Showa Denko will begin selling its lightning protection product 'SPR-TB-CAT5e', which is compatible with high-speed network lines (CAT5e, 1000Base-T), starting April 1, 2009. Last summer, there were many instances of extremely intense thunderstorms known as guerrilla rainstorms. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the number of days with thunder observed in July and August recorded the highest in the past 50 years. Consequently, the number of lightning damage incidents also surged, and the sales volume of lightning protection products in 2008 showed an increasing trend compared to the previous year. In particular, there was significant demand for the lightning protection product 'SPR-TB-100BT-A1', which is compatible with network lines (LAN lines), with sales approximately doubling compared to the previous year (according to our company). The 'SPR-TB-CAT5e' is compatible with CAT5e (Category 5e) cables and is a product that can be used with high-speed network (1000Base-T) lines. As the demand for high-speed and large-capacity networks increases, it is particularly suitable for lightning protection of security devices such as network surveillance cameras, which are expected to see growing demand in the future, as well as for network devices like computers.

An article from JLPA (Japan Lightning Protection System Industry Association) will be featured in the series "Hurry Up with Lightning Damage Countermeasures: Protecting the Core of Companies" in the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun (scheduled from April to July, every Wednesday). This initiative was planned in light of the recent increase in lightning damage, while the awareness among the public and companies remains somewhat lacking. The aim is to widely convey the realities of lightning damage, the extent of the damage, and countermeasures, in order to promote and raise awareness about lightning damage prevention.

In the May issue of Railway and Electrical Technology, an article written by Akio Omi from Showden titled "Lightning Damage Countermeasures for Signal Equipment (2)" has been published. This is part of a three-part series, and the second installment provides a detailed introduction to the basic countermeasures against lightning damage for railway signal equipment.

The "Showden Mobile Site Co., Ltd." is now open for viewing on mobile phones. You can check the latest news and company information, as well as use the Thunder Blocker online shop. You can easily access it by scanning the QR code with a barcode reader-compatible mobile phone.

The April issue of Railway and Electrical Technology features an article written by Akio Omi from Showden titled "Lightning Damage Countermeasures for Signal Equipment (1)." The article provides a detailed introduction to the fundamental concepts of lightning damage countermeasures for railway signals and SPDs.

The June issue of Railway and Electrical Technology features an article written by Akio Ohmi from Showden and Shigeru Tamaya from the Technology Development Department, titled "Lightning Damage Countermeasures for Signal Equipment (3)." This is part of a three-part series, and the third installment provides a detailed introduction to the grounding of railway signal equipment.