In our previous post, we highlighted some of the great features and benefits of our new Data Center Cabinet that we launched in September of 2011.  Another outstanding feature of our cabinets is the structured cabling system within it. We thought that feature deserved a blog post of its own.

When talking with folks in the IT industry, one of the biggest complaints we heard was the lack of cable management within the cabinets and the headaches associated with dealing with all that cabling.  Sure, it’s great to have a lot of space within a cabinet so that you can accommodate as many cables as you need, but having a bunch of cables with a lack of organization or structure can turn into a nightmare.  OCC’s engineers quickly got to work and developed a cable management system that maximizes space within the cabinet while also keeping all the cables neatly and tightly secured in-place.

Interested in seeing this new cable management system?  You’ll just have to stop by our booth at BICSI’s Winter Conference in Orlando, FL and be one of the first to see our cable management system up-close and personal!

As we continue our 2011 Year in Review, we can’t help but mention the launch of our new Data Center Cabinet.  This exciting achievement for OCC was specifically designed with our customers’ needs in mind.  From the configuration of the interior to the overall look and customizable colors and styles of the exterior, OCC’s Data Center Cabinet gives our customers options.  The cabinet, which is one of the most flexible and durable cabinets on the market, also features a cable friendly rack with plenty of adjustable space which allows for the customer to maneuver cables as needed inside the cabinet.

OCC’s Data Center Cabinet was officially launched at the BICSI Fall Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in September of 2011.  Customers who stopped by our booth were fascinated by so many of the unique features that our cabinet has to offer.  By providing innovative products and solutions like the Data Center Cabinet, OCC continues to demonstrate to our customers our ability to create and sell a full solution.

So what’s the best part of OCC’s Data Center Cabinet?  That it’s only a small part of what’s to come from OCC in 2012!  Be sure and stop by our booth this February at the BICSI Winter Conference in Orlando, Florida to learn more about what OCC will have to offer in the New Year!

Looking back over the last year, we would like to take a little bit of time over the next few weeks to recognize some of the achievements we have seen these past 12 months.

In March 2011, OCC decided that in order to be able to offer true end-to-end harsh environment solutions to our customers, we needed to offer them under one name.  To accomplish this goal, we set about re-branding all of our harsh environment connectivity, formerly sold under the Applied Optical Systems (AOS) name, to the OCC logo and branding guidelines.  This allowed our customers to recognize one supplier for all their harsh environment cables and connectors needs.   We officially launched this new branding effort at an event in Los Angeles, CA.

OCC is very pleased to have our harsh environment connectivity components  under the same name and branding and are confident that this change will continue to improve our services and products for our customers in the upcoming new year.

Did you know that OCC’s UMJ jacks give out a dividend to their purchaser?  The UMJ product line is OCC’s proprietary modular outlet solution that allows a significant and measurable advantage to end users, contractors, installers and distributors.  OCC’s unique UMJ (bezel) system offers an easy and affordable option for desktop port identification.  Bezels may be ordered blank or labeled and with a multitude of colors to choose from, making the combinations for workstation labeling endless.

For the distributor, the UMJ product line can be placed in stock by purchasing only one jack and different bags of bezels.  By being able to use the same jack with whatever color bezel is needed, the distributor can reduce the amount of stock needed to fulfill orders and save inventory dollars.   In addition, OCC keeps stock of all bezel options, which makes fulfilling orders where a specific non-stocked color is needed isn’t a problem.

For the installer or contractor, the UMJ product line offers spec position with guaranteed repeat business as well as streamlined purchasing.  Because the UMJ product is a proprietary offering, if a contractor can get it specified on a job, the repeat business for moves, adds, and changes will ultimately be UMJ as well.   Just like the distributor, purchasing just one jack with bags of the bezels needed streamlines the purchasing process and allows for additional revenue to be earned with installation.

For the end user, the UMJ product line offers the assurance of a best-in-class modular solution guaranteed to provide superior performance.  Whether ordering Category 5e, 6, or 6A, the end user can rest assured that they are receiving the best component level performance on the market.  The OCC UMJ solution also offers easy visible port identification and labeling options that lock the jack into the faceplate.

From the distributor to the end user, the advantages to OCC’s UMJ product line are limitless.  The versatility of the UMJ workstation system allow for everyone to benefit from specifying and stocking this product.

In the wiring and cabling industry “Buy American” is a term often thrown around but not necessarily fully understood.  For example, did you know that “Buy American” can often mean that even though the product is classified as made in America, that not all the components of the product are in fact made here in the USA?   Ensuring that your products are properly certified is the key to purchasing true Made-in-America products.

The guidelines and stipulations set forth in the “Buy American” act are meant to encourage federal contract bids to purchase products that include the following conditions:

• The product is manufactured in the USA.

• The cost of its US components exceeds 50% of the cost of all components of the item.

Additional questions that must be asked for certification include ‘Was the process performed to manufacture the product in the US complex and meaningful?’  ‘Was the process costly?’  ‘Did it require a high skill level?

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Section 1605 further expands this notion by requiring that domestic manufactured goods that contain materials from another country must be considered substantially transformed in the US into new and different goods that are distinct from the materials from which it was transformed.  This allows for a more broad range of materials to be used in creating products that ultimately gives the customer the best possible end product.

Here at OCC, we continuously examine our processes and vendor relations to provide components and solutions that can be certified “Buy American” or ARRA compliant.  In addition, we take the time to ensure that if you need a “Buy American” and/or an ARRA certified solution, we can provide it with no questions.  Not many manufacturers can say that and if they can, make sure they can prove it.

To learn more about Buy American and ARRA compliant solutions by OCC, contact one of our Inside Sales Reps at 1-800-622-7711 or visit us online at www.occfiber.com