Electrical Contracting News (ECN) June 2017 | Page 33

INTERVIEW
LOOKING BACK AND
MOVING FORWARD
In the fi rst of a two-part exclusive interview, Tony Greig, CEO of Legrand UK
& Ireland, looks back on the company’s history and discusses the changes
brought to the industry by rapid advancements in modern technology.
Is Legrand where it hoped/expected to be
when it started out 35 years ago?
Over 35 years ago, when Legrand
fi rst began manufacturing in the UK,
it was hard to imagine the landscape
we currently fi nd ourselves in. In the
beginning we manufactured and supplied
mechanical products, this evolved to
electrical systems and now, over 50 per
cent of our products have an electronic/
digital element.
Technology has developed at an
unprecedented pace and we have seen
our offering in the UK and Ireland change
dramatically. In the early days, we
manufactured products – ‘things’. This
advanced to the development of systems
which connected these ‘things’ together,
and now today, we are embarking on
a new journey providing both solutions
‘The
electrical
industry
as a whole
has evolved
enormously
over the
past three
decades.’
and services. It is literally the start
of a new digital era in construction.
Moreover, through strategic acquisitions
of complementary businesses, Legrand
has also bolstered its already steady
growth, cementing its authority as the
go-to electrical infrastructure expert in its
chosen vertical sectors.
What visions did you have for Legrand UK
& Ireland when you became CEO in 2004?
Have those visions been fulfi lled?
Legrand already had a strong presence
and a rich heritage as a UK manufacturer
when I became CEO in 2004, having spent
eight years in the company’s Australia
offi ce. However, I would say back then the
company’s presence in the vertical market
sectors within the electrical industry was
not as extensive as it is today.
We have been very fortunate to have an
incredibly strong R&D team here in the UK
and Ireland, which has enabled us to react
quickly to both local and global market
changes. Coupled with a programme of
strategic acquisition across a number of
specialist businesses within our chosen
vertical markets, we are getting closer to
our ultimate goal of being a provider of
‘total solutions’ for our target market.
Ultimately, my main aim for Legrand UK
& Ireland is for it to be recognised for what
it really is; a highly innovative and dynamic
manufacturer of electronic solutions for the
UK and Irish markets. I feel we have come
a long way over the last 35 years, dispelling
our perception as a local arm of a European
multi-national, and are now recognised and
respected as a UK manufacturer keen to
serve and support this industry.
June 2017 | 33