upper-midwest-showDecember 08, 2021December 8 - 9, 2021
RESCHEDULED - Click here for more information
Minneapolis, MN
Industry Expo providing valuable, inter-industry commerce, education and discussion forums, and oppotunities to network with others.
NAED Combines Eastern and Southern Region ConferencesMarch 25, 2021For your safety and concern, NAED has decided to combine the 2020 Eastern Region Conference with the 2021 South Central Region Conference.
IDEAL Hosts National Electricians Competition on ESPN2November 20, 2020(Taken from ecmweb.com)
A special IDEAL National Championship Invitational will air on ESPN2 on Sunday, Nov.22, 2020, at 4 p.m. EST.
Duluth Trading Announces Sponsorship of IDEAL National PlatformNovember 19, 2020(Taken from prnewswire.com)
MOUNT HOREB, Wis., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its continued support of the trades and those who rely on well-made products to get the job done, national retailer Duluth Trading Company, today announced an official sponsorship with the IDEAL National Championship platform in 2020 and 2021.
IDEAL Stay Wired to WinJuly 28, 2020IDEAL continues to recognize the essential work electricians are doing during this global crisis. While the annual IDEAL National Championship has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the new virtual Stay Wired to Win™ program aims to keep the electrical community engaged during this time.
Canadians Standing up to COVID-19May 26, 2020In this episode of “Canadians Standing Up to COVID”, Anthony Capkun is joined by Ben Parcero, operations manager with Ideal Industries (Canada) Corp. in Ajax, Ont. Like other providers of goods for essential workers—like electricians—Ideal’s facility in Ajax, Ont., remained an active workplace when the COVID crisis began.
2020 IDEAL National Championship CanceledMay 08, 2020IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. has made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the 2020 IDEAL National Championship electrician challenge, to protect and support the electrical community during this time.
NAED Virtual MeetingApril 15, 2020NAED ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER NATIONAL VIRTUAL MEETING
(Taken from tedmag.com)
NAED is Excited to Announce the
2020 National Virtual Meeting!
2020 Qualifying Events COVID 19 UpdateApril 09, 2020QUALIFYING EVENTS SUSPENSION IS EXTENDED PAST APRIL 13, 2020
(SYCAMORE, IL) – April 9, 2020 – IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. is extending its suspension of qualifying rounds for the IDEAL National Championship electrician challenge due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reflecting stay-at-home ordinances and continued physical distancing guidelines that discourage non-essential gatherings.
Coronavirus UpdateMarch 23, 2020RE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Dear Friends and Partners
:Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During such challenges, it is important that we unite and support each other. IDEAL is focused on the wellbeing of our global community – our employees, our customers, our partners and our collective families.
IDEAL Nationals - IBEWFebruary 25, 2020(Taken from ibew.org)
In what has become a yearly tradition, IBEW members dominated the competition at the fourth annual Ideal National Championships, which draws union and nonunion electricians from across North America and is considered the top competition of its kind for inside wiremen
Bright Future at Cree LightingJanuary 12, 2020By Michael Burke
(Taken from journaltimes.com)
A bright future at Cree Lighting: Now-private company making continual advances
STURTEVANT — On March 15, in a bombshell announcement, Cree reported that it had sold off its entire lighting business for $310 million, a business that employs about 1,000 people here.
IDEAL Invests in Skill and Labor ShortageJanuary 02, 2020(Taken from techedmagazine.com)
America will face a shortage of electricians in the near future, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). 7,000 electricians join the field each year, but 10,000 retire. The BLS reports that the employment of electricians is projected to grow 10% from 2018 to 2028 — faster than the average for all occupations.
Mission Accomplished: 2019 IDEAL National Championship a Great SuccessDecember 12, 2019By Lucie Côté
(Taken from Electrical Business website)
From Nov. 7 to 9, the Ideal National Championship took place in Orlando, Fla., bringing together 162 high-caliber professionals and students/apprentices in the electrical industry looking to demonstrate their skills.
First-Ever International Competition at 2019 IDEAL® National ChampionshipNovember 21, 2019Electricians from the U.S., Canada, China and Australia Compete for Title of ‘World’s Best Electrician’ and their Share of Over $600,000 in Cash and Prizes
(Taken from einnews.com)
/EIN News/ -- SYCAMORE, Ill., Nov. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IDEAL® Electrical concluded its fourth annual IDEAL National Championship by crowning the first-ever International Champion on November 9 at Disney’s® Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Orbit Donates to IDEAL National ChampionshipNovember 12, 2019(Taken from tedmag.com)
ORLANDO, Fla. — In November, Orbit Industries, Inc. donated over 4,600 pieces of electrical products to support the 2019 IDEAL National Championship.
Circuit Identifier ReviewOctober 29, 2019By Ralph Mroz
We’ve all been there. We need to shut down the power to a circuit, but we don’t know which breaker controls it. If we have a partner maybe the panel will be close enough to the work area that we can yell to each other as one of us flips the breakers one by one.
Heavy Metal TourOctober 04, 2019By Kelsey Rettke
SYCAMORE – Will Nalley said he’s a proud “gearhead” as he and his friend, and fellow Sycamore High School junior, Ryan Kessler toured Auto Meter Productions Inc. in Sycamore.
“This is my first time, and I’m kind of a real big gearhead,” Nalley, 16, said Friday while standing on the Auto Meter manufacturing floor. “It’s kind of cool to see how all the gauges and vehicles are made.”
Qualifying Regional EventOctober 01, 2019By Alan M. Petrillo, Electric Times
IDEAL National Championship & Tyler Hall make cover of The Electric Times.
Click here to view article
(Taken from The Electric Times)
IDEAL Electrical PromotionsSeptember 19, 2019September 19, 2019
By Mike Grossman
Jeffrey Burkhardt Promoted to Group President - Will Lead IDEAL Electrical,
Canada, Latin America and Data Comm2019 IDEAL National Championship is on Record Pace
IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. CHAIRMAN AND CEO TO RETIRE JANUARY 31, 2020August 20, 2019By Mike Grossman
Jim James to Retire and Steve Henn Joines IDEAL as CEO
Meghan Juday 4th Generation Family Leader to Become Chairman of the 103-Year-Old Family Company
AUGUST 20, 2019 - Jim James, Chairman and CEO of IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. has announced he will retire on January 31, 2020.
IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. ACQUIRES CREE COMMERCIAL LIGHTING AND INTELLIGENT LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMSMarch 15, 2019By Mike Grossman
Purchase Establishes IDEAL as a World Leader in Commercial Lighting and Wireless Lighting Controls
MARCH 15, 2019 - Sycamore, Illinois - IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. today announced the acquisition of Cree Lighting, which includes the LED lighting fixtures, lamps and intelligent lighting control solutions business for commercial, industrial and consumer applications of Cree, Inc. (CREE – NASDAQ).
PRO TOOL REVIEWS – IDEAL National Championship CompetitionDecember 07, 2018By Clint DeBoer
IDEAL NATIONAL CHAMPTIONSHIP ANNUAL ELECTRICIANS COMPETITION
We partnered with Ideal Industries this year to bring you a first-hand look at the 2018 Ideal National Championship for electricians. Dubbed the Ideal Nationals, there’s no more intense or visible display of trade skill in this field. The Ideal Nationals—in a nutshell—pit tradesman against tradesman in a national electricians competition to crown a champ. Even better—cash prizes and tool prizes were at stake. Below we list the 2018 Ideal National Championship winners.
EC & M - IDEAL WIRE ARMOUR™ ELECTRICAL TAPESeptember 30, 2018September 30, 2018
By Mike Eby
Wire Armour vinyl electrical tape insulates, bonds, and protects. Suitable for use in a range of temperatures, including extreme weather, the tape offers high elasticity, high UV resistance to water, oil, acids, etc., and is flame retardant. Color choices include black, white, blue, orange, green, brown, yellow, violet and more.
PROTOOL REVIEWS - IDEAL WIRE ARMOUR™ ELECTRICAL TAPESeptember 27, 2018By Kenny Koehler
For a product that most Pros carry and electricians use every day, electrical tape isn’t the most exciting topic of conversation. You just need it to work. Despite the possibility that it might be bland, I got my hands on the new Ideal Wire Armour Heavy Duty Electrical Tape to see if it offers something more than the standard stuff.
THIRD ANNUAL IDEAL® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS-OFF SEARCH TO HONOR AND REWARD ELITE ELECTRICAL TRADESMEN, STUDENTS/APPRENTICESMarch 08, 2018By Anthony Filomena
FOLLOWING TWO SUCCESSFUL YEARS, IDEAL OPENS REGISTRATION FOR SKILLS, TALENT-BASED COMPETITION TO AWARD $600K IN CASH, PRIZES
SYCAMORE, Ill., March 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Doug Sanford, Group President of IDEAL® Electrical, the world leader in electrical tools and wire termination, announced today open registration for the third annual IDEAL National Championship.
WATCH AMERICA'S ELITE ELECTRICIANS COMPETE FOR $500K IN CASH, PRIZES DURING IDEAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 10, 2018By Anthony Filomena
TV Special Airing in January
SYCAMORE, Ill., Jan. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IDEAL® Electrical, the world leader in electrical products, electrician tools and wire termination, announced today the viewing schedule for the first-ever televised special of the company’s second annual IDEAL National Championship competition.
NEW DRILL TAPS FROM IDEAL ELECTRICALNovember 23, 2017By Anthony Capkun
Ideal Industries, Inc. offers new drill taps constructed out of high-speed steel that combine the tasks of drilling, tapping and deburring into one.
Similar to the IDEAL TKO™ hole cutters, a split-point Smoothstart tip guides the drill tap into the material, minimizing walking and helping reduce thread damage.
‘BEST OF THE BEST’ IN ELECTRICAL TRADE COMPETE IN SKILLS, SAFETY AND TIME AT SECOND ANNUAL IDEAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKENDNovember 16, 2017By Anthony Filomena
Competition Grows to Over 30k Participants, Awards $500,000 in Cash in Prizes
(Taken from globenewswire.com)
SYCAMORE, Ill., Nov. 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IDEAL® Electrical, the world leader in electrical products, electrician tools and wire termination, showcased the “know-how” and professionalism of electrical professionals, students and apprentices from across the country during its second annual IDEAL National Championship Weekend.
IDEAL Hosts National Electricians Competition on ESPN2November 20, 2020(Taken from ecmweb.com)
A special IDEAL National Championship Invitational will air on ESPN2 on Sunday, Nov.22, 2020, at 4 p.m. EST.
Duluth Trading Announces Sponsorship of IDEAL National PlatformNovember 19, 2020(Taken from prnewswire.com)
MOUNT HOREB, Wis., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its continued support of the trades and those who rely on well-made products to get the job done, national retailer Duluth Trading Company, today announced an official sponsorship with the IDEAL National Championship platform in 2020 and 2021.
IDEAL Stay Wired to WinJuly 28, 2020IDEAL continues to recognize the essential work electricians are doing during this global crisis. While the annual IDEAL National Championship has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the new virtual Stay Wired to Win™ program aims to keep the electrical community engaged during this time.
Canadians Standing up to COVID-19May 26, 2020In this episode of “Canadians Standing Up to COVID”, Anthony Capkun is joined by Ben Parcero, operations manager with Ideal Industries (Canada) Corp. in Ajax, Ont. Like other providers of goods for essential workers—like electricians—Ideal’s facility in Ajax, Ont., remained an active workplace when the COVID crisis began.
2020 IDEAL National Championship CanceledMay 08, 2020IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. has made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the 2020 IDEAL National Championship electrician challenge, to protect and support the electrical community during this time.
NAED Virtual MeetingApril 15, 2020NAED ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER NATIONAL VIRTUAL MEETING
(Taken from tedmag.com)
NAED is Excited to Announce the
2020 National Virtual Meeting!
2020 Qualifying Events COVID 19 UpdateApril 09, 2020QUALIFYING EVENTS SUSPENSION IS EXTENDED PAST APRIL 13, 2020
(SYCAMORE, IL) – April 9, 2020 – IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. is extending its suspension of qualifying rounds for the IDEAL National Championship electrician challenge due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reflecting stay-at-home ordinances and continued physical distancing guidelines that discourage non-essential gatherings.
Coronavirus UpdateMarch 23, 2020RE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Dear Friends and Partners
:Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During such challenges, it is important that we unite and support each other. IDEAL is focused on the wellbeing of our global community – our employees, our customers, our partners and our collective families.
IDEAL Nationals - IBEWFebruary 25, 2020(Taken from ibew.org)
In what has become a yearly tradition, IBEW members dominated the competition at the fourth annual Ideal National Championships, which draws union and nonunion electricians from across North America and is considered the top competition of its kind for inside wiremen
Bright Future at Cree LightingJanuary 12, 2020By Michael Burke
(Taken from journaltimes.com)
A bright future at Cree Lighting: Now-private company making continual advances
STURTEVANT — On March 15, in a bombshell announcement, Cree reported that it had sold off its entire lighting business for $310 million, a business that employs about 1,000 people here.
IDEAL Invests in Skill and Labor ShortageJanuary 02, 2020(Taken from techedmagazine.com)
America will face a shortage of electricians in the near future, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). 7,000 electricians join the field each year, but 10,000 retire. The BLS reports that the employment of electricians is projected to grow 10% from 2018 to 2028 — faster than the average for all occupations.
Mission Accomplished: 2019 IDEAL National Championship a Great SuccessDecember 12, 2019By Lucie Côté
(Taken from Electrical Business website)
From Nov. 7 to 9, the Ideal National Championship took place in Orlando, Fla., bringing together 162 high-caliber professionals and students/apprentices in the electrical industry looking to demonstrate their skills.
First-Ever International Competition at 2019 IDEAL® National ChampionshipNovember 21, 2019Electricians from the U.S., Canada, China and Australia Compete for Title of ‘World’s Best Electrician’ and their Share of Over $600,000 in Cash and Prizes
(Taken from einnews.com)
/EIN News/ -- SYCAMORE, Ill., Nov. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IDEAL® Electrical concluded its fourth annual IDEAL National Championship by crowning the first-ever International Champion on November 9 at Disney’s® Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Orbit Donates to IDEAL National ChampionshipNovember 12, 2019(Taken from tedmag.com)
ORLANDO, Fla. — In November, Orbit Industries, Inc. donated over 4,600 pieces of electrical products to support the 2019 IDEAL National Championship.
Circuit Identifier ReviewOctober 29, 2019By Ralph Mroz
We’ve all been there. We need to shut down the power to a circuit, but we don’t know which breaker controls it. If we have a partner maybe the panel will be close enough to the work area that we can yell to each other as one of us flips the breakers one by one.
Heavy Metal TourOctober 04, 2019By Kelsey Rettke
SYCAMORE – Will Nalley said he’s a proud “gearhead” as he and his friend, and fellow Sycamore High School junior, Ryan Kessler toured Auto Meter Productions Inc. in Sycamore.
“This is my first time, and I’m kind of a real big gearhead,” Nalley, 16, said Friday while standing on the Auto Meter manufacturing floor. “It’s kind of cool to see how all the gauges and vehicles are made.”
Qualifying Regional EventOctober 01, 2019By Alan M. Petrillo, Electric Times
IDEAL National Championship & Tyler Hall make cover of The Electric Times.
Click here to view article
(Taken from The Electric Times)
IDEAL Electrical PromotionsSeptember 19, 2019September 19, 2019
By Mike Grossman
Jeffrey Burkhardt Promoted to Group President - Will Lead IDEAL Electrical,
Canada, Latin America and Data Comm2019 IDEAL National Championship is on Record Pace
IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. CHAIRMAN AND CEO TO RETIRE JANUARY 31, 2020August 20, 2019By Mike Grossman
Jim James to Retire and Steve Henn Joines IDEAL as CEO
Meghan Juday 4th Generation Family Leader to Become Chairman of the 103-Year-Old Family Company
AUGUST 20, 2019 - Jim James, Chairman and CEO of IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. has announced he will retire on January 31, 2020.
IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. ACQUIRES CREE COMMERCIAL LIGHTING AND INTELLIGENT LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMSMarch 15, 2019By Mike Grossman
Purchase Establishes IDEAL as a World Leader in Commercial Lighting and Wireless Lighting Controls
MARCH 15, 2019 - Sycamore, Illinois - IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. today announced the acquisition of Cree Lighting, which includes the LED lighting fixtures, lamps and intelligent lighting control solutions business for commercial, industrial and consumer applications of Cree, Inc. (CREE – NASDAQ).
PRO TOOL REVIEWS – IDEAL National Championship CompetitionDecember 07, 2018By Clint DeBoer
IDEAL NATIONAL CHAMPTIONSHIP ANNUAL ELECTRICIANS COMPETITION
We partnered with Ideal Industries this year to bring you a first-hand look at the 2018 Ideal National Championship for electricians. Dubbed the Ideal Nationals, there’s no more intense or visible display of trade skill in this field. The Ideal Nationals—in a nutshell—pit tradesman against tradesman in a national electricians competition to crown a champ. Even better—cash prizes and tool prizes were at stake. Below we list the 2018 Ideal National Championship winners.
EC & M - IDEAL WIRE ARMOUR™ ELECTRICAL TAPESeptember 30, 2018September 30, 2018
By Mike Eby
Wire Armour vinyl electrical tape insulates, bonds, and protects. Suitable for use in a range of temperatures, including extreme weather, the tape offers high elasticity, high UV resistance to water, oil, acids, etc., and is flame retardant. Color choices include black, white, blue, orange, green, brown, yellow, violet and more.
PROTOOL REVIEWS - IDEAL WIRE ARMOUR™ ELECTRICAL TAPESeptember 27, 2018By Kenny Koehler
For a product that most Pros carry and electricians use every day, electrical tape isn’t the most exciting topic of conversation. You just need it to work. Despite the possibility that it might be bland, I got my hands on the new Ideal Wire Armour Heavy Duty Electrical Tape to see if it offers something more than the standard stuff.
THIRD ANNUAL IDEAL® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS-OFF SEARCH TO HONOR AND REWARD ELITE ELECTRICAL TRADESMEN, STUDENTS/APPRENTICESMarch 08, 2018By Anthony Filomena
FOLLOWING TWO SUCCESSFUL YEARS, IDEAL OPENS REGISTRATION FOR SKILLS, TALENT-BASED COMPETITION TO AWARD $600K IN CASH, PRIZES
SYCAMORE, Ill., March 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Doug Sanford, Group President of IDEAL® Electrical, the world leader in electrical tools and wire termination, announced today open registration for the third annual IDEAL National Championship.
WATCH AMERICA'S ELITE ELECTRICIANS COMPETE FOR $500K IN CASH, PRIZES DURING IDEAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 10, 2018By Anthony Filomena
TV Special Airing in January
SYCAMORE, Ill., Jan. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IDEAL® Electrical, the world leader in electrical products, electrician tools and wire termination, announced today the viewing schedule for the first-ever televised special of the company’s second annual IDEAL National Championship competition.
NEW DRILL TAPS FROM IDEAL ELECTRICALNovember 23, 2017By Anthony Capkun
Ideal Industries, Inc. offers new drill taps constructed out of high-speed steel that combine the tasks of drilling, tapping and deburring into one.
Similar to the IDEAL TKO™ hole cutters, a split-point Smoothstart tip guides the drill tap into the material, minimizing walking and helping reduce thread damage.
‘BEST OF THE BEST’ IN ELECTRICAL TRADE COMPETE IN SKILLS, SAFETY AND TIME AT SECOND ANNUAL IDEAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKENDNovember 16, 2017By Anthony Filomena
Competition Grows to Over 30k Participants, Awards $500,000 in Cash in Prizes
(Taken from globenewswire.com)
SYCAMORE, Ill., Nov. 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IDEAL® Electrical, the world leader in electrical products, electrician tools and wire termination, showcased the “know-how” and professionalism of electrical professionals, students and apprentices from across the country during its second annual IDEAL National Championship Weekend.
upper-midwest-showDecember 08, 2021December 8 - 9, 2021
RESCHEDULED - Click here for more information
Minneapolis, MN
Industry Expo providing valuable, inter-industry commerce, education and discussion forums, and oppotunities to network with others.
NAED Combines Eastern and Southern Region ConferencesMarch 25, 2021For your safety and concern, NAED has decided to combine the 2020 Eastern Region Conference with the 2021 South Central Region Conference.
2020 IDEAL National Championship CanceledMay 08, 2020IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. has made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the 2020 IDEAL National Championship electrician challenge, to protect and support the electrical community during this time.