Eaton and the Valentini Group: a winning team

Background

Thanks to Eaton's technological assistance, the Valentini Group is one of the key suppliers of electric power distribution at the major football tournament in Brazil. The Italian company will be supplying the organisers of the sporting event with distribution boards equipped with a wide range of Eaton circuit protection products, including modular and moulded-case circuit breakers. Founded in Turin in 1981, the Valentini Group specialises in design, production and distribution of special components for the world's biggest trade fairs and sports and entertainment events. The wide range of products offered by the Valentini Group includes two key trademarks, SYNTAX (unipolar power connectors up to 750A, audio, video and digital signal transmission connectors with connection cables) and PowerBOX Factory (portable switching cabinets, connecting cables, interconnect boxes and accessories). PowerBOX Factory has designed a special series of switching cabinets that solve the problems of logistics and movement typical of international sports and media events.

The Valentini Group's success stories

In recent years the company has supplied panels and equipment at numerous events, including international rugby games (France 2007), swimming competitions (Rome 2009), football tournaments (South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014), winter sports games (Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014) as well as major car racing events. It also produced electrical boards for the tents set up by the Civil Guard after the 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila.

Challenges

Valentini distribution boards must guarantee continuity of service. Available in various versions (from 16A to 800A), the PBOX PowerBOX Factory is located between the energy source (downstream of the supply point, normally a generator) and the terminal distribution (a 16A socket used by end users). The product's key technical properties include high quality, ease of use and portability as well as low visual impact. In order to guarantee continuity of service, it also offers maximum reliability in terms of components and construction technique. It is to meet these key requirements that PowerBOX Factory has chosen Eaton's circuit protection solutions. The company, which had already worked with Eaton in supplying distribution systems at previous international events such as the football tournament four years ago, can count on the reliability and quality of Eaton's vast range of modular and moulded-case circuit-breakers. These include PLN, PLS and PLHT thermomagnetic circuit breakers, which the Valentini Group chose to protect circuits deriving from its distribution boards. For bigger boards, the company opted for NZM moulded-case circuit breakers, fitting them with accessories and coupling them with PFR-5 electronic relays. Because of the nature of the market where it operates, the Valentini Group needs to be prompt in delivering power distribution systems to its customers. “For the Valentini Group, responding promptly to the changing needs of major events is an absolute priority, and this is even more the case when we are responding to an entirely unforeseeable natural disaster such as the 2009 earthquake in Abruzzo”, explains PowerBOX Factory CEO Alfredo Zappelli, who adds that “for this reason our company needs a supplier of circuit protection systems that is capable of guaranteeing prompt delivery.” Valentini chose Eaton for its record of prompt delivery and speed in supplying components essential to the construction of distribution panels in under ten days. Thanks to this consolidated partnership, not only did Valentini decide to adopt switches but also other Eaton products in its distribution boards, such as M22 pushbuttons and other accessories.

Solution

Through its partnership with Eaton, the Valentini Group has achieved success world-wide for its ability to offer dependable, top quality power distribution systems for important international events. “When collaborating in an event such as this year's football happening in Brazil, which millions of people will be watching, it's essential to guarantee a continuous and uninterrupted energy supply,” comments Zappelli; “over the years we have always been able to count on the dependability and high quality of Eaton's circuit breakers and other products, which have turned out to be a real guarantee for the protection of our distribution boards.” 

Results

In view of the upcoming 2016 summer sports games in Brazil and other major international events, the company expects to continue working with Eaton and equipping its distribution boards with Eaton circuit breakers and other devices in the future.