International expansion is a major initiative for Advanced Protection Technologies, currently the largest OEM private label manufacturer of 3 phase TVSS in the world. APT was founded in 1984 with a long-term business philosophy of traditional ethics, integrity and service. We are headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, the lighting capitol of the United States. Surge suppression is our only business. We manufacture a complete line of products from medium voltage, low voltage, data/ communications, din rail and residential applications.
APT’s historical markets have been the new construction bid market, OEM private label and international markets. In the past 15 years we have sold to OEM private label clients over $200,000,000 of products. Our major private label relationships include or have included the Square D Company, Schneider Electric Canada, Siemens Energy and Automation and American Power Conversion. Three times in recent years APT has been awarded the “Market Engineering Customer Focus Award” from Frost and Sullivan who recognizes our customer support expertise. In 1999, Power Quality Assurance magazine ranked APT as the number one supplier of three-phase TVSS devices and ranked APT as a top 50 power quality company.
We are committed to becoming the number one supplier of 3 phase TVSS to the international marketplace. APT demonstrates this commitment by the investment in our human resources through selecting an in-country qualified distributor as your primary contact and bi-lingual factory customer service. Our engineers’ expertise and service on committees with professional engineering organizations have shaped industry standards. We are committed to expanding our distribution networks. APT continues to focus on developing new technology, R & D opportunities and information management tools to serve our international clients. A long term business philosophy has been one of our foundational principles and is a commitment to our international partners for the long term in place of short-term gains.
During the past 10 years standards and best practices have changed considerably. To help educate international consumers to these changes we have developed free on-line and on-site training to explain how to choose appropriate, reliable and safe surge protection. Our training modules range from a quick 40 minute product introduction to an in-depth technical seminar registered with the IEEE. Our extensive database of completed projects combined with an honest, fair approach to providing our equal or better to a competitor product will enable you to feel confident that our surge protective devices will conform to engineering specifications and be a comprehensive solution to protect equipment sensitive to transient voltages. We are committed to supporting our international partners with integrity, responsiveness and technical excellence and hope that you will consider us as a resource for your next project.
To summarize, APT is the international supplier of choice because of:
- Direct contact with factory representative and APT in-country distributor. No additional USA based 3rd party representative.
- Prices to suit your market.
- Best professional engineering staff in the business.
- Commitment to elevate knowledge of TVSS through education.
- Ready for UL 3rd edition in 2009.
International Frequently Asked Questions:
Should I make my final decision to buy TVSS based upon price? That depends on your ultimate goal. If you want the cheapest product and are willing to risk sub-standard performance specifications, then of course price matters. However, if your goal is to build long- term customer relationships, then perhaps it would be wiser to consider all features and benefits and the company track record before purchase. What we CAN tell you is that APT is committed to providing the lowest pricing for an equal product. Remember, a well designed, safe surge protector is imperative because the consequences of poor quality can be devastating and some competitor units may not conform to the newest UL 1449 3rd Edition safety requirements.
What technical documents are available to me? Some manufacturer representatives actually require a pass code to view their TVSS technical sheets and are careful not to disclose the full scope of their product’s performance parameters. At APT we are confident in our design having patented our Transafe Circuit Regeneration technology. We are proud to have the lowest clamping voltages in the industry recognized by Underwriter’s Laboratories. Why shouldn’t we be excited to educate our customers about TVSS specifications and show them the superiority of an APT suppressor? Because of our proprietary database, upon request, an APT representative can build an engineering submittal package in mere minutes which will include the technical sheets, electrical drawings and UL product certification. This greatly facilitates determining specification compliance. Our engineering staff is also available for consultation and technical assistance with just a phone call or e-mail.
What if I have a competitor part number- can APT provide an equal? Surge protection is our sole focus. Because TVSS is our core business we offer the largest product range in the industry. Through that process we have compiled an extensive understanding of competitor products, their technologies and marketing strategies. We can offer an equal or better to all competitor products.
Why does APT offer a 5 year Warranty? The North American electrical market has traditionally been extremely competitive and often smaller companies with a short term business plan will advertise an exorbitant warranty period as a way to differentiate themselves from established manufacturers. Over the past two decades we have found that in most cases, if a TVSS fails it is usually immediate. Among other reasons, it can be a symptom of a greater wiring problem within a distribution system. TVSS manufacturers, including APT, will not cover a TVSS that has failed due to N-G fault. We feel that a 5 year warranty period is sufficient time for a customer to observe their TVSS for defective workmanship. If an engineer specification will not compromise on warranty term, we will work with our distributor to conform to the specification.