Sonepar has announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Echo Electric Supply Company.   

Family-owned and operated since 1950, Echo Electric supplies electrical parts, equipment, and services to contractors in the industrial, commercial, and residential markets and ranked in the top 30 of Electrical Wholesaling’s 2024 list of the largest electrical distributors in North America. Operating in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Missouri, Echo Electric will join Sonepar with 23 branch locations and more than 600 associates. 

Headquartered in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Echo Electric will be Sonepar’s seventh acquisition in the Midwest in the last three years. It will be joining companies like Springfield Electric, Richards Electric, Pepco, Holt, Sunrise Electric, and most recently Michigan-based Standard and Madison. 

Rob Taylor, President of Sonepar Americas, said of the acquisition: 

“We welcome Echo Electric associates into Sonepar and look forward to building upon their reputation as the market leader. Echo Electric is an exceptional distributor with excellent technical expertise, particularly in power distribution and wire management to support state-of-the-art data centers. They have an impressive track record of growth, and we’re excited to continue our expansion across the Midwest together.”  

Mitch Lane, CEO of Echo Electric, commented: 

“I’m enormously proud of Echo Electric’s track record as an independent distributor. Sonepar’s approach of combining global resources with a local strategy tailored to the market was important in our decision to join their well-respected organization. We feel Sonepar is a great cultural and strategic fit. I’m deeply appreciative of our employees’ hard work and dedication over the years and look forward to this new chapter for us.” 

The acquisition is scheduled to close by the end of August, subject to regulatory approval. 

Electricity and buildings: short-term cycles – long-term ambitions

The market in electrical equipment and systems for buildings can be cyclical. This has been well illustrated in recent times, particularly for the residential segment. Just a few years ago, energy prices had rocketed and inflation was at its highest for many years. Suddenly, it seemed that everyone wanted to install photovoltaic panels (PVs), with manufacturers building capacity in response. But now, interest rates have risen to counter inflation, energy prices have fallen back – and investment in buildings and demand for PVs has fallen, with overcapacity in supply undergoing a correction.

Yet cycles are a short-term phenomenon. The long-term trend for renewables and energy efficiency is relentlessly upward. In fact, the statistics are eye-watering. Governments must plan for increased consumption, with projections of global energy demand increasing by nearly 50% by 2050, compared with 2020^[1], and demand for electricity almost doubling^[2]. For countries to move away from fossil fuels, achieve their goals on climate change, and maintain a path towards net zero emissions by 2050, global electricity usage needs to grow 20% faster in the next decade than in the previous one^[3]. In fact, renewables are likely to account for over 50% of the world’s energy mix by 2050^[4]. In addition, grids will need to grow to supply this extra electricity, needing an estimated $3.1tn in investment worldwide by 2030^[5]. Leaders have clearly seen the need to respond to this challenge. At COP28, held in Dubai at the end of 2023, over 130 national governments agreed to work together to triple the world’s installed renewable energy capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030^[6].

Legislation will drive massive demand for investment in renewables, the grid, and energy efficiency – especially in buildings.

Buildings take center stage on renewables and energy efficiency

Buildings are center stage in this push, with the European Union leading the way. They account for 40% of all energy usage in the EU^[7] and 36% of its emissions^[8]. What’s more, it’s estimated that a staggering 75% of Europe’s buildings are currently energy inefficient5. On renewables, preliminary analysis suggests that implementing the revised, 2024, EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) could result in 56 million homes powered by solar^[9], and the union’s solar standard will see panels fitted to new residential buildings by 2029, across the vast rooftop areas of new public buildings by 2026, and to all public buildings by 2030^[10].

Putting all this together, the picture is clear. Legislation will drive massive demand for investment in renewables, the grid, and energy efficiency – especially in buildings. And it’s a picture that Sonepar, the world leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment, solutions, and services, will be at the center of.

A broad range of customers all sharing common challenges

While world leaders might wish they had one, there is no magic wand to power buildings by renewables or make them energy efficient. It needs both demand from end users, something that will be heavily driven by government initiatives, and an entire supply chain that’s ready to meet it. At the end of the chain, and critical to achieving climate change goals for buildings, are Sonepar’s customers – installers. These companies work in a wide range of segments and through an array of sizes and specialisms. They may be small, medium, or large companies spanning building types that range from housing, to commercial premises, schools, or hospitals. They can be specialized firms working for industrial customers in areas such as control and automation. Or they might be external or in-house teams dedicated to large installations, such as utilities.

The range of players is vast but they share two common challenges. First, in a world bracing for a step change in demand for renewables and energy efficiency, installers increasingly need to work smarter and more efficiently – a challenge brought into sharp focus by the lack of skilled people coming onto the labor market. Second, and critical, is the requirement to maintain know-how in a world of rapidly advancing technologies. This goes hand in hand with the need to be able to install integrated systems, not just individual equipment items. In a world where a commercial customer wants high current chargers for their electric car fleet, fed by solar panels from the roof, with a bank of batteries to store excess energy and reduce demand from the grid at peak times, a traditional electrical services company could easily be left behind.

Sonepar – helping its customers gear up and keep up

As the market leader in electrical components and systems, with €33bn in sales, of which €2Bn are in renewables and 70% come from the buildings sector, increasing numbers of customers are turning to Sonepar to help them meet their challenges. The group has a clear strategy. The core building block is its focus on highly efficient supply chains. Sonepar’s €2.5Bn investment in logistics, spanning 40 countries, and covering 200 warehouses and 25 automated distribution centers, means customers can get exactly what they need, and quickly. In addition, the group’s €1Bn investment in its omnichannel, customer-centric platform, Spark, means they can create and order the packages they need online – cutting both the time to order and the time to site. €11Bn of Sonepar’s sales already happen this way. All this results in greater effectiveness and efficiency as installers gear up for the changes to come.

But Sonepar doesn’t just help its customers gear up – it helps them keep up too. It already offers excellence in supplying them with the equipment and systems they need – whether switches and cables, power distribution, or automation. But it also provides an essential service in offering the technologies and know-how that go with ever-more complex solutions, a need that’s increasing as even generalist installers realize that they too must now become specialists. Sonepar does this through a combination of anticipating and preparing for an integrated future, acquiring the technologies and expertise the market needs, and spreading know-how throughout the group and, ultimately, to its customers.

Sonepar’s aim is to look firmly into the future to enable its customers to install integrated systems, not just their parts.

Anticipating the future through the integrated buildings ecosystem

Sonepar’s aim is to look firmly into the future to enable its customers to install integrated systems, not just their parts. It begins with the idea that electrical equipment for buildings form a complex ecosystem encompassing new technologies and with energy management systems at its heart. Sonepar is investing heavily both in transforming its own operations and in making the concept of the ecosystem mainstream in the sector. It’s also determined that this investment will be made in every one of its companies and across every one of its countries. The group is currently working hard to map the market. It has a specialist task force led by the Netherlands, Germany, and France, the countries that are the most mature in the area, that is focused on transforming Sonepar’s buildings business model towards one of energy management systems and ensuring that this can be rolled out across the group in the future.

Sonepar is also in focused discussions with its key suppliers – to clearly understand both the systems its customers need and which companies will be the right partners to provide them. As well as offering the latest technologies as they come to market, delivering this will see Sonepar move from providing the components for energy in buildings – such as HVAC, lighting control, and energy storage – to providing the software and online licenses for the energy management systems that will integrate these elements into a single ecosystem. But delivering this is no easy task – in some respects, it requires an entirely new business model. Providing, and advising on, tomorrow’s technologies needs expertise, and software for integration must be tailored to each customer and come with ongoing support.

Acquiring the technologies and know-how customers need

One way that Sonepar accelerates this transformation is its policy of strategic acquisitions. These cover the entire buildings ecosystem from renewables to energy efficiency, and from infrastructure to computing. On the software side, in 2021, it took a majority shareholding in Factory Systemes Groupe, a major player in the distribution of software solutions, edge computing, and industrial IoT. Factory Systemes then went on to purchase Wonderware Italia, a leading supplier of industrial software solutions, with a focus on the digital transformation of operations.

On the hardware side, Sonepar has acquired Australian company Electrical Supply Solutions, which specializes in major energy infrastructure, making the group an important player in the pressing need for major grid investments. In 2022, it purchased French distributor, CD-Sud, enhancing its expertise in energy efficiency solutions. The following year saw the group secure a controlling interest in Swedish company Aprilice, which specializes in PV but also brings significant know-how in the associated areas of inverters, energy storage, and software. That same year, it acquired Alliantz, a privately owned distributor of photovoltaics and energy efficiency solutions.

Sonepar’s belief is that the challenges of the new building ecosystem can only be met by the continual transfer of knowledge.

Building expertise across the group

Sonepar’s aim in these acquisitions is not simply to build market share: it is to bring in new business models and expertise and then to scale them across the group. Sonepar’s belief is that the challenges of the new buildings ecosystem can only be met by the continual transfer of knowledge. As well as drawing directly on, and disseminating, the expertise brought by its strategic acquisitions, the company has put in place dedicated Product Management (PM) teams that bring together specialists from across its geographies, and are centered on Europe, Asia Pacific, and South America. And, as Sonepar’s service ultimately relies on its associates on the ground, its people are continually receiving training from key suppliers as equipment and systems for the buildings market evolve rapidly.

Electricity and the buildings sector – an overwhelmingly positive outlook

Regardless of short-term cycles, new government commitments on climate change, and the regulation that involves, will drive a revolution in demand for both renewables and energy efficiency. And it’s a revolution that Sonepar will be at the heart of: helping customers gear up and work smarter through significant supply chain investments; shaping the future of the buildings electrical ecosystem through a move to energy management; gathering the technologies and know-how needed to meet the challenges through strategic acquisitions; and then spreading this expertise throughout the world through dedicated structures. The ambition to tackle emissions is high, and Sonepar aims to be just as ambitious in helping deliver it.

1] Source: US Energy Information Administration (EIA)

[2] Source: International Energy Agency (IEA)

[3] Source: IEA

[4] Source: IEA

[5] Source: Rystad Energy 

[6] Source: COP 28 UEA

[7] Source: IEA

[8] Source: IEA

[9] Source: SolarPower Europe

[10] Source: SolarPower Europe

Sonepar is sad to announce the passing of Roger Monnami, one of the Sonepar France’s historic leaders, on June 22nd, at the age of 87.

“The death of Roger Monnami, a sacred monster of our industry and of Sonepar, turns a page in the history of our adventure in France. An exceptional man, he was an unfailingly loyal friend, a passionate pioneer and a tireless worker. A builder, he relentlessly developed "his" great South-East Region in France and delivered remarkable performances that helped finance the start of Sonepar's conquest in the USA. He was my first mentor in the business, and his name will remain engraved in my memory, and in that of all the members of our family. Farewell my friend," said Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, Sonepar Board Chairman.  

Philippe Delpech, Sonepar President commented, “We are very sad about the loss of Roger who will always remain one of Sonepar France’s historic leaders. He grew Sonepar’s business and his focus on performance helped support the Sonepar’s Group conquests worldwide.”

Roger Monnami enjoyed a brilliant 48-year career with Comptoir Lyonnais d'Electricité, including 32 years within Sonepar France, leading the South-East region. He began his career in 1954, as a cashier at Comptoir Lyonnais d'Electricité (CLE) and worked his way up through the ranks. When Sonepar acquired CLE, he met Henri Coisne, Sonepar's founder, and a natural complicity was instantly born between the two men. 

Born in Lyon, Roger Monnami spent many years developing Sonepar in this region by integrating numerous companies that were acquired by the Group. His knowledge of the electrical distribution market helped make Sonepar the region’s uncontested leader.

Roger Monnami also spent a lot of time promoting the Rhône-Alpes region in France. He served on the board of many local academic institutions, including Lyon University. As a founding partner of Lyon's “Fête des Lumières,” Roger played a key role in promoting Lyon as the City of Lights around the world. He was also behind the creation of a revolutionary electrical equipment showroom in Lyon called the “Mat’Electrique", which still exists today and welcomes B-to-B and B-to-C customers.

In recent years, Roger Monnami devoted a lot of his time to passing on his experience to younger generations, with the creation of the Ecole de l'Eclairage (Lighting School). In 2018, he published a book “Voyage au Coeur de la Lumière” (Trip to the Heart of Light), which looked back at his career as an entrepreneur in the electrical distribution business.

In 2001, Roger Monnami was appointed to the rank of Chevalier in the French Merit Order by Jacques Chirac, the then French President.

The Sonepar Group sends its sincere condolences to his wife Mijo, children and grandchildren.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company standing as the world leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment, solutions, and services. In 2023, Sonepar achieved sales of €33.3 billion. Present in 40 countries with a dense network of brands, the Group is leading an ambitious transformation to make its customers’ lives easier providing them an omnichannel experience and sustainable solutions in the building, industry, and energy markets. Sonepar’s 45,000 associates are committed to accelerating the world’s electrification and driven by a shared Purpose: Powering Progress for Future Generations. www.sonepar.com 

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.
Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, thanks to Life Cycle Assessments which allows us to compare and rate each product.

Today, we're focusing on Hager Group, a leading global family-owned company providing safe and simple solutions for electrical installations in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Founded in 1955, the group has dedicated its innovation and practices to sustainability for decades. Hager is at the forefront of the energy transition today, advancing energy distribution and management, as well as e-mobility. Hager is its internationally renowned major brand, distributed in more than 100 countries through 22 manufacturing sites, and it is listed in our online shop.

Hager Group's sustainability strategy, E3, takes a holistic approach to sustainability. It encompasses three pillars: Ethics, Employees, and Environment. These pillars ensure ethical business practices, foster a healthy and inclusive work environment, and promote the development of safe, reliable, future-proof products. In April 2024, Hager obtained EcoVadis Gold certification, recognizing the Group's holistic sustainability practices.

Environmental sustainability is at the heart of Hager's vision and purpose. In 2023, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved Hager Group's short-term science-based climate goals. Since 2022, the group is a member of the German association Klimaschutz Unternehmen e.V., that brings together best-in-class companies pioneering in climate protection.

Hager Group is committed to reducing its operational and product life cycle CO2 emissions and optimizing logistics. At the product level, the company focuses on minimizing packaging waste and plastic, and using more sustainable materials. However, the group's environmental ambition extends beyond its own operations. An essential aspect of Hager Group's sustainability approach is to lower its customers' ecological impact. With the range of products Hager Group offers, the group is a key enabler of the energy transition. Central to the company's mission are:

• Promoting renewable energy sources by offering storage systems and solutions for more flexible use of renewables.
• Facilitating the shift to electrical energy with a comprehensive range of products for the electrical infrastructure in buildings.
• Reducing carbon emissions and costs through monitoring, automated product solutions, and additional services that optimize energy use.

One key pillar of Hager Group’s environmental sustainability efforts is a commitment to EcoDesign, amongst others focusing on alternatives to virgin plastic and pilots a circular economy where innovative approaches and strong partnerships are crucial. Through Hager Group’s partnership with Avient and Plastic Bank, a series of products partly made with ocean-bound plastics has been created.

This year, the group introduced these products with a new product line in France and Spain: Cubyko Leaf.

This range is about reducing plastic waste in the environment, improving global living conditions, extending material lifecycles, and fostering a more sustainable future. The Group plans to introduce this range to two more markets by early next year. In addition, in Germany and the Netherlands, selected products from the W1 line will be enhanced with the recycled ocean-bound plastic. The launch is planned in the coming months.

Sustainability is about caring and acting to protect the planet while making it attractive for operational excellence.

Sonepar and Hager are committed to partnering to offer their customers the best sustainable offers while contributing to the energy transition.

Sonepar is committed to a sustainable future: as the leading distributor of energy-efficient products, we are in pole position to pioneer the energy transition and make sustainability a priority, involving all our stakeholders: associates, customers, and suppliers.

Today, we release our first Environmental and Energy Transition Policy to reaffirm our concrete commitments and give you an update on the following, all in one place!

• Our vision
• Our Sustainability governance
• Our Sustainability Strategy and its three pillars
• Our priorities and commitments
• Our concrete actions and results

Environmental and Energy Transition Policy

Discover our Sustainability Commitment in one document 

Download

The CSR Report highlights governance and integrity as essential pillars of sustainable growth.

Sonepar is committed to the highest ethical, social and environmental standards. By prioritizing an inclusive work environment, skills development, quality of life at work and associate engagement, Sonepar reinforces its dedication to its People.

As a global leader in the distribution of electrical equipment, the Group has an obligation to promote renewable and energy-efficient solutions, while reducing its carbon footprint through an approach validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in 2022.

Sonepar’s 45,000 associates are committed to accelerating the world’s electrification and driven by a shared Purpose: Powering Progress for Future Generations

“Sonepar maintains a robust commitment to its CSR principles, which is only reinforced with the reveal of our Purpose. Working alongside our stakeholders and associates, we are affirming our role in the electrical value chain and fostering a company culture that is open to all and that transforms our differences into strengths in support of sustainable performance,” Sonepar CEO Philippe Delpech.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Read our CSR report based on the Sonepar Group’s long-term strategy.

Download the CSR Report

In Sonepar’s Behind the Counter series, we are travelling around the world to meet the teams in our branches who are at the heart of our business, dedicated to delivering exceptional service to our customers every day.

Sonepar’s 2,400 branches worldwide work with the same objective: providing our customers with the best omnichannel experience - over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, working with them side-by-side.

Head to our dedicated Youtube Playlist to watch the episodes filmed in Austalia, Germany, Canada, France and more! 

At Sonepar, we champion fair career development, ensuring the right fit for every role, and empowering our teams to thrive in a diverse and inclusive working environment.  

To know more about job opportunities at Sonepar, head over to our Career’s page: Careers at Sonepar

Hitachi Rail, Belden India, and Sonepar have signed a new contract to implement the new Chennai Metro signaling system.

This ambitious project will cover three new corridors spanning a total length of 120 kilometers, and 113 elevated and underground stations, and three depots.

Chennai, the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu is located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the biggest industrial and commercial centers of South India and a major cultural, economic, and educational hub. The city is divided into four broad regions: north, central, south, and west, and is home to a growing number of information technology firms, financial companies, and call centers.

Hitachi Rail was first awarded the contract to install the signaling and train control system that will allow the operation of driverless trains by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) in 2022, which has now brought in Belden Inc. and Sonepar India to orchestrate the design, engineering, installation, testing, communication, and video management system crucial for seamless operation.

The system will also integrate the functions of the automatic train movements in the depots, and platform screen doors, as well as the functioning of passenger information and display systems. The system also enables real-time streaming of video for management, monitoring, and control from a centralized operation control center (OCC). This vast undertaking, structured as a 10-phase endeavor, is slated for completion by the culmination of 2026 or the dawn of 2027.

The project introduces a 100% electrical metro system to alleviate road congestion and promote efficient public transit in Chennai. These corridors promise enhanced accessibility, fuel savings, reduced road construction and maintenance costs, lower vehicle operating expenses, time savings, and improved quality of life.

Central to the project's success is the mission-critical aspect of ensuring efficient signal transfer, imperative for the safe operation of trains operating at high speeds. Amit Dembi leads the project as the Business Head of Automation, stated, “This collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing urban transportation infrastructure. Together, we're committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions for a smarter, more connected Chennai Metro.”

For Sonepar India, this venture marks the culmination of a longstanding collaboration with Belden, dating back to 2015. Leveraging their partnership, Sonepar India and Belden have been instrumental in shaping India's transportation landscape in renewing 80% of India's metro system.

Drawing from their extensive experience, for Sonepar India and Belden this endeavor signifies a significant escalation in scale and scope, representing the culmination of years of collaboration and expertise. As the Chennai Metro project progresses, it emphasizes the crucial role of strategic partnerships in shaping the future of transportation infrastructure.

Get the latest industry news from across the Sonepar network! Follow Sonepar Industry.

Sonepar’s 2024 Panorama presents the annual, global overview of our activities, key figures, as well as editorials from Sonepar Chairman Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette and CEO Philippe Delpech.

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company standing as the world leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment, solutions, and services. The Group is leading an ambitious transformation to make our customers’ lives easier, providing them with an omnichannel experience and sustainable solutions. Our 45,000 associates are all driven by a shared Purpose: Powering Progress for Future Generations

Panorama

Discover Sonepar at a glance, its activities, key figures, worldwide presence and strategic plan.

Download Panorama

The two Michigan-based companies will add 36 locations to the Sonepar network.

Sonepar announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Michigan-based distributors, Madison Electric Company and Standard Electric Company.

Family-owned and operated since Madison’s founding in 1914, and Standard’s in 1929, Madison and Standard are full-line distributors of electrical and industrial products and services to its contractor and industrial customers, and distribute into, and service, the HVAC and plumbing markets.

With headquarters in Warren and Saginaw, Michigan, Madison and Standard have over 550 associates and 36 locations across the state. Combined, Madison and Standard sales were approximately $400M in 2023.

Rob Taylor, President of Sonepar Americas, said of the acquisition:

“Madison and Standard have achieved a position as one of the leaders within the 10^th largest electrical distribution market in the US. They have an outstanding reputation across Michigan built on lasting customer relationships and have positioned the business and their associates for long-term growth. These companies fit strategically within Sonepar’s Midwest footprint and have a strong culture with talented associates that we welcome to the team.”

Brett Schneider, President of Madison Electric, and Bill Gray, President of Standard Electric, said in a joint statement:

“Currently run by the 4^th generation of our family, we are incredibly proud of our combined 200+ years of history and achievement in the electrical distribution business. The expertise of our associates, the loyalty of our customers, and the partnerships with our suppliers have brought us to this moment. We are excited about the ways in which our companies will grow with additional Sonepar capabilities, resources, and investments. We chose them because of their alignment to our own culture, values, and belief in our potential. We look forward to the next chapter for our associates, and for Sonepar, as we bring their great company into Michigan.”  

The acquisition is expected to close by the end of April, pending regulatory review.

Paris, March 18, 2024 – Sonepar, the world leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment, solutions, and services announces it has launched its Purpose: “Powering Progress for Future Generations.” This Purpose encapsulates the long-term objectives of Sonepar’s business by defining six bold commitments by 2028 around continuous education, sustainable customer journey, product circularity, gender balance and communities.

Sonepar has built an undisputed leadership position in B-to-B electrical product distribution, systems and services thanks to a unique combination of being family-owned, with a long-term horizon, best-in-class leadership, an engaged workforce, and demanding ethical standards. The Group has grown fast in many fields, completed more than 200 acquisitions over the past 20 years and it shares the same culture and values in the 40 countries it operates.  

As our DNA, the Purpose will bring us closer: stating why we exist will be the foundation of our common ground and will express our contribution to the world. It is the result of a journey started in 2022, with broad consultations over several months involving our stakeholders: shareholders, associates, suppliers, customers.

"Sonepar’s Purpose will be the bridge between our past and our future, directing our roots into a new direction,” said CEO Philippe Delpech during a keynote addressing 45,000 associates worldwide.

Sonepar’s Purpose is rooted into its core activities through six impactful, group-wide bold commitments, engaging associates and stakeholders around common initiatives and goals:

• Continuous Education: by 2028, Sonepar intends to provide annual sustainability training for all associates. Our salesforce will be the best trained in the electrical distribution industry to promote sustainable solutions.
• Sustainable Customer Journey: by 2028, Sonepar intends to provide each customer with the lowest CO₂ alternative for every quotation.
• Product Circularity: by 2028, Sonepar intends to use 100% of packaging coming from recycled materials and to recycle 100% of products returned to Sonepar by customers.
• Gender Balance: by 2028, Sonepar intends to annually recruit at least 40% of women into its workforce.
• Communities: by 2028, Sonepar intends to create the Sonepar Powering Community Program in every country in which it operates. This program will create and support dedicated education projects in its ecosystem, give opportunities to vulnerable people, and provide aid during natural disasters.
• Sharing: recognize the contribution of Sonepar’s associates to the success of the transformation.

Purpose

Sonepar’s Purpose is rooted into its core activities through six impactful, group-wide bold commitments, engaging associates and stakeholders around common initiatives and goals.

Our Purpose

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company standing as the world leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment, solutions, and services. In 2023, Sonepar achieved sales of €33.3 billion. Present in 40 countries with a dense network of brands, the Group is leading an ambitious transformation to make its customers’ lives easier providing them an omnichannel experience and sustainable solutions in the building, industry, and energy markets. Sonepar’s 45,000 associates are committed to accelerating the world’s electrification and driven by a shared Purpose: Powering Progress for Future Generations. www.sonepar.com 

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer & Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Sonepar, the world leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment, solutions, and services has reported sales of €33.3 Bn for the year ended December 31, 2023.   

In 2023, Sonepar grew faster than the market and completed 13 acquisitions, mainly in the USA, representing 1,143 new associates. These acquisitions generate in aggregate approximately €1 Bn in annual sales. 

The Group continued to leverage its transformation on a global scale, making progress in sustainability, social responsibility, supply chain, and digital. Its omnichannel platform achieved over €1 Bn in sales and is now live in six countries. As part of its supply chain modernization program, Sonepar completed 10 automation projects in Distribution Centers around the world.   

Sonepar serves the largest community of installers, industry, and infrastructures, and its Green Offer, the first indicator in the industry to compare environmental performance at the product level, is now live in six countries. The Group is a world leader in sales of energy-efficient products and solutions. In 2023, it achieved €2 Bn sales of Renewable Energy related products and has been awarded by EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of sustainability ratings, a bronze rating in sustainability, placing it in the top 15% of companies in the wholesale of machinery and equipment industry. 

In 2023, 90% of Sonepar’s associates stated that they are proud to work for their company, and for the first time, the Group was ranked in the Financial Times’ “Leaders of Diversity” list. Eager to attract new talent to support its ambitious transformation, Sonepar aims to build an inclusive organization leveraging all differences as strengths to power sustainable performance. 

“2023 could be summarized in two words: stability and agility. We continued the deployment of our strategy, and, against a backdrop of economic slowdown, our teams have demonstrated exceptional adaptability to deliver remarkable performance. We delivered our best year ever in terms of sales, and one of the milestones of 2023 was undoubtedly the declaration of our purpose reflecting our CSR commitments and unifying the Group for the decades to come”, stated Philippe Delpech, Sonepar CEO. 

2023 Sonepar Group Key Figures 

Leading the market: 

• #1 world leader 

• €33.3 Bn sales 

• €11 Bn online sales 

With a powerful network: 

• 40 countries 

• 45,000 associates 

• 85% engagement rate 

• 80 brands 

• 180 distribution centers 

• 2,400 branches 

For a positive impact: 

• Green Offer live in 6 countries 

• €2 Bn sales of Renewable Energy products 

• 2030 climate targets validated by the SBTi 

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, through Life Cycle Assessments which allow us to compare and rate each product.

Today, we're focusing on Eaton, a global intelligent power management company dedicated to improving the quality of life and protecting the environment for people everywhere. Eaton is guided by its commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, Eaton is accelerating the planet’s transition to renewable energy, helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges. For more than 100 years, Eaton teams have helped people work more safely, be more energy efficient and live more sustainably. 

You can find out more about Eaton’s approach to sustainability on their website here.

Positive Impact Framework (PIF)

At Eaton, working sustainably has long been part of the company approach to manufacturing electrical products. Developed in 2019, Eaton’s Positive Impact Framework (PIF) is a continuous improvement commitment that helps minimize the environmental impact of new product development, setting the engineering framework to move beyond statutory compliance requirements while ensuring higher efficiency, safety, and reliability of products and solutions supplied to customers.

The Positive Impact Framework is embedded into Eaton’s new product development methodology and specific goals have been set by senior management that every new product launched must have an improved sustainability performance compared to its predecessor or market average.

As a result, Eaton’s PIF received the 2022 Digital Engineering Award and was recognized as a Top Sustainability Initiative in the Champion category. As a result of the PIF adoption within Eaton, the average carbon footprint indexed within our Electrical Sector has been reduced over the last two years by almost 10% of CO₂ emission equivalents.

Eaton’s xPole PLSM or PLS6 Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) are one of many examples of sustainable solutions available to customers on the Sonepar’s e-shop and in the company portfolio. To be prepared for the future, Eaton is not relying on a solution for the existing standards and situations, but on a sustainable and safe electrical installation for the coming decades.

The xPole PLSM or PLS6 are best in class MCBs, equipped with both a thermal and an electromagnetic release mainly for use in commercial or residential applications. Depending on the device it has 10 kA (PLSM), or 6 kA (PLS6) rated breaking capacity and is tested according to IEC/EN 60898-1. With some special features like a three position DIN-rail clip and a comprehensive range of accessories, installers get everything they need for a safe and quick installation.

Discover the product family here and access the product range catalogs: PLS6 range catalog and PLSM range catalog.

Sonepar and Eaton are working together to champion the innovation of sustainable solutions on the market.

Sonepar and Siemens have joined forces in Singapore, marking a significant step forward in the region's industrial landscape.

The collaboration began in October 2023, when Sonepar was named the primary partner for Siemens' Electrical Products Business Unit in Singapore. Expanding upon this foundation, Sonepar further solidified its role by bridging connections with Siemens' Factory Automation and Process Automation Business Units by December of the same year.

Today, Sonepar proudly represents a comprehensive suite of Siemens products, including the SIMATIC Industrial Automation system, WinCC software, the SINOVA portfolio and the SCALANCE Network Solutions. This product range equips businesses across Singapore with the latest technology in automation and digitalization, facilitating improved productivity, sustainability, and operational efficiency.   

Hun Leng Loo, General Manager at Sonepar in Singapore, stated, “This partnership is a strategic fusion of Sonepar's distribution capabilities and Siemens’ technological expertise in automation and digitalization. By leveraging each other's strengths, both companies aim to provide enhanced value to customers in Singapore's automation sector.”

Together, Sonepar and Siemens are poised to contribute to the evolution of Singapore's industrial landscape, offering practical solutions that address the evolving needs of businesses in the region.

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, thanks to Life Cycle Assessments which allows us to compare and rate each product.

Here, we're focusing on Schneider Electric, a world leading technology innovator, specialising in digital automation and energy management.

Schneider Electric products can be found in homes, data centers, buildings and infrastructure around the world, providing cutting edge solutions that combine advanced energy technologies with real-time automation and innovative software.

Sustainability is core to Schneider Electric’s purpose, culture and business. In 2005, Schneider Electric was the first to monitor its impact on people, planet and profit with an industry-leading sustainability barometer.

Its commitment to sustainability has been recognised with placements in the Corporate Knights’ Global 100 list of Most Sustainable Corporations in the World for 12 years in a row. The company’s Climate Strategy and its commitment to environmental transparency was also one of the first to be validated in accordance with SBTi* Corporate Net-Zero Standard in 2022.

To encourage greater efforts and have wider impact, the Schneider Sustainability Impact (SSI) 2021-2025 program aims to accelerate the company sustainability efforts while giving more people access to energy and equal opportunities.

Today, 75% of Schneider Electric’s products meet the requirements of its Green Premium label – label introduced by the company in 2008 as a method of communicating which individual products could best support homeowners, building managers, architects, distributors, or original equipment manufacturers with achieving their sustainability goals.

The foundations of Green Premium label are the compliance of all Green Premium products to the most rigorous environmental regulations as well as providing full transparency on environmental impact of the product through a Product Environmental Profile (PEP).

A good example is Schneider Electric’s latest Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) Smart-UPS Ultra, which are designed with circularity in mind and offer best-in-class carbon reduction. Key to this is the use of lower-impact materials and a focus on efficiency, durability and repairability.

The Smart-UPS Ultra can help companies work towards their sustainability goals, with a 7% reduction in embodied CO2, 75% of its aluminium from certified recycled sources, up to 2.5 times more power density and 3 times longer battery life.

Sonepar and Schneider Electric are working together to champion the innovation of sustainable solutions.

*Science Based Targets initiative

Sonepar has been awarded the GEEIS-SDG Trophy for Gender Equality thanks to its professional insertion program for women in Chile.

The program, led by Sonepar Chile in partnership with suppliers Nexans and Schneider Electrics, along with local NGO RedMaestra, was first launched in 2022. During this first edition, 20 women who were seeking professional reconversion or financial independence were successfully trained as certified electricians in the Santiago area.

The women were offered training and certified as electricians in basic and advanced courses, workshops, internship programs, and attended inspiring talks from women of Sonepar on how to thrive in this market. All of them are now qualified professionals in the industry, working for companies or launching their own businesses.

In 2023, the program expanded to other regions of Chile, and now 60 additional women benefit from it. Inspired by the Chilean initiative, Sonepar Perú also launched, a similar initiative program together with Nexans called, “Soy mujer, soy electricista” (“I am a woman, I am an electrician”).

The GEEIS-SDG Trophy awards companies holding the GEEIS certification who not only respect local laws on gender equality, but go above and beyond by implementing equal processes and good practices.

Sonepar is committed to very high ethical, social, and environmental standards and ensures associates a diverse and inclusive working environment.

Sonepar, the world’s leading B-to-B distributor of electrical products, solutions, and related services, is accelerating its partnership with Wallbox, a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions worldwide, by closing their ninth local partnership with Elektroskandia Sverige, A Sonepar Company, in Sweden.

This partnership aims to drive the energy transition by granting installers access to cutting-edge, user-friendly, and efficient charging solutions. The EV charging market is on an electrifying trajectory, with growth figures reshaping the transportation landscape. Sonepar and Wallbox established their partnership in 2022, and their joint efforts have since resulted in growth into multiple new countries, including the USA, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, France, Canada, Austria, the Netherlands, and now Sweden.

Equipped with Wallbox’s extensive portfolio of AC and DC electric vehicle charging and energy management solutions for residential, commercial, and public segments - areas where Sonepar is continuing to grow - the Group is enabling its customer base to provide end-users with the necessary tools to deliver a best-in-class EV charging experience, monitor energy consumption, save costs, and operate in a more sustainable manner.

Artur Puzinas, International Market Director, Sonepar stated, “Sonepar is uniquely positioned at the heart of the electrical ecosystem, where transport plays a pivotal role in accelerating the energy transition. Our collaboration with Wallbox, esteemed eMobility experts, is pivotal in navigating this transformative journey. Wallbox's expertise and innovation are evident in their comprehensive portfolio of charging and energy management systems. We believe they align with the Group's ambitious and strategic goal of becoming a key industry player, championing the transition to low waste, energy-efficient solutions.”

This collaboration supports Sonepar’s ambitious sustainability agenda, of which their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

"At Wallbox we are excited to partner with Sonepar, the world leader in the B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment and services," said Douglas Alfaro, Chief Business Officer at Wallbox. "Sonepar's logistics and supply chain excellence, coupled with our state-of-the-art EV charging and energy management solutions, will allow both companies to accelerate the transition to EVs by broadening access to high-quality charging infrastructure through meaningful local partnerships."

Sonepar and Wallbox are committed to driving innovation and sustainability within the electrical industry. Together, we are poised to shape a more sustainable future for all.

About Wallbox

Wallbox is a global technology company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy. Wallbox creates advanced electric vehicle charging and energy management systems that redefine the relationship between users and the network. Wallbox goes beyond charging electric vehicles to give users the power to control their consumption, save money and live more sustainably. Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential, semi-public, and public use in more than 115 countries around the world. Founded in 2015 in Barcelona, where the company’s headquarters are located, Wallbox currently has offices across Europe, Asia, and America. For more information, visit www.wallbox.com 

Sonepar in Spain is currently involved in a significant project in the heart of Madrid – the lighting renovation of Santa Teresa y San José Church located in the city’s Plaza España. This 20th-century church, designed by architect Jesús Carrasco Muñoz, holds the status of ‘Asset of Cultural Interest’.

The Plaza España area has seen landscaping and urban planning changes in recent years, becoming a cultural hub through city council-promoted events. The church's renovation reflects the evolving character of its surroundings.

Led by project leaders Carolina Corral and Nestor Díez Solera, their design proposition for the project revolved around three key principles: indirect lighting, general lighting, and accent lighting. Indirect lighting uses projectors and linear luminaires to highlight architectural elements, emphasizing the spatial dimensions of the church. General lighting is focused on practical areas such as the central nave, including benches and reading areas around the altar. Accent lighting aims to emphasize specific features like carvings, the dome, and paintings.

The use of top-tier luminaires with high color reproduction and versatile optics is a practical choice, allowing for precise lighting control while minimizing energy consumption.

Beyond the aesthetic considerations, the lighting renovation also prioritizes energy efficiency, aligning with the city’s energy-saving goals. Switching to LED technology reduces energy consumption by 60% and lowers maintenance needs. Additionally, a wireless control system using Bluetooth addresses architectural challenges and adapts dynamically to the church's usage, resulting in an 80% increase in energy savings.

Nestor Díez Solera, Lighting Project Manager at Sonepar in Spain stated, “Through the illumination of the Santa Teresa y San José Church, we are not only illuminating history; we are harmonizing the past with the present, contributing to preserving a brighter and more energy-efficient tomorrow for both the church and the city.”

Discover more projects we've had the honor of being a part of!

For the first time, Sonepar has been ranked in the The Financial Times’ Diversity Leaders list published on November 19^th 2023.

Since 2019, The Financial Times has been running a yearly ranking in partnership with Statista to identify the 850 companies that have excelled in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace for their associates. Sonepar is ranked sixth in the Wholesale category.

The list is based on independent surveys of more than 100,000 associates from companies that employ at least 250 people across 16 European countries. They were asked to assess their own employer’s diversity and inclusion practices, but also to give their perception of those adopted by other prominent employers in their respective industries.

Sonepar’s presence in the ranking reflects our commitment and continuous efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe in creating a work environment where everyone can feel safe, use their voice, and feel that they belong, giving particular focus on promoting women, and people with diverse backgrounds and disabilities to grow within the organization.  

Discover more about Sonepar’s Diversity and Inclusion commitment: Diversity and Inclusion | Sonepar

The independent analysis company EcoVadis has awarded Sonepar Group their bronze rating, for its developments in sustainability.

Sonepar is in the top 15% of companies rated by EcoVadis in the Wholesale of machinery and equipment industry.

EcoVadis' mission is to provide the world’s most-trusted sustainability ratings, enabling all businesses to reduce risk, drive performance, and improve environmental and social outcomes.

EcoVadis' assessment focuses on four areas:

• Environment
• Labor and human rights
• Ethics
• Sustainable procurement

It is the first Ecovadis’ recognition for the Group; however, the company has already rated several Sonepar countries in the past:

• Brazil and Canada were awarded the bronze rating;
• Switzerland, France Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and the UK the silver rating;
• Finland and Belgium the gold rating;
• Sweden the platinum rating.

Sonepar is uniquely positioned at the heart of the electrical ecosystem. As the world leader in the B2B distribution of electrical products, solutions and services, we champion a more responsible future, nurture best environmental practices, and encourage the transition to low waste, clean energy solutions.

Twenty-five years ago, electric cars, and eMobility in general, seemed like futuristic pipe dreams. Not anymore.

The days when countries could count their numbers of electric vehicles in their hundreds have given way to a booming mass market.

In this white paper, delve into Sonepar's role in the electric revolution and its impact on the electrified transportation market, and how our solutions can help reduce carbon emissions.

Sonepar announced the acquisition of Hydeclim, a French specialist in the distribution of equipment and solutions for air conditioning and air treatment.

Paris, November 2, 2023 - Based in Nantes, Hydeclim employs 50 people and has a network of 4 agencies located in Western France (Nantes, Caen and Tours) and Northern France (Lille). Since its creation in 1993, the company has offered its HVAC customers high-performance solutions for air conditioning, heat pumps, humidity control, ventilation and air diffusion, for both commercial and residential applications.

Following on from the Group's recent French acquisitions - notably Alliantz (photovoltaics) and CD Sud (HVAC: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) - this operation will enable Sonepar to expand in the HVAC market and extend its offering to air conditioning and heating installers, particularly in Western and Northern France. This is a key growth area for Sonepar France, whose HVAC business generated sales of over EUR 320 million in 2022, thanks to its existing network of 55 branches throughout France.

"Expanding our market share in the HVAC sector is a strategic priority for the development of Sonepar's Specialist Division in France. As such, I am delighted that Hydeclim is joining our group, bringing its expertise and territorial coverage to our rapidly expanding national specialist network," commented Olivier Khaida, Managing Director of Sonepar France's specialist distribution network.

"For Hydeclim and its committed and passionate employees, this is recognition of their expertise and added value. The integration of Hydeclim into Sonepar's Specialist Division will enable us to offer our customers ever more effective solutions and services, drawing on the Group's considerable resources and means. It is also an opportunity for all the employees who will be joining the Sonepar family," concluded Christian Lefeuvre, Chairman of Hydeclim.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 44,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €32.4 billion in 2022. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we are needed. www.sonepar.com  

In France, Sonepar has a network of 500 branches and 6 logistics platforms spread across mainland France and French overseas territories. Sonepar France recorded sales of €2.8 billion in 2022 and employs 5,500 associates. For more information:  www.soneparfrance.fr  

About Hydeclim

Founded in 1993, Hydeclim is an independent regional distributor, expert in air conditioning, heat pump heating, humidity control, ventilation and air diffusion solutions for commercial and residential applications.

The company employs 50 people and has 4 branches located in Western and Northern France.

Media Contacts

Sonepar France:

Marie Elissalde

marie.elissalde@sonepar.fr - +33 6 37 18 10 18

Enderby:

Etienne Brunot

ebr@enderby.fr - +33 6 60 04 07 60

Clémence Duval

cdu@enderby.fr - +33 6 08 21 74 58

Launched in May 2023 and already up and running with 40 satisfied customers, this remarkable app streamlines system automation configuration in just a few clicks.

The Challenge

The demand for industrial automation is steadily increasing due to the need for more efficient operations, quicker time-to-market, and optimized labor utilization. Customers are seeking partners, not just suppliers, to assist them in swiftly configuring the necessary systems.

Enter Automation Pro

In Italy, Sonepar's Automation Pro app, developed in collaboration with Logbot, now simplifies system management. It offers an innovative development environment allowing customers to create smart, user-friendly interfaces for configuring automation functions in industrial plants and buildings.

The app caters to both installers and end-users with its user-friendly dashboards and customizable configurations for remote monitoring.

Automation Pro can seamlessly interact with machinery, production lines, PLC systems, network analyzers, and electronic boards. Designed for the industrial market, it complies with the highest safety standards and adheres to specific industrial regulations and protocols.

This versatile application can be employed for controlling and maintaining automation systems in heat pumps, hydroelectric power plants, professional coffee machines, purifiers, compactors, air conditioners, saunas, and more. Its cloud software can monitor and analyze a wide range of parameters, issuing immediate alerts if anomalies are detected.

Customer Results

Manufacturers of industrial appliances for sectors like hospitality, HVAC, and electromedical devices can harness the power of Automation Pro. This allows them to offer customers machine maintenance, preventing breakdowns or downtime while ensuring peak performance.

Additionally, manufacturers can explore new business models, such as subscription services and one-off product sales. Notable benefits include:

• Analytics and dashboards using no-code technology;
• Reduced time-to-market and low start-up costs;
• Compatibility with pre-tested hardware gateways by Logbot;
• Access to a vast network of certified system integrators;
• Integration with advanced AI and PowerBi analysis tools;
• Exceptional security standards with AES256 encryption and a Layer2 VPN tunnel for remote assistance.

End-users also reap the rewards with:

• A fast, always-available user experience through the app;
• The ability to connect to products from anywhere;
• Compatibility with Ethernet, WiFi, or LTE connections;
• Prompt and efficient customer service.

Even the general public can enjoy the benefits of the app. Did you forget to start the washing machine? Do you want to monitor your energy consumption? All of this can be easily managed with a few taps on your smartphone.

Giovanni Tosin, Industrial Automation Market Director at Sonepar, explains, "All suppliers are currently embracing cutting-edge solutions. The future is moving towards an open-source strategy. Our Automation Pro app is ideal for new machines developed by computer engineers, but it also appeals to older markets and electricians who prefer a straightforward no-code solution. The best part is that our customers have embraced the app without our support, thanks to its simplicity and the ability to customize it according to their branding."

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Dimensional in Brazil has played an integral role in supporting its customer's move to Industry 4.0, and the adoption of a solution capable of detecting depletion and equipment failures thanks to artificial intelligence.

Machine downtime can cost thousands in losses. With a focus on serving industrial clients with advanced and efficient solutions, Dimensional, a Sonepar company in Brazil, has developed a predictive digital tool that enables customers to monitor their machine operations and predict maintenance needs or potential stoppages.

The Challenge

For the past ten years, Cipatex, a leader in the development of PVC and PU laminates used across the textile industry, has been implementing measures focused on digital technology, automation, and modernization, always with an emphasis on the concept of Industry 4.0.

Significant investments were made to propel Cipatex into this process, but there was a definite need to adopt a predictive system to reduce losses, optimize processes, and integrate technologies.

"The process of adapting and restructuring for 4.0 operations at Cipatex over the past ten years involved pursuing automation. We implemented new systems, trained our employees, and carried out numerous joint actions across various company sectors to meet the needs of the new industrial era. However, adopting the digital predictive platform emerged as another important step in this evolution," explains Antonio Carlos Ribeiro, Maintenance Manager at Cipatex.

For this to become a reality, the company needed a strong local partner who understood their business, provide on-site equipment and field services, ensure a quality control system, offer technological solutions for predictive machinery management, and provide a reliable and committed 24/7 team.

Cipatex advances in the industry 4.0 process

Dimensional's Service team was poised to support Cipatex in preventing machinery downtime by proposing innovative, on-demand solutions. With the aim of combining their services and delivering solutions that assist customers in the evolution of Industry 4.0, Dimensional developed its predictive platform, D+Brain. This solution is capable of alerting customers to any issues related to factors such as temperature, vibration, current, and equipment voltage, preventing emergency machine stoppages.

Thanks to this solution, Cipatex could gain access to preventative field services and advanced technological resources that enabled real-time online monitoring and telematics of its industrial equipment.

D+Brain Solution

D+Brain enables remote control and predictive maintenance for machines, preventing costly downtime. It connects to customer equipment, monitors it, and issues warnings before potential breakdowns, ensuring continuous operation. This technology also supports efficient preventative maintenance, reducing production losses, and enhancing sustainability by cutting costs on inputs, labor, and energy.

Real-time machinery control and early warnings, even within critical limits, may sound futuristic, but with Dimensional’s D+Brain, it's daily practice for our clients. D+Brain is continuously evolving, and there are even plans for Dimensional to open a new facility intended for direct customer interaction via equipment test areas or digital twin emulation.

Customer benefits

Dimensional’s industrial services and long-term support have significantly reduced costs, losses, and downtime at Cipatex, ensuring process optimization and technology integration.

Through sensors, D+Brain monitors the "health" of the company's machinery, checks its status, predicts downtime, and warns if equipment is about to fail even before it presents a problem. Everything is monitored and resolved in real-time, increasing operational efficiency, productivity, and competitive advantages.

Practical example

A warning issued by D+Brain prevented the burning out of an inverter at Cipatex. The equipment was heading towards overheating, and the alert allowed the company to take early action, avoiding machine breakdown and a production line stoppage that is essential for the business. Machine breakdown could generate significant costs, as a new model costs around R$ 800,000, and repairs could cost approximately R$ 100,000, according to Everton Carrer Ribeiro, Industrial Automation Coordinator at Cipatex, he stated, "The equipment was heading towards overheating, and the alert allowed the company to take early action, avoiding not only machine breakdown but also a production line stoppage that is essential for the business.”

For Cipatex, adopting this digital predictive solution emerged as another critical step in the evolution of its business, preventing numerous problems caused by interruptions in a production line due to equipment failures, such as delivery delays, inventory shortages, and lost revenue. In the era of Industry 4.0, such situations are no longer acceptable.

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Jean-Cyrille Verspieren appointed President Sonepar Asia Pacific, member of the Sonepar Executive Committee

Jean-Cyrille Verspieren, currently President Sonepar Iberica, will be appointed President Sonepar Asia-Pacific as of January 1^st, 2024. He will report to Philippe Delpech, Sonepar’s CEO and will become a member of the Sonepar Executive Committee.

After spending a few years in Spain during his childhood, Jean-Cyrille graduated from ESCAE Clermont Ferrand (France) in Business Administration. He started his career in Marketing in the automotive industry.

Jean-Cyrille joined Sonepar France in 1996 as a Sales Representative and became a Branch Manager in 1999. In 2004, he took over the role of Sonepar France Key Account Manager and in 2006 he was appointed Head of France DIY Business and then France Regional Director for Paris area in 2010. In 2014 he joined the Southern Europe Region as Business Development Director. In May 2017, he was appointed President Sonepar France Overseas business managing 7 territories. In 2018, Jean-Cyrille was appointed President of Sonepar Iberica.

Jean-Cyrille developed during his career a deep knowledge of our various markets and countries, working internationally with many of the teams. His deep knowledge of Sonepar business, his team spirit and his strong passion for people will be key to managing the Asia Pacific region.

Barbara Garcia Floren appointed President Sonepar Iberica

Barbara Garcia Floren will be appointed President Sonepar Iberica (Spain and Portugal) as of January 1^st, 2024, reporting to Jerome Malassigne, President Western Europe.

Barbara was born in Spain, graduated from University de Oviedo (Spain), Bradford University and holds a master’s degree from Bordeaux University in Banking, Finance and International Business. Barbara joined Sonepar as a Financial Controller in 2000. Since then, her career has developed by holding numerous Sonepar headquarter positions that have enabled her to acquire a unique knowledge about Sonepar’s processes and organization plus about the electrical industry market.

In April 2021, she was appointed SVP Sonepar Merger & Acquisitions and CEO Office, member of the Sonepar Executive Committee.

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, thanks to Life Cycle Assessments which allows us to compare and rate each product.

LEDVANCE, one of the world’s leading companies in the field of general lighting for professional customers and end users, is offering a wide range of LED luminaires, LED lamps, intelligent lighting products for smart homes and smart buildings, as well as connected lighting solutions such as VIVARES and BIOLUX. Beyond lighting, LEDVANCE offers vertically integrated, renewable energy solutions for the building sector.

Sustainability is a fundamental component of LEDVANCE’s business ethics. Following the implementation of several activities to make its products more sustainable, the company has developed a comprehensive sustainability strategy that covers all business areas of the lighting expert: from product design through the supply chain and the company’s own operations to its responsibility towards employees and society.

Head to LEDVANCE’s Sustainability Commitments page to know more.

To communicate transparently on the carbon footprint of its products, LEDVANCE has recently published its first annual sustainability report covering its strategy, vision, and measures for the sustainable production of its lighting solutions. Read the full report here.

Besides the intelligent light management systems VIVARES and BIOLUX, their EVERLOOP system is one more example of sustainable solutions available to our customers on Sonepar’s e-shop. With this system, LEDVANCE is the first major manufacturer in the world to offer luminaires with replaceable drivers and LED modules. The new product range is launched under the LEDVANCE LOOP umbrella – the new sustainability brand that bundles all LEDVANCE sustainability endeavors.

Learn more about the LEDVANCE LOOP concept here: LEDVANCE presents “LEDVANCE LOOP” laying the foundation for more sustainability in the lighting industry | LEDVANCE

Sonepar and LEDVANCE are working together to champion the innovation of sustainable solutions on the market.

The role of software in our industry is becoming increasingly apparent. Digital twin emulation is becoming a valuable tool for bringing ideas to life and sharing them globally with the click of a button.

Digital twin emulation allows the user to create a virtual machine that uses operational logic and connects to a control system, predicting future performance and simulating line changes. In creating this virtual environment, the user can avoid any surprises and discover control issues before the build takes shape.

For companies like AutoLogic, this solution has differentiated them from the competition by providing a more immersive and interactive experience for their customers as they deliver value through discovery.

Today, we’re looking at how Avanti Conveyors Ltd. a UK based OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) used AutoLogic Systems’ capability, and Rockwell Automation’s Emulate3D technology to get to market faster.

AutoLogic Systems is the UK’s Value Added Reseller and System Integrator for Emulate3D, who joined the Sonepar family in August 2022. The company is a leading provider of simulation products, consulting, and related services, serving primarily the manufacturing, transport, and logistics sectors.

Deploying Emulate3D Digital Twin with AutoLogic Systems

Avanti Conveyors Ltd. has provided material handling solutions for over 30 years, manufacturing their own machinery for corrugated board handling organizations worldwide.

With the continued growth and sophistication of their machinery, the ability to demonstrate and differentiate their systems and products to both existing and new customers fast became a priority.

But rather than use more traditional modelling of their products, Avanti wanted to go one step further and create a full dynamic digital twin of their sophisticated Pegasus Palletiser machine, connected to the control system and deployed to each individual client. A true emulation.

Through precise emulation, Avanti could demonstrate its capabilities and distinguish its system's superior performance compared to competitors.

Choosing the right solution

Rockwell’s Emulate3D provides a single modeling platform to demonstrate solutions, validate designs, and virtually commission PLC code and plant management software before the solution is built. Resulting digital twins deliver continued value for plant optimization and operator training.

Avanti is now benefiting from this complete workflow provided by Emulate3D, with this case study focusing on sales growth opportunities.

Dr. Danos Damianou, software director for Avanti, stated, “AutoLogic Systems is a trusted partner of Avanti. The combination of their expertise and renowned Emulate3D software was an exciting prospect for us. The team at AutoLogic worked closely with the experienced control engineers at Avanti to understand the complex machine operation and behaviors required of a digital twin to satisfy the control system.”

‘Digital Twinning at its Best’

Andy Parsons, Sales Director at AutoLogic, added, “Using the 3D mechanical design, Emulate3D allows you to add kinematic behaviors and constraints and create product movement with complex physics behaviors and test system-wide operation. Avanti can then simply connect the dynamic model to their physical PLC (and soft PLC) to validate the virtual machine is behaving as per reality.” He continued, “A PLC-based digital twin also takes machine selling to a new level. Add the fantastic stakeholder engagement tools in Emulate3D, and I’m certain many OEMs could get to market faster.”

By connecting a digital twin to the PLC, the model will replicate the proposed equipment or materials handling solution. Outputs, speeds, configurations, and any other variables can all be tested and proven within the model, and clients can watch it working in real time in state-of-the-art 3D graphics.

Dr. Damianou concluded, “We can say to clients and prospects, ‘here is our proposed solution, and this is it working exactly as it would once be installed within your existing facility.’ It’s an amazing sales tool and allows us to ensure our proposed solutions will deliver exactly what the customer needs. In addition, the model can be used for operator training and familiarization well ahead of the actual machine installation, thus accelerating the effective use of the machine. This, combined with our ongoing design validation and virtual commissioning work, is Emulate3D and digital twinning at its best.”

Find out more about AutoLogic and Rockwell’s partnership!

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Elektroskandia has played a central role in the construction of the Draken Hotel, Gothenburg's tallest building. Standing 34 stories high, the hotel is located in the city's center, which required smart logistics solutions, precise deliveries, and close cooperation with everyone involved to effectively deliver and install all necessary materials.

Part of the Strawberry Hotel Group, the project began in autumn 2019 and takes its name from the historic Draken (dragon) cinema, around which the hotel is being constructed. Before work officially began on laying the foundations – a roll of film was thrown into the building site as part of the ceremonial 'breaking of ground'.

Emil Lundgren Göteborg, one of Sweden's leading electrical engineering companies was responsible for the installation of electricity, telecommunications and data, and Elektroskandia supplied the equipment including cable power rails (over a thousand!), Cardi fixtures, and light fittings.

Smart logistics

Being built in the center of Gothenburg's trendy Järntorget district, strict monthly meetings were held with seven of the build's project managers discussing any bottlenecks, large deliveries, packaging information, to ensure that all logistical aspects were handled smoothly. Over at Elektroskandia's logistics center in Örebro, the team project-packed all goods so they could be quickly and easily delivered to the relevant team upon arrival onsite.

A unique venue

The hotel is set to become a much sought-after venue, offering a cinema, stage, conference rooms, and fine dining on the top two floors which will offer panoramic views of the city.

Watch the video below to learn more about this complex build with insights from the team at Elektroskandia!

Discover more of our flagship projects which we’ve brought to life here: Projects | Sonepar

Sonepar’s industry clients are not lacking when it comes to having access to online stores, allowing them to buy products quickly. Still, they are missing the added service of being advised on the optimal solutions for their needs.

The Challenge

This was an obstacle Sonepar's customer, a French distillery, was facing where there was a real need to survey the plant to identify how to save energy while ensuring that they could keep the plant running by reducing maintenance downtime. 

The Solution

In June 2023, Sonepar launched the IIoToolkit (Industrial Internet of Things Toolkit): an advisory service that allows customers to understand the full scope of their operation by selecting a specific theme and quickly advises them on the best products and solutions to complete the project in a holistic manner.

When working with Sonepar’s specialized support teams, registered customers are also given an interactive guide that presents the IIoToolkit’s full functionalities and constant web support.

Thanks to this tool, the teams identified key areas to make the plant more efficient, reliable and with optimized performance. The IIoToolKit recommended modernizing all of their PLCs (programmable logic controllers), Variable Speed Drives, and networks to set up a supervision solution. Therefore, the investments initially planned for software were redirected towards hardware.

The team also advised on the appropriate connected meters needed to quantify the plant’s varying energy consumption processes.

“The IIoToolkit enables us to provide additional added value for our customers that they cannot find with a generalist distributor. We support them in their digital transition through the prism of themes (how to make their factories more efficient, agile, sustainable, and safe while reducing their energy consumption). This approach supports our customers in their daily work, and we can be continuously improving it according to their different successes stories,” states Adrien Lemaire, Industry Director 4.0, Sonepar in France.

Customer Results

Thanks to the IIoToolkit, the customer was able to establish priorities and identify the appropriate solutions thanks to its thematic approach, saving them time in sifting through a multitude of different options on a standard web shop, giving them a result that surpassed their expectations. Moreover, with the guidance of Sonepar’s support teams dedicated to the industry sector, they were given dedicated support throughout the project.

Sonepar is now accompanying the customer through the supervision phase to implement software solutions and providing end-to-end visibility of the operation’s lifecycle, an added service.

Sonepar is already making the next steps to launch the toolkit in Belgium, Italy, and Germany, to offer an integrated, holistic experience for our industrial customers so they can quickly find long-lasting solutions to their specific challenges.

To find out more, contact your local Sonepar representative! 

Follow Sonepar's LinkedIn page dedicated to Industry! 

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offering and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, thanks to Life Cycle Assessments, which allows us to compare and rate each product.

Today, we're showcasing ABB Electrification, a global technology leader in electrical distribution and management from source to socket. As the world’s demand for electricity grows, ABB collaborates with their customers and partners to transform how people connect, live and work.

ABB Electrification’s mission is to electrify the world in a safe, smart and sustainable way. They develop innovative products, solutions and digital technologies to enable a low-carbon society across all sectors. 

To power a sustainable future for society, ABB has centered their sustainability strategy around 4 pillars - enabling a low-carbon society, preserving resources, promoting social progress, and creating a culture of integrity and transparency.  For each of these pillars, they have set targets for their own operations as well as for those of their customers and suppliers. Head to ABB sustainability commitments page to find out more.

Driven by the usage of green electricity and the Mission to Zero™ program, a scalable blueprint of smart building solutions combined with on-site renewable energy generation and storage, ABB Electrification states to have achieved a 68% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to 2019 baseline.

Using as a vehicle the ABB circularity framework, ABB’s portfolio is evolving to support their customers’ circularity journeys. In addition, ABB’s EcoSolutions™ product label provides full transparency to environmental impacts across the entire product lifecycle. Products within the portfolio comply with a set of key performance indicators, as defined in ABB’s circularity framework, and carry an external, third-party verified environmental product declaration (ISO 14025).

The ABB S300P Miniature Circuit Breaker, which recently achieved the ABB EcoSolutions™ product label, is one example of many sustainable solutions available to customers on Sonepar’s e-shop. The S300P Miniature Circuit Breaker’s compactness ensures less material usage and an extended lifespan offering reliable protection in demanding industrial applications, commercial buildings, data centers and the e-mobility sector. Generating less CO₂ , it operates in a more energy efficient way, with increased impulse withstand voltage and lower internal resistance that reduce power loss and increase safety.

Learn more about S300P Miniature Circuit Breaker here.

Sonepar and ABB are working together to champion the innovation of sustainable solutions in the market.

Stockholm, August 16th 2023 - Elektroskandia Sverige AB (a Sonepar Company) has signed an agreement to acquire 70% of Aprilice’s share capital, one of the leading solar panel platforms in the Nordic European region. The company’s three founders will remain minority shareholders and will continue to work for the company.

Founded in 2012, Aprilice has focused on the Swedish solar cell market and proposed a complete product range with cutting-edge expertise. Headquartered in Stockholm with branches in Gothenburg, Jönköping, Kalmar and Landskrona, the company has around 160 associates and  serves around 1,300 customers. It posted revenues of approximately €100 million in 2022.

The acquisition of the controlling interest in Aprilice will enable Elektroskandia to offer its customers a complete range of solar panels, accessories, and installation materials, as well as technical expertise and high product availability. Aprilice will operate as a standalone company in the Swedish market.

“We expect the solar cell market to continue its significant expansion as seen in recent years,” explained Anders Nordlöw, President of Elektroskandia. “With more and more of our customers installing solar panels, we have naturally been looking to reinforce our offering in this area. After surveying the market, we found Aprilice to be the ideal partner and a perfect fit for our existing range. The acquisition will enable us to offer the widest range, the leading expertise and the highest availability on the electricity market while optimally meeting our customers’ needs.”

“We have been impressed by Elektroskandia, who have supplied a lot of our electrical equipment and accessories,” commented Jing-Wei Cheng, CEO and co-owner of Aprilice. “With Elektroskandia on board as owner, we can now take the next step in the company’s development, expand our market presence and generate further growth. We believe that Aprilice’s know-how and product range in solar energy and Elektroskandia’s logistical strength, market presence and expertise in electrical installation will present major opportunities to reach out to new and existing customers with the market’s strongest solar technology products.”

The transaction is expected to close in the Fall 2023, subject to the approval of the Swedish antitrust authority.

About Elektroskandia – Sweden’s leading electrical technology wholesaler

Elektroskandia offers electrical equipment and systems to customers in the following areas: electrical installation, industry, infrastructure, security, lighting and household appliances. The company is part of the Sonepar Group. We supply a wide range of products from leading global suppliers and stock over 40,000 items. Logistics drive everything we do and our logistics services are designed to simplify everyday life for our customers. We apply our expertise to improve the efficiency and profitability of all our customers’ purchasing and sales organisations.

Elektroskandia owns the Cylinda brand, which supplies the Swedish market with a complete range of household appliances and has its own service organisation. Through our brand Cardi, we offer lighting products that are unique to the Swedish market.

Elektroskandia has been operating as an electrical wholesaler in Sweden since 1904. The company is headquartered in Sollentuna, north of Stockholm.

About Sonepar 

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 44,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €32.4 billion in 2022. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we’re needed. www.sonepar.com

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Press Release

Download the PDF here 

A glass manufacturing plant can’t just shut down. In fact, once a furnace becomes active, it shouldn’t stop for another 14 years! Keeping the industrial machinery running is absolutely critical to business – so when it comes to asset management and reliability, you need a partner you can trust.

The Challenge

Carlex Glass America LLC is a glass manufacturer with a plant in Nashville, Tennessee, which produces glass primarily for the automotive industry. One of only a few facilities in the U.S. capable of producing full-circuit glass, the plant uses a variety of Rockwell Automation equipment to control its processes.

Carlex needed a strong local partner who would work to understand their business, provide resources on site, offer quality control and risk management services, and be a committed, reliable team player. 

Irby Electric’s Solution

As an authorized service provider for Rockwell Automation, Irby Electric was initially brought in to help Carlex implement a Rockwell reliability program to manage hard and soft assets. The program included process improvements, plant optimization, spare parts, and a net positive effect on overall equipment efficiency (OEE).

Over time, Irby Electric proved to be a reliable and capable partner, and Carlex chose to have Irby own the entire process. Irby Electric now manages critical risk across several key phases of reliability: maintenance, engineering, asset management and logistics.

Irby's asset management & reliability (AM&R) solution was solidified by an Integrated Services Agreement (ISA) that includes streamlined communication and support, repairs and manufacturing, field labor, remote support, quality control, and risk management.

Customer Results

Irby Electric’s bundled services and reliable long-term support have dramatically reduced costs and downtime for Carlex Glass.

Some highlights:

• Significant cost savings due to proactive risk management, service bundling, asset optimization and reduced downtime.
• 161% return on investment for Carlex was achieved in the first quarter of 2023 with some key performance initiatives exceeding $69,500.00 in additional savings.
• An average of $60,000 loss in drives per year was completely eliminated, thanks to research and identification of a ground arc issue.
• Eliminated price increases of more than 5% year over year during the contract period
• Capacitor reform service that optimizes low voltage drives and prevents failure within 3-5 years of use saved an estimated $15,000 per year.
• Annual Repair Agreement within contract maintains an additional $8,000 per year in hard savings and provides data-validated warranty to critical components.

The consistent delivery of these results led Carlex to put their trust in Irby Electric’s knowledgeable and dedicated associates. Irby Electric strives to understand a holistic view of your business, what affects your key performance indicators (KPIs), and the best strategy to improve your bottom line, and they have a proven track record of success in helping our customers improve their plant performance and reduce downtime.

Irby Electric’s industrial services help this customer get the most out of their automation equipment by reducing downtime and associated costs. Our specialists don’t just fix something after it’s broken. They consistently optimize drives to avoid malfunctions, and they proactively manage risk and explore possible causes for equipment failure. Irby Electric is a true long-term partner to industrial customers, working to understand their business and keep their facilities running at peak performance.

Find out more about Irby and Rockwell’s partnership!

The world's population is growing, recently topping eight billion, and more and more people are living in urban areas, creating a need for housing and a demand for building construction.

In parallel, regulations are forcing building owners to reduce the carbon footprint of their stock. The Energy Performance for Buildings Directive (EPBD) coordinates regulations in all European countries and sets clear targets for achieving climate-neutral building operations by 2050.

Furthermore, in the current context where we’re witnessing soaring energy prices, building owners are seeking transparency, and the constant monitoring of their building's energy consumption to optimize its performance and achieve energy efficiency.

Sonepar, the largest B-to-B distributor of electrical materials, is extending its partnership with Siemens, the global supplier of cutting-edge technologies for industry and infrastructure, to support customers in creating and renovating buildings to become "smarter", and more efficient, by introducing HVAC devices and building automation systems into its portfolio.

Whether new or existing buildings, small or large, Sonepar’s customers can choose from a wide range of high-quality sensors, valves, actuators, thermostats, and innovative building automation controllers that enable the evolution of “smart” buildings. The easy-to-install devices ensure regulated on-site energy consumption while creating the perfect environment for building occupants.

This expanded portfolio will gradually be rolled out across the Sonepar network, giving our customers around the world access to Siemens’ innovative solutions and the best tools to serve the end user.

“Sonepar and Siemens’ have been partners for twenty years and it has only accelerated, by developing our offer of Siemens’ Digital Industries and Electrical products and solutions, to now adding this new product portfolio which enables us to further support our customers’ needs,” stated Artur Puzinas, International Market Director, Sonepar International Services. He continued, “Additionally, Siemens is a huge advocate in supporting Sonepar’s sustainability strategy, thereby assisting us in reaching our ambition of promoting best in class sustainable solutions with our Green Offer.”

Sonepar's Green Offer enables customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to a sustainability rating. In promoting our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, we are able to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, and by investing more than €2bn in modernizing our supply chain and a further €1bn into our global digital platform, we are committed to delivering best-in-class service to our customers, all whilst reducing CO₂ emissions and waste in line with our targets approved by the SBTi.

Learn all about Siemens’ Robust Eco Design (RED) approach, which provides the foundation for integrating eco-design systematically into product development here.

Learn more about Siemens’ Smart Building Solutions.

Van Egmond Groep, a Sonepar company is committed to providing exceptional operational excellence and best-in-class industrial services for its customers.

With a proven track record of delivering top-notch solutions to industrial customers, Van Egmond Groep has consistently set the bar high when meeting and exceeding client expectations. 

Therefore, Van Egmond Groep was very proud to be part of establishing a new, more efficient working method in which Inlevé's projects are completed faster, smarter, and easier.

The Challenge

For years, Inelvé was a progressive panel construction company, but over time it further developed into an innovative production partner. To this end, close collaborations with trusted partners grew, allowing them to supply fully prefabricated solutions and controls with cabling to their customers.

One of these close collaborations is in cooperation with Van Egmond Groep.

Van Egmond Group’s Solution

With Van Egmond Groep, Inelvé set up a smart and logical process in which the start and finish point lies with Inelvé itself, making it the pivot throughout the entire process.

From Inelvé, appropriate solutions are devised for the customer, engineered where possible and the necessary process further integrated. The company relies on Van Egmond Groep during the procurement process of necessary resources and for the mechanical work and assembly. With the processing machines that Van Egmond Groep can supply, projects are easily made fully operational.

In addition, the Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) service supplies the necessary parts from Van Egmond Groep. Precisely because of this VMI, large volumes are processed with a high throughput rate and customer demands are met.

To ensure that the cooperation continues to run smoothly to quickly adapt when necessary, and to respond to opportunities and possibilities, Van Egmond Groep regularly meets with its customer to ensure the project's fluid completion.

Customer benefits

Besides being a pleasant cooperation, Van Egmond Groep also provides several advantages for its customers. Therefore, production and product costs can be reduced as the process is

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Sonepar Extends its Partnership with Siemens Building Products to Accelerate Building Decarbonization

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The world's population is growing, recently topping eight billion, and more and more people are living in urban areas, creating a need...

With a customer-centric approach at the heart of their operations, Van Egmond Groep ensures that every interaction is marked by professionalism, responsiveness, and a genuine dedication to exceeding customer needs.

Follow Sonepar's showcase page dedicated to all things Industry on LinkedIn!

Sonepar is proud to partner with its customer Elektro Schröder, on the construction of the Bethel's Children's Center, which will swiftly become among the most modern of its kind in Germany.

The Bethel Children's Center is setting new standards in medical care for children and adolescents. In addition to state-of-the-art equipment, the building will offer places for children to come together, such as common rooms, playrooms, and an outdoor recreation area.

Elektro Schröder is one of the largest electrical installation companies in Ostwestfalen-Lippe, and Sonepar's Gütersloh branch delivered all materials necessary for the project's completion, from cables to outdoor lighting to office containers.

Winfried Mühlenkord, Managing Director at Elektro Schröder, summarized Sonepar's contribution to this joint success by stating, "Sonepar planned and implemented the required material and office containers on the construction site for us. The wholesale colleagues constantly contacted the site management to clarify which materials had to be available at what time. As the installation specialist company, this service enabled us to concentrate one hundred percent on our consulting and installation services. I can't recall any delays due to supply difficulties."

The Center’s grand opening is due to take place this summer when Elektro Schröder and Sonepar will be able to look back with pride on what they have achieved and what has become a flagship project for both companies.

Discover more of our flagship projects which we’ve brought to life here: Projects | Sonepar

At Sonepar, Diversity and Inclusion is at the core everything we do. One of the main objectives of our D&I ambition is to foster an inclusive work environment where everyone can feel safe, use their voice, and know that they belong.

In doing so, we all have a role to play!

This is the message we share with all our associates worldwide through a mandatory e-learning on D&I, available in 17 languages.

They will learn more about what D&I at Sonepar means, our strategy, and how to contribute to create an inclusive and diverse environment – by recognizing and stepping away from stereotypes and bias.

Learn more about Sonepar’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy.

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, thanks to Life Cycle Assessments which allows us to compare and rate each product.

Today, we're focusing on Siemens, a technology leader with a portfolio designed to drive the digital and sustainable transformation of industry, infrastructure, transportation, and healthcare. For almost 175 years now, Siemens has been driven by the aspiration to improve the lives of people worldwide.

Every day, Siemens creates impact by providing innovative solutions tackling challenges in environmental protection, decarbonization, health and safety. Sustainability is embedded in all business activities, investment decision-making and governance. This commitment is reflected in the DEGREE framework, a 360-degree view of Siemens ESG (Environment, Social, Government) priorities.To communicate transparently on the impact of its products, such as CO2, Siemens uses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies based on internationally standardized approaches since the 1990s. The resulting data is communicated in Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).

Transparency on environmental impact is the foundation; but it is only the first step. Siemens makes rigorous efforts to minimize the negative environmental impact of each product. This approach known as Robust Eco Design (RED), covers the entire product lifecycle starting with the engineering stage. The RED approach provides the foundation for integrating eco-design systematically into the product development and allows Siemens to derive specifications that are advantageous from an environmental point of view while meeting own sustainability goals as well as those of customers, partners, and suppliers.

If you are interested to learn more on Siemens RED approach, please download the eco-design Whitepaper on www.siemens.com/environment.

One out of many examples of Siemens products which have been optimized according to environmental criteria is given by the molded case circuit breakers (MCCBs) of the SENTRON 3VA series. Its integrated communication and measurement function makes energy flow transparent and identifies saving potentials. Condition monitoring based on its health indicator ensures that you never have to exchange a breaker before it is necessary. Furthermore, warnings messages and alerts allow the operator to act before a failure happens, enhancing the availability of the application.

Learn more about how to optimize power consumption with sustainable products here.

Like many other sustainable products of Siemens’ portfolio, the SENTRON 3VA series is available to our customers on Sonepar’s e-shop.

Sonepar and Siemens are working together to champion the innovation of sustainable solutions on the market.

The rapidly changing world of industry

The world of industry is changing rapidly. Gone are the old certainties and incremental progress. Industrial players are now facing an unprecedented range of challenges. There’s stiff competition as globalization continues at pace and countries that once offered basic manufactures move into hi-tech production. Coupled to this is the relentless advance of technology – bringing with it a fourth industrial revolution.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are no longer pipe dreams, discussed on static webpages, but an increasingly concrete reality. Sensors connect and control industrial sites, resulting in streams of data that must be collected, interpreted, and secured.  In parallel, the need for industrial automation (IA) and robots is ever increasing, as the forces at work demand the streamlining of operations, quicker times to market, and the better use of labor.

New technologies mean new challenges

These seismic shifts are felt strongly in the broad range of companies that serve industrial machinery and factories – Sonepar’s industrial customers. They operate across a wide span of settings with high levels of technical skill, in companies that cover a wide range of products, including increasingly sophisticated software, industrial robots, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Theirs is a threefold challenge: to provide solutions to their customers’ needs; to meet the demand for electrification – driven by a move away from fossil fuels; and to manage the skills gap and rapidly changing employee profiles. These companies are looking for partners rather than suppliers – partners who can help them configure the systems they need quickly, source alternatives to solve supply chain issues, and advise them intelligently.

Sonepar: the omnichannel partner for industry success

To meet their challenges, these industrial customers are increasingly turning to Sonepar. In doing so, they benefit from the know-how of a major Group with over €30bn of sales. It’s also the market leader in solutions for these customers, covering some 250,000 of them, with a revenue of over €6bn. Moreover, 30% of Sonepar’s sales now happen online, the Group’s industrial customers will increasingly be able to take advantage of its online platform, Spark, as well as using advisors and configurators that enable them to specify the system they need and obtain a fully personalized solution.   

In an industrial market span where 60% of sales are now accounted for by IA, 20% by software, and 6% by services, Sonepar’s goal is to be both the sector’s benchmark and the trusted partner of its industrial customers. Its approach is both comprehensive and radical – going from the top of the organization to associates on the front line.

A clear strategy to meet customer needs – today and tomorrow

With Sonepar’s Industry leaders rapidly putting in place dedicated organizational and financial architecture, the Group can serve customers more efficiently. In parallel is business transformation, with the aim of becoming a one-stop-shop. Customers benefit significantly from this, whether it’s through the greater involvement of their project managers, or the synergies it’s developing with other companies – especially its Global Strategic Suppliers.

Comprehensive solutions backed by expertise

These strategic aims are implemented at local level and play out in a range of concrete offerings. On software and the IoT, for example, Sonepar is investing in providing data security solutions, tools for predictive maintenance, and product lifecycle management, as well as machine learning and AI. It also offers IA value-added software, including licenses, subscriptions, and training.

This is supported by the Group’s recent acquisitions of Factory Systemes Groupe in France, Autologic Systems in the UK, and Masibus in India. 

Both operate in the rapidly converging space between operational and information technology (OT and IT) – helping meet a key market requirement.

Meeting customers’ needs also means strengthening Sonepar’s in-house capabilities. Sonepar is investing heavily in external training with suppliers like Schneider Electric, Siemens, and Omron, which results in formal competency certification. It’s also developing its own Industry Certification Program, delivered through the roup’s dedicated Academy. This work ensures that customers can rapidly find an associate with expertise on their needs.

The net result of all this? Sonepar supports its industrial customers in navigating their major issues today – through a combination of focused operational and financial architecture, an expanding offering, and close monitoring of its own performance. It’s also a Group that is gearing up heavily to serve industry’s needs tomorrow – through top-level sponsorship, a clear corporate strategy, and real investment in the skills of its people. With Sonepar’s support, industrial customers can, and will, meet their challenges.

We aim to promote our suppliers' best-in-class, most sustainable innovations, to bring further transparency to our product offer and help reduce our impact on the planet.

Sonepar's Green Offer enables our customers to make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint, thanks to our sustainability rating.

Close collaboration with our suppliers is key, as they provide us with verified environmental data about their products, thanks to Life Cycle Assessments which allows us to compare and rate each product.

Today, we're focusing on Nexans, a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services. Offering reliable and sustainable solutions for its customers is a key concern for Nexans, who constantly innovates and develops comprehensive solutions (cables, connectors, packaging solutions like the new Mobiway MOB).

Head to Nexans Sustainability commitments page and learn more on Mobiway MOB innovation here.

To communicate transparently on the impact of its products, such as CO2, Nexans has implemented for more than 10 years a system of certified environmental measurements. A Life Cycle Assessment is performed for all strategic products and certified by a PEP ecopassport® (Product Environmental Profile).

Their U-1000 R2V Distingo NX'TAG is one of many examples of sustainable solutions available to our customers on the Sonepar France's e-shop. This range has been designed to facilitate electrical worksites thanks to its many advantages: network identification on the cable, metric marking, color marking and quick identification of sections. This concentrate of benefits is designed and produced in France with a reliable and transparent environmental impact for all users (including CO2 emissions).

Learn more about Nexans Distingo NX'TAG here.

Sonepar and Nexans are working together to champion the innovation of sustainable solutions on the market.

In the sixth episode of our Stories of Growth series, we’re headed to Belgium to speak with leaders who joined the Sonepar family as long as nine years ago, and to hear all about their journey since making the transition.  

Sonepar has built an undisputed leadership position in business-to-business electrical product distribution, systems, and services thanks to a unique combination of being family-owned, with a long-term horizon, best-in-class leadership, an engaged workforce, and demanding corporate governance. 

We’re always looking for new companies that are willing to join a family-owned group, where the diversity and well-being of our associates are valued the most, where we work based on a high level of compliance standards and common values and investing in our associates and teams is a priority. 

Thank you to Jean Stevens, Jozefien Vandamme, and Michèle de Brabandere for sharing your story with us, as well as Koenraad van Schuylenbergh and Pascale Castermant for your insights. 

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel! 

Read all about our M&A strategy here: Acquisitions | Sonepar 

In the seventh episode of our Women in Digital web series, we’re speaking with Maggie Ai, Master Data Analyst and member of Sonepar's Asia-Pacific Digital team, based in China.

Digital is shaping the world around us, and we need a strong team to bring us into the future. Here, Maggie tells us the moment in her career of which she is most proud, when her interest in digital began, how she would encourage women to consider a career in the digital world and more!

Sonepar's digital transformation continues to accelerate, and just last week, we announced the roll out of a major digital transformation initiative with solutions from Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions.

“Sonepar is transforming the relationship between the customers and its associates, between the digital and the physical by orchestrating through its omni-channel platform a constant dialog to deliver the perfect order. Sonepar will accomplish this via Spark, a synchronized omnichannel platform, powered by Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365. Sonepar is teaming with Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions,” Jérémie Profeta, Sonepar’s Chief Transformation Officer

Watch Maggie's episode on our YouTube channel!

Together, Sonepar and Signify will enable our customers to see the connected lighting at the end of the tunnel.

2023 will be a year of change for the lighting sector in Europe, as the ban of fluorescent lighting comes into effect.

The RoHS (Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances) Directive aims to prevent the risks posed to human health and the environment related to the management of electronic and electrical waste, including mercury in fluorescent lights.

As the world’s leading B-to-B distributor of electrical products, solutions, and related services, Sonepar is poised to guide our customers through this transition with the support of our global strategic suppliers.

Signify has extended its range of Philips LED lamps across multiple product families, offering solutions that are significantly more energy-efficient and long-lasting. Michael Rombouts, Business Leader LED Lamps and Luminaires, Division Digital Products, states, “The EU ban on fluorescent lighting is a positive step forward for our industry, and will help accelerate the shift to cleaner, greener lighting solutions. At Signify, we realize that customers need viable alternatives that combine great quality lighting with the latest innovations in energy efficiency. By extending our range of Philips LED lamps, we aim to cater to our customers’ different requirements, making the switch to LED as seamless as possible.”

As market leaders, together with Signify and the expertise of our Product Management team, Sonepar can offer an improved value proposition for our customers. We’ve named our program ‘Fluorescent to Connected’, enabling our customers to easily identify Sonepar as the vehicle they need to scale up to this new technology.

Sonepar and Signify’s approach to this opportunity is one of the same. Having a broad and deep portfolio to meet their customers’ every need, from LED tubes, to Luminaires, to connected solutions. It is precisely in this last step, thanks to the support from Lighting and Building Automation specialists, that Sonepar can deliver.

Signify is also developing new product lines with the circular economy in mind from design to packaging following the 'reduce reuse recycle' approach, creating lasting solutions that will benefit our customers.

As part of its packaging policy, Signify already uses 80% recycled paper. To help fight the global plastic waste issue, the company has pledged to phase out all plastics from packaging for consumer-related products with the aim to be plastic-free as of this year.

Sonepar is investing more than €2bn in modernizing its Supply Chain and a further €1bn in our global digital platform in order to deliver perfect orders to our customers all whilst reducing our CO2 emissions and waste in line with our targets approved by the SBTi.

Through our modern, flexible supply chain, Sonepar is committed to delivering best-in-class service to our customers, whether it’s through connected solutions, solar photovoltaics, reusable packaging, or dedicated electric transport, Sonepar is committed to sustainable operations.

Head here for more information about the fluorescent lighting ban and how to switch to LED 'on':

LED conversion l Philips lighting

In the sixth episode of our Women in Digital web series, we’re speaking with Joy Zhu, Master Data Analyst and member of Sonepar's Asia-Pacific Digital team based in China.

Digital is shaping the world around us, and we need a strong team to bring us into the future. Here, Joy tells us all about the path that led her to her position in the Asia-Pacific Digital team, the scope of her role which covers product data enrichment, data governance, and data insights, how digital makes her day-to-day routine more efficient, and more!

Sonepar's digital transformation continues to accelerate, and just last week, we announced the roll out of a major digital transformation initiative with solutions from Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions.

“Sonepar is transforming the relationship between the customers and its associates, between the digital and the physical by orchestrating through its omnichannel platform a constant dialog to deliver the perfect order. Sonepar will accomplish this via Spark, a synchronized omnichannel platform, powered by Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365. Sonepar is teaming with Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions,” stated Jérémie Profeta, Sonepar’s Chief Transformation Officer.

Watch Joy's full episode on our YouTube channel! 

Paris, April 18^th, 2023 – Sonepar, the undisputed world leader and leading B-to-B distributor of electrical products, solutions, and related services, is announcing it has selected Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions to help drive the company’s digital innovation in a sustainable manner. 

Over the next five years, Sonepar is investing over €1Bn in its digital transformation to focus on a personalized customer experience that makes it easy to find and purchase products – when, where, and how customers want. At the same time, Sonepar wants to promote best-in-class sustainability and provide the best associate experience for its 44,000 associates in 40 countries.  

In business, the digital revolution continues to accelerate and new technologies offer a constant stream of new opportunities. Sonepar is harnessing the potential to drive the Group's digital transformation. This means reimagining the business for a digital age and becoming a digital enterprise. Sonepar has decided to harness technologies that can transform business processes, culture, and the customer experience.

“Sonepar is transforming the relationship between the customers and its associates, between the digital and the physical by orchestrating through its omni-channel platform a constant dialog to deliver the perfect order.  Sonepar will accomplish this via Spark, a synchronized omnichannel platform, powered by Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365. Sonepar is teaming with Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions,” commented Jérémie Profeta, Sonepar’s Chief Transformation Officer.

The platform is made with the intention of making customers’ – and associates’ – lives easier – easier to interact and do business with, easier to buy, easier to return, easier to arrange financing, all built on the foundations of offering the best digitized processes, no matter how they chose to connect with us.  The platform embraces all the customer and associate touchpoints: web, phone, mobile app, branches, systems to systems and delivery.

This collaboration supports Sonepar’s ambitious sustainability agenda, of which the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Sonepar’s ambition is to become the first global B2B electrical distributor in the world to offer the best omnichannel experience to all our customers. Rather than focusing on a single channel and expecting customers to use it, Sonepar is building a seamless experience across all channels – putting the power in our customers’ hands.

Sonepar has built the Sonepar Digital Factory in partnership with Publicis Sapient. Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Group with 20,000 people and over 50 offices worldwide.  Today, this joint team boasts over 250 engineers with 15 nationalities who speak with one voice and act as one team.

“We are delighted Publicis Sapient has engaged on a long-term partnership with Sonepar to support their digital transformation. We are convinced this engagement is a game changer for the industry and will allow Sonepar to both increase associates and client satisfaction, thus bringing growth to the group", said Lise Malbernard, Country Managing Director at Publicis Sapient France. 

“Microsoft is proud to support Sonepar’s digital transformation journey through omnichannel engagement, helping to revolutionize the company’s employee and customer engagement with Microsoft Dynamics 365’s leading customer experience capabilities across sales, marketing and customer service. We share a commitment to helping Sonepar scale their transformation and impact their market,” said Emily He, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Business Applications & Platform.

Steven French, CEO at Hitachi Solutions Europe commented; “The core values of Sonepar and the Spark omnichannel platform; particularly around sustainability and visionary business excellence perspective perfectly match the core values of the Hitachi Group. Our team headquartered in Paris, supported by our longstanding global partnership with Microsoft, are honoured to be implementing a best-in-class global platform to underpin Sonepar’s customer and associate experience strategy”.

As customers and team members in all these global regions begin using Spark, the data touchpoints from every transaction will be collected into a single location: the Sonepar Data Lake. This will provide insights into patterns and trends, behaviors, and motivating factors. The Data Lake will also help automate processes such as taking inventories, and both streamlining and anticipating challenges related to shipping logistics.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 44,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €32.4 billion in 2022. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we’re needed. www.sonepar.com

Press Contact - Sonepar   

Matt Pothecary

Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability   

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Press Contact - Agence Midnight Purple        

Camille Huze : chuze@midnightpurple.fr

Emilie Deslandes : edeslandes@midnightpurple.fr

Press Contact - Publicis Sapient

Bonnie Olivier

Communications and Media Relations Manager

bonnie.olivier@publicissapient.com

Press Contact - Hitachi solutions

Céline Valomet

Head of Marketing

cvalomet@hitachisolutions.com

Press Release

Download the Press Release here

Sonepar is proud to unveil its 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, after the first ever edition last year.

Sonepar is committed to very high ethical, social and environmental standards.

As the leader in our industry, we want to be an example to others, championing a more responsible future. We see ourselves as an organization that is open to all and that transforms our differences into strengths in support of sustainable performance.

With all of this in mind, the key elements of our 2022 CSR Report are the following:

• Long term – Sonepar’s long term strategy builds upon the vision of our shareholder base.
• People – Our business and innovation are driven by the commitment, skills and diversity of our associates.
• Compliance – We believe that integrity, fairness and trust are key levers for generating sustainable growth.
• Supply chain – At the epicenter of our industry, Sonepar is positioned to be a catalyst to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in the construction and manufacturing industries.
• Suppliers – Through daily and long-lasting relationships, we can encourage our suppliers to innovate and elevate their energy-efficient solutions by raising awareness throughout our customer base.

Discover the full Report here (PDF)

In Sonepar’s 2023 Panorama, we present our annual, global overview of our activities, key figures, as well as editorials from Sonepar Chairman Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette and CEO Philippe Delpech.

Sonepar is accelerating its ambitious transformation agenda, entering a new phase to leverage the Group's strengths, synergies, and expertise more actively at a global scale.

We aim to reinforce our position as the leading B-to-B distributor of electrical products, solutions, and related services, serving customers with an omnichannel digital experience, promoting best-in-class sustainability, and ensuring associates a diverse and inclusive working environment with a unique purpose.

You can view and download the Panorama here : Panorama: Sonepar at a glance

In the fifth episode of our Women in Digital web series, we’re speaking with Ken Ng, Product Management manager, member of the Asia-Pacific Digital team based in Malaysia. 

In this video, Ken tells us all about the path that led her to her role in the Asia-Pacific Digital team, what this job entails, how she manages her team across the region, her advice to those wanting to become a digital ambassador, and much more!

Digital is shaping the world around us, and we need a strong team to bring us into the future. Sonepar is investing over 2 billion euros to have the world’s best automated supply chain in our industry and a further 1 billion euros into our global digital platform, called Spark, all whilst reducing our CO2 emissions and waste to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Watch Ken's episode on our YouTube channel!

Last week, Sonepar released its 2022 Key Figures with outstanding results, reinforcing our undisputed leadership position in the B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions, and related services (read full Press Release here).

Not only was 2022 a historic year in terms of performance, reaching a new record with sales of €32.4 billion, but it was also an exceptional year for M&A: Sonepar completed an unprecedented 20 acquisitions, incorporating both generalist and specialist companies (industry, HVAC, utilities, photovoltaic), into its portfolio.

These acquisitions represent 183 new branches and 2,100 new associates joining the Group – a warm welcome to you all!

Over the past 20 years, acquisitions represent 60% of total growth, and the group has made 200+ acquisitions accounting for more than €10 billion in sales.

Learn more about Sonepar’s acquisition strategy here: Acquisitions | Sonepar

Paris, March 23, 2023 - 2022 will be remembered as the best year in Sonepar’s history. We delivered best-in-class performance in our industry. The Group broke a new record with sales of 32.4 billion euros, +28% compared to 2021, and 18.5% autonomous growth.

Sonepar won market share in most of the countries in which we operate, completed 20 acquisitions and welcomed 2,100 new associates into the Sonepar family: a warm welcome to all of them!

2022 will also be remembered as a year of acceleration in terms of Sonepar’s transformation as we entered the new “Leverage” phase.  Sonepar is investing over 2 billion euros to have the world’s best automated supply chain in our industry and a further 1 billion euros in our global digital platform all whilst reducing our CO₂ emissions and waste to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

We are modernizing our supply chain and deploying the first omnichannel platform in the distribution industry, called Spark. We made significant progress in both fields with the first automated central distribution centers opening in the USA at Cooper Electric and North Coast and the launch of Spark in Belgium, France, Italy and Norway.

Our people are what makes our business so unique. In 2022, 88% of associates affirmed they are proud of what Sonepar does. We continued to attract new talents in supply chain, in digital and many other areas to support our ambition transformation. Sonepar’s goal is to build an inclusive organization leveraging all our differences as strengths to power sustainable performance. In 2022, the Sonepar Group received the Gender Equality European & International Standard label (GEEIS).

Finally, we accelerated our sustainability agenda in 2022. Sonepar launched its Green Offer to allow customers to purchase products based on a sustainability rating, enabling them to lower the building industry carbon footprint. We are also proud to have our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Here are the official Sonepar Group Key Figures for 2022:

Leading the market:

• 32.4 billion euros sales
• 10 billion euros online sales
• #1 world leader

With a powerful network:

• 44,000 associates
• 40 countries
• 86% engagement rate
• 80 brands
• 2,400 branches
• 170 distribution centers

For a positive impact:

• #1 in sales of energy efficient products
• 230 sustainability initiatives
• 2030 climate targets validated by the SBTi
• Committed to reduce by 2030:
  • Absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 46.2%
  • Absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 13.5%

“In 2022, Sonepar achieved an outstanding performance. Not only are the financial results historic, but we also entered a new phase of our transformation to leverage more actively on a global scale, which will benefit our customers and provide exciting new challenges for our associates. Our 44,000 associates work every day to ensure that Sonepar remains the undisputed world leader in its sector. Sonepar aims to remain the leading B-to-B distributor of electrical products, solutions and related services; serving customers with an omnichannel digital experience, promoting best-in-class sustainability, and ensuring associates a diverse and inclusive working environment with a unique purpose,” stated Philippe Delpech, Sonepar CEO.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions, and related services. Through a dense network of 80 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 44,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €32.4 billion in 2022. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online – however we’re needed. www.sonepar.com

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com   

Download the Press Release here:

Key Figures 2022 Press Release

Sonepar’s associates will soon learn all about circularity as the Group rolls out the second edition of its Energy Transition Academy!

In 2020, we launched the Academy’s first e-learning course to lay the foundations for understanding the climate crisis, raise awareness about how Sonepar is leading the energy transition, and encourage associates to actively engage in promoting best practices.

Today, the second module has been unveiled, and associates will learn how to think circular, reduce waste and how this approach is integrated within Sonepar.

At Sonepar, we see the shift towards a more circular economy as imperative – for the sake of the planet and generations to come. As a business founded on innovation, we also see this approach as an opportunity that points the way toward new business models and services we can offer our customers.

Read more about Sonepar’s sustainability strategy!

On March 8, 180 guests united in Geneva, to celebrate 20 years since the creation of Sonepar International Services (SIS), Sonepar business development hub offering tailor-made services.

Taco van Vroonhoven, President Asia-Pacific & SIS, opened the event by reflecting on the company’s journey to becoming a unique hub in the electrical distribution market, helping Sonepar Global Strategic Suppliers, third-party customers, and the Group to implement their most impactful initiatives, and unlock new growth opportunities.

Lamaro Parreira, SVP SIS and International Market Directors then presented the challenges facing our sector today, and reaffirmed Sonepar’s ambition to overcoming these, by anticipating and adapting to global trends thanks to first-class data intelligence, market expertise and leveraging our digital platforms including the Data Lake and the Green Offer.

Watch the highlights from the event below. Thank you to all our guests for attending, here’s to the next 20 years!

Find out more about Sonepar International Services here: https://www.sis.sonepar.com/

On March 8, we celebrate International Women's Day, a global event celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

Every year, significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements and rally for women's equality, and this year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity.

Sonepar aims to ensure all associates a diverse and inclusive working environment, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, we have the chance to create real change, as there is power in our difference. Each one of us can actively support and embrace equity within our own sphere of influence.

Watch our International Women's Day Video Below! 

In the fifth episode of our Stories of Growth series, we're headed to Brazil to speak with leaders who joined the Sonepar family as long as 20 years ago, and understand why making the transition was the best choice for their business.

We are always looking for new companies willing to join a family-owned group. Where the diversity and well-being of our associates are valued the most, and where we work based on a high level of compliance standards and shared values, where investing in our teams is a priority.

Thank you to Hervé Salmon, Carlos Varisco, Fernando Velho, Daniel Toledo, and Daniele Toledo for sharing your insights.

Head to our YouTube channel to watch the episode! 

In the next episode, we're headed to Belgium!

As a jersey sleeve partner of the youth, women’s, and men's teams, but also as an innovation and sustainability partner, Sonepar is proud to support the club for a further six years. There’s also exciting news for gamers: The club’s Esports team is also supported by Sonepar.  

Sonepar and Borussia have been working together for more than a decade now. Sonepar has been Borussia’s innovation partner since 2019 and has featured on the club's shirt sleeves since the 2020/21 season. 

The partnership with the Sonepar was extended to the women’s and youth teams in summer 2022. “The long-term extension of our partnership is proof that we share common values and want to work towards our goals together. This constantly developing commitment is now reflected in our important social and ecological responsibilities,” said Borussia’s Managing Director Stephan Schippers. 

Sonepar is also an innovation and sustainability partner of the club, Guido Ulhe, Borussia’s Sponsorship Director stated, “The extension of our partnership is the result of lasting and successful collaboration. Sonepar and Borussia have a broad base of values on which we want to responsibly shape the future, together.”  

Dieter Lautz, Managing Director of Sales, Sonepar in Germany, said, “We are delighted that we have been able to extend our commitment once again. Sustainability is key for Sonepar, because as an electrical wholesaler we can positively affect the energy industry. As an innovation and sustainability partner of Borussia Mönchengladbach, we promote a modern and sustainable society.” 

The Sonepar Group has steadily built up a leading position in the German market over the last 50 years. Serving its customers from the electrical, industry, and commerce trades via its online shop and over the counter at over 200 branches, Sonepar provides individual and logistics services for its customers in Germany, as well as offering high-quality electrical products and system solutions for its partners. 

In the fourth episode of our Women in Digital web series, we’re speaking with Flora Frémond, Associate Experience Adoption Manager at the Sonepar Digital Factory. 

Digital is shaping the world around us, and we need a strong team to bring us into the future. At Sonepar, our digital staff is the driving force behind our omnichannel platform. 

In this video, we ask Flora about the path that led her to her current position, how she encourages women to consider a career in Digital, her role model, and more! 

Watch Flora's episode on our YouTube channel!

Paris, February 7, 2023 – Sonepar is pleased to announce that its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The Group’s targets for scopes 1 and 2 are in line with the SBTi 1.5°C trajectory, adopted by the Paris Agreement (COP 21). 

As part of its Sustainability strategy, Sonepar commits to reduce:

• absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 base year.
• absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 13.5% within the same timeframe.

Scope 1 and 2 cover the GHG emissions coming from the buildings and fleet of the Sonepar Group. Scope 3 covers the GHG emissions mostly coming from the purchase, use and end of life of products, as well as their transportation from suppliers to Sonepar customers.

Philippe Delpech, Sonepar’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “Sonepar is at the very heart of the electrical ecosystem, and we are delighted to announce the SBTi’s validation, which further confirms Sonepar’s commitment to becoming the world’s leading electrical distributor, accelerating the market’s adoption of clean energy solutions and global net zero emissions.”

The SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reductions targets in line with the latest climate science. It is focused on accelerating companies across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050. The SBTI initiative is a collaboration between the CDP, United Nations Global Compact, and World Resources Institute.

As the world leader in B-to-B electrical distribution, our strategy is to leverage our unique position in the value chain by engaging our 45,000 associates, the leading electrical manufacturers, and our customers – who represent the world’s largest community of electrical experts and industrial customers. 

Sonepar is investing more than €2bn in its Supply Chain to enhance operational efficiency and a further €1bn in a global digital platform to fulfil customer expectations, with the objective to help limit global warming to 1.5°C.

In 2022, Sonepar launched its Green Offer to allow its customers - installers, industry and infrastructures - to purchase products based on a sustainability rating, enabling them to lower their carbon footprint and that of the end users. This development prioritizes most sustainable solutions per product to help customers make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint.

Since 2021, Sonepar is a proud member of the United Nations Global Compact. Its Sustainability strategy is aligned with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. www.sonepar.com

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Download the Press Release here: 
Download PDF

As of this year, Elektroskandia Sverige has become an Official Partner of the Gothia Cup, a partnership based on shared values and a strong commitment to society.

Since its inception in 1975, Gothia Cup has developed into the world's largest and most international youth football cup. Every year, around 1700 teams from 80 nations participate and play 4500 matches on 110 pitches.

Anders Nordlöw, President of Elektroskandia Sverige, explains the background to the partnership, “We want to be visible in a public context and actively contribute to something that is different from our industry, but still focuses on the values we as a company stand for." He continued, "The collaboration with Gothia Cup suits us perfectly. It is a strong brand with a wide reach, they work with young people who are our future and share our approach to four of the Global Goals - good health and well-being, gender equality, reducing inequality and combating climate change. We see this partnership as part of our sustainability work, an area in which Elektroskandia is at the forefront."

Thomas Anderson, Director of Sales, Gothia Cup added, “We are very proud of the partnership with Elektroskandia, a partnership that largely focuses on the tournament's sustainability work. In this field, it is crucial to have credible partners like Elektroskandia, who genuinely want to be involved in developing this work together with us, so that together we can offer our future generations a sustainable society."  

Elektroskandia's ambition is a long-term collaboration in which it will involve its entire organization with activities at both central and local level in all regions of Sweden.

Elektroskandia's Head of Marketing Communications Kjell Roman, explains, "We are really looking forward to the partnership with Gothia Cup and the tournament's ability to engage very many people while giving Elektroskandia the opportunity to contribute positively to the society in which we operate."

In the third episode of our Women in Digital web series, we’re speaking with Chrisz Glasz, Customer Journey Lead at the Sonepar Digital Factory. 

Our associates are the driving force behind the development of Sonepar's omnichannel platform. They meet daily and are extremely client-centric, pinpointing customer needs so that the Factory’s engineers can address and plan the production of new digital features.  

Watch the episode on our YouTube channel to find out more about Chrisz's role, her first experience of building a website, her advice to those looking to enter into the industry, and more! 

Sonepar France is pleased to announce that it has acquired a majority stake in Alliantz, a privately-owned distributor of photovoltaics and energy efficiency solutions.

Alliantz is a leading player in the French photovoltaic market and is known for its high level of technical expertise dedicated to specialized installers of solar solutions in the residential and small commercial segment. 

Alliantz has recorded an outstanding development of its activity over recent years, reaching a revenue of approximately €60 million in 2022, serving over 1,000 customers and employing 50 associates.

This acquisition will enable Sonepar France to build up a strong presence in the photovoltaic market, a strategic fast-growing vertical where Sonepar is already active in many countries. With the acquisition of Alliantz, Sonepar France will rapidly leverage its distribution network and strengthen its technical capabilities to serve both electrical  and specialized solar installers. This acquisition will be also a unique opportunity to leverage the Group’s purchasing capabilities via the Sonepar Global Sourcing in a very dynamic and competitive market, while offering a wide range of highly technical products and best-in-class solutions across France.

“We are delighted to announce that Alliantz is joining the Sonepar Group. As a well recognized specialist, our combined forces will be the first pillar to create a network fully dedicated to photovoltaic solutions and bring residential and commercial technical solutions to our customers. These technical capabilities, in addition to the deployment of a global omnichannel digital platform and the development of the first B2B electrical supplies distribution marketplace in France, will help position Sonepar as the preferred partner for our French customers,” stated Olivier Khaida, Managing Director of Sonepar France Specialists.

“The combination of Alliantz’s 22 years of specialization in solar energy with Sonepar’s capabilities in supply chain and digital will enable Alliantz to pursue its expertise to become a recognized national specialist. Alliantz’s expertise and know-how will accelerate Sonepar’s position on the photovoltaic market in France. Our common values of entrepreneurship spirit and our strong strategic fit will be the base of the developpement of this exciting project,” added Anthony Neel, President of Alliantz.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021.

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Press Release

Download the PDF here

Sonepar has announced that its US subsidiary Codale Electric acquired NEDCO Supply last week.

A privately-owned business since 1982, NEDCO Supply is a full-line distributor of electrical products and services to its residential and commercial customers. Operating throughout southern Nevada, NEDCO Supply is based in Las Vegas, Nevada and has over 100 associates. NEDCO is expected to record sales revenue in excess of $180 million for 2022.

“NEDCO Supply will strengthen Codale’s position in southern Nevada, increasing its coverage in an area experiencing great growth,” said Rob Taylor, President of Sonepar North America. “As a leader in electrical distribution among contractors in the Las Vegas market, NEDCO Supply is a perfect complement to Codale’s industrial customer base. The leadership and associates of NEDCO will align very well to the customer-centric culture of Codale.” 

NEDCO Supply owners, Marshall Hunt, Principal, and Marc Winard, Principal, said in a joint statement, “After 40 years serving the Las Vegas electrical market, we’re very thankful to all our customers, employees, and vendor partners for supporting us through the years. We are excited to join the Sonepar family of companies. We feel this opportunity secures the future for our employees and enables our team to sustain the high level of customer service we’ve been known for. When it came time to sell, Sonepar was our first choice.  Marshall and I look forward to continuing our careers under the Sonepar banner.”

About Codale

Founded in 1975, Codale is a customer centric electrical product and solutions provider serving the Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming markets. Codale is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and empowers customers with wide-ranging inventory, sustainable products, safety equipment, and solutions for a variety of industries from healthcare to government agencies.

Sonepar Group

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. For more information, visit www.sonepar.com.

Sonepar entered the US in 1998 and has continued to grow due to strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Today, Sonepar serves the market through a network of companies with over 400 locations nationwide. For more information, visit www.soneparusa.com.  

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Download the Press Release here: 
Download PDF

Sonepar has announced that its US subsidiary, Springfield Electric, has entered into an agreement to acquire HOLT Electrical Supply.

A privately-owned business since 1962, HOLT Electrical Supply is a full-line distributor of electrical products and services to its residential and commercial customers. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 80 associates and eight total locations spanning the state of Missouri, this acquisition springboards Springfield into one of its key strategic growth markets.  HOLT is expected to record sales revenue of approximately $75 million for 2022.

Rob Taylor, President of Sonepar North America, said of the acquisition, “HOLT has a great reputation in the St. Louis market. Through the years, Sylvan and Ryan Holtzman have built strong customer relationships and positioned the company and their associates for growth. HOLT is a strategic fit for Springfield, as they look to expand across the Midwest.”

Sylvan Holtzman, owner of HOLT Electrical Supply, commented, “After sixty years in business, spanning three generations, I am more than excited to say HOLT Electrical Supply will be joining Springfield Electric. With Springfield, HOLT will be able to serve our existing, loyal customers with new capabilities and grow our customer base. I want to thank my father, Sam, and my son, Ryan, along with all the HOLT employees for their devotion and hard work that created this great opportunity. We wouldn’t be here without them.”

HOLT Electrical Supply co-owner and CEO, Ryan Holtzman, added "We are incredibly excited and humbled to join Springfield Electric and Sonepar. Springfield Electric is an industry leader with an exceptional reputation. We feel Springfield will bring its resources and innovation to our market, creating incredible opportunities and solutions for our customers and associates. We are so thankful to our incredible team, both past and present, for their commitment to HOLT.”

The acquisition is expected to close by the end of January.

About Springfield

Founded in 1912, Springfield Electric is a customer-centric electrical product and solutions provider servicing the Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa markets, delivering exceptional value through excellent customer service, technical know-how, and extensive product lines.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. For more information, visit www.sonepar.com.

Sonepar entered the US in 1998 and has continued to grow due to strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Today, Sonepar serves the market through a network of companies with over 400 locations nationwide. For more information, visit www.soneparusa.com.

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Download the Press Release here: 
Download PDF

It is with great sadness and emotion that Sonepar announces the passing of our founder and Honorary Chairman, Henri Coisne, during the night of December 15- 16 2022 at the age of 99. He was surrounded by his family and will now be reunited with his wife, Malou.

Beyond being a “great captain of industry,” it was his simplicity, his entrepreneurial spirit, and his integrity that will have marked his life.  Henri, following a family lead, recognized very early the potential of the electrical distribution industry. In 1969, he founded Sonepar that today has become the world’s leading electrical distributor, present in over 40 countries with 45,000 associates.

Sonepar shares the grief of his children, Henri, Martine, Sylvie, Marie-Christine and Laurence, their grandchildren, and their great grandchildren.

Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, Sonepar Chairman says,

“Our father was a pioneer who was an inspiration to all of us. He was always ambitious and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit which will continue to guide the Group in the future.  He was fair and good man. As a family business, he was obsessed with the long term and even if he no longer held an operational role, he always remained fully up to date with all the developments in the Group. As he would often say, what counts is what lasts. Over 50 years later, Sonepar’s independence remains a key strength to support the Group’s strategy of sustainable, long-term growth, powered by the commitments of its family shareholders.”

To pay tribute to Henri Coisne

A virtual condolence book is available for you to write a message or post a photo to celebrate the life of Henri Coisne.

Access the virtual condolence book here

Henri Coisne Biography

Henri Coisne was born on June 21, 1923, in Armentières, France. He is the fourth of that name in the Coisne family, following his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was the third-born out of eight brothers and sisters: Marie, Adèle, Paul, Hubert, Jacqueline, Bernard, and Geneviève. He spent his entire childhood in northern France and passed his baccalaureate in math and in philosophy.

In September 1940, he was accepted into the ‘Higher Mathematics’ preparatory class at the Lycée Sainte-Geneviève, in Versailles. In June 1943, having passed the entry exams into both the École de l’Air (Air Force Academy) and the École Navale (Naval Academy), he opted for the former.

Shocked by the handshake between Pétain and Hitler in October 1940 in Montoire-sur-le-Loir (Loir-et-Cher department), and by an order given by the Vichy Regime Naval Forces for the French fleet to scuttle everything rather than take to the sea when the German army invaded the French ‘Free Zone’ in November 1942, Henri Coisne announced to his parents that he wanted to join General de Gaulle and Free France. In the summer of 1943, he crossed the Spanish border with a few friends before arriving in Morocco. He finally reached Casablanca in September.

After spending several months waiting in the Cazes camp, he joined the flying school based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA in January 1944, where he incorporated the 43 AFN promotion. In July 1945, having graduated, Henri Coisne was ready to enlist with a flying unit and was appointed to the 1/62 in Algiers, a specialized transportation unit that covered North Africa. His main missions involved liaising and provisioning the Sahara, including on board a Junkers Ju 52.

A year later, in September 1946, he headed to Indochina, where he also led liaising and provisioning missions. In the fall of 1947, he married Marie-Louise Colombier (1927–2012), originally from Armentières, like him. Together, they had five children: Henri was born in 1948, Martine in 1950, Sylvie in 1952, Marie-Christine in 1956, and Laurence in 1962.

On January 1, 1948, he was stationed in Le Bourget, and moved to Paris with his wife. Following a detour at the Cognac base, he joined the GAEL (Groupe aérien d’entraînement et de liaison, Air Training and Liaison Group), for which he led numerous liaison missions across the entire French Union, from Africa to Madagascar, on board LeO 45 and NC-701 Martinet aircraft.

In 1953, he passed entry exams into the École d’état-major, the French military academy. The following year, he volunteered for Indochina, which was in the throes of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Here, he commanded 1–25 Bomber Squadron operations. He was based in Hai Phong and in Tourane. He returned to France in April 1955, as his father was dying of cancer.

Appointed commander, in July 1955 he was assigned to the Bureau d’études générales (General Research Office). He was tasked with planning for the future of the Air Force, including its infrastructure. Towards the end of 1957, while the north of the country was at war, he was appointed head of the Ouargla Poste de Commandement Air Directeur, in Algeria. Here, he was in charge of aerial surveillance of the Eastern Sahara, from Touggourt to Tamanrasset.

Several months later, he returned to the Cognac base in France to command the 2/92 Aquitaine squadron. He was also responsible for promoting Vautour planes, presenting them to the Shah of Iran in the spring of 1959. At the start of 1962, he permanently left the Army to join the family Group becoming General Manager of Cellulose d’Alizay.

Following the sale of Cellulose d’Alizay, the family entrusted Henri Coisne with developing and investing the family capital in a new line of business meeting certain criteria: good development prospects, the potential to develop independently from banks and the State, limited cyclicality.

In early 1969, the acquisition of Comptoir d’ Électricité Franco-Belge marked the next step for the family Group: the distribution of electrical equipment and the birth of the Sonepar Group. The company’s first headquarters were built on Rue de la Quintinie, in the 15th district of Paris, on land adjacent to Franco-Belge.

This coincided with Henri Coisne taking over its management. Soon after, several companies joined Sonepar, thereby forming regional bases for France–wide coverage, with Comptoir Lyonnais d’Electricité (south-eastern France) in 1973, Sanelec (north-eastern France) in 1974, the Marcel Tabur Group (western France) in 1977.

In 1976, Henri Coisne became Chairman of Sonepar’s Board. Following serious health problems, he resigned from his position in 1980, in favor of José Ménendez. He returned in 1981 as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, while remaining very involved in the Group’s operational management. In fact, in 1982 he steered Sonepar’s first acquisition outside France, in Germany and the Netherlands.

Henri Coisne gradually began to take a step back from the business from the mid-1990s. In 1998, his daughter, Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, took over the business. A few years earlier, he had been appointed as a judge at the Paris Commercial Court. December 6, 1991, he is made commander of the Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honor, highest French order of merit, both military and civil).

From 1998 to 2002, he was Honorary Chairman and member of Sonepar’s Supervisory Board, before becoming Honorary Chairman and member of the Group’s Board of Directors from 2002 to 2010.

Since 2010, he has been Honorary Chairman of Sonepar’s Corporate Board.

In the fourth episode of our Stories of Growth series, we're headed to Germany, Austria, and Hungary to hear stories from leaders who joined the Sonepar family as long as seven years ago, and understand why making the transition was the best choice for their business.

We are always looking for new companies willing to join a family-owned group. Where the diversity and well-being of our associates are valued the most, and where we work based on a high level of compliance standards and shared values, where investing in our teams is a priority.

Thank you to Thorsten Räther, Karl Scheer, and Lászlo Szóka for sharing your insights. Stay tuned for the next episode, where we're headed to Brazil!

Watch the episode on our YouTube channel.

As the world leader in the B-to-B distribution of electrical products and related solutions and services, Sonepar is an influential player throughout its value chain. 

Sonepar is committed to providing a working environment that ensures all associates are treated fairly, equally and decently. Sonepar is a responsible stakeholder in society, a good neighbor and a concerned citizen, committed to the communities in which it conducts business. 

The Group has drafted its first Human Rights Policy to further detail its commitments.  

“As a member of the UN Global Compact and consistent with our Code of Conduct, Sonepar is committed to respecting human rights and protecting the environment. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. It is everyone’s responsibility everywhere, every day, in everything we do,” stated Philippe Delpech, CEO.  

Olivier Catherine, General Counsel added: “Sonepar commits to uphold internationally recognized human rights standards throughout its operations. We expect and require our business partners to do the same.”. 

Earlier this year, Sonepar also published a Conflict Minerals statement, outlining our commitment to responsible sourcing, as an important part of the Group’s CSR strategy.  

Digital is shaping the world around us, and we need a strong team to bring us into the future. At Sonepar, our digital staff is the driving force behind Sonepar’s omnichannel platform.

In the second episode of our Women In Digital series, we speak with Charlotte Benaitier, Lead User Researcher at the Digital Factory.

Watch the video below on our YouTube channel to learn about her role, how she believes we can enrich digital culture, and more!

Stay tuned for Episode Three coming next month.

We are always looking for new companies willing to join a family-owned group, where the diversity and well-being of our associates are valued the most, and where we work based on a high level of compliance standards and shared values. We're investing in our associates and teams is a priority. 

Following the last episodes in Spain and in the USA, we're headed to Italy to hear their story; success stories, stories from entrepreneurs, stories of Growth, and we're happy to make their journeys the focus of this web series.  

Thank you to Filippo d’Aquino, Franceso Sferra, Ezio Trillini, and Andrea Bernardinello for telling us about your journey with Sonepar. 

Stay tuned for the next episode, where we're headed to Central Europe! 

Watch the video on our YouTube channel

Sonepar is delighted to announce the Group has obtained Gender Equality for European & International Standard (GEEIS) certification for the next four years.  

GEEIS is an international standard enabling the development of a common culture in gender equality and diversity in the workplace. Therefore, it serves as a benchmark in the field of professional equality, recognizing all of the actions taken by Sonepar over the past few years. 

Sonepar is committed to very high ethical, social, and environmental standards and ensure associates a diverse and inclusive working environment.  

We would like to thank all our associates around the world for your commitment to our Diversity and Inclusion approach! 

November 2, Brampton, ON – Sonepar has announced that its wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, Sonepar Canada, Inc. has acquired Aztec Electrical Supply Inc. (“Aztec”). With a strong presence in the province of Ontario, the acquisition of Aztec will strengthen Sonepar’s ability to grow their industrial business model across the Greater Toronto Area.

Founded in 2002, Aztec expanded its market presence across Ontario opening four branches located within Vaughan, Cambridge, Mississauga, and Burlington. Aztec will add over 100 associates to the Sonepar network in Canada and is expected to record sales revenues of over $70 million in 2022.

“Aztec was built on the principle that electrical distribution could be unique and specialized. Our goal was to create an automation and industrial electrical distributor with differentiated product alignment, best-in-class technical service, and a highly engaged sales team, meeting the needs of the industrial market,” said Kevin Borg, Aztec’s Vice President of Sales & Operations. “Moving forward, Aztec will be able to leverage the size and scale of Sonepar to grow its business significantly.”

“As we aim to diversify our market offerings and create future business opportunities, Aztec’s robust business approach of specialized distribution coupled with its dedicated sales force will serve as a great complement to Sonepar’s growing business in Ontario,” stated Francois Anquetil, President of Sonepar Canada. 

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions, and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. 

Sonepar entered Canada in 1984 and has continued to grow due to strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Today, Sonepar serves the market through a network of companies with over 90 locations nationwide. 

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Press Release

Download the PDF here

October 26, CHARLESTON, SC – Sonepar announced that its US subsidiary NorthEast Electrical has entered into an agreement to acquire Rockingham Electrical Supply Company.

A family-owned business since 1954, Rockingham Electrical offers a full line of electrical products and services to its customers. Operating in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, Rockingham Electrical joins Sonepar with 10 branch locations and over 100 associates.

“The acquisition of Rockingham Electrical will increase our coverage in the Northeast market, extending the Sonepar network with valued customers in these new growth areas,” said Rob Taylor, President of Sonepar North America. “We see great potential in both the residential and commercial business segments and look forward to bringing new capabilities to Rockingham’s customers.”

Rockingham Electrical has a strong reputation with customers and suppliers,” said Frank Marandino, President of NorthEast Electrical. “I’m excited to work with its leadership team and associates on plans for our joint future. Rockingham is a long-standing business with a great culture aligned to ours. Our mutual passion and commitment to deliver products and technical solutions for the long-term success of our customers, associates, and suppliers makes this a great match.”

Jim Pender Sr., current owner and CEO of Rockingham Electrical commented, “As a third generation, family-owned business who has deep relationships with our customers, this is a very exciting time for us. Choosing a partner who embodied what we stand for was important. When we looked across our options, we felt Sonepar offered the best cultural fit for our employees as well as great potential to grow business opportunities. Having operated in some of the same New England markets, we know Sonepar demonstrates a high level of expertise and integrity across all they do.”

The acquisition is scheduled to close by the end of October.

About Sonepar 

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021.

Sonepar entered the US in 1998 and has continued to grow due to strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Today, Sonepar serves the market through a network of companies with over 400 locations nationwide. For more information, visit www.soneparusa.com.

About NorthEast Electrical

NorthEast Electrical is a full-service electrical distributor that provides electrical products and services to electrical contractors, Industrial, OEM, Utility, and Institutional customers. The company operates more than 30 strategically located branch locations throughout the six New England States dedicated to providing exceptional customer service to their customers. Since 1998, NorthEast has been a subsidiary of Sonepar USA.  To find out more, go to needco.com 

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary@sonepar.com

Press Release

Download the PDF file here.

Digital is shaping the world around us, and we need a strong team to bring us into the future. At the Sonepar Digital Factory, our operational staff is the driving force behind Sonepar’s omnichannel platform. 

In this new web series, meet the women behind Sonepar’s Digital Transformation! In our first episode, let us introduce you to Samrawit Yoseph, Product Owner at the Digital Factory.

To find out more about her role, how she entered the industry, and more, watch the video on our YouTube channel here.

In the presence of over 300 guests, Sonepar was the proud host of the vendor summit at the Red Rock Hotel in Las Vegas which took place on Wednesday 5th October.

This major event united our valued partners and forward-thinking experts with live panel discussions, to cover all aspects of Sonepar’s Transformation. Sonepar CEO Philippe Delpech and Rob Taylor, President, Sonepar USA and opened the event before handing the stage over to members of the Group leadership team.

“After Sonepar’s European Strategic Supplier Event in Zurich last year, I was delighted to have taken part in the Sonepar North America Vendor Summit in Las Vegas. Sonepar is investing €2bn to deliver the perfect order, and a further €1bn in our global digital platform all whilst striving to reach our goal of limiting CO2 emissions to under 2% by 2023,” stated Philippe. 

Following the launch of our Stories of Growth web series last month, we're headed to the USA to visit Sonepar's operating companies Cooper Electric, Capital Electric, Springfield Electric, and Richards Electric.

From Cooper Electric who joined the Sonepar family over 20 years ago, to Richards Electric who joined just this year, we hear their stories, and understand why making the transition was the best choice for their business. ​​​​​​

We are always looking for new companies that are willing to join a family-owned group, where the diversity and well-being of our associates are valued the most, where we work based on a high level of compliance standards and common values, and we're investing in our associates and teams is a priority.

Thank you to David Cooper, President, Cooper Electric, Andrew Esce, President, Capital Electric, Chris Scarborough, President, Springfield Electric, Mike Misrasch, President, Richards Electric, and Kris Prebola, Sonepar USA VP M&A for your participation!

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel here!

Stay tuned for the next episode, where we're headed to Italy!

Last month, EcoVadis the world's largest provider of sustainability ratings, awarded Cebeo, Sonepar in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic the silver rating.

EcoVadis' mission is to provide the world’s most-trusted sustainability ratings, enabling all businesses to reduce risk, drive performance, and improve environmental and social outcomes.

The assessment focuses on four areas:

• Environment
• Justice and working conditions
• Ethics
• Sustainable purchasing

Arno Elz, Sustainability Manager, in Germany, stated, "With the silver rating, we are among the top 27% of the best-rated companies in the 'Wholesale' sector. This award motivates us to continue driving forward the energy transition, within our company as well as with our customers."

This rating, as well as other international ratings from sustainability platform providers, helps us demonstrate to our customers that we meet all of the European Union's legal requirements for a company that operates sustainably.

Last month Sonepar renovated the World Heritage Romanesque-style church of Sant Climent de Taül in Lleida, Spain.

The famous bell tower now shines with a beautiful, colorful RGB lighting system from Signify. Sonepar's team of lighting specialists offered customized solutions adjusted to the needs of their customers, providing high-value solutions to this unique project.

The exact date of construction of Sant Climent de Taül is unknown, however, the church was consecrated on December 10, 1123. It is one of several churches in the region that express the way of life of medieval Catalonia and are of great importance in the recognition of Catalan cultural identity.

Sonepar is proud to have contributed to such a culturally significant project.

As a member of the United Nations Global Compact, Sonepar is deeply committed to responsible sourcing: it condemns violence and human rights violations in the mining of conflict minerals.

Sonepar does not purchase raw materials as it does not manufacture any products. Yet, as the world leader in the B-to-B distribution of electrical products and related solutions and services, Sonepar is an influential player throughout its value chain.

As such, the Group expects its suppliers to:

• comply with the requirements of its Supplier Code of Conduct.
• source materials from conflict-free sources.
• comply with applicable laws and regulations.
• conduct relevant due diligence.

"Together, let’s contribute to sustainable development and responsible sourcing!"

Olivier Catherine, General Counsel

Read the full statement here.

With the Green Offer, Sonepar helps customers make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint.

Paris, 27 September 2022 – Following the announcement at its 2021 Strategic Supplier event, Sonepar is pleased to announce that it has now launched the pilot phase of its Green Offer to allow its customers - installers, industry and infrastructures - to purchase products based on a sustainability rating, enabling them to lower their carbon footprint and that of the end user. This development prioritizes most sustainable solutions per product. With the Green Offer, Sonepar help customers make sustainable choices to master their carbon footprint.

Elektroskandia, a Sonepar Company, in Sweden was the first pilot country to launch the Green Offer in August this year. The Green Offer will continue to be rolled out gradually in France and Germany by the end of 2022.  These pilot projects will be available for online customers only.

Sonepar’s Green Offer involves a rigorous, comparable, and independently verified methodology that rates individual products the group distributes according to their whole life CO2 emissions.

The process starts with Sonepar’s suppliers, some of which already have verified data on emissions from Environmental Product Declarations or Life Cycle Assessments. They share this data with Sonepar, which ensures data is complete for all steps in the life cycle, including those after manufacturing: transport and distribution, usage during service life, and disposal at the end of life. Sonepar takes this data and applies its own rigorously developed methodology, which received a certificate of conformity from Bureau Veritas – to get a more accurate, homogenous and comparable calculation of CO2 for the product over its whole life cycle. The figure is then converted into a green label, rating the product’s green credentials as C, B, or A, which correspond to “good, “better”, or “best”.

Sonepar’s Green Offer is fully integrated into the Group digital transformation with the close involvement of Sonepar Digital Factory. The massive volumes of data provided by our suppliers are processed through the Data Lake allowing the products, along with their ratings, to be displayed on Sonepar’s global e-commerce platform.

“The launch of the Green Offer is a huge step forward in providing emissions information for the B2B electrical distribution customers helping them to make the right choices for complex installed systems that require products from multiple brands. With increasing demands from customers to provide more environmental information, it sets a benchmark for other players in electrical distribution to follow, raising standards across the industry. As Sonepar’s Green Offer develops, we are helping customers make choices that better conserve the planet’s natural resources and safeguard people’s well-being,” stated Philippe Delpech, Sonepar CEO

As the world leader in B2B electrical distribution, Sonepar is at the very heart of the electrical ecosystem and its shareholders’ charter-based commitment to support the group over a 50-year, long-term horizon provides a clear commitment to make sustainability a priority.

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. www.sonepar.com

Since 2021, Sonepar is a proud member of United Nations Global Compact. Sonepar’s Green Offer is aligned with the Ten Principles of UN Global Compact and contributes to UN Global Goals. Sonepar has committed to set near-term company-wide emission reductions in line with climate science with the SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative).

Press Contact

Matt Pothecary, Chief Communications Officer and Sustainability

matt.pothecary(@)sonepar.com

Every day, thousands of electrical products begin thousands of journeys to reach thousands of professionals around the world.

From ordering to on-time delivery, we serve our customers across every possible channel with a single goal: making their lives and day-to-day operations easier.

Take a peek behind the curtain to see just how we make this goal a reality.

We are the world's number one B-to-B distributor of electrical products, solutions and related services. We are Sonepar, Powered by Difference.

Watch our new Brand Movie: Making Our Customers Lives Easier Every Day.

Sonepar has built an undisputed leadership position in business-to-business electrical product distribution, systems and services thanks to a unique combination of being family-owned, with a long-term horizon, best-in-class leadership, an engaged workforce, and demanding corporate governance.

Acquisitions are a key element of our growth strategy. Over the past 20 years, acquisitions represent 60% of total growth and the group has made 200 acquisitions which have accounted for more than €10 billion of sales.

We are always looking for new companies that are willing to join a family-owned group, where the diversity and well-being of our associates are valued the most, where we work based on a high level of compliance standards and common values, and where investing in our associates and teams is a priority.

Over the past few months, our teams met Sonepar associates to tell their story. Stories from entrepreneurs, stories of growth, those are Sonepar’s success stories. Let’s deep dive into this webseries with the first episode: Spain.

Sonepar aims to reinforce its position in the Spanish market by having a national presence in the territory and offering better value-added services/products to the customers. In 2022, seven Spanish operating companies united under the Sonepar brand.

We spoke with Antonio Durá, Operations Director, Roberto Martínez, General Director of Sales, José Antonio Quintela, Northwest Region Manager and Cristina Esteve, Logistics Director, about this journey and that of their teams.

We’re ambitious, driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Our expert advice is combined with more than fifty years of experience. We’re trusted to lead.  We are fearlessly competitive, but never lose sight of the need to make a profit to invest in our future. We are Sonepar, Powered by Difference!

Head to our YouTube channel to watch the whole video! 

Padua, Italy, July 27, 2022 - Sonepar has officially signed an agreement for the acquisition of 100% of shares in CioffiRenato.

Founded in 1974, CioffiRenato is a company active in the distribution of electrical material operating in the Lecce province, with its headquarters in Casarano.

In 2021, with its two branches serving all the area, the company recorded sales of around €10 million. It employs 17 associates and 2 sales representatives.

Thanks to this acquisition, Sonepar, already present in Puglia with six branches, will strengthen its business in the region.

"CioffiRenato is a well-known company for the quality of the service provided to customers. Now that the two branches will become part of the Sonepar Group, they will benefit from new services, enhanced assortments, and a renewed and strong presence in the area. We will operate in synergy and continuity with what the Cioffi family has done so far. Puglia is a key region, a driver for growth for the entire south division; a few years ago, we invested in improving the distribution center in Modugno (BA), which serves all the provinces in a capillary and efficient manner", stated Sergio Novello, President, Sonepar Italia.

"We are delighted that our company, founded 48 years ago and strongly rooted in our territory, has the opportunity to enter the largest organization for the distribution of electrical material, in Italy and in the world. We know the potential of this Group and we appreciate the development strategy in the Lecce province, guaranteeing continuity to the business”, commented Renato Cioffi, Chairman, Carlo Cioffi, CEO and Sales Director, and Roberta Cioffi, Board Member and Back-Office Manager.

"A new step in turning our vehicle fleet 'green'."

Cebeo is taking a new step in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Having made a start in May, with bike couriers delivering to their customers in Brussels, the company will now conduct a two-week trial of an electric Volvo truck in Kortrijk, as an alternative to diesel trucks.

"We are at a watershed moment," says Wim Pyra, Transport Manager at Cebeo. He continued, "And we are going to use this as a learning exercise, to allow us to put a realistic proposal on the table."

Everyone, and industry, in particular, will need to play their part if we are going to achieve drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Transport and logistics businesses are increasingly opting for cleaner and more environmentally friendly vehicles. However, fossil-free, heavy transport is not yet widely available. Cebeo, the market leader in the distribution of electrical equipment in Belgium, wants to play a pioneering role here and is making a start by piloting an electric truck for the first time.

Wim explains, "There’s no doubt about the environmental advantages of using electric trucks. They are totally emission-free out on the road and are also quiet. However, it is their operating range that still needs work. But, together with Volvo, we carried out an analysis of our transport schedules, and they assured us that this will not present a problem. So, we've decided to carry out a test to help us decide on updating our fleet."

Full electrification will take time

The vehicle to be trialed over the coming fortnight is the Volvo FE Electric, a twin axle truck with a load capacity of 8500 kg and a range of up to 200 kilometers. "Its compact dimensions also make it an ideal vehicle for door-to-door deliveries in an urban environment. We have been using a fleet of 49 diesel vehicles for this work, but they each emit some 20 tons of CO2 a year. By introducing one or more electric vehicles we can immediately achieve a significant reduction in emissions," states Fabrice Naert, Fleet Coordinator at Cebeo.

Transport companies looking to switch to electric vehicles will have other matters to consider apart from the operational range. Fabrice continued, "Our drivers will need to learn new ways of driving, as their driving style will have an impact on the energy consumption and service life of the battery. An instructor will therefore be accompanying our drivers, providing guidance during the weeks of the test. We also need to investigate the charging time for a vehicle like this and identify how many extra charging stations will be required at our Kortrijk site. And of course, that will require additional investments."

A center of expertise to drive sustainability

However, none of these challenges will hold Cebeo back as it seeks to take on a pioneering role in the area of sustainability. This latest initiative fits perfectly with the company's broader vision of sustainability. “Reducing our environmental impact is a hot topic for our Competence Center Transport Europe within the Sonepar Group. This is where we share expertise, examine what other vehicle manufacturers have to offer, and research the potential of new technologies, such as hydrogen-powered vehicles. Our ambition is clear. We want to act as an example to our sector and be among the first players to deliver goods to customers in a climate-neutral manner, from the first kilometer to the last," Wim concluded. 

Further information

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Wim Pyra, at wim.pyra(@)cebeo.be, +32 499 98 48, or visit www.cebeo.be.

Sonepar and ABB have teamed up to bring market-leading EV charging infrastructure solutions, supporting the global shift towards sustainable transportation.

In July, Sonepar attended the launch of the new $30 million ABB E-mobility Center of Excellence in Valdarno, Italy, cementing the collaboration between the two organizations as they continue to work together towards a zero-emission reality.

Sonepar and ABB have been collaborating for many years across various aspects of ABB’s Electrification portfolio. This new initiative focuses on the distribution of electric vehicle (EV) chargers, a fast-growing market, which offers ABB and Sonepar the opportunity to reach new customers around the world.

With transportation accounting for up to 29% of total greenhouse gas emissions[1], the development and production of smart, reliable charging solutions are set to form a crucial part of the global clean energy transition.

Electric vehicle registrations increased by 41% globally in 2020, rising again by around 140% in the first quarter of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.[2] By 2040, an estimated 290 million additional charging points will be required to support the shift to electric vehicles, amounting to circa $500 billion in global investment.[3]

As an early investor in the EV charging segment, ABB has already sold in excess of 680,000 EV chargers across more than 85 markets. The new 16,000m2 Valdarno plant will facilitate the creation of more than 10,000 additional Direct Chargers (DC) chargers per year, which can be used across all transport sectors, from cars to buses to heavy vehicles.

The collaboration with Sonepar, which has a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, will put a wide range of ABB Alternating Chargers (AC) and DC charging solutions in front of customers in more than ten countries.

“It’s crucial that the transportation sector moves towards more sustainable solutions if we are to have any hope of achieving a net zero future. The only way to keep up with demand for electric vehicles and support their wider adoption is with the rapid expansion of EV charging infrastructure. As market leaders, we are proud to be able to support ABB in distributing their solutions, which will enable a swift environmental transition towards more efficient electric vehicles,” Lamaro Pareira, SVP, Sonepar International Services.

Customers that buy through Sonepar’s various channels, which include installers, system integrators, and end-users, can expect a seamless process, bolstered by training, commercial and technical support from ABB. In the coming years, the group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B2B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized experience to all customers.

Setting a blueprint for customers to follow

The Valdarno factory is just one example of ABB’s dedication to groundbreaking R&D. In the plant’s 3,200m2 development and prototyping space, around 70 of the site’s 500-plus employees are dedicated to implementing innovative solutions, new software, and product life cycle management tools to fully integrate R&D activities with manufacturing.

Yannis Fadakis, Group Account Manager for Sonepar, ABB, concluded, "The only way to reach a zero-emission reality for transportation is to work together with leading organizations, such as Sonepar, to provide customers with solutions for clean and sustainable mobility.  Our partnership with Sonepar has been extremely successful in other areas of our Electrification business and we’re excited to see what we can achieve through this new initiative.”

Sonepar is pleased to announce that it has acquired a majority shareholding in COLD & CO SAS, a privately owned distributor of air conditioning, ventilation and energy efficiency solutions, known primarily under the trade name CD-Sud.

Sonepar is pleased to announce that it has acquired a majority shareholding in COLD & CO SAS, a privately owned distributor of air conditioning, ventilation and energy efficiency solutions. 

COLD & CO is a leading player in the French Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) market segment and is known for its high level of technical expertise and its extensive distribution network under the CD Sud brand.  

COLD & CO recorded a remarkable development of its activities in the last five years, reaching a turnover of €140 million in 2021 and employing 215 associates. 

This acquisition will enable Sonepar to strengthen its presence in HVAC, a fast-growing market identified as one of the Group’s strategic priorities. Sonepar France is already active in this market through its subsidiary 3C CLIM, a well recognized HVAC specialist. By combining 3C CLIM and COLD & CO, Sonepar will leverage its industry experts and capabilities and will offer its customers a wide range of highly technical products and solutions across the entire territory. 

“We are delighted to announce that COLD & CO is joining Sonepar Group. As a well recognized specialist, our combined forces will create a national network fully dedicated to HVAC solutions and bring residential and commercial technical solutions to our customers. We strongly believe that these technical capabilities, in addition to the deployment of a global omnichannel digital platform and the development of the first B2B electrical supplies distribution marketplace in France, will position Sonepar as the preferred partner for our customers in France” stated Jérôme Malassigné, President of Sonepar International Services & France. 

“I am very proud and excited to see COLD & CO join the Sonepar Group. Both companies have a common ground of entrepreneurship spirit and willingness to become a national recognized specialist in the large and innovative HVAC segment. Sonepar’s capabilities in digital and logistics will enable COLD & CO to accelerate its development while keeping its historical DNA of a family business”, added Romain Tosolini, President of COLD & CO. 

The acquisition has been approved by the relevant antitrust authorities.

Sonepar is pleased to announce that Shanghai Dahua Network & Electric Technology Co., Ltd. ('Dahua') has joined the Sonepar Group.

Founded in 1989, Dahua is a well-recognized enterprise in the industrial automation distribution in China and has successfully built a solid position in Shanghai and South Jiangsu Area.

With its 50 employees, the company achieved an annual turnover of €73 million in 2021. Dahua serves over 2,000 customers in a wide variety of industry segments, including textile, food packaging, printing, construction, chemical fiber and water supply equipment.

The acquisition of Dahua is a strategic addition to enrich our portfolio of distributed products, increase Sonepar’s business density in China and extend our engineering and operational capabilities. It is in line with the Group’s strategy to strengthen our addressable market in China in the field of industrial automation and smart manufacturing.

On behalf of Sonepar’s 45,000 associates, I would like to warmly welcome all Dahua associates to the Sonepar family.

Taco van Vroonhoven,
President Sonepar Asia Pacific

In response to significant ecommerce growth and customer demand for a seamless digital and physical experience, Sonepar Group is investing in Manhattan’s industry-leading solutions to deliver the highest standard of service in a fast, reliable and more sustainable way.

Paris, June 21, 2022 - Sonepar, the world leader in electrical products, systems and services distribution, is expanding its current Manhattan Active Warehouse Management partnership to support its ongoing global omnichannel supply chain transformation.

In response to significant ecommerce growth and customer demand for a seamless digital and physical experience, Sonepar Group is investing in Manhattan’s industry-leading solutions to deliver the highest standard of service in a fast, reliable and more sustainable way.

The company has an ambitious supply chain and digital transformation agenda: its goal, to become the first global B2B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitized omnichannel experience to all its customers. Sonepar leverages its multichannel distribution and logistics network to optimize its supply chain, offer competitive prices and improve its customer relationships. Its products are available anywhere, anytime at the company’s branches, showrooms, online and on mobile devices.

With this rollout, Sonepar is building on its previous successes with Manhattan’s Warehouse Management solutions at its subsidiaries Technische Unie and Van Egmond Group in the Netherlands and Mayflex in the UK. Manhattan Active Warehouse Management will initially be rolled out at Sonepar’s Cebeo division in Belgium with other locations to follow.

Jo Verbeek, Chief Supply Chain Officer stated,“Manhattan’s cloud native supply chain solutions are innovative and run on a unique platform enabling us to drive the rapid rollout of state-of-the-art distribution facilities globally; underpinning the buying journey and offering our customers a seamless omnichannel experience."

“We believe expanding the global partnership with Manhattan will help Sonepar Group become the first global B2B electrical distributor capable of delivering a truly complete omnichannel experience to each and every one of our customers, in a more sustainable, cost-effective way. We look forward to working together with Manhattan’s team of experts in the coming years to realize this long-term, strategic goal,” Jo concluded.

Henri Seroux, Senior Vice President, EMEA at Manhattan Associates added, “At the core of Sonepar’s offering today is the need to respond to the unique and evolving requirements of every customer. By providing digitized and orchestrated omnichannel capabilities through Manhattan Active Warehouse Management and our other cloud native Manhattan Active Supply Chain solutions, Manhattan is demonstrably and actively contributing to Sonepar’s international business goals and long-term success as well.”

About Sonepar

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we’re needed. www.sonepar.com.

About Manhattan Associates

Manhattan Associates is a technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce. We unite information across the enterprise, converging front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. Our software, platform technology and unmatched experience help drive both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability for our customers.

Manhattan Associates designs, builds and delivers leading edge cloud and on-premises solutions so that across the store, through your network or from your fulfillment center, you are ready to reap the rewards of the omnichannel marketplace. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.

We would like to warmly welcome all Masibus associates to the Sonepar family

Sonepar is pleased to announce that Masibus Automation and Instrumentation Pvt Ltd (“Masibus’) in India has joined the Sonepar Group.

Masibus, established in 1975, is recognized as one of the premier industrial automation and instrumentation solution providers in India. It serves over 20,000 customers in about 50 vertical industrial segments, offering products, solutions and services through 8 regional offices and a wide network of dealers and system integrators. The company is headquartered in Ahmedabad - Gandhinagar, with additional locations in Goa as well as Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates. With around 280 associates, Masibus recorded approximately €10 million sales in 2021. 

This acquisition is a strategic addition to the Sonepar network in the Indian industrial automation market. Masibus will complement Sonepar and expand its geographical presence in the West and South of India and add the portfolio of system integration, software distribution and industrial automation services to the existing offering of Sonepar India. 

On behalf of Sonepar’s 45 000 associates, we would like to warmly welcome all Masibus associates to the Sonepar family.   

As of May 2, 2022, the 77-year-long history of SLO, Sonepar operating company in Finland, began a new chapter as it made the transition to the Sonepar brand.

SLO was founded in 1945 and has been a member of the Sonepar Group for three decades.

“The Group’s global reach and steadfast support has always afforded us strength and extended our capabilities well beyond the borders of our own business. We are delighted to be able to continue growing from strength to strength as Sonepar, in Finland.” Mika Höijer, President of Sonepar in Finland.

All 38 branches in Finland were adorned with the new branding prior to 2 May 2022, outwardly uniting them under the Sonepar family. Two new locations will be added to the Sonepar brand this May and they will fully embrace the Sonepar look inside and out.

Mika concluded, “From now on it will be even easier to recognize us as a member of the global market leader in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions, and related services. Taking us forward in our Sonepar journey are our committed associates, newly automated CDC and excellent logistics as well as the latest in all things digital, such as the ERP implemented last year.”

Sonepar Italia S.p.A. and Majorano S.p.A. have officially signed an agreement by which Majorano's electrical material distribution activities will be transferred to Sonepar Italia.

Padua 19th April 2022 - Sonepar Italia S.p.A. and Majorano S.p.A. have officially signed an agreement by which Majorano's electrical material distribution activities will be transferred to Sonepar Italia. The hand over will take place through a new company, named Elettrica Majorano Srl, which will be part of Sonepar Italia.

With a record turnover of 1.1 billion euros in 2021, 146 branches located in 17 regions throughout the territory and 2100 associates, Sonepar Italia is a leader in the distribution of electrical materials, solutions and related services for professionals and part of the Sonepar Group.

Majorano was founded in Naples in 1947 as a Pirelli sales agency for cables and enameled motor winding conductors. Over the years, the company has become a reference point for central-southern Italy in the distribution of electrical materials with 13 branches in the regions of Lazio, Campania, Calabria, and Basilicata. In 2021, it recorded sales of around 24 million euros.

“The journey that led Sonepar and Majorano to join their forces has finally and officially been completed,” said Sergio Novello, President of Sonepar Italia. "This operation will allow us to consolidate the excellent territorial coverage that the two companies have built over the years in the regions of Campania, Calabria and partly in Lazio."

"I wish to thank Angelo Maiorano,” commented Giovanni Mazza, Director of the South & Islands Division of Sonepar Italia, “For the path we have shared together, Sonepar and Majorano will consolidate a strong presence in the South, in Campania and Calabria, where they complement each other very naturally and are synergistic in skills. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues in the activities planned to integrate the companies and that we are sure will bring great value for our customers."

“The agreement with Sonepar Italia is a source of great satisfaction for us,” commented Angelo Maiorano, “Sonepar is a guarantee for our business continuity, our evolution and future. Our combined presence on the territory will be an important driver of growth and gratification for our customers, our suppliers and our associates, for whom a new phase is definitely opening up and who will find in Sonepar great opportunities and maximum support."

About Sonepar in Italy

Sonepar Italia is a leading company in the distribution of electrical materials, solutions and related services and part of the international Sonepar Group. It is present on the national territory with a capillary network of 146 branches in 17 regions, 2100 employees and a total turnover of 1.1 billion euros in 2021. Sonepar's business in Italy began in 1988 with the acquisition of the Paduan Elettroingross, and then developed steadily over the years through internal growth and a series of acquisitions.

www.sonepar.it

"By developing the first electrical equipment distribution marketplace for professionals in France, Sonepar is confirming its very strong omnichannel ambitions."

Paris, 20 April 2022 - Sonepar, an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B2B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services, is pursuing its omnichannel strategy and has entered into a partnership with Mirakl, the world's leading provider of marketplace software solutions, to develop the first B2B electrical supplies distribution marketplace in France.

Through the development of this innovative eCommerce platform - the first to be compatible with Sonepar’s B2B customers’ purchasing methods - Sonepar aims to provide its customers with the most comprehensive product and service offer on the market.

The marketplace is planned to launch in Q4 of 2022. It is part of the Group's digital transformation strategy, aimed at making Sonepar the first electrical equipment distributor in the world to offer a fully digitalized and synchronized experience to its customers.

Jérémie Profeta, Chief Digital Enterprise Officer and member of Sonepar's Executive Committee,stated, "By developing the first electrical equipment distribution marketplace for professionals in France, Sonepar is confirming its very strong omnichannel ambitions. Only Mirakl's technology, know-how and ecosystem of partners, combined with the expertise of the 200 Sonepar experts in our Digital Factory, will enable us to deploy this unique innovation in record time and integrate it to the Group omnichannel platform."

Philippe Corrot, co-founder and co-CEO of Mirakl, added, "With more than 80 percent of business buyers stressing the importance of breadth of choice and quality of shopping experience, building a marketplace enables a B2B company to develop an additional revenue stream while better serving the needs of its customers. We are delighted to support the ambitions of a global leader like Sonepar and to develop together a unique platform, one of the largest marketplaces ever created in the B2B sector.”

About Sonepar
Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we’re needed. www.sonepar.com.

Sonepar France, through its two generalist networks Sonepar Connect and CGED and its specialized subsidiaries, achieved a turnover of 2.6 billion euros in 2021 and has 5,300 employees. www.soneparfrance.fr

About Mirakl
Mirakl offers the industry’s first and most advanced enterprise marketplace SaaS platform. With Mirakl, organizations across B2B and B2C industries can launch marketplaces faster, grow bigger, and operate with confidence as they exceed rising customer expectations. Platforms are the new competitive advantage in eCommerce, and the world’s most trusted brands choose Mirakl for its comprehensive solution of technology, expertise, and the Mirakl Connect ecosystem to unlock the power of the platform business model for them.

As a result, companies like ABB, Astore by AccorHotels, Best Buy Canada, Carrefour, Catch, Changi Airport, Darty, The Kroger Co., Leroy Merlin, Maisons du Monde, Metro, and Toyota Material Handling gain the speed, scale, and agility to win in the changing eCommerce landscape. For more information: www.mirakl.com.

Image by: Cebeo

We are proud to unveil our first Corporate Social Responsibility report. 

The Sonepar Group is currently engaged in an ambitious and challenging transformation. In 2021, we delivered record-breaking results, launched our omnichannel platform, and renewed our brand identity. 

We have also begun to establish our purpose, to set out what we bring to the world and to our stakeholders, particularly with regards to current and future social, societal and environmental issues. 

With all of this in mind, we are proud to unveil our first Corporate Social Responsibility report. The key elements to which are: 

Sonepar’s long-term strategy which builds upon the vision of our shareholder base.

People – Our business and innovation are driven by the commitment, skills, and diversity of our associates. 

Compliance – We believe that integrity, fairness, and trust are key levers for generating sustainable growth. 

Supply Chain – At the epicenter of our industry, Sonepar is positioned to be a catalyst to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the construction and manufacturing industries. 

Suppliers – Through close and long-lasting relationships, Sonepar can encourage our suppliers to innovate and elevate their energy-efficient solutions by raising awareness throughout our customer base.

Discover the full report here (PDF)!

The Sonepar 2022 Panorama is out now. 

Here we present our annual, global overview of our activities, key figures, as well as editorials from Sonepar Chairman Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette and CEO Philippe Delpech. 

Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. 

Discover Sonepar at a glance, its activities and strategic plan through this PDF brochure here: 

Sonepar Panorama 2022

About Sonepar 

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we’re needed.

2021 was a historic year for Sonepar. The Group broke a new record after 2019 and recorded sales of 26.4 billion euros, with 18% autonomous growth. 

Sonepar is currently undergoing an ambitious and challenging transformation, serving customers with an omnichannel digital experience, promoting best-in-class sustainability, and ensuring our associates a diverse and inclusive working environment.   

​​​​2021 was the year of laying the foundations for our digital transformation. Sonepar launched Spark omnichannel platform in four countries and is continuing its global deployment in 2022. With Spark, Sonepar strives to become the first electrical equipment distributor in the world to offer all customers a fully digital and synchronized experience. 

In 2021 we also renewed Sonepar’s brand identity and unveiled a new logo. The ellipses – the two, interlocking orbits that represent Sonepar’s unique balance of global scale and local empowerment– have been simplified in order to work powerfully wherever they appear. Sonepar’s new identity is modern, bold, and designed for an omnichannel experience 

Let’s have a look at the official Group Key Figures in 2021: 

We led the market: 

• 26.4 billion euros in sales (30% online) – 31st December 2021 
• Over 40 countries 
• #1 in 11 countries 
• 1 million order lines per day 

With a powerful network: 

• 45,000 associates 
• Over 100 brands 
• 2,800 branches 
• 150 distribution centers 

For a positive impact 

• #1 in sales of energy efficient products 
• Aligned with 1.5°C target 
• 230 Sustainability initiatives 

Philippe Delpech, Sonepar CEO commented, “Thanks to a unique combination of a long-term horizon, best-in-class leadership, an engaged workforce and demanding corporate governance, Sonepar has built an undisputed leadership position in B2B electrical product distribution, systems, and services. I would like to thank our 45,000 associates for their engagement and their professionalism all throughout the year. You all contributed to an incredible 2021 performance, and I am very confident that we will be able to grow together in 2022, which will be for sure, another turning point in Sonepar’s history.” 

About Sonepar 

Sonepar is an independent family-owned company with global market leadership in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Through a dense network of 100 brands spanning 40 countries, the Group has an ambitious transformation agenda to become the first global B-to-B electrical distributor to provide a fully digitalized and synchronized omnichannel experience to all customers. Drawing on the skill and passion of its 45,000 associates, Sonepar had sales of €26.4 billion in 2021. Sonepar makes its customers’ lives easier, over the counter, visiting customers, by phone or online, – however we’re needed.

The sale will include all Vallen North American business (USA, Canada and Mexico), which is heavily focused on industrial MRO and integrated supply services.

February 24, 2022 - Paris, France - Sonepar has announced it has entered into an agreement to sell Vallen Distribution, Inc. to Nautic Partners. The sale will include all Vallen North American business (USA, Canada and Mexico), which is heavily focused on industrial MRO and integrated supply services.

Vallen’s businesses in Asia are not concerned by this transaction and will remain part of the Sonepar Group. In 2021, Vallen North America recorded sales of around €1.6 billion and employed 4,200 associates.

"Sonepar’s decision to divest Vallen North America came after a strategic evaluation regarding the best path forward for Vallen and its associates," stated Philippe Delpech, Sonepar CEO. "Going forward, Sonepar will continue its focus on the growth and performance of its core electrical distribution businesses around the world, making significant investments to grow the business organically and through acquisitions and to expand offerings of services, solutions and products."

The sale is anticipated to close within a couple of months, following customary regulatory approval.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, or F.A.Z. Tower, is currently under construction in the sought-after Europaviertel area in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.

The tower will reach around 60 meters high and be home to the publishing and editorial offices of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The customer is GA-tec, a company of the Sodexo Group, which secured the electrical engineering contract and subsequently brought Sonepar in Germany on board.

In addition to competitive prices, an innovative logistics concept was a decisive factor in GA-tec's decision to award Sonepar in Germany the contract. This concept outlines a joint service and processing plan, which includes the provision of roll containers, construction site catalogs, and the option of material floor delivery depending on the construction's progress.

Samuel Eichner, Head of the Building Services and Plant Engineering business unit stated, "We have proven in the past that we can offer exactly this. As with previous projects, the work on the F.A.Z. Tower will again be a joint project between the business unit, the sales region and the relevant specialist departments."

The total project is worth approximately 1.2 million euros. Christian Rodenbach, Head of Project Management in Sales Region 09 added, "All those involved are looking forward to the overarching collaboration but are also proud that this project has been won in the Rhine-Main growth region at the gates and 'home' of a major competitor.

About Sonepar in Germany

Sonepar is Germany’s leading electrical wholesaler, is has a local presence across the country in more than 200 locations. Central warehouses are spread across the whole country and, together with a special distribution center for industrial products, ensure that products are available with minimum delay.

Sonepar’s Building and Electrical Distribution Division (B&ED) in China, is proudly contributing to the construction of the Tibet Autonomous Region Hospital.

The hospital's development began on September 29, 2020, and the B&ED has had the honor of providing primarily Low Voltage Sower Management System solutions, as well as other building and automation references from our valued partner, Schneider Electric. Worth around ¥4m (approximately €500k), all product models were carefully selected or customized to fit the project's unique criteria.

From Sonepar’s previous experience in the construction of over six Wuhan mobile hospitals, to working on Huaneng Renewable’s wind power grid, to this current mission, it has been the B&ED’s great privilege to participate in projects with such an immense benefit to society.

The Tibet Autonomous Region Hospital is positioned to be the region's central medical center with a 3A-grade standard rating in China. As a result of the successful collaboration with our client and our supplier, the hospital will soon begin its trial runs this year.

About Sonepar in China

Sonepar is a key national player in the B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. After entering China in 2000, they have continued to grow over the years. Thanks to strategic acquisitions and organic growth, they achieved revenue of more than CNY 5.0 billion in 2019. They cover 18 provinces and the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. With 1,200 associates, Sonepar in China has extremely ambitious growth plans for the next five years, which will see them develop their critical competencies and enlarge our product range to meet our customer' needs in the best possible way, whether they operate in the building, industrial processes or energy sectors.

After the global launch of exclusive brands TRADEFORCE and LIT by Cardi in September, last month, Sonepar introduced both brands in Switzerland. 

The high-quality products from LIT by Cardi complement the lighting sector's current range, while TRADEFORCE ensures an even broader choice for professional tools and accessories, for customers to take on any job, anywhere. As of last month, the two lines are available online at sonepar.ch and in Sonepar’s 14 branches across the country. 

David von Ow, President of Sonepar in Switzerland is confident in the success of the two lines in Switzerland, stating, "The launch of TRADEFORCE and LIT by Cardi reinforces our customer focus and complements the range of our strategic suppliers. Our first-class service and optimized supply chain mean we can meet all our customers' project requirements, creating great added value for our demanding clientele in an increasingly complex world." 

Marcel Helbling, Head of Product Management, commended the product teams' collaboration, adding, "We are very pleased with the successful launch. A highly motivated team from various departments brought enthusiasm and passion to the launch. 

The official launch was supported with cross-media activities, including a press release, PR reports, newsletters, and an article in the company's customer magazine. Sonepar's own, carefully designed landing page on sonepar.ch was pivotal to the launch, supported with individually coordinated advertising materials in store. 

The uncertainty of the Covid-19 situation precluded launch events. However, with the immediate influx of orders via Switzerland's app and webshop at around 80%, online presence proved to be just as valuable. Sonepar is positive about the initial launch of the new brands and is looking forward to expanding the range this summer along with a communication campaign highlighting additional promotions throughout the year. 

About Sonepar in Switzerland 

Sonepar Suisse is an independent French family-owned company and is one of the leading firms in B-to-B distribution of electrical products, solutions and related services. Following the motto "think global, act Sonepar", we have an extensive presence across Switzerland. More than 450 of our employees at 14 locations in German, French and Italian-speaking Switzerland provide outstanding service. Together with Dysbox SA, ElectroLAN SA, Electroplast SA, Fabbri SA and Winterhalter + Fenner AG, we form Sonepar Switzerland and are part of the French Sonepar group, which is present in more than 48 countries and employs some 48,000 associates. 

Through this partnership, ChargePoint becomes the exclusive electric vehicle charging software partner for all charging equipment installed in the Sonepar network in France.

Sonepar and ChargePoint, a leading electric vehicle charging network operating in Europe and North America, have signed a strategic partnership in France. This partnership includes the installation of more than 1,400 charging stations across France at over 500 locations including branches, offices, and the headquarters by mid-2022.

As of December 31, 2021, 53,667 charging stations were available in France. With the addition of 1,400 additional terminals, Sonepar and ChargePoint will significantly increase the available offer. Through this partnership, ChargePoint becomes the exclusive electric vehicle charging software partner for all charging equipment installed in the Sonepar network in France.

Sonepar in France will now be able to offer all its customers a complete electric vehicle charging solution and will strengthen its position in a growing market, which is estimated to be worth one billion in sales in 2025 with 50% installations.

Jérôme Malassigne, President France and International Services stated, "By providing access to more than 1,400 electric vehicle charging stations, Sonepar offers an innovative service to its 100,000 customers and 5,000 employees. Sonepar's French network represents a major opportunity to make a significant contribution to achieving France's ambition for electric charging stations. This sustainable service available 24/7 will significantly reduce carbon emissions. We thank the Group for putting this partnership  with ChargePoint at the forefront of innovation, available to the Sonepar network in France."

Pasquale Romano, CEO of ChargePoint added, “We have an established partnership agreement with the Sonepar Group globally, and we are thrilled to extend EV charging in France with our partner Sonepar. This partnership indicates the commitment between ChargePoint and Sonepar to drive the future of transportation and progress the electrification efforts of thousands of businesses throughout France.”

Sonepar has won the North India Best Employer by the Employer Branding Institute India.

The Stars of the Industry Awards ceremony took place at the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi and was hosted by World HRD Congress.

Nominations were given to organizations that had shown exemplary Marketing Communications and Human Resources development over the year.

This award also comes after India was given ‘Great Place to Work’ certification for the second year running. Winning the Best Employer award is the encouragement and motivational anchor for welcoming 2022.

Congratulations to the teams who made this happen!

Eight years ago, Sonepar implemented its Associate Program (Programa Emplea) in Spain, which aims to improve the employability prospects of young people.

Each year, roughly 100 students are welcomed into the program and given internships throughout various departments within the company, including Electricity, Administration, Telecommunications, Warehouse Assistant Activities, and Electrical & Automatic Installations.

In December 2021, 97 students received their certifications and many of them have since been hired at Sonepar as commercial technicians, administrators, or warehouse operatives.

Educational opportunities are also provided to associates already within Sonepar, as eligible candidates can apply to the Company Training Scheme (Plan Formativo de la empresa), which offers multiple training courses across a myriad of specialities.

This ethos extends beyond the company's warehouses and offices, as dozens of webinars and technical seminars are also available to their customers!

About Sonepar in Spain

Founded in 1986, Sonepar Ibérica is the leading company in the B-to-B distribution of electrical equipment and related solutions in Spain. With more than 115 branches spread throughout the Spanish geography and we are present in the market through our seven commercial OPCOS: AME, Dielectro Balear, Dielectro Canarias, Dielectro Industrial, Dimel, Guerin and Hispanofil. We offer our clients integral solutions and services in our business areas: Industry, Lighting, Telecom & Data, Cable, Medium Voltage, Security & EPIS, Building Automotion & Domotics, Air Conditioning, Electric Vehicle, Renewable and Sanitary Energies and Plumbing.

In Switzerland, Sonepar has introduced a digital returns process to accompany its paperless ordering process.

Customers can now easily and autonomously register their returns via the company's webshop, keep an overview and track the current status of the return at all times. They can thus see at any time when specific items from a particular order were returned and the status of processing.

Philipp Guidetti, Head of Digital Business Development at Sonepar in Switzerland stated, “The digital returns process is the perfect complement to Sonepar in Switzerland's established digital packing slip. Our new tool offers customers new ways of tracking and ensures faster, more efficient processing for both sides."