MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.,
May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- Based on its recent analysis of the racks and cabinets
market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Minkels with the 2015
European Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation.
Subsequent to its 2006 introduction of the highly innovative Cold
Corridor aisle-containment system to separate data center airflow,
Minkels launched the Next Generation Cold Corridor in 2013, which
is a highly flexible and modular solution offering greatly enhanced
airflow management and energy efficiency. Following this, in 2014,
Minkels commercially launched the Free Standing Cold Corridor. It
is an ultra-modular and cost-efficient freestanding aisle
containment system, designed to create closed corridors independent
of IT racks. This means that it will allow a modular buildup of
complete Cold Corridor systems without adding racks.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150527/218943LOGO
"Minkels' latest innovation, the Free Standing Cold Corridor, is
intended to provide high cost savings in both CAPEX and OPEX," said
Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Gautham Gnanajothi. "The product's modular
design, consisting of only a support structure, wall panels,
roofing and doors, offers data centers a cost-efficient
'pay-as-you-grow' option."
The company also delivers considerable flexibility when
installing racks and other equipment, such as storage and network
systems. It directly processes its customers' requirements using a
smart mass-customization software tool, which configures solutions
in three dimensions and then directly links the solutions to the
company's operational process. This configuration tool ensures that
customers across the world benefit from a uniform solution with
standardized modular components that adapt to individual needs.
Minkels has successfully established a unique position for
itself in the market; it has a complete product portfolio boasting
industry-leading product quality. It follows a diligent
optimization process, which, apart from product quality, focuses on
process quality and logistical performance. With Legrand as its
parent company, Minkels has all the resources needed to create
synergies between the two and extend the global reach of its
service.
The company's factories are largely automated, allowing for
consistent quality, speed, and cost control. Minkels also has the
ability to support special product manufacturing at all its
locations. Its mass-customized products are produced in roughly the
same time frame and at the same quality levels as its regular
products across its manufacturing locations.
Minkels has strategically positioned itself as a data
center/white space specialist rather than a rack and cabinet
manufacturer. Notably, it has been able to leverage Legrand's
network in more than 180 countries to expand its footprint.
Furthermore, Minkels integrates Legrand's data center-related
solutions into its own portfolio in order to get involved in new
projects at an earlier stage and respond better to new and existing
market requirements.
"Instead of pushing its products in the market, Minkels works
extensively with its customers to come up with solutions that best
suit their needs," observed Gautham. "This fosters an atmosphere of
cooperation and ownership, eventually leading to better results for
both the company and its customers."
At Minkels, customer service begins right from the sales
process, at the product-definition stages. Its
product-configuration tool enhances the customer experience, and
its strong customer service chain shortens lead times.
"Minkels has done a remarkably good job of understanding
customer needs in the industry and developing an innovative new
product to address those needs. Its Free Standing Cold Corridor is
uniquely positioned for sustained success because it addresses the
core issues that customers care about—quality, flexibility and
reliability," said Frost & Sullivan Global President and
Managing Partner Krishna Srinivasan.
Overall, Minkels and Legrand have developed a comprehensive and
extremely robust product portfolio for datacenter infrastructure
solutions, which adds value to the rack and cabinet market. Its
strategic position within the Legrand group endows Minkels with
numerous advantages and places it leagues ahead of its peers.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the
company that has developed an innovative element in a product by
leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the
value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased ROI
it offers customers, which, in turn, increases customer acquisition
and overall market penetration potential.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies
in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating
outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as
leadership, technological innovation, customer service and
strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market
participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews,
analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best
practices in the industry.
About Minkels
Minkels (www.minkels.com) is a knowledge-driven manufacturer and
global supplier of high quality total solutions for data centre
infrastructure. The Minkels brand forms a part of the brand
portfolio of Legrand, a public company (quoted on NYSE Euronext
Paris: LR) with global sales in the markets of low voltage
equipment, data networks and data centres. Legrand has a presence
in more than 180 countries and had earnings of 4.5 billion Euros in 2013.
Modular design and energy-efficiency are the core principles
behind the extensive Minkels portfolio. The modular design of data
centre products ensures highly scalable customer solutions that
adapt to the dynamic needs of a data centre environment. Due to its
expertise in energy-efficiency, Minkels was asked to contribute to
the European guidelines for fitting out energy-efficient data
centres, the so-called Code of Conduct for Data Centers.
The Minkels product portfolio includes modular solutions for
data centre housing (Varicon®); data centre cooling, including DX
cooling for small server rooms and Cold Corridor® aisle containment
solutions (Varicondition®); data centre power distribution (Varicon
Power®); data centre monitoring (Varicontrol®); as well as a broad
range of data centre accessories.
About Frost & Sullivan
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Frost & Sullivan Contact:
Mireya Espinoza
P: 210. 247.3870
F: 210.348.1003
E: mireya.espinoza@frost.com
Minkels Contact:
Minkels B.V.
Vincent Liebe, Marketing Manager
Vincent.liebe@minkels.com
T +31 (0)413 31 11 87
KINXX PR
Koen Stegeman
koen@kinxx.nl
+31 (0)630491407
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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
