Mark Coates, a key contributor to IEC Standards on electric power cables, has been selected to receive this years' prestigious IEC 1906 award. The Award commemorates the IEC's founding in 1906, and is given in recognition of exceptional and recent contributions related to the development of projects in international electrical standards.

Mark has been one of the leading contributors to the work of IEC Technical Committee 20 (Electric Cables) and the Award was made for his particular contribution to the on-going development and maintenance of standards relating to the calculation of cable temperature rise under steady state, cyclic and short-circuit conditions, mainly all parts of IEC 60287 and 60853. He has been a member of the Working Group responsible for these standards, WG19, since 1989 and has been the convenor and sole UK expert on WG19 since 1992. Mark was nominated for the Award by the Officers of TC20.

Mark is an internationally renowned expert on current ratings for high and low voltage cable systems. He joined ERA Technology in 1983 and his career-to-date has included a wide variety of technical assignments including such extremes as cable termination failure investigations on an oil-rig in the North Sea to the inspection and assessment of a cable manufacturing facility in Thailand, not to mention the measurement of soil thermal properties on the outskirts of Birmingham!

Mark is a cable engineering consultant, within ERA's Engineering Consultancy business. His particular areas of expertise include measurement of the thermal properties of cable materials, calculation of heat flow through complex thermal paths, MV partial discharge, breakdown testing and life prediction using statistical analysis. Mark has acted as an expert witness in legal cases concerning cable installations, the fitness for use of a cable and criminal cases relating to arson. In addition to Mark's work in TC20 he is an active member of the IEE/BSI Committee concerned with electrical installations, BS7671.

The IEC 1906 award is further evidence of ERA's leading electrical engineering expertise and the calibre of the company's world-class staff.

About ERA Technology Ltd

ERA Technology works at the leading edge of many advanced technologies. The business was founded in 1920 and today provides specialist, high value-added, technology-based services including design and development, testing, assessment and expert advice.

The company has built an international reputation for technical expertise through constant innovation at the leading edge of technology. ERA’s services reduce technical and commercial risk, improve the operational performance of engineering infrastructure assets, and enhance the competitiveness of products and systems.