MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Energy leaders are talking about it and so are we
Volatile energy prices and the future of our climate are the main concerns of energy leaders, according to the latest study by the World Energy Council. In our industry, leaders talk about energy efficiency, intelligent data, new markets, succession, and people whose instincts, knowledge, expertise, and sometimes luck have propelled them into leadership positions. All this and more in this issue. Good reading!
Line Goyette
Managing Editor, Canadian Electrical Wholesaler
linegoyette@kerrwil.com
Opinion
Health and Sciences Could Take a Lesson from the Electrical Industry
By Rick McCarten
It's time the scientific world took a lesson from our industry. Recent issues such as vaccinations and the breakout of measles, raise questions around science and research versus hearsay and innuendo.
Read More
|
Peers and Profiles
David Nathaniel: A Talent for Being There at the Right Time
By Line Goyette
To hear Standard Products Inc. President and CEO David Nathaniel tell the story of this family business, you have a sense of going back decades. However, it's a contemporary story that finally looks a bit like that of the technologies that have accompanied the business along the way.
Read More
|
Best Practices: Lighting
Lighting the Way to Demand Creation
By David Gordon
Most distributors are perceived as demand fulfillers, waiting for a customer to generate an order, be it from a contractor or an MRO opportunity. Few have mastered the skill of creating demand while also fulfilling customer needs. Typically, these few have added sales specialists (automation, lighting or vertical market focused). These companies are considered the innovators and entities that can drive profitable growth for themselves.
Read More
|
Mergers and Acquisitions
Who's Next Within North America's Electrical Distributor Channel?
By Paul Eitmant
I was reviewing my ever overflowing data files and came across an article that John Kerr and I had written a few years ago, entitled "View from the North." We were comparing major differences between the Canadian and American distribution channels...
Read More
|
Best Practices: Human Resources
It's Not the Scheme You Run, It's the Players on the Field (Part 2)
By Jason Bader
Many companies are finding themselves in a difficult position these days. There are growth opportunities everywhere they look, but they are unable to find the talent required to take advantage of the abundance. In the first part of this article, I looked at the need for organizations to become year round recruiters. You can try every organizational scheme or technology fix in the world, but it all comes down to the players in your company. I challenged companies to develop their value proposition. Not to the customers they supply; rather, their unique selling points to a prospective candidate. For many, this is an entirely new shift in focus. In this article, I will talk about where to look for candidates and how to develop them into productive members of your growth plans.
Read More
|
Manufacturers' Representatives
Two Letters: N & O. One Word: No. A full sentence "No, thank you."
By Karen Jefferson
As salespeople, we get told "no" a LOT! Sometimes politely with "thank you" attached. Sometimes not so politely with other words attached that I shall not write...
Read More
|
Energy
Global Energy Leaders' Top Concerns: Energy Price Volatility, Climate
Energy leaders see energy price volatility and the future of a climate framework as their top critical uncertainties, according to the latest research by the World Energy Council.
Read More
|
Economy
New Housing Construction: December Up 5.1% Year Over Year
Investment in new housing construction totalled $3.7 billion in December, up 5.1% from the same month a year earlier. The largest year-over-year advance occurred in Alberta, followed by British Columbia and Ontario. In Alberta, total investment in new residential building construction was up 16.7% to $865 million. British Columbia saw an 11.3% increase in spending to $633 million. In Ontario, investment rose 4.0% to $1.2 billion. Conversely, Manitoba posted the largest decline (-18.8% to $96 million).
Read More
|
Looking Back
CEDA's Silver Anniversary - 1959
January 8 of this year saw the entry into CEDA of Northern Electric's Wholesale Division as a member. They were the second National company to join CEDA...
Read More
|
One Particular Counter
House of Electrical Supplies Limited
House of Electrical Supplies Limited has opened a 10,000 square foot facility in Cambridge at 375 Sheldon Drive, Units 3-4. Now with three locations in Southwestern Ontario, this Affiliated Distributors members boast a strong and robust e-commerce site.
Read More
|
Current Copper Prices
Monitor daily and 6-month $US prices for copper — the preferred electrical conductor for most categories of electrical wiring.
View Current
|
|
|