The German Brand That Is Raising the Bar For Electrical Switchboard in Israel
Rittal Israel supplies some two thirds of the Electrical switchboard installed in the country's hospitals, academic institutions and security facilities. Its CEO Yakov Avraham explains how a field once considered conservative has become a focus of innovation, and why sensitive projects depend more than ever on the quality and reliability of Electrical switchboard
Electrical switchboard for low voltage are rarely at the center of public discourse. Largely unseen, they are tucked away in service areas and electrical rooms, but their impact on critical infrastructure is dramatic. A malfunction in a panel in a hospital, a factory or an academic institution can shut down the entire system, damage sensitive equipment and pose serious safety risks.
Over the past decade, one of the key forces driving change in the sector has been Rittal Israel. Operating locally for 25 years, the company is a subsidiary of the German group Rittal GmbH & Co., a global leader in electrical enclosures and data center infrastructure.
"When I joined the company, Rittal's market share in Electrical switchboard in Israel stood at about 1 percent," says Yakov Avraham, CEO of Rittal Israel. "Today, we're approaching 67 percent, a leap rarely seen in this industry."
Avraham is a practical electrical engineer with 18 years of industry experience. He is a member of the Israel Electric Corporation's international standards committee and serves on an expert committee at the Israel Standards Institute, where he contributes to drafting regulations for electrical panel standards.
At Rittal, he has led strategic initiatives to embed the company's products in the Israeli market. Among them are adapting technical solutions to local conditions, strengthening quality control processes and building a professional team of electrical engineers to provide training, guidance and support for critical projects. According to Rittal, "his experience in standardization and direct involvement in drafting it enables him to integrate regulatory requirements into engineering practice and deliver solutions that combine innovation, reliability and safety in critical infrastructure."
From a Gray Box to a Smart System
Electrical switchboard are no longer simply anonymous gray boxes. In the past decade, Rittal has introduced smart control systems that enable remote monitoring and management in real time. These systems incorporate temperature and humidity sensors, smoke, fire and flood detection, and current load and energy measurements, along with in-cabinet cooling and climate control solutions. All are integrated into industrial communication interfaces and data analysis platforms that generate alerts, reports and preventive maintenance. The connectivity allows smooth integration with operational management systems, together with features such as modularity and built-in redundancy.
"The result," explains Avraham, "is a shift from reactive response to a proactive model that reduces risk, shortens response times and improves the reliability of critical infrastructure. With today's technologies, we can see in real time what's happening inside the switchboard at the push of a button. This is especially critical for hospitals, large factories and other sensitive facilities."
Rittal also provides Electrical switchboard with cooling systems with A+ energy efficiency. "This isn't an aesthetic upgrade," says Avraham. "It delivers long term savings for our customers. The systems are designed to optimize airflow and reduce temperatures inside the panel, extending component life and lowering the risk of malfunctions."
Today, Rittal supplies Electrical switchboard to the private sector as well as to major institutions hospitals, universities, the Israel Electric Corporation, shopping malls, office towers and industrial plants with government projects also relying on Electrical switchboard based on the company's solutions. All Electrical switchboard are manufactured in accordance with the international IEC 61439 standard, which is mandatory in Israel.
Delivery Within 24 Hours
Electrical switchboard comprise numerous components, significant amounts of copper among them, making lead times a central challenge in the sector. RITTAL has addressed this by investing in advanced industrial robotic machinery, and can today complete in hours processes that once took weeks or even months.
"Electrical switchboard rely on copper for current conduction," explains Avraham. "In the past, we bent the copper and assembled the components in manual processes that could take months. Today, robotic automation (representing an investment of millions of euro) at Rittal Israel completes the work in just a few hours. The ready-to-assemble kits that we supply with detailed assembly instructions can cut assembly time by up to 90 percent. A customer who orders an electrical panel today receives a customized, standards-compliant product within 24 hours, fundamentally changing the equation in which time equals money."
Rittal integrates new Industry 4.0 principles, including IoT connectivity for cabinet sensors, real-time data collection and analysis, analytics-based preventive maintenance and digitalized production processes (Digital Twin). The combination of precise robotic manufacturing with digital platforms enables not only shorter delivery times, but also continuous improvement in quality, prediction of malfunctions and increased availability of critical infrastructure.
Bringing a Different Standard to the Israeli Market
Beyond innovation, Rittal sets itself apart through its adherence to international standards. "We're the only company in Israel working with such a broad range of certification marks, adaptable to any project," asserts Avraham. This, he stresses, ensures peace of mind for a wide range of customers, particularly hospitals, laboratories, universities and security facilities.
Over the years, his voice has become one of those identified with standardization and the implementation of these standards in Israel's electrical sector. "Ultimately, this is a largely unseen profession, but when there's a malfunction, everyone feels it," he says. "So there's a great sense of responsibility that comes with working in the area."
The field of Electrical switchboard is often seen as traditional, which Avraham views as an advantage. "Precisely because it's changed so little, there's considerable scope for transformation," he says. "That's why we're introducing new products designed to deliver maximum safety, faster assembly times and an unprecedented level of reliability."
Looking ahead, he says that the goal is to transform the Electrical switchboard into the energy brain of the building. "In the coming years, we'll see more smart buildings in which Electrical switchboard not only supply current but also manage energy, monitor faults before they occur and help organizations save resources," he says. "This is a direction which requires investment in order to remain relevant."
The change led by Rittal in Israel points to a broader shift in the industry: a transition from 'dumb' systems to smart, safe and reliable infrastructure. As the structures around us become more complex, the importance of reliable infrastructure increases, built on deep local understanding and supported by international technological capabilities.
Partnered with Rittal Israel
