Electrical Connection Spring 2015

39 / 116

nn e c t i o n . c om . a u 3 9
several Form 4s, which the then-Victorian Football League (VFL) used
to allow interstate players to try out for VFL teams. He was invited
several times to pre-season training at Richmond but was never
signed up.
He then moved back to Clarence, where he took the role of
captain-coach.
“When I realised that the VFL wasn’t going to happen, I entered
the electrical wholesale sector,” he says.
“I started in Tassie and then went to Brisbane for two-and-a-bit
years. I went back to Tassie and I then moved to Melbourne to be
state manager for L&H in 1988.
“I was here for two years and then went to NSW in 1990 for
three-and-a-half years as its state manager. In 1994 I moved back to
Melbourne as the operations manager and in 1999 I was made CEO.”
Robin says electrical wholesaling has changed a lot in that time,
but a few things remain the same.
“Back when I started, the wholesaler’s rep was a contractor’s sole
point of contact with a shop. Nowadays, contractors have so many
ways to connect with a wholesaler, but they still want that personal
connection,” he says.
“But the time has come for the wholesale sector to improve its
image or we will face competition from someone we don’t currently
see as a competitor.
“A potential threat to any business is the internet. Look at Amazon.
com – it has the potential to be a major player in this space. And the
reason why it’s so successful is that it has an amazing supply chain.
“To succeed into the future, improving our supply chain is critical.
“I said earlier that the Clipsal catalogue is a lot thicker than it was,
but so is everybody else’s.
“The requirement for wholesaler staff to be knowledgeable on
product back when I started compared to today is unbelievable. It’s
incredibly demanding. And if we don’t have good technology to
support it, if we don’t have the ability for people to find info, we will
never get new product to market as quick as we need to.”
Robin is now preparing to enter the next phase of his life – the first
in a long time that won’t involve the electrical industry 24/7.
Though his retirement might mean the end of hearing Robin
plugging L&H’s Traders electrical industry trade shows on early
morning radio with his well known “G’day, Robin Norris here...”, don’t
be surprised if you hear his voice around the industry he has spent so
much time helping to build.
“Weaning myself off the industry is going to be hard to do. I have
so many friends spread across the country, so I’d like to think I can
give back in some way.”
On behalf of the thousands of electrical industry members that
Robin inspired and befriended over the years, Electrical Connection
wishes him all the best for the future and acknowledges his
contribution to the industry over the past five decades.
PQSine™
Active Harmonic Filter for
Ideal Power Quality
Product highlights
. (& '( '( " '' & ( #" ( ! # /'
. #!$ "' ( #" )$ (# ( ( &!#" # " "
. ( ( # ( &( ( & * (#$# # - + ( '
" ( "')& ' '( $ & #&! " " #+ '(
#'' '
. # ) & '-'( !' &#! (# !$' + ( " $ " "(
& )" "( !# ) #$ & ( #"
Customer benefits
. #+ & %) (- !$&#* ! "( " & ' ' %) $! "(
#$ & ( " " & ) ' #+"( ! " (# &
$&# ) ( #" #)($)( " #+ & ! "( " " #'(
Areas of use
. $$ ( #"' + ( * & & %) " - & * ' "* &( &'
+ " %) $! "( #& " " & - " )'(& '
') ' )(#!#( * $ $ & '( ( ,( # " '
$ &! )( #& $ '( '
. ( "( &' + ( & (& (! "( ( ' #'$ ( ' &$#&('
. # & &!' " + " ()& " '
For sales and inquiries from Australia
and New Zealand please contact:
or phone 1300 309 303
Wall-mounted design Floor-mounted design