We recently talked with Al Festa of C&C Technology Group to learn more about some unique and challenging projects he has assisted with. C&C Technology Group is a manufacturer’s representative in the telecommunications industry that has long established itself as a front runner in managing challenging and unique building projects. C&C Technology Group works with a wide range of manufacturers who are all dedicated to developing future-thinking solutions. They are constantly searching out the latest and greatest in the technological world to stay up on breakthroughs that will guarantee their clients the best solutions for their buildings. This not only assures the clients of the best products for today’s market but also products that will withstand the test of time and continue to make sense in the spaces they occupy. They accomplish this by personally getting involved on every level of a project, working closely with all involved to ensure a cohesive solution. 

While most companies shy away from solutions that may not be inherently easy or cost efficient, C&C Technology Group and the manufacturer’s they represent, thrive on finding innovative solutions. They work with a wide range of customers, fitting their solutions to each individual need. Whether a medical facility, a financial institution, or an educational center, C&C Technology Group, and the manufacturer’s they work with can find a solution that will adapt to the needs of that customer.

Al Festa, of the C&C Technology Group, has been in the telecommunications industry for almost 4 decades. In the last 38 years, he’s seen the industry change, blossom, and evolve. And over the years he seen the necessity of providing products that withstand the test of time. As well as the need to make the customer feel comfortable with the solutions put into place. In talking to Al , he was able to give us an in-depth look at project in Manhattan with some very individualized challenges. This particular project was a Financial institution.

The Challenge.

Manhattan is known for its juxtaposition of technological advancements and historic buildings. It’s part of the charm of the city to walk through a city full of signs of the future while still feeling the history surrounding you. It’s what makes the city so unique and special. These remarkable layouts, while beautiful and full of history, however, are not always conducive to a physical layer infrastructure. This was the case with the financial institution C&C Technology Group worked with who was endeavoring to expand and grow while still paying homage to the architecture of the historic building they occupied. Every historic space will have its own unique challenges. So what were the specific challenges with this project? 

C&C Technology Group worked with this Financial Company to assist in building out a trading floor in Manhattan. It was a historic space, which meant it wasn’t a normal typical 40,000 square foot layout. The Financial Company wanted to honor the buildings roots – to preserve its historical significance while still accommodating the needs of their employees. It had a lot of columns and different architectural nuances that made installation more than challenging. Because of these architectural distinctions, the cable and trading desks became more involved than in a normal project. In addition, this environment required what is known as a zone distribution design. In other words, traders and trading desks were often and quite frequently moved to different areas within the trading floor. So modular technology was needed to be accomplished through a plug and play solution. So, C&C Technology Group was brought in through a consultant to assist and troubleshoot these challenges. But why was C&C Technology Group chosen?

Why C&C Technology Group?

C&C Technology Group had developed a reputation for developing custom solutions such as custom tech plates for trading desks. And this job definitely required several customizations. Custom solutions are not found in a standard catalog.  They require troubleshooting and a sense of imagination to think out these customizations and bring them to life. That means most manufacturers will not bid it due to the work and difficulty involved. There is a lot of engineering that goes into a custom spec and it is not always cost effective for the manufacturer. Because of the good reputation of C&C Technology Group, however, and their track record in reliability and time management, Legrand felt comfortable to create the custom specs needed to get the job done. Not only did Legrand take on the project but they delivered on time and at a reasonable price. This was not new for Legrand. In Legrand’s mind, “custom products should not come with custom prices.” They believe in adapting to the customer the best they can within the scope of their work. And they at times see the need to bring these customized solutions to the mainstream market. Over the years many of these custom solutions and products were made standard products for Legrand’s low voltage catalog because of their versatility amongst additional companies we were working with. So, the reputation stood for itself. But how were they able to meet these customizable demands?

The Solution.

The project required several cabling challenges, and each required a unique solution. C&C Technology Group took it step by step driving the 4 following product developments:

First, the team along with Legrand’s product management staff created a special zone flush mount box to fit in to the existing columns in the space. This utilized existing space to the maximum efficiency while still preserving the beauty of these extraordinary columns. In this particular case, large distribution boxes similar to what we would know as a medicine cabinet were retrofitted to accomplish these zone boxes. With that in place, they moved on to the floors.

Then, as a second customized solution, they created a copper multi-jack box suitable to be mounted underneath a raised floor. This box had the capabilities of being relocated, which was crucial as many of these trading desks were frequently redesignated. One unique aspect of this box was the creation of a dust cover for the RJ45 Jacks. This helped to protect them from the harsh raised floor environment. They were also designed with a hinge for easy access. This enabled them to use the jacks when needed but also to keep them safe and secure when not in use. And when in use, the covers wouldn’t be lost or misplaced. This specific customization really showed the client the future-proofing ingenuity of Legrand’s design. The ability to adapt with their traders as they moved, as the years progressed was fundamental and essential.

They then moved on the desks themselves with the third solution. The third custom product C&C Technology Group created along with Legrand was a metal surface mount box that housed twelve RJ45 jacks and were mounted to the trading desk. The metal housing helped to protect the jacks from any accidental damage on the part of the trader.  They also bundled six Category 6 cables in six different colors and pulled two to each trading desk. This metal box also featured a small piano hinge to enable access to all connections after it was terminated.

A fourth solution customized and utilized was a retrofitted standard fiber box that was adapted for Category 6 zone cabling. This design made the moving and reconfiguring of trading desks way more efficient. It mounted underneath the raised floor beneath the trading desks so regardless of where the trading desk was moved, a zone box was within reach. This solution specifically contributed to a tremendous savings in labor costs. Instead of having to run individual pulls know as home runs and call for an installer to come back out for adds moves and changes, they simply plugged into the zone boxes. So, with this customization, in additions to future proofing and adaptability, Legrand was able to show that customized solutions could also be cost effective.

So, the customized work was done. The solutions were in place. Everything was delivered on time and on budget. So, after all of this customized work, how did the client feel about these solutions?

The End Result?

After all these customizations, what was the end result? The financial company got what they needed for the space they occupied at a competitive price and expedited delivery. They were able to honor a historic space by keepings its charm and integrity intact while still finding a solution that worked for the needs of their company. They got a solution that worked for their space, adapted to their environment, and accomplished all of this on time and on budget. Legrand got the opportunity to show their adaptability and stand out amongst other manufacturers.  C&C Technology Group was able to solidify their reputation as a rep firm that gets the job done, no matter the circumstances. And to prove to future clients that they were willing to go the extra mile for them.