & control technology- Smart grid solutions

FAIR INTERCLIMA + ELECDESCRIPTION“Interclima + elec” is a comprehensive array of high performance solutions for saving energy in buildings, major energy efficiency event. DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)7h - 10th of November 2017FOCUS (PRODUCTS)Discover the most innovative Iskra solutions on energy efficiency.

FAIR SPS IPC DRIVES IS EUROPE’S LEADING EXHIBITION FOR ELECTRIC AUTOMATION.DESCRIPTIONSPS IPC Drives is Europe’s leading exhibition for electric automation. DESCRIPTION DATA (WHERE, WHEN)28. - 30.11.2017, NurembergFOCUS (PRODUCTS)Meet us, inform yourself about all new products, trends and innovations within the industry. The trade fair offers you the perfect platform to choose the right Iskra solutions for your needs.

TRADE FAIR SCHEDULE FOR 2017

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 211 ST I S S U E

SMART ENERGY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP We were delighted to have a presentation of sys-tem solutions and new products in the field of Smart Measuring and Efficient installations. We have shared company expertise, case studies and references with our clients. We have proposed solutions and products that will improve our cli-ents’ business process. We have presented Iskra’s Energy Management solutions in harmonized approach including:1. Measuring instruments:• Energy Meters

• Low power radio (LPR) loggers• Network Analyzers (Measuring centers and trans-

ducers)2. Energy Management Software – MiEM3. Instrument data management software• MiSMART – Instrument remote monitoring • MiQEN – Instrument setting & analysis We have shown typical solution typology and de-scribed applications and business segments for whom this solution will be the most actual.

SHOW ROOM OPENINGAfter months of planning and preparation, we are delighted to announce the opening of our new show-room in Ljubljana. It is the biggest and most technologically advanced showroom in Europe. The doors are always open for you, all our system solutions for Energy, Traffic and Telecommunication industries, as well as latest product ranges for Measuring instruments, Low Voltage Switchgear and Ca-pacitors will be on display for you to see.Perhaps you have got some burning technical questions that you have been eager to ask? Welcome along and quiz our engineering team in our open Q&A sessions.We would love you to come along and be part of this next step in our history.We look forward to seeing you there.

ROBOTICS DAY AT SECONDARY TECHNICAL & ENGINEERING SCHOOLWe've participated in Robotics Day at Secondary Technical & Engineering School in Kranj. Lots of technical workshops, lectures on robotics, hobby electronics and computer gaming were organized. We were inspiring young people to choose technical professions, where they can realize their talents, knowledge and ideas. Now they have an opportunity to gain experience through Iskra internships and at the end become our colleague.

SUCCESS OF BU CAPACITORSTop Quality deserves to be Awarded! Iskra was recognised by Whirlpool EMEA as one of the best suppliers in terms of quality performanc-es and capabilities in 2015. We are one of the six selected Companies delivering outstanding Quality performances to Whirlpool plants and in the market.

ISKRA GLOBAL MEETING 2017Developing together.It is a corporate event for international clients Iskra experts will present the latest Iskra developments & projects in the field of electro technical products and systems. Focus will be on measuring instru-ment, low voltage switchgear and capacitors. We will exchange useful information and experience in business, industry trends and applications. For the second day of the event we will be visiting Planica ski-jumping competition - unforgettable Winter Sports experience, Slovenia’s biggest an-nual event with around 50,000 spectators coming from all around Europe.

TRADE FORUM IN TEHRANIran–Slovenia eye $100m trade volume and Iskra is a part of it! Iskra's President of the Board Mr. Dušan Šešok has attended Iran-Slovenia economic forum at Iran’s Chamber of Commerce (ICCIMA) on Tuesday. The event was followed by a bilater-al meeting with ICCIMA President Gholam Hos-sein Shafei and Slovenian President Borut Pahor. It was very productive for Iskra. We have signed the exclusive representative contract with Kavir Company for Electrical measuring instruments and Low voltage switchgear BUs during opening of the Slovenian Embassy in Teheran

ISKRA EVENTS

We believe that corporate events have great importance and potential. Iskra corporative events are more than just a collection of keynotes —it is an opportunity for us

to strengthen our relationships, a chance to understand you better and improve Iskra.

That is why we try to see our events through the eyes of our clients: What do they want to get from an event? What will be useful for them in their everyday work? How can we help them

leave the event more prepared for the challenges that lie ahead in their business?

FACILITY MANAGEMENT OPEN DOORS EVENT Open Doors event was organized by Iskra and Bosch Security Systems. Iskra, as authorized system's integrator of Bosch equipment, was ex-plaining new directives and solutions in this area. Experts from Bosch and Technical Security Area in Iskra had a lecture regarding Bosch equipment safety solution. Among participants were end us-ers, designers, electrical and construction engineer and also experts from different sectors: govern-ment, banking, traffic and industry. Event suc-cessfully introduced state of the art Bosch security equipment and world trends in technical security sector.

SALES CONFERENCESIt is an event series devoted to helping executives in sales, sales operations and marketing learn how to better leverage technologies and strategies to foster improved sales performance and results. Attendees learn insight and best practices on top-ics that include the following:

• Sales process improvement• Social selling• Customer engagement and retention• Leadership, culture, and strategy

Conferences touch every aspect of scaling and de-velop a successful sales organization. So...we are a step closer to perform even better than we did this year.

Here is the selection of Iskra’s latest events

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E2 2 1 ST I S S U E

MT440 MT440 is a versatile measuring transducer used for monitoring and automation in three-phase electrical network systems. It can simultaneously measure over 60 electrical parameters and transform these parameters in up to four programmable bipolar analogue signals (-20 to 20mA) or alarm relay outputs. Reliable, accurate measurement, fast reaction time (< 50ms) and simple, us-er-friendly settings are its key advantages. Moreover its robustness and EMC compatibility makes MT440 suitable for marine applications for which it has a marine approved certificate.This product was developed for electricity distribution and energy production companies, utilities, dwellings, energy management solution providers, industry, business buildings, marine, designers of small power stations, panel builders, etc.

FEATURES- Power accuracy class 0.5 (EN 60 688). - Up to four output modules (analogue, pulse, alarm, general purpose digital).- Voltage and current auto range measurements up to 600Vz, 12.5A.- Universal wide auxiliary power supply range 24 – 300 Vdc, 40 – 276 Vac.- Programmable analogue output; 2 voltage and 4 current ranges, non-linear characteristics.- Simple USB setting without auxiliary power supply.- Certificate for marine application.

SR100 SR100 Supervision relay is intended for monitoring and protection of electrical equipment against common faults on sin-gle-phase or three-phase electrical power networks, especially in combination with renewable energy sources. SR100 is monitoring most important parameters of the electrical network in both directions (generator to consumer and vice versa) and detects potential faults on the electrical equipment and informs the user about them. SR100 is intended to protect the consumers on the electrical network against unattended faults which could occur (under-voltage, overvoltage, under-frequency, over-frequency, asymmetry by voltage, asymmetry by phase, imbalance, load overrun, load underrun, phase shift/ROCOF). For that it presents a key component of any renewable energy generator.SR100 represents two functions in one device. Besides user friendly defined protection functions, it can be also used for monitoring over 60 measuring parameters in three phase electrical network system. All that with robust and reliable performance makes SR100 a perfect choice for all electrical installations especially where various generators (conventional or renewable) are involved.

ADVANTAGES ARE- User configurable supervision functions (under/over voltage, under/over frequency, asymmetry – voltage/phase imbalance, load

overrun/underrun, LoM – phase shift/ROCOF) - Simple local USB setting over free and user friendly MiQen software- Reliable and fast communication over CAN layer and standardized CANopen protocol

MC350/350Hrepresents a very cost-performance effective, versatile universal measuring device. It includes:- Wide range of measuring parameters, including harmonic analysis (MC350H). - Recording capability and alarms.- Flexible communication support (Modbus, Profibus, DNP3).

Its functions makes this measuring device useful for various tasks like: - Monitoring online readings with user defined averaging interval.- Energy measurement in all four quadrants with four programmable counters, tariff clock and pulse output.- Alarming about faults in a system (overload, overvoltage…).- Harmonic analysis.

All this plus high quality and user-friendly use makes this instrument a perfect choice in modern installations in utili-ty, industry and building automation. This product was developed for electricity distribution and energy production companies, utilities, dwellings, energy management solution providers, industry, business buildings, designers of small power stations, panel builders, etc.

MT440 MARINE VERSION

SR100 SUPERVISIONRELAY

MC350, MC350H WITH NEW PROFIBUS COMMUNICATION

FOR THE METERING INSTRUMENTS BUSINESS UNIT IN THIS CONTEXT, WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SOLUTIONS FOR THE PERFORMANCE-SUPPORT OF DIFFERENT

ENERGY ANALYSIS, PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION AND SECURITY OF ENERGY SYSTEMS.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MEASURING INSTRUMENTS BUSINESS UNIT

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E 2 31 ST I S S U E

RCCB DEVICE IS MAINLY USED FOR PROVIDING COMPLETE PROTECTION TO PEOPLE AND EQUIPMENT:- Protection from indirect contact with electrical voltage.- Protection against earth leakage currents.- Additional protection when in direct contact.- Protection against fire.

FEATURES- Wide range of breaking capacities for application from residential

to industrial use: Intended for use in applications with frequency inverters, medical devices, UPS, mobile installations, elevators…

- ISKRA NFIB are type B residual current circuit breakers for which tripping is ensured as for type A and in addition for smooth d.c. residual currents, residual d.c. currents which may result from rectifying circuits and high frequency a.c. residual currents.

EFFICIENT INSTALLATIONS HIGHLIGHTSINSTALLATIONS THAT HELP TO SAVE LIVES

NOBODY IS SAVE AGAINST POTENTIAL ELECTRICITY FAILURES. IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH FOR A CURRENT THAT SERVES US WELL TO BRING EXTREME DANGER TO OUR

EVERYDAY LIFE. THE MOST REASONABLE WAY TO REDUCE THE RISK IS TO USE A PROTECTION EQUIPMENT RCCB (RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE)

ALL TYPES ARE VDE APPROVEDRCCB CAN BE USED TO FULFILL

DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL NEEDS

SAFETY SWITCHESRESIDUAL CURRENT CIRCUIT BREAKERS

AC

DC AC

DC

FOR USE INRENEWABLE

TECHNOLOGY

SNUBBERCAPACITORS

DC-LINK CAPACITATORS

DC/ACIVERTER

DC/ACIVERTER

WINDPLANTS

FREQUENCYINVERTERS

SOLAR POWERPLANTS

I S K RA M AG A Z I N E

PRODUCT BENEFITS

Excellent self-healing properties

Voltage levels available on your request

Stable capacitance during operational

lifetime

T +386 1 513 10 00 E iskra@iskra.eu W www.iskra.eu

Iskra, elektro in elektronska industrija, d.d.Stegne 21, 1000 LjubljanaSlovenia

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CAPACITORS UNITISKRA KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH THE NEEDS OF TODAY’S ENGINEERS.

WE ARE NOT JUST A SUPPLIER, WE ARE A PARTNER COMPANY, WHICH IS READY TO ADOPT OUR PRODUCTS FOR YOUR

UNIQUE BUSINESS NEEDS BY OFFERING FULL CUSTOMIZATION OF THE PRODUCTS.

ISKRA ADVANTAGES

Compliance with the latest international standards

Customization of the products to your unique needs

Pilot production in a short period of time

Production and technical support located in Europe

Strict quality control during the entire man ufacturing process

Production of semi products for capacitors (metalized film, plastic/aluminium cases, tooling shop)

Iskra has been among the leading capacitor manufacturer for more than 65 years. Dedicated to meet the industry’s highest quality standards, Iskra manufactures leading-edge capacitors in a broad range of standard types and values. Some of the most important patents in electrolytic capacitor technology were registered by our company.

ISKRA ADVANTAGES IN CAPACITOR MANUFACTURING:• Compliance with the latest international standards.• Customization of the products to your unique

needs.• Pilot production in a short period of time.• Production and technical support located in Europe.• Strict quality control during the entire

manufacturing process.• Production of semi products for capacitors

(metallized film, plastic/aluminum cases, tooling shop).

AC FILTERING CAPACITORSReaching you in the following applications:• Input/output AC filters for power converters• Frequency inverters• Solar power plants and wind plants• Induction heaters• Switching mode power supplies (SMPS)• Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)• Motor drives

REFERENCE STANDARD: IEC 61071

Product advantages: • Excellent self-healing properties• High ripple current• High reliability• Low losses • Small dimensions• designed for PCB mounting• Voltage levels available on your requests• Stable capacitance during operational lifetime