Electrical professionals who stay current with industry news and code updates improve their safety and quality of work. Magazines and publications for electrical contracting professionals inform electricians about industry trends, the latest news, and important changes to codes and standards. Staying up to date ensures electricians and electrical contractors:
Keep themselves and their customers safe
Deliver quality design, installation, and repair
Find innovative ways to grow business
We’ve compiled the top 10 magazines and publications to help electricians and electrical contractors stay in the know about news and developments in the electrical trade.
Why is it Beneficial to Read Electrician Magazines?
Subscribing to electrician magazines keeps electricians and business owners informed about advancements and changes in the electrical industry. Electrician magazines typically cover a variety of topics, including:
Electrical codes and standard updates
How-to guides and safety tips
Product and tool highlights
Trade shows and training workshops
Business management strategies
Another advantage? Staying in the loop amplifies your professional credibility with customers and gives your business a competitive edge.
10 Top Electrical Contractor Magazines & Publications
As a busy electrician or electrical business owner, you may not have time to search online for the best electrical publications. To help you, we’ve compiled a list of the top electrician magazines and publications. Formats vary from print publications to digital versions, and many offer additional resources, such as webinars, podcasts, and social media pages to stay connected.
1. Electrical Contractor Magazine (ECM)
Electrical Contractor Magazine is a monthly print and digital magazine published by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and serves professionals in the field of electrical construction.
Image Source: ECM
The magazine covers news in the electrical construction industry for electrical contractors, engineers, estimators, purchasing agents, project managers, supervisors, journeymen, and apprentices. Topics range from codes, safety products, technical information, and issues facing electrical businesses.
To qualify for a free annual subscription, potential subscribers must complete a qualification process to determine if they own or work for an electrical or low-voltage contractor firm in the U.S. The magazine’s app also is available for download on Apple and Google Play.
Archived issues of the digital magazine can be viewed on the website without a subscription. Online resources include a product library, market research, videos, and a newsletter. Electrical Contractor Magazine also publishes the quarterly supplements Line Contractor for outside line construction and maintenance, and Safety Leader for electrical professionals.
2. Electrical Wholesaling
Electrical Wholesaling serves electrical distributors, manufacturers and independent representatives by informing them about the latest analysis, trends, market opportunities, and sales techniques in the electrical market.
Image Source: Electrical Wholesaling
Topics include news and market trends, infrastructure legislation, current business challenges, and sales opportunities. You must subscribe to read current or archived issues. The website also offers podcasts, webinars, and a digital newsletter.
3. Plant Engineering
Plant Engineering publishes a print and digital magazine for plant engineers, plant managers, maintenance supervisors, and manufacturing leaders.
Image Source: Plant Engineering
Plant Engineering gives plant and facility engineers information about the latest products, trends, strategies, and automation in the areas of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, automation engineering, and maintenance and management.
Topics include arc flash and electrical safety, digital transformation, energy efficiency and management, mechanical and electrical, plant automation, predictive and preventive maintenance, safety and personal protective equipment, supply chain, and workforce development. Subscriptions are free. In addition, Plant Engineering offers newsletters on 17 different topics. The website also offers training webcasts, videos, ebooks, and case studies.
4. Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M)
Electrical Construction & Maintenance gives electrical professionals information about the latest electrical systems products, solutions, and technologies in commercial, industrial, and institutional building applications.
Image Source: EC&M
The monthly magazine provides information on electrical industry code changes, business trends and tips, technical information, product reviews, and market and construction forecasts. You must subscribe to read current or archived issues. Other resources include a digital newsletter, webinars, videos, podcasts, and ebooks.
5. tED Magazine
tED Magazine publishes a digital magazine twice a month for the electrical distribution industry.
Image Source: tED Magazine
The magazine publishes news for electrical distributors and suppliers, and covers topics such as new products, market trend data, economic outlooks, green initiatives and alternative markets, and best practices of electrical distributors.
Subscriptions to the digital magazine are free. tED Magazine also publishes lightED for distributors and lighting manufacturers, email newsletters, and a podcast.
6. Electrical News
Electrical News publishes a monthly print magazine about the national electrical industry. Its website also covers regional, national, and global news.
Image Source: Electrical News
Electrical News covers industry news and changes affecting the electrical industry, as well as news about companies, products, people, industry gatherings, and events. The magazine provides information to electrical building contractors and plant and maintenance engineers, lighting specifiers, manufacturers, representatives, distributors, and connected services in the electrical industry.
An annual subscription costs $36. You can also sign up for a free PDF version or an email newsletter. Archived issues may be viewed on the website without a subscription. Other website resources include blogs, an event calendar, and a directory.
7. IAEI Magazine
IAEI Magazine, published by the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), is a quarterly print and online magazine for electrical installation and inspection professionals.
Image Source: IAEI Magazine
The magazine covers topics relating to electrical fundamentals, electrical inspections, industry standards, electrical safety, evolving technologies, and industry news. Online resources include a list of National Electrical Code adoptions and continuing education requirements by state, and IAEI training resources.
Members of IAEI receive the magazine for free as part of their annual dues. For nonmembers, an annual subscription costs $65 and includes four print issues and mobile access. An annual educational subscription for qualified educational institutions costs $45. Articles in archived issues can be read online without a subscription.
8. ServiceTitan Blog
ServiceTitan, the all-in-one software for home and commercial contractors, gives professionals in the trades the information they need to succeed.
ServiceTitan electrical software helps electrical contractors automate and simplify operations to improve the efficiency and profitability of their business.
ServiceTitan’s blog features posts on electrical industry trends, effective ways to recruit and retain electricians, and proven methods to grow your electrical business. It also includes helpful information, such as the best electrician tools, electrician blogs, and electrical podcasts.
In addition, ServiceTitan offers many free resources for professionals in the trades, including webinars, a Toolbox for the Trades podcast, online business tools, and a comprehensive Contractor Playbook.
9. Electrical Products & Solutions
Electrical Products & Solutions informs electrical contractors about the latest products and business information.
Image Source: Electrical Products & Solutions
The magazine covers industry news, features, case studies, products, and tools of interest to professionals in the electrical industry. Topics include news of companies and people in the industry, new product alerts, and trending electrical products and solutions.
A two-year subscription is free. Articles from archived issues also may be read online. The magazine also offers an email newsletter.
10. Electrical Business
Electrical Business serves electrical contracting, maintenance, and engineering professionals in Canada with its six print magazine editions, weekly newsletters, and online resources.
Image Source: Electrical Business
The magazine covers industry news and products, equipment, and solutions. It also covers topics such as skilled trades, workplace safety, lighting, alternative energy, electric vehicles, test and measurement, code information, and industry events.
Those without a subscription can view three articles each month on the website. Digital archived issues can be viewed online without a subscription. Other online resources include videos, webinars, podcasts, recalls and warning information, and a job board.
Stay Up to Date with Industry News
Electrical professionals need to stay connected with industry code updates, trends, and the newest safety information to provide the best service to their customers. Regularly reading electrical contractor magazines keeps you up to date on key topics, so you can improve and grow your business.
Want to amplify your electrical contracting business? ServiceTitan gives you the tools you need to grow your business. Schedule a demo to see software features in action.
ServiceTitan Electrical Software
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive electrical business software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and achieve growth. Our award-winning, cloud-based platform is trusted by more than 100,000+ contractors across the country.
