Electrical Contracting News (ECN) September 2017 | Page 70

SPECIAL
FEATURE
WHOLESALERS & DISTRIBUTORS
STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
Mark Fiddy, supplier relationship development director of Rexel UK, explains how Rexel’s own-brand
Newlec has helped change perceptions about own-brand solutions over the last 35 years.
T
o understand the
evolution of the own-
brand concept, we need
to look back as far as
1976, which was a pivotal
year in the electrical
distribution industry.
That year saw the launch
of the first electrical own-brand available
through the wholesale channel, marketed
under the Sector brand. The offer was
created by STC Distributors to provide its
customers with a good quality, consistently
available – and value for money – range of
products across the UK.
Today’s Newlec range embodies the
same core principles, but when launched
in 1982 by Newey & Eyre, the product
choice was far less than today, with
only basic commodity products such
as conduit fittings, lamps and lamp-
holders and a range of standard wiring
accessories available.
With the growth and development of
the range has also come an increasing
understanding and acceptance of the
power of own-brand. Widely recognised
own-brands offered by leading retailers,
from Tesco to John Lewis, have become
part of our everyday lives. There is ample
evidence that if consumers are presented
with a combination of quality and value,
they are more than happy to switch from
established brands.
70 | September 2017
Quality – no Compromise
‘Cheap
imports, lack
of quality
control
and safety
compromises
have sparked
concerns over
recent years.’
Parallels can now be drawn within the
electrical distribution market. Cheap
imports, lack of quality control and safety
compromises have sparked concerns over
recent years, engendering a growing need
for trusted brands from trusted suppliers.
A great deal of hard work has gone into
altering general perceptions around the
attractiveness and strength of own-brand
offerings and such efforts have paid off.
As a responsible distributor, Rexel
places great emphasis on ensuring all
products across its range are fully compliant
and tested to meet the exacting standards
we demand on behalf of our customers.
The brand loyalty that the Newlec range has
sustained bears testimony to the importance
of applying rigorous quality standards that
can be relied upon.
Value and availability
Now celebrating 35 years of commercial
success, Newlec has expanded into a broad
range of quality products that offers value
for money and a high level of availability.
Research has shown that availability is a
high priority with installers and offering
an own-branded range with greater
control over the supply chain gives further
assurance that the right product will be on
the shelf in the right place at the right time.
Today, the 3,000 strong product range
is available through every one of Rexel’s
270 UK-wide branches, providing fast and
easy access to the extensive stockholding
of the products. Newlec offers electrical
contractors real choice, as they can
purchase with confidence knowing a
Newlec product offers the same quality-
driven solution as manufactured brands,
but with an added focus on value for money
and availability.
Future innovation
Continual prod