A few months ago, I had lunch with industry colleagues who are members of CEW’s editorial advisory board. When I told them I would soon be in Vancouver, they all said, “You have to meet Tim Horsman.” I needed no prompting because I was already curious about Tim and the family business — E.B. Horsman & Son. Tim is the fifth generation Horsman to lead the company, serving as President and CEO since 2011. He sits on the Affiliated Distributors (AD) Executive Board in Canada and the US, and is also Past Chairman of Electro Federation Canada’s Board of Directors, Past Chairman of EFC’s Supply & Distribution Council of Canada… the list goes on.
I didn’t wake up one day and go, “I want to work for my dad!” Actually, it was just the opposite. It was more like, “Are you kidding me? No way, aint gonna happen,” but it did. And so it goes with a lot of people in the rep agency business.
Read more: Family Rep Agencies: It’s all about the Evolution
Ouellet Canada is celebrating 50 years in the Electrical Heating Industry. Incorporated in 1967 the company has steadily grown from a home workshop into an international leader with over 225 employees and 100,000 square feet of production facilities.
On February 27th Lumen opened their 36th branch in Ottawa, Ontario.
By Line Goyette
Rachelle Caron, General Manager of Westburne, hails from the Gaspé, which might explain why she's both fearless and can see emerging market trends from a mile away. In the changing world of distribution, this is a major asset. Behind her composure is a formidable leader. A chartered accountant by training, Rachelle describes her career as nontraditional, and since assuming leadership at Westburne she’s achieved brilliant success. Read on to learn more.
John Baron is President of Elec-Tech Sales Ltd., a manufacturing agent with headquarters in Richmond, British Colombia. Very active within the industry and his profession, he is on the Board of Directors and Executive of the BC Electrical Association, which has just named him BCEA Individual of the Year for 2016. John is also a former president of CEMRA, and active member of IESNA and NEMRA.
In September 1957, Ken Gerrie opened a storefront electrical supply counter in the growing town of Oakville, Ontario. The business would expand into one of Ontario’s most dominant electrical supply companies.
I met with Shoynear Morrison at the Lumen show in Montreal this past April — a welcomed opportunity to spend time with an outgoing new member of the industry. Shoynear has a BA in English and a post-graduate diploma in journalism. A few months after obtaining her diploma, one job posting stood out — Communications Coordinator at Sonepar Canada. A year later, brimming with writing skills and full of energy, she is already carving out a niche within the electric distributor.
LEDVANCE GmbH, a new legally independent lamp manufacturing company born out of the former Osram Lamps business division, aims to bring forward “an almost incomparable depth of experience in terms of light, successful products with strong brands, and high-impact sales team.”
Murray Chamney is everywhere. He is involved in all initiatives, is active in the business community, constantly develops new ideas and, above all, implements them. Not having taken a vacation away from home, in more than 20 years helps explain how he accomplishes all this...
Read more: Murray Chamney — The Art of Looking Further Ahead
Latest Articles
Accreditation Helps Us Walk the Talk on Our Way to a More Sustainable Future
Climate change poses very real risks to people and the environment. Extreme weather events like the destructive storm we just saw in Ottawa that left thousands without electricity for days, and damaged homes and critical infrastructure, are a stark reminder that we must take action, now.
Countries around the world agree – achieving a more sustainable future is a top priority. Commitments like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the landmark Paris Agreement and the ISO London Declaration, bring nations into a common cause to undertake the ambitious efforts it takes to tackle one of our time’s most critical challenges.
Bird Construction Inc. Announces Progressive Design-Build Contract For Net-Zero Plant Protein Processing Facility In Alberta
Recently, Bird Construction Inc. was pleased to announce that it has been selected to lead the design and construction of a state-of-the-art, net-zero plant protein processing facility for Phyto Organix Foods Inc. in Strathmore, Alberta. The value of the progressive design-build contract is approximately $125 million.
Bird will lead the design and construction of the facility and the 3D connectivity to the processing equipment. The 100,000 square foot facility will be the first net-zero plant protein processing facility in North America, employing industry-leading technology solutions to recycle and reuse water, leverage low emission energy sources, and reduce overall energy consumption.
Real gross domestic product rose 1.1% in February, the largest monthly growth rate since March 2021. Inflationary pressure remained in April 2022, when the Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 6.8% year over year, a slight increase from March 2022 (+6.7%).
After surging by nearly 340,000 in February, employment rose by an additional 73,000 in March as Omicron-related restrictions eased, and was little changed in April. After reaching a record low of 5.3% in March, the unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 5.2% in April.
Changing Scene
AD and Torbsa Limited are announcing an agreement to merge the two groups. The merger is expected to close July 1, 2022. Established in Ontario in 1966, Torbsa is a shareholder-owned group made up of twenty-seven independent building supplies distributors, with 48 locations across Canada.
Rob Dewar, president of AD Canada, discussed how Torbsa's strong leadership and financial success made the buying group an ideal match for AD. Rob Dewar, president of AD Canada, discussed how Torbsa's strong leadership and financial success made the buying group an ideal match for AD.
Electrical Industry Announces Advisory Council for Harmonized Data Model (HDM)
The Industry Data Exchange Association, Inc. (IDEA), in collaboration with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED), announces the launch of the Harmonized Data Model (HDM) Advisory Council.
The Harmonized Data Model (HDM) initiative is defining a unified data model in IDEA Connector that enables manufacturers to easily syndicate to multiple formats and empowers distributors’ eCommerce experiences with more consistent, normalized product data.
AimLite Approved by the National Lighting Bureau’s Trusted Warranty Evaluation Program
AimLite is proud to announce that its Products Warranty has been awarded certification by the National Lighting Bureau’s (NLB) Trusted Warranty Program. The NLB Trusted Warranty Program recognizes excellence in lighting companies that meet objective quality standards and practices regarding their warranty administration.
In order to obtain that certification, AimLite was assessed based on five criteria: formal warranty process, warranty language, length of business/warranty insurance, technical evaluation, and claims review evaluation. By complying with the five evaluation criteria, AimLite clearly demonstrates its commitment to providing quality products and services to its customers.
Franklin Empire Announces New Headquarters by Montoni to Support its Growth
Franklin Empire Inc., the largest independently owned electrical distributor in Canada, and MONTONI are excited to launch the construction of the company’s new headquarters designed to support future growth. This family-owned 4th generation company is also celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. In summer 2023, Franklin Empire employees will move into their new facility of nearly 190,000-square-feet, conveniently located along Autoroute 40 at the junction of Autoroute 13 in Saint-Laurent and close to the Ericsson and VSL campuses developed by MONTONI. The building, which will be targeting a LEED certification, will triple the firm’s warehouse space and double its office area, while improving the customer experience and providing employees with a work environment adapted to the new reality of today’s job market.