Issue 35 September October 18

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 49 Keith - We have entered into a partnership agreement with Rittal. We took delivery of their Perforex milling machine in the last week. With the new machine, all materials commonly used in panel building such as steel, stainless steel, aluminium, and plastic can be ƒ…Š‹‡†ǡ ™‹–Š •‹‰‹Ƥ…ƒ– ’”‡…‹•‹‘ǡ and in a quick turnaround time. Šƒ–ǯ• ƒ‘–Š‡” ƒ•’‡…– ‘ˆ ‘—” •‡”˜‹…‡ we will expand on in the future. Electric.ie Ǧ ƒ˜‡ ›‘— „‡‡ ƒ…–‹˜‡ ‘ the web in recent years? Keith - Engagement with customers and reviewing relationships has been our priority. Relying on the personal touch to share the knowledge our „—•‹‡•• Šƒ• –‘ ‘ơ‡”…‘‡• Ƥ”•–Ǥ We are now working on our web presence to ensure that we can be just as helpful online in terms of information and technical detail. Electric.ie - While they are all new ƒ† ’‘•‹–‹˜‡ †‡˜‡Ž‘’‡–• ™Šƒ–ǯ• ahead for the industry and AP ƒ•Žƒǫ Keith - —ƒŽ‹–› ‹• ‹’‘”–ƒ–Ǥ ‡ ‘ˆ the industry failings of the past, has been the discovery of poor product turning up problems after the event. We have some new aspects to the business and they are all quality additions to a long established range of top quality brands such as Weidmuller, Wiska, Mersen and Shrack. ‘” ‘˜‡” ͣ͜ ›‡ƒ”• ƒ•Žƒ Šƒ• been built and sustained by its partnership with long standing customers coupled with a strong range of quality products. All our new developments are part of that story for now and the future . We are an Irish owned family business servicing the local ƒ”‡– ™‹–Š ‡š’‡”‹‡…‡† •–ƒơ and quality products. That hasn’t changed. Šƒ• •‹…‡ ‡š’ƒ†‡† –‘…‘˜‡” •’‡…‹Ƥ… needs such as street lights and sports grounds. Electric.ie - For many years AP ƒ•Žƒ™ƒ• ƒ Ž‡ƒ†‹‰ ’”‘˜‹†‡” ‘ˆ products as a third party assembler. Are you looking at that area of the market again? Keith- We were a long established ’”‘˜‹†‡” ‘ˆ •‘Ž—–‹‘• ‹ –Š‡ ’ƒ•– ƒ† ǯ ‰Žƒ† –‘ •ƒ› ™‡ Šƒ˜‡ ”‡…‡–Ž› „‡‡ ƒ’’‘‹–‡† ƒ• ‡‹†—ŽŽ‡”ǯ• –Š‹”† party assembler (TPA), for Ireland. We also have TPA agreements in place with Abtech and Technor , and over the coming weeks we will be explaining our new proposition to customers . This will add to the …ƒ’ƒ„‹Ž‹–› ‘ˆ ‘—” ™‘”•Š‘’ ƒ† ‹–ǯ• an important addition to our overall ‘ơ‡”‹‰ ‹ –Š‡ –‡š ƒ”‡–Ǥ Electric.ie - The workshop has ƒŽ™ƒ›• „‡‡ ƒ ’ƒ”– ‘ˆ ƒ•ŽƒǤ Keith - AP ƒ•Žƒ Šƒ• „‡‡ providing bespoke solutions to the electrical and construction industry for over 30 years and the expertise has „‡‡…‘Ƥ”‡† „› ƒ…Š‹‡˜‹‰ –Š”‡‡ Ǯ–Š‹”† ’ƒ”–› Ž‹…‡•‡•ǯ ”‡…‡–Ž›Ǥ Electric.ie - You have other developments planned in that area? W e recentlymetwithKeith Haslamto talk about developments inAPHaslamand theirplans for the future. Electric.ie - As the third generation ‘ˆ –Š‡ ƒ•Žƒ ˆƒ‹Ž› –‘ –ƒ‡ ‘˜‡” –Š‡ ”‡‹• ‘ˆ ƒ•Žƒǡ ™Šƒ– ƒ”‡ ›‘—” initial thoughts? Keith - Running a business, even ™‹–Š ͲͰ ›‡ƒ”•ǯ ‡š’‡”‹‡…‡ǡ •–‹ŽŽ †‘‡•ǯ– ˆ—ŽŽ› ‡“—‹’ ›‘— ˆ‘” –Š‡ ˆƒ•– pace of business today. While Paul was delighted to pass the baton, the complexity of business means that I had to identify certain critical elements and to focus on them. But, having a good team, built up over many years, to support you is a great advantage. Electric.ie - You quoted in our mag ‹ ͣ͜͞͝ –Šƒ– “The challenge now is to move on, introduce changes and improvements that will renew AP Haslam’s position as a respected and reliable business partner with a reputation as a provider of high- quality products.” ‘™ Šƒ˜‡ –Š‹‰• ‰‘‡ •‹…‡ –Š‡ǫ Keith-  ͣ͜͞͝ ‘—” ’”‹‘”‹–›ǡ Ž‹‡ many businesses at the time, was on reputation and recovery. Since then we focused on internal organization, customer-service and improvement in our communications systems . Electric.ie - Easier said than done Keith - Yes, we focused on clear ‹†‡–‹Ƥƒ„Ž‡ ‹’”‘˜‡‡–•ǡ Ž‹‡ engaging with customers and reviewing relationships to insure we were providing the service and product range that they required. …‡ ™‡ ™‡”‡…‘—‹…ƒ–‹‰ better and presenting at relevant exhibitions etc. we looked at new opportunities for growth. We ‹†‡–‹Ƥ‡† Ž‹‰Š–• ƒ• ƒ ƒ”‡ƒ of interest and with partners like Raytec, Abtech and Technor, we have •‡‡ ‰”‘™–Š ‹ –Š‹• ƒ”‡ƒǤ —” ”ƒ‰‡ AP Haslam For over 70 years, AP Haslam Limited has supplied high quality, reliable electrical components to the Industrial, Commercial and Hazardous Industry Sectors.