Belden (NYSE: BDC) has launched a new certification program that it says is designed to ensure that customers’ industrial networks support growing control and information needs. Whether customers are building a new network infrastructure or making significant updates to an existing system, the company says its new Certified Industrial Network Program is designed to support and guide the process.
Unlike ad hoc networks with partial product warranties, Belden says it now certifies entire industrial networks, providing peace-of-mind and minimized downtime through enhanced warranties and dedicated customer support. “We’re here to help customers get their network infrastructure right the first time, with room to grow and a full support system behind them,” comments Brian Oulton, director of initiative and vertical marketing at Belden. “Only networks that meet our strict design standards, with positive test results, are certified.”
“Using one of our trained industrial providers to design and implement a Belden Certified network is a way for companies to ensure that their control and information networks are reliable, adaptable, secure and invisible,” adds Steve Biegacki, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Belden. “The feedback we’ve received from our trained industrial network providers has been outstanding. We look forward to working with them and our customers to offer Belden Certified networks – today, and 25 years from now.”
See: Industrial Ethernet offers extreme opportunities
According to Belden, the program provides several key benefits:
-- Dual expertise and counsel: Belden partners with top system integrators in the industry, training them on best practices in network design, installation and testing, to provide “Belden Certified” networks. At each step of the certification process, two sets of experts (Belden and an authorized provider) work to meet operational requirements and minimize areas of risk.
-- Flexibility for the future: Knowing that networks need to continue evolving to meet changing needs, Belden says it designs with room for growth in mind. This includes expansion guidelines for customers to make changes on their own, while retaining Belden Certified status.
-- Confidence for decades: Instead of a limited warranty on individual components, a Belden Certified network includes a limited lifetime warranty on networking components such as switches, significantly lowering total cost of ownership. In addition, Belden cable and connectivity product warranties are extended from 2-3 years to 25 years.
-- Products that work: As a provider of cable, connectivity, networking and security products from Hirschmann, GarrettCom, Lumberg and Tofino Security, Belden asserts that it can certify and guarantee an entire network of products "for decades to come."
-- Personalized customer service: For those with Belden Certified networks, a dedicated team is on call to offer advice and assistance. With infrastructure design and test results on file, the company says it can isolate any problems and get networks back up and running quickly.
Belden reports that it has trained and qualified its first group of industrial network solution providers to design, install, configure and test companies’ new or expanded industrial Ethernet infrastructures. The accredited companies can now offer Belden Certified industrial networks to manufacturers and process control operators, ensuring network infrastructures that are built to the highest standards, backed by Belden’s expertise and warranties.
“The adoption of industrial Ethernet networking is growing rapidly and as an authorized provider of this unique program, we can help our customers meet their business needs,” offers Marco Varela, president of system integrator firm CITI, LLC. “With training and support from Belden, we give customers something that’s not easy to find: peace-of-mind, with a network certified from end-to-end that’s designed and reviewed by two sets of networking experts.”
“Certifying entire industrial networks is new to the market and Belden, with its deep manufacturing expertise and breadth of product offerings, is well positioned to deliver this service,” adds Chantal Polsonetti, vice president of advisory services at ARC Advisory Group. “What stands out with the program is the flexibility to allow customers to change and evolve their networks over time.”
Related: Belden, Hirschmann mount Industrial Ethernet design seminar