I became acquainted with EEC in 2001 in a multi-story building project in Istanbul. EEC was cooperating with the company where I was employed at that time, and offered complete low voltage control systems there. Installing such integrated systems was a difficult job at that time. EEC made it happen. My perception about EEC from 2001 is its business sensitivity and solutions. Then I worked together with EEC in 2006 during the construction of the International Terminal project.
Due to our experience in Istanbul, we had no hesitation before cooperating with EEC on the Adnan Menderes Airport project. The multi-story building project was one of the most important projects of that time, and there was not only fire detection, but also integrated solutions and automation. At that time, we closely worked with the engineers, and I knew their working discipline, engineering infrastructure, properties of the products of EEC and their business partners, so I had no hesitation about EEC on the Adnan Menderes International Terminal construction project in 2006.
I believe that as EEC entered the sector as a fire company, it has been operating sensitively on this issue for many years. I am sure that with the distributorships that it has acquired such as Carrier, they had applied strict criteria before selecting EEC. As a result, I think EDWARDS is a really excellent system for detection.
I first started working as an engineer on low voltage control systems in 1997. At that time, I was designing and installing fire detection systems. I also worked with different companies and products, but I always had problems with the installation. Although some of these problems were related to the infrastructure installers, some of the problems were directly related to the products. It would not be right for me to give a brand name. We used an imported brand for the installation at a factory. The system became inoperable after a short period of time, because there were so many false and unreasonable alarms that the user got fed up with the product, and removed the system. They said: "We do not want this product" and removed it. Now, there is no such margin of error in Carrier. The most useful properties of the products and services of EEC for us are that the products are quite functional in terms of their designs, and their software options are also broad and user-friendly. Besides, the Fireworks is a software that offers ease of use without any problems. We are currently at an excellent point when we add the engineering and post-maintenance operation services of EEC.
Our expectation from the fire detection system is, first of all, it should operate according to its intended purpose and we should get what you have designed. Secondly, minimum breakdowns. Thirdly, it should provide ease of maintenance and operation to the user. I think that EDWARDS is successful together with EEC in all these three elements. The product is capable of meeting all our fire detection needs. The frequency of breakdowns is very low and there are hardly false alarms. Once, we had frequent power card problems on the panel side. We replaced them, and we haven’t had any card problems for a long time. Finally, we are currently working with EEC on a maintenance contract. We surely have a high ratio of turnover with our security personnel. As new personnel join, on-site trainings are provided immediately. When they are acquainted with the system and particularly scenarios, we have a system that is easy to use and that fully meets all our needs. We are very satisfied with EEC.
Fire detection has two sides; system side and service side. On the system side, there is the detection of fire during breakdown. There was an incident in the morning recently. In an area where there is food and beverage storage, the lighting ballast melted due to a short circuit and plastic started to drip and there was a flammable substance where it dripped. The storage was normally closed at the time, but there were personnel who, I think, came to get such materials that day. He was dealing at the cash register, did not go to the storage section, but the shutter was open, he did not see the fire. He did not notice it as he was on the cash register side. The alarm was notified to our security personnel, and it was such a coincidence that the shutter was open, not closed at that time. Security personnel responded quickly. “We received a fire alarm here.” The officer said: "There is no such thing." Despite this, they went in to check it. Indeed, there was a smoky fire that was about to grow. A delayed detection and delayed response may have caused a serious fire to occur there, spread to a point where a particular section of the entire airport would be shut down, and an incident that would stop all operations. It was a big coincidence, but of course, the system fulfilled all its actual duties. It was very important for us to have such an experience, because we took the necessary measures.
EEC has many products, but we could work only on the fire side so far. We worked with EDWARDS, I'm sure there are other systems in the product ranges of EEC. In terms of fire, it has a wide range of products on both detection and extinguishing side. We are very satisfied with the detection accuracy and software options of EDWARDS.
As an enterprise, there is only one upsetting point for us. We are incapable of intervening in the system. Although we, as an enterprise, have sufficiently-trained technical personnel, there is also the competence, dongle and software training side. I wish EEC could provide such a service to its customers. It should provide both technical training and dongle for a fee to its customers, which have necessary infrastructure, engineering department and 24-hour operating technical staff like us. In this case, we can manage our processes more easily, because we are an active building. We are continuously adding and removing parts. All of them require software reinstallations. So, we think that we are insufficient in these matters, but we are closing this gap by making a maintenance contract.
I absolutely recommend EEC and trust its engineering background so much. There must be only a few such companies working on low voltage control systems in Turkey, with 36 engineers and 72 technical personnel. In this regard, we have not had any problems in terms of meeting our increasing needs and solving our current problems. I absolutely recommend it.
The establishment of the Aegean Regional Office was very good for us. Although it had technical personnel in the Aegean Region before, EEC was more focused on Vestel Manisa. Therefore, delays were happening. Now that the Aegean Regional Office was established, the technical personnel organization has increased, and the on-site response time has improved as well. This is satisfactory for us. I wish that the conditions for cooperation in other systems will arise on the security side, sound side and automation side.
I find the quality of the products of EEC successful. The properties of the products match our needs 100%. As for EEC's lead time, I can say the following; low voltage control systems are part of the construction, but it is the last link because all the details are finished in the construction, the architectural details are finished, the mechanics are settled, the electrical infrastructure is finished, and the low voltage control systems are installed last. These systems are the last link, both because they are flush-mounted and are the last point in architectural design. The disadvantage of this situation is that the building waits for you to open or the building opens and you will continue after the opening. In all the projects that I have attended, the building was opened and then we spent time and effort day and night to be able to run the systems. I personally experienced the post-opening process with EEC both at the International and Domestic Terminals. This is a result of the construction system in Turkey, we did not have any problems with EEC.
Let me share my experience about the approach and communication of the sales personnel. Our architect came up with a very different design for the Domestic Terminal construction project. The project had very different characteristics such as elevations, floor-level differences, ceiling structures, transitions etc. Therefore, the building was not homogeneous, but it was a project that included many layers and many different details. At that time, we had such a problem, we were unable to reach some locations where the fire system was installed. After commissioning, we concluded that the Point detectors, VESDA detectors and OSID detectors were installed in such locations that there are operational areas we will never be able to reach. During the project design, check-in counters were placed under it and it is not possible for us to bring a vehicle or a riser platform there, because there are areas that prevent it. Of course, as these were not clear at the project stage, these details were placed here as per the standard, considering these areas suitable for this. There are some locations in the section that we call VIP, where a lot of ornamented architectural details were created due to its structure. There are detectors in such places that we cannot reach them. This was our bad experience with EEC, but of course I do not blame the project team of EEC, because it was not possible for them to see those details on paper before the building was even designed at that time. Now we think of how we can overcome this problem. We will either remove the equipment from the project or find a way to be able to reach them.
We shared the issue with the EEC management. Thankfully, they took their time to visit the airport. We said: “We have such a problem, how can we overcome it?”. They said, “After all, detection is required in this area.” There are some decision-making points in the operating procedures of our airport regarding how to ensure detection or change of this project, and approval must be obtained from the management of these projects, etc. We are still at the same point, looking for a solution. EEC could not tell us anything clearly about how to find a solution. Maybe they can say something concrete such as “Okay, let’s just try to solve it this way”, but it is difficult to do those jobs because it is an operating building. On the one hand, it is difficult to do these in an operating building. On the other hand, there are additional costs that it will bring. We haven't reached that point yet, but we will definitely. I do not know what the result will be, but we need guidance from an expert on this issue. We need to receive advice such as "This is the right way to go with this project and with this cost’’.
EEC is an engineering firm that has proven itself in its field based on its working discipline. I wish we can work together on other projects and other systems.
