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Electrical Wholesale Market Report 2009
Key Note Publications Ltd, Jan 2009, Pages: 89
In 2008, the market for electrical wholesaling was estimated to be worth £3.64bn, a decrease of 3% on the previous year. Electrical wholesalers act as an intermediary between component manufacturers and those purchasing them, mostly electrical contractors working in the construction industry. Some of the products sold by electrical wholesalers are used in the industrial sector. Owing to the fact that the construction industry is the main destination of products stocked by electrical wholesalers, data on the UK construction industry are given in this Market Report.
The range of products sold by electrical wholesalers is very broad and includes: cable; wire; consumer units; fusegear; circuit breakers; plugs; sockets; switches; lighting; and heating equipment. The main customers for these products are electrical contractors, although electrical wholesalers also sell to industrial/commercial companies, local authorities and the do-it-yourself (DIY) market. The electrical contractor customer base comprises thousands of mostly small firms. As well as holding large stocks, electrical wholesalers play an important role in providing technical advice and trade credit.
The UK electrical wholesale market is dominated by a small number of very large companies with a branch network covering most of the UK. In addition, there are many small electrical wholesalers — some focus on the distribution of specialist products, while others operate in a small geographical region. Not all electrical components are sold through electrical wholesalers and builders’ merchants — DIY stores also sell supplies for electrical contractors. In addition, foreign companies have a substantial stake in the UK wholesaling market.
Several key issues confront the electrical wholesale business. The Building Regulations and Wiring Regulations, which are continuously updated, are of particular importance. It is important that electrical wholesalers keep up to date with these Regulations, in order to provide the appropriate products and advice. A related issue is the responsibility of electrical wholesalers to stock products that are relevantly approved (by independent bodies) to be suitable for a specific purpose, as they are often relied upon as a source of information. For example, it is of critical importance that products comply with specific standards, such as those of the new fire safety regulations.
Counterfeiting is a major international problem and electrical wholesalers must make every effort to ensure that the products they sell are genuine and not copies. Electrical wholesalers must also determine to what extent they are responsible for recycling, in light of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling regulations that are now in force.
The future of the electrical wholesale market depends on how quickly the UK can recover from the present serious credit squeeze that is now affecting the whole economy. The UK appears to be entering a recession and, so far, the construction industry — which is vital to electrical wholesalers — is experiencing a downturn. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the electrical wholesale market will also suffer until the prospects for the construction industry improve.
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