Sparks Electrical News January 2017

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SPARKS
ELECTRICAL NEWS JANUARY 2017
CONTRACTORS’ CORNER
ZestWeg_463_ext_Sparks_285x50.indd 1 2016/01/27 8:26 AM
PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH: ANDRÉ LE ROUX
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE
André le Roux, formerly Crabtree’s regional sales manager: Gauteng,
Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, started 2017 in his new position as
general manager: marketing and sales at Crabtree. André is one of
those down-to-earth guys who enjoys what he does and does it well
while keeping his finger on the pulse of the electrical industry. André is
a team player and he knows only too well the value of a united team
that is motivated by shared goals and backed by strong leadership.
Sparks: Where were you educated?
ALR: I matriculated at Carletonville High School and went to Wits
Technicon where I obtained a Diploma in Electrical Engineering.
Sparks: How long have you been involved in the electrical industry?
ALR: I’ve been in this industry for 10 years – six of those at Crabtree.
Sparks: When and where did you start your career?
ALR: I started my career in 1995 as an onsetter on Western Deep
Levels gold mine, currently known as Anglo Gold Ashanti.
Sparks: What are the greatest changes you have seen over the
years?
ALR: I’d say the most significant change I’ve seen has been
the gradual disappearance of local manufacturers as cheap
imports have made locally manufactured products seem
expensive. At Crabtree, a major advancement has been the new
164-2 16 Amp Slimline socket.
Sparks: What major projects have you worked on and what is
your greatest accomplishment?
ALR: Amajor project hasbeen the launchof the6AmpClickDuo
product together with Radiant, which Crabtree manufactures.
Undoubtedly, the most recent – as well as most challenging
project – has been Crabtree’s ‘divorce’ from Aberdare. This
meant a dynamic effort from the new management team as
well as every staff member within Crabtree in order to get the
right message out to our customers.
Sparks: Who has been your inspiration or have you had a
mentor who has influenced your career?
ALR: I’ve had a few mentors and each has added something
special to my career’s learning curve: Graham Chick, Pierre
Nothard and, more recently, James Calmeyer, Chad Andrews,
Doug Craig and Gary Venter.
Sparks: What, to your mind, are the biggest challenges facing
the industry at this time?
ALR: There are a couple of challenges in the industry; as I see
it, these are meaningful communication and inferior imported
electrical products. The first is a result of the current state of the
economy, which has seen wholesalers minimising stock levels
while, at the same time, electrical contractors are not holding as
much stock as they have done in the past. The electrical con-
tractor expects to find everything on the wholesalers’ shelves
and the knock-on effect is that wholesalers expect the manufacturers
to maintain a constant supply of every product. I believe that meaning-
ful communication between all the parties involved will alleviate delays
from manufacturer to end-user.
Inferior imported products are a major issue in the electrical
industry: Contractors want to get the job, do it as cheaply as possible
and get out. It all seems to be about price with very few people selling
the features and benefits of their excellent workmanship and the high
quality products they install.
Sparks: What do you enjoy most about your job?
ALR: Definitely the people. We all work towards a common goal and
we have fun along the way.
Sparks: How do you motivate your staff?
ALR: I am probably one of the luckiest sales managers because Crab-
tree personnel are self-driven and know what has to be achieved. I give
praise and promotion where it is due.
I don’t have to micro-manage the sales representatives and we all
work together, whether it be at a tradeshow, a breakfast run or training
evenings. I think what really motivates them the most is that I don’t sit
in the office all day but go out with them.
Sparks: If you could ‘do it all again’, would you change anything? If so,
what would that be?
ALR: I’m inclined to say that there are some things that I’d do differently,
but when I sit back with a beer in my hand and really think about it, I am
very happy with how my life has turned out.
Sparks: Would you advise a person leaving school to enter the electri-
cal industry? And why?
ALR: If you are dedicated and willing to go the extra mile, there is defi-
nitely a great future in the electrical industry; and I highly recommend
it as a career path, especially with the emergence of renewable energy
products and projects.
Sparks: What is your advice to electrical contractors and/or electrical
engineers?
ALR: Make time for sales representatives. They are not there to waste
your time but to introduce new products to you or to assist you with
completing your project on time. Upsell your skills, if someone is not
willing to pay you what you are worth, don’t lower your standards by
using cheap, inferior products.
Sparks: What is your favourite quote?
ALR: “Change is the only constant in life.” – Heraclitus. To me, this says
that the faster you learn to adapt to change, the better it will be for you.
Sparks: Name three things on your ‘bucket list’ (things you want to do
before you ‘kick the bucket’).
ALR: I’m afraid of heights but I would really like to try out skydiving. I’m
fascinated by the ancient Egyptians, Mayans and Greeks and I’d like
to visit those civilisations’ ancient ruins in Egypt, Greece and Central
America. Thirdly, I’d really like to learn how to enjoy fishing; I just can’t
get over people sitting for hours looking at a fishing rod and basing
their joy on a creature with a memory span of three seconds.
André le Roux.