Latest from News

Photo 226496518 / Mohd Izzuan Ros /Dreamstime
Iillustration 19276996 / Dirk Erck / Dreamstime
Photo_87684009 / Sculpies / Dreamstime
Photo 199231482 / Hye Jin Kang / Dreamstime

IMARK Group Launches Canadian Division in Latest Move to Expand Beyond U.S. Market

Sept. 6, 2013
In the months leading up to the initial launch of IMARK Canada, Jerry Knight, V.P. of supplier relations, has been introducing IMARK Canada to the leading manufacturers in the Canadian distribution and lighting market. 

In another move to expand its operations beyond the United States, IMARK Group, Bowie, Md., the member-owned buying/marketing group, will be offering its services to electrical distributors based in Canada and to electrical manufacturers that want to increase their coverage of the Canadian market.

The group made its first major move outside the United States in June 2012 when it joined IMELCO, a 20-year-old consortium of 13 buying/marketing groups from 18 European countries and Australia that has more than 1,200 distributor members and more than 4,200 points of sales (branches) (See EM – June 7, 2012).

Bob Smith, IMARK group president and CEO, said in an email to Electrical Marketing that the electrical market is becoming an increasingly global industry and that IMARK’s expansion into Canada and relationship with IMELCO will help members expand their business interests outside the United States. “Clearly, globalization is a reality for everyone in today’s electrical industry,” he said. “It’s important for us to be looking outward.  From our relationship with IMELCO, we have already seen instances where IMARK members in the United Sates have collaborated with European distributors to secure business.  We anticipate similar opportunities for IMARK members in Canada and the United States.”

In the press release announcing IMARK Canada, Smith said, “The founding members of IMARK Canada greatly value IMARK Group’s cooperative business model and our value proposition for member/owners, manufacturers and rep firms. They believe, as we do, that leading independent electrical and lighting distributors throughout Canada should have a choice when it comes to the marketing group that is the best fit for their company. We are committed to providing that choice to distributors throughout Canada. From a strategic standpoint, our leadership felt it was imperative for IMARK Group to have a North American presence. The establishment of a new Canadian division will provide more avenues and continuity of distribution for our supplier partners.”

Smith also told Electrical Marketing that even though the national or global chain distributors have a higher percentage share of the Canadian electrical distribution market than they do in the United States, IMARK believes many high-quality independent distributors will be attracted by the IMARK ownership model and value proposition. Affiliated Distributors, Wayne, Pa., the other electrical industry buying/marketing group, has been operating in Canada since 1992.

In the months leading up to the initial launch of IMARK Canada, Jerry Knight, V.P. of supplier relations, has been introducing IMARK Canada to the leading manufacturers in the Canadian distribution and lighting market. Knight said in the press release, “We are building a line card of premier manufacturers for the members of IMARK Canada. Many of the country’s leading manufacturers have already committed their support to the members of IMARK Canada and the list is growing on a daily basis.”

The electrical manufacturers that have already signed on with IMARK Canada include: Acuity Brands Lighting Canada, Anamet Canada Inc., Britech Corp., Broan-Nutone Canada Inc., Canada Royal Pipe Systems, Columbia-MBF Electrical Group, Dicon Global Inc./BRK Canada Northern Cables Inc., EGS Electrical Group Canada, EXM Manufacturing Ltd., Fusetek, GE Lighting Canada, General Cable, Hammond Manufacturing Co., Hammond Power Solutions Inc., Hubbell Canada LP, Ideal Industries Canada,  Inc., Intermatic Canada, IPEX Electrical Inc., Juno Lighting Group, Kidde Canada Inc., Klein Tools Inc., Legrand-Pass & Seymour Canada,  Legrand-Wiremold Canada, Mersen Canada Inc., Nexans Canada Inc., NSi Industries, Osram Sylvania Ltd., Philips Lighting Canada, Progress Lighting, Southwire Canada, Standard Products, Stanpro Lighting Systems, Thomas & Betts Ltd., Universal Lighting Technologies, Visioneering Corp. and Wheatland Tube.

When IMARK joined IMELCO last year, Smith said IMARK was attracted to the group because it shared a member-owned model of doing business and would “result in enhanced member profitability and expanded networking opportunities, as well as the chance to share best practices with leading independent electrical distributors from all over the world.”

IMELCO’s member associations include the United Kingdom’s Associated National Electrical Wholesalers, which according to its website has 37 members with 300 branches, and Gemcell Electrical Group, an Australian buying/marketing group, which has 32 members operating 250 locations. According to information on IMELCO’s website, Associated National Electrical Wholesalers accounts for an estimated $590 million in sales and Gemcell’s members combined do an estimated $1.1 billion in sales. IMARK has 900 independently owned electrical distributor members operating more than 2, 000 branches.

With an estimated 18% of the U.S. electrical distribution market, IMARK says it’s the North American electrical and lighting distribution industry’s largest member owned, member-governed marketing group.  Distributors, manufacturers and rep firms seeking more information on IMARK Canada should visit
www.imarkcanada.com.