A Spirited Group: Manufacturers’ Representatives Play a Critical Role in the Canadian Electrical Landscape

April 25, 2024

By Daniela De Marco

As an avid marketer, crossing over from the global stationery and gift industry to the Canadian electrical industry has enhanced my skillset and enriched my experiences.

For over seven years now, the electrical industry has allowed me to apply my transferrable skills on a manufacturing level and an association front while building solid and meaningful connections with channel partners across the country.

Applying my communications, marketing strategies, and graphic experience has allowed me to fill gaps and prove the benefits of having a marketing professional on staff, a rare dedicated position for many organizations then and still a few today. Furthermore, building relationships in the electrical industry has brought meaning and value to my role, whereas outside the industry, I found a lack of commitment to building a community; in the electrical industry, people have genuinely become life-long friends.

Last September, I leaped forward to be part of a well-regarded manufacturer’s rep agency, Intralec Electrical Products, to expand their marketing efforts by representing a suite of reputable supplier lines. Living and learning the positioning strategies of a manufacturers’ rep has me incorporating my skillsets appropriately, and I’m energized by the role we get to play.

Third-party manufacturers’ representatives are powered up to offer:

Whether you’re in sales or marketing, the above attributes are fundamental to a rep’s role in navigating the complexity of the Canadian electrical industry. In my short time at Intralec, I’ve witnessed this firsthand. Owners Cindy Doherty, President, Greg Moylett, VP of Sales Distribution and John Hadley, VP of Project Sales, have over 80 years of combined work experience in the industry, with most of their careers served at Intralec.

As I get the pleasure of working alongside these industry giants, I am validated by statements such as “We are in the people business,” I hear Moylett state. Or Hadley would say, “Without the knowledge and expertise of our team, we couldn’t be strategic for our suppliers or their customers. Having a role as a rep allows us to fill in the gap for multiple suppliers, expand their reach, and foster relationships.”

The role of the manufacturers’ rep is a spirited one. Their passion for growing and developing the business and serving their suppliers and partners is continuous, and they are powerful when learning, listening, and elevating their business strengths.