Depend on us
With decades of experience, the close-knit team at TREND Networks (Formerly IDEAL Networks) understands the challenges that data cable installers, network technicians and systems integrators face each day, around the world. That’s why we support our customers with an extensive range of innovative data cable and network testing equipment that provides fast, accurate results in all circumstances – even the most difficult ones.
Our deeply engrained ‘Depend On Us’ philosophy ensures that our customers know we will always provide the performance and support they need. Read more about Our Promise.
Headquartered in the UK, with international offices and an experienced global team, we manufacture and supply a range of industry leading and dependable test equipment that makes our customers’ jobs simpler, including: cable certifiers, data cable testers, cable verifiers, cable qualifiers, fibre cable testers, active network testers, network transmission testers, PoE testers, CCTV testers, bandwidth testers, industrial ethernet testers, and more.
Through technical support, training, service, calibration, and advice, as well as resources to help educate users, our customers can be reassured that TREND Networks will help them to become ever-more productive.
Trend Networks timeline
1965
Foundation as Trend Communications and first product launch (9600b/s modern tester for General Post Office)
1970’s
Telex testers era
1980’s
PCM testers era
1990’s
E1, PDH / SDH (first handheld SDH testers in the market), xDSL, ISDN testers
2000’s
10G SDH / Jitter, Triple play (IPTV, Voice and Data) testers
2001
Acquisition of Acterna’s LAN tester division (formerly known as WaveTEK)
2004
Trend Communications acquired
2010
Merged datacom test businesses and rebranded as IDEAL Networks
2011
LanXPLORER Pro advanced network troubleshooter launched
2012
NaviTEK NT series of network troubleshooters launched
SignalTEK CT & NT transmission testers launched
2013
UniPRO MGig1 enterprise and WAN tester launched
2014
VDV II series of wiremappers launched
Dec 2015
LanTEK III & FiberTEK III cable certifier launched
2016
Launch of AnyWARE app
Jun 2017
Award Winning Test4Less offering launched
Apr 2018
SecuriTEST IP CCTV tester launched
Dec 2018
IDEAL Networks is acquired by CBPE Capital alongside the incumbant Management Team
Mar 2019
Opened office New Jersey, USA with warehousing, Customer Service, Technical Support and Sales teams
Jul 2019
LanTEK IV, FiberTEK IV and AnyWARE Cloud launched with the Patented VisiLINQ PL adapters
Jan 2021
SignalTEK 10G Ethernet and bandwidth tester launched
Mar 2021
Rebranded business to TREND Networks with the tagline, Depend On Us
Management Team
Paul Walsh
Chief Executive Officer
Paul joined TREND Networks in 2013 and is responsible for TREND Networks operations globally. Paul was previously with ITW for 15 years and was General Manager of ITW Industry offering market leading brands in the construction industry.
Jean-Baptiste Rancon
Chief Financial Officer
Jean-Baptiste joined TREND Networks in May 2023 and is a highly experienced CFO. He is responsible for Global Finance and IT functions at TREND, joining us from Portals International, a UK manufacturing company with operations in the UK and Europe. Prior to Portals, Jean-Baptiste held senior roles at De La Rue, as well as at Morgan Stanley in London. Jean Baptiste has a Master’s degree in Engineering from Ecole Centrale de Paris in France as well as a BFP qualification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.
Tim Widdershoven
International Sales Director
Tim joined TREND Networks in 2014 and was responsible for Marketing globally until September 2022 when he transitioned into the role of International Sales Director. Tim and his team cover a wide area and are responsible for sales in the UK, France, Europe (excluding the DACH region), Latin America, Australia and Asia. Prior to TREND Networks Tim was with ITW for 15 years.
Kirsten Phipps Get
HR Director
Kirsten joined TREND in October 2023 on a part-time basis, from a previous HR position in an industrial technology manufacturing business. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development having completed a post-graduate degree in Human Resource Development and brings experience at both an operational and a strategic level.
Peter Kent
Development Director
Peter joined Trend Communications in 1996 which was later acquired by IDEAL INDUSTRIES INC. He is now responsible for TREND Networks Product Development. Peter has 24 years’ experience in product development and software engineering.
Mike Grindele
Vice President of Sales in North America
Mike joined TREND Networks in 2020 and is responsible for Sales and Operations in North America. Residing in Dallas, Texas, Mike began his career in IT with EDS in the 1990’s, when LAN network testing was in it’s infancy. Prior to joining TREND Networks, Mike spent 19 years with Fluke Networks leading the Sales and Operations teams in North America.
OUR PROMISE
Lifetime Support Promise – we’ll calibrate and repair the testing equipment you buy from us for as long as you use it.*
Depend On Our Data – TREND AnyWARE Cloud is the only system for certification, network and bandwidth testing.
Rapid Service – If we can’t answer your Technical Support call instantly we strive to return the call within 2 business hours.*
