LINIAN designs and manufactures products that solve problems, speed up installations and generally make installers’ jobs easier. The company’s research and development team are continually working on new solutions. So much so, that in 2020, LINIAN decided to set up LINIAN Labs, LINIAN’s sister business specialising in product development, as CEO Ian Arbuckle explains.
LINIAN is a family business. We owned an independent electrical wholesale business in Glasgow for over 30 years, before launching our first product, the FireClip. It was the original single-component fire-rated fixing, with no need for screws, plugs or washers. It was invented by my dad, Wes Arbuckle, and created to solve the needs of one of his customers.
Product development was originally Wes’s domain. However, in 2020 LINIAN launched the Earth Rod Pro – the first, but not the last, of my inventions inspired by my experience as an electrician and electrical engineer.
At present, we have over 135 product lines and 50+ products in the LINIAN new product development pipeline! We don’t just create our own products. We also work with other manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to create tailor-made products to fit their customers’ needs. All this product development comes under the umbrella of LINIAN LABS. Through LINIAN Labs, our team can develop a custom product specially for you and your customers.
LINIAN Labs Projects
Two recent projects produced through LINIAN LABS were the LINIAN Earth Rod Pro and LINIAN NanoClip.
Earth Rod Pro – Following the success of LINIAN clips, our team of engineers and electricians identified earth rod installation as another key area which receives very little research and development exposure. We set about to fix a problem which others have taken for granted. We designed and developed a simple and effective solution which bores through hard top layers and underground rock to achieve a secure Earth Rod connection. Simply attach the EARTH ROD PRO – DRIVER, to one end of a copper earth rod and attach the EARTH ROD PRO – BIT directly to the other end of the earth rod. Using an SDS Drill, the rod can then be rapidly installed directly into the ground in under two minutes.
NanoClip – Launched in 2021, this range marked a pivotal moment in the LINIAN business story. Following the success of our products in the electro-technical industry, we received a wealth of enquires from the fibre broadband market. The NanoClip was created as a direct response to the fibre industry’s need for a safe, discreet and easy way to install fibre cables and other small diameter cables.
How LINIAN Labs works
We know that as wholesalers, you are in a unique position to understand the needs of installers. You can see first-hand if there is a gap in the market or a common problem that installers are facing. Perhaps you have a great idea for a product that would make installers’ lives easier, but you don’t know what to do next? If so, we would love to hear from you.
After the problem has been identified the next stage is breaking it down into chunks to see how we can lend our expertise to the task. We undertake research to understand if there’s a current product or process to solve this task and see if it can be improved to make it easier for the installer. If there is no solution at all, we look at what would help the customer.
We start testing the best ideas internally. Generally, this is via the prototype process. We try to keep as broad a base as possible, looking at different strategies and materials. Once we have proof of concept, we branch off and start looking at the manufacturing capacity, sourcing suppliers and materials and looking at the different stages that we need logistically to bring the product to market.
Why work with LINIAN Labs?
Since 2019, LINIAN has had a ‘UK First’ supply chain policy. All our products are manufactured here in the UK. We source our suppliers as locally as possible, ensuring great relationships with our partners. This policy helped us maintain our standard next day delivery service throughout the pandemic, Brexit and other logistical issues over recent years. It also gives us greater oversight and quality control over the people we work with. If the new product is to succeed and make it to the wider market, these short supply chains are essential.
At LINIAN, we are serious about safety, and all our products undergo extensive internal and independent testing and are backed by a manufacturer’s guarantee. By working with us, you can rest assured you are offering your customers the best quality products to get their jobs done faster, safer and simpler.
Got a problem for LINIAN Labs? Get in touch today –
Access the online form here
Email: ian@linianclip.co.uk
