In this month’s Face to Face we speak with Gary Stevens, Managing Director of Focus SB, to find out more about the company and the ever changing wiring accessories market.

What are the origins of Focus SB as a British manufacturer?

We commenced trading in 1979 under the name Sussex Brassware and the main product offering was architectural ironmongery which then led to the introduction of a range of electrical accessories utilising third party electrical inserts and assembling into our own in-house produced and finished plates.

After some changes to the company structure Focus Electrical was born and was a separate entity to Sussex Brassware. Some years later the two companies joined forces under the name Focus SB and we acquired the toolmaking company that were up to that point producing the plates for our electrical accessories. It was also around this time that it was decided to shed the architectural ironmongery products in favour of focusing on electrical accessories.

In 2016, Focus SB launched its own range of electrical inserts to become totally stand alone and the only company in its sector to boast in-house capabilities of metal plate manufacture, finishing and assembly of its own range of electrical inserts.

In that time we can also boast a number of firsts, including the first (and only premium electrical accessories manufacturer in our industry) outside of mainland China to be certified by their national quality standards authority to design and manufacture a range of ‘CCC’ products outside of the country to sell back into China, and that formed the basis of our King’s Awards for Enterprise winning entry in 2023.

Another first was the development and launch of a double throw centre off retractive toggle switch for the lighting control and shading market in 2017.

Finally, another significant first was the design and launch of the first true flat plate screwless range of electrical accessories – Renaissance in 2023.

Made from quality stainless steel and solid brass raw materials, our product components are approved to British Standards and independently tested by Intertek for safety. We operate a Quality Management System which complies with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

Which wiring accessory finishes are proving popular with customers at the moment?

Anything that is either ‘antique’ or ‘aged’! Antique/Aged/Jordan/Chocolate/Dark Bronze and Aged or unlacquered brass and derivatives of those finishes are by far the most popular finishes at present and have been for some time now. We get temporary trends that are influenced by other building products, for example Matt Black has been popular over the last 12 months or so and Polished and Satin Brass seems to be making a slight comeback, but Bronze variants and Aged/Antique Brass dominate the popularity stakes.

In an increasingly crowded wiring accessories market, how does Focus SB ensure that its products stand out?

When I first came into the electrical wiring accessory manufacturing sector in 1987, there were three ‘flat plate’ grid mounting, secondary fix manufacturers in the UK and virtually no overseas competitors. Fast forward 37years and now we find that to most customers, the flat plate electrical accessory product is more of a commodity, with most manufacturers offering flat plate electrical accessories at various levels of quality, range and finish variants.

At Focus SB we have strived to set our products apart by their quality, range of finishes, bespoke offering and innovative product development. This strategy has helped us become one of the largest manufacturers of wiring accessories supplying into the luxury residential, hospitality and heritage markets, with an annual turnover of £6M purely in electrical accessories.

However, our philosophy is to not stand still and wait for the competition to catch up where the only strategy becomes price centric. We are constantly monitoring the market, gaining insight and feedback from customers, monitoring competitor activity in the UK and globally, monitoring trends in finishes and styles from competitive and allied products. Over the past four years we have worked on designing and launching two trademarked ranges.

Working in collaboration with our partners Lutron, we have designed and developed a complementary range of electrical accessories to match to their award-winning range of lighting control keypads in their flagship Alisse range. The brief was to match the style, form factor and finishes of the Alisse keypad because most interior designers and some discerning clients desire to have ‘design continuity’ on their projects.

Following on from the launch of the “Alisse by Focus SB” range, we started the process of designing a range of true flat plate screwless electrical accessories in 2021, and in 2023 the patent pending Renaissance range was launched into the market. So, what is so special about Renaissance? It is the first solid brass, flat plate screwless range on the market. Most electrical accessory manufacturers have a screwless range in their portfolio because that is what designers are looking for. However, most of those designs are based on thin plate material that is often ‘dished’ to clip onto or into a visible plastic grid, or into a visible metal frame.

The design criteria for Renaissance was to be a solid flat plate with no visible fixing screws or frame/grid (which is where the patent is based). It should also be available as standard with square corners (another feature not available with existing screwless products) and finally we need to have the ability to produce oversized and bespoke configured plates. We achieved all of this and the range was launched in 2023 and has been a phenomenal success! It now represents the biggest, most comprehensive range in our portfolio.

The big change for Focus SB as a manufacturer has been driven by the development of these two products and the trend is to go even further with this style of product with some exciting plans for expansion in the pipeline.

The main challenge to us as a manufacturer has been the transition from stamping flat plate products, to precision CNC machining of thicker solid brass materials to be able to offer that extra quality to our customers. Renaissance and Alisse electrical accessories are manufactured from 2.5mm and 3.5mm solid brass, so clients can not only see the quality of finish, but they can also feel the quality compared to thinner pressed plates. The move towards CNC machining was a relatively easy one for Focus SB because of our history, we were already part way through that journey, but we are now investing in the next generation of CNC machines and automation in order to support our strategy for the future. 

Stylised wiring accessories were historically viewed as a luxury reserved for high end projects. Are there signs they are now being considered in a wider range of installations?

They are being used in more mainstream projects now, but that ties in with the points made above where lower cost, lower quality products are available having been commoditised, but they have a more design-led appearance than the traditional dished plate metal accessories, or even white plastic electrical accessories. This is the main reason why we at Focus SB have moved into higher specification, higher quality product development as mentioned above.

We offer a high quality, sustainable alternative to ‘off-the-shelf’ plastic switches and sockets with our beautifully finished hand assembled faceplates and components specified by prominent design consultants for world class hospitality and leisure resorts, prime residential developments, heritage buildings, royal residences, superyachts and commercial projects internationally. Combining traditional methods of manufacturing complemented by the latest technology, Focus SB’s distinctive faceplates and switches feature elements of hand finishing, with every product hand assembled in Great Britain.

Do Focus offer bespoke services for custom projects?

Yes, this is covered above, but we set ourselves apart from the volume manufacturers by offering a bespoke service. We can design and manufacture to most customer specifications and very often work in collaboration with the designers at the early stages so that we can add our experience of producing bespoke products and also to be able to design for manufacture which is crucial to be able to produce something to the client’s specification and to fit with the budget and programme for the project. Bespoke includes product configuration as well as bespoke finishes to match other products, or the designers colour scheme.

What are the features and trends to look out for in 2025?

We firmly believe that the traditional approach to specifying and designing electrical accessories has moved on and that the humble light switch and socket is becoming more of a focal point and part of the designer’s story than it ever has been and will continue to be held in the same importance on a project as the lighting and architectural ironmongery. We have always used the term ‘wall jewellery’ to describe Focus SB’s electrical accessories and this is even more relevant with the new generation of electrical accessories we are providing into the market.

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With wiring accessories now available in a wide range of finishes, Steve Moss, Sales and Marketing Manager for Focus SB, looks at how trends impact sales. 

Trends in finishes come and go, but quality, innovation and continuity of finish are constants when it comes to the discerning customer.

Longevity vs trends

Popularity of finishes is constantly on the Focus SB radar, as the company offers in-house expertise to professional electricians, design consultants, building contractors and specifiers via project support services. Popularity of finish by can be subjective and when it comes to enquiries there is always an equivalent to the latest trends as published by home interiors magazines or national press, so that wholesalers can easily source products for customers seeking products on behalf of those who may have been inspired by the weekend newspaper style pages.

High quality products paired with bespoke components and finishes that can be matched or complemented across a wide range of standard and specialist smart home products will give wholesalers and professional electricians the edge in conversation with your customers and stand the test of time.

Electrical accessories trends

As a company, Focus SB is continually assessing just how influential trends are on the electrical accessories market and how relevant these might be, enabling the business to best support customers and wholesalers.

Metallic finishes are timeless and won’t go out of fashion. It’s very much down to personal taste when it comes to finishes, but for larger prime residential and hospitality projects it’s crucial to be able to supply multiple finished products to complement an interior designer or architect’s interior scheme. This is where Focus SB comes in with the ability to offer multiple products finished to match, from laser marked low-voltage keypads through to 8G 20A 2 way rocker grid switches or 13A switched 2 gang sockets with 18W Type A and 45W Type C Power Delivery USB ports, down to bathroom shaver sockets and kitchen cooker control units fitted with double pole 45A switches for installations where higher current ratings are required, with the option of incorporating a switched 13A socket, for example. 

Finishes for smart home tech 

Prime residential designers and architects are faced with multiple options and can choose from touch screen and multi-button scene setting controls or systems utilising simple ‘push-to-make’ retractive rocker, toggle (dolly switches), push button ‘bell pushes’ and keypads of traditional appearance with the latest low voltage programmable technology behind the cover plate. Often these retractive switches will interface with proprietary ‘whole house’ complex control system installations, programmed by the smart home integrator or electrical contractor.

With many city centre commercial, warehouse and office premises being converted for residential or mixed use, the requirement for high quality monochromatic faceplate finishes in matt white and matt black remains popular. Developers and designers will often try to utilise reclaimed building materials and look to use high quality products offering longevity such as switches, sockets and keypads with more unusual finishes to complement an overall theme.

Most clients embrace the benefits of energy efficient LED lighting, however many are less than happy to choose high tech multi-button and touch screen lighting control systems to operate the lighting. These controls in many cases will ‘jar’ in terms of visual appearance with the property’s décor and cause unnecessary complexity. Increasingly touch screen proprietary controls are being replaced (or supplemented) utilising simple ‘push-to-make’ retractive rocker, toggle switches or push buttons for a more traditional appearance.

Often these switches will interface with proprietary ‘whole house’ complex control system installations. Focus SB’s low-voltage keypads can be specified with square and round push button switches as well as with a contemporary toggle switch style, with the option for bespoke ‘hotel-style’ combination plates and are available with the new Renaissance flat screwless plate in order to evolve a one-stop shop offering for wholesalers and their customers.

We’re seeing continued desire to be able to match faceplate designs and finishes across light switches, dimming and power outlets as well as a growing demand for smart home products with a traditional aesthetic. The ability to match finishes across other specialist products such as keypad switches, Focus SB’s panic alarm button and sounder cover plates is useful for customers looking to order from just one supplier – and the fact Focus SB manufactures and finishes in-house means it’s convenient for wholesalers to source options for their customers.

Modern square corner finish

Designed with sustainability in mind, Focus SB’s innovative design-first Renaissance product offers the ultimate in minimalist style complemented by product and functionality options our customers expect from us. A rebirth of a classic style, Renaissance offers a true flat screwless plate with square corners, rather than a formed, or dished plate, or one that sits inside a frame in two pieces, or sits on a visible plastic frame, like the majority of available products on the market.

Modern ‘minimalist’ style continues to be popular coupled with an ability to create bespoke plate sizes which is a prerequisite for most high end residential or hospitality projects.

Total solution for wholesalers

For wholesalers servicing interior designers or other professionals visiting trade counters or for showrooms that want to match faceplate finishes with either existing installations or specialist products, availability of products with matching finishes is likely to be difficult or time consuming to source. As Focus SB manufactures and finishes all faceplates and components in-house, it is able to offer customers an unrivalled design and finish solution which solves this problem.

Wholesalers know that when they order electrical accessories products from Focus SB, they have a straightforward flexible solution from just one manufacturer. Typical customers are not impulse buyers, so Focus SB collaborates with wholesalers who want to offer a standard collection with the advantage of niche, bespoke ‘non counter’ products.

To view the full range of finishes, click here

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A look at the latest display solutions to help increase your in-store purchases.

Samac Fixings has launched its new point of sale (POS) display for its highly acclaimed Performance Range of screws. The eye-catching POS display is intuitively organised, allowing merchant customers to browse through the Performance Range with ease, encouraging sales.

Screw types and sizes are clearly labelled and categorised for effortless selection and informative graphics and product specifications accompany each screw type, helping professionals understand their benefits and recommended applications.

Exceptional performance

Samac Fixings understands the critical role screws play in construction and renovation projects. With a focus on enhancing performance and durability, the company set out to create a premium line of screws that would cater to the specific needs of professionals in the industry. The result is the Performance Range of screws, a meticulously engineered range that have quickly gained a reputation for their exceptional performance and reliability thanks to its high-grade steel, advanced coatings, and precision-engineered features, ensuring unrivalled strength and longevity in every screw.

The new POS gives customers easy access and encouragement to purchase the Performance Plus wood screws, the Performance Exterior screws, ideal for outdoor ironmongery work, the Performance Decking screws and the Performance Structural screws.

For more details on the Performance Range point of sale click here

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Mike Jackson, Sales Director with Unicrimp, talks to PEW about the growth and development of the company since it was launched by Scolmore Group in 2014. 

Unicrimp was launched by Scolmore Group in 2014, with the aim of bringing to the electrical wholesale industry a comprehensive range of cable accessory products that would complement Scolmore’s successful wiring accessories and lighting portfolios.   

 Since launch almost 10 years ago, the Unicrimp range has been continually developed and expanded, and currently comprises three distinct product categories, with each one marketed under its own sub brand and all available exclusively through the electrical wholesaler channel. These are the Q-Crimp range of cable and wire accessories, Q-Fire fire–rated and 18th Edition compliant cable accessories and the most recent addition to the portfolio, Q-Nect lever connectors and connection boxes, launched at the beginning of this year. Unicrimp is also the exclusive distributor of the original, multi-surface sealant and adhesive brand, OB1, through the UK electrical wholesale channel.  

 Q-Crimp 

 The Q-Crimp range of cable accessory products provides everything required to harness cable between the consumer unit and the end accessory. The product offering comprises an extensive range of cable management consumables, including stainless steel cable ties, nylon cable ties, crimp terminals, PVC tape, copper tube terminals, cable clips, and brass and nylon glands. Most electricians will carry all of these products in their tool bag, so in that sense they are all key products. Cable clips account for the biggest part of the business and customers are constantly telling the company that they are the best performing cable clips on the market – due to their versatility.  The self-grip design aids installation and they have long, thick steel nails for good pull-out value.   

 Q-Fire 

 Q-Fire is an extensive range of fire–rated cable accessories that are 18th Edition compliant.  The range comprises fire-safe twin and earth cable clips, saddle clips and P clips, stainless steel mounts, metal cable cleats, all-round banding, masonry screws and fire-resistant sealants and foam. The comprehensive range provides installers with an expanded choice of fixing solutions, suitable across a range of applications and environments – helping them to satisfy the latest wiring regulations. 

 The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations stipulate that cable support systems must be constructed with materials that will withstand premature collapse caused by direct exposure to heat. There are no applications excluded – trunking, conduit and cabling fixed to surfaces of the building or attached to cable support systems must all have fire-resistant supports in place.   

 Q-Nect 

 The launch of the Q-NECT range of lever connectors and connection boxes brings together a selection of products that work in conjunction with each other to provide installers with strong, quick and reliable solutions that will offer them versatility when carrying out their everyday tasks. A total of 10 products make up the full Q-NECT range, which comprises two, three and five way lever connectors, IP66 weatherproof junction box, two and three way IP connection boxes and five pole, three way IP68 ‘T’ and two way inline connectors.   

 OB1 

 OB1 is a high-spec hybrid construction sealant and adhesive that has a tried and tested formulation which has been used by the trade for over 15 years.  What makes OB1 stand out is its versatility, flexibility and its 24-hour full curing time. It provides an alternative to mastics, wood and PU adhesives, silicones, acrylics and butyl rubber sealants. This one product is capable of bonding and sealing an extensive range of materials including aluminium, wood and MDF, plastic, metal, steel, mirror, lead, concrete, glass, tile, polycarbon, PVC and felt. OB1 also works in damp conditions and even under water. It contains no solvents so it will never crack or shrink, can be applied on wet surfaces, painted or moulded and it has a very high bond strength with resistance to fungal and bacterial growth. 

 Quality assurance  

 Now Sales Director with Unicrimp, Mike Jackson started out as an electrician nearly 30 years ago and says he has seen a lot of changes in the industry in all that time. However, just as important as ever is the need to have confidence in the products you are working with and that means going with a brand of accessories that you can trust. Time spent replacing a faulty or unreliable product is time wasted that could be spent on another job. Installers are increasingly looking for products that offer them flexibility and will help them get a job done quickly and relatively easily, and they will be looking to manufacturers who can offer products that do just that. Quality and reliability and knowing that products have been tested and certified where necessary are all important factors. The reassurance that there is good technical support will also play a part in purchasing decisions.   

 All Unicrimp products are manufactured in accordance with Scolmore Group’s defined set of criteria and meet the requirements for the market for which they are intended. The company achieves this by utilising recognised third party test houses to carry out compliance testing and performing regular routine maintenance/inspection of the products and manufacturing facilities. All products are batch coded for improved traceability and should any issues arise, we have the advantage and reassurance of the back-up of the Scolmore Group technical department. 

 One stop shop supplier 

 By dealing with just one supplier to purchase their electrical accessories, wholesalers and electricians are able to tap into a whole range of other services that come with brand loyalty.   As a group, Scolmore will look, where possible, to reward the customers it has built good relationships with, by adding value where it can. Customers can benefit from the considerable knowledge and expertise that Scolmore has built up over many years of successful trading and collaborative partnerships. They can access a dedicated technical support team and customer service department, trained to provide the right level of support whatever the issue. They can also take advantage of a range of marketing tools via the Marketing Hub on the Unicrimp website, where they can access and download product information, images and video tutorials, as well as access technical information.  

 The future 

 Unicrimp has been very proactive from a marketing point of view since its inception and many electricians and customers follow the company on various social media platforms. Customers can also look out for the company at this year’s ELEX shows which represent a great opportunity for them to see the latest products and developments and to have an informative chat with some of the team members. 

Find out more: unicrimp.com/

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With matt black finishes on electrical accessories becoming increasingly popular in domestic and commercial installations, Knightsbridge is offering designers and contractors a wider range of darker shades with Anthracite and Smoked Bronze.

Anthracite as a finish is increasingly popular generally and is rapidly becoming a renovation icon featuring throughout the home. Its contemporary versatility lends itself to anything from window systems through to radiators and now switches and sockets. A deep, dark grey that brings an industrial, minimalist chic to interior schemes, Knightsbridge’s Anthracite offers an edgy twist to the company’s Matt Black range. With a warm base tone, earthy feel and submetallic lustre, it is a striking finish that can either blend seamlessly with its surroundings or stand out against contrasting interiors.

Smoked Bronze appeals to those seeking classic, subtle dark accessories while adopting a more individual stance. A patinated light grey with a warm bronze undertone, it has a discreet brushed finish that avoids the severity of the darker shades.

All Knightsbridge’s wiring devices and accessories are now available in these aesthetic finishes, from sockets, switches, media and communication outlets, combination and multimedia plates; and modular and gridplates, all including screwless options.

To find out more, click here

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