The Associated National Electrical Wholesalers (ANEW) buying group has announced its sponsorship of EDATA, the electrotechnical sector’s award-wining data pool, which is managed by the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA). ANEW is the latest of 27 top supply chain sponsors – a mix of leading wholesalers, manufacturers, and buying groups – to give their backing to the data pool. Free to every EDA wholesaler and branch, EDATA puts the power of high-quality manufacturer product information at the heart of every wholesaler business decision.

Samantha McFall, CEO at ANEW, said, “On behalf of our wholesaler members, it is important for ANEW to endorse the data pool. EDATA is a powerful data engine, not only as a stand-alone resource, but also its seamless integration with the software wholesalers rely on – from ERP and inventory management systems to e-commerce platforms – ensures accurate, high-quality product information is at the heart of every wholesaler business.

“The market is tough and we need to make the most of the resources available to us. With EDATA manufacturers know their product data is represented correctly, and it gives wholesalers an edge over slower, less-informed competitors as their contractor customers receive accurate product info, improving trust and satisfaction.

“As wholesaler businesses become more digitised, trusted product data drives performance, scalability, and profitability. We strongly advise all our approved suppliers to get involved with EDATA.”

Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA, added “Having a leading wholesaler organisation like ANEW as an EDATA sponsors is more than a vote of confidence – it brings vision, experience, and a commitment to innovation that helps us ensure the data pool meets the evolving needs of wholesalers and manufacturers alike. Very importantly, it brings EDATA even closer to the ANEW members, who can benefit most from what EDATA has to offer and gives them a voice in the future development of the data pool. We look forward to working ever more closely with ANEW members in future.”

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The Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) and EDA Affiliate Solution Provider Sharp-aX Computer Systems have announced the successful integration of the EDATA data pool with Sharp-aX’s software.

Richard Appleton, Head of Digitalisation at the EDA, explained: “With over 312,000 products and images in the data pool from over 100 leading brands, and growing daily, it makes sense to link all that valuable information from manufacturers directly into the systems that wholesaler teams use every day.

“EDATA continues to work as a standalone cloud based portal but creating systems that talk to each other means wholesalers benefit from smoother, quicker and more efficient working processes and manufacturers benefit because it gives them extra brand visibility. This technical collaboration between Sharp-aX and the EDA saves wholesalers time and effort, and arms staff with the highest quality product information and downloadable PDF data sheets to provide to customers in quotations and for O&M manuals.”

Jean Freeman, MD at Sharp-aX said: “We are delighted to be working with the EDA and their EDATA team. There has been a very positive response from our wholesaler customers to the integration between the Sharp-aX systems and the rich product information and images from the EDATA data pool.

“At Sharp-aX we recognise that EDA wholesaler teams need improved efficiency and automation to reduce manual work arounds and to streamline workflows and processes. Systems that talk to one another in real time – as EDATA and Sharp-aX do – deliver better data accuracy and visibility so that EDA wholesaler teams, and their contractor customers, can make faster, more informed decisions.”

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Scolmore Group has been awarded the prestigious AIEW Supplier of the Year Award 2025, recognising the company’s outstanding commitment to product quality, customer support, and consistent service excellence across the electrical wholesale sector.

Presented by the Association of Independent Electrical Wholesalers (AIEW) at its annual conference, the award celebrates suppliers who demonstrate exceptional performance, innovation, and dedication to supporting independent wholesalers.

“We are honoured to receive the AIEW Supplier of the Year Award for 2025,” said Kevin Beech, Managing Director, Scolmore Group. “This award reflects the hard work and commitment of our entire team, and we are grateful to the AIEW members for their ongoing support. We remain dedicated to delivering reliable, innovative solutions and strengthening our relationships across the wholesale network.”

AIEW commended Scolmore Group for its robust product offering, strong communication, and consistently high service levels which were key factors in securing the top accolade.

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Three Wiltshire-based entrepreneurs – Rob Appleby, Cameron Carash and Andy Young have each taken a third share of Swindon electrical wholesale store, New Edition Electrical Supplies.

The company was previously called A&E Electrical Wholesalers and had been operating for over ten years. Now under new management, it has undergone a complete rebrand to bring a fresh approach to electrical wholesale in West Swindon.

Cameron – whose other business, Hus & Home made the news last year for supplying Netflix with furniture for its production sets – joins co-directors Rob and Andy in running the business. Andy was previously the sole owner of the firm.

Each of the partners has different experience across the electrical industry – from domestic work to large-scale commercial projects. Together, the trio has taken what was a long-standing setup and given it a new direction, with a real focus on customer service, smart stock choices, and flexibility.

New Edition Electrical Supplies will be completely independent, which means it is not tied to any national suppliers – allowing the partners to focus on what’s best for local electricians, contractors, and even members of the public tackling their own home projects.

The shop is stocked with some of the best-known brands in the industry – including Fusebox, Wago, CK Tools, Knightsbridge, CTC, and more.

Additionally, a new online store will be launching soon to make ordering even easier and allow both collection and delivery of thousands of products which the firm has in stock.

Cameron said, “We’re looking forward to what this is going to be. We aim to compete with the big chains and other regional firms around the area. Strategically, we’re located to hopefully attract a lot of West Swindon business and are the only electrical wholesaler this side of town. Whether it’s a few essentials or a full project’s worth of equipment, we’re ready to help.”

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The Electrical Distributors’ Association has again been recognised by The Princess Royal Training Awards for its 12 Product Knowledge Training Modules. The EDA first held the Award in 2022 and following a rigorous assessment process has retained the Award in 2025 for another three years.

HRH The Princess Royal, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, awards employers for outstanding training and skills development programmes which have positively impacted organisations, people and wider society. Now celebrating a decade of training excellence, The Princess Royal Training Awards honour organisations that demonstrate outstanding commitment to learning and development, and highlight the tangible impact of exceptional training on both businesses and individuals.

Launched in 2016 in response to demand from employers for recognition of excellence in workplace training, more than 1,000 training programmes have been put forward for evaluation. Since then, 415 Awards have been presented to 274 organisations, who have collectively trained almost 1 million people, demonstrating the Awards’ far-reaching place in skills development across the UK and Ireland.

Coinciding with HRH The Princess Royal’s 75th birthday, the 10th year of the Awards saw 143 applications, with 57 achieving the prestigious award. This year’s recipients represent a wide range of sectors including construction, hospitality, education and training, the public sector, not-for-profit, and heritage crafts.

“The EDA is deeply honoured to be awarded once again The Princess Royal Training Award,” said Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO of the EDA. “The product knowledge programme is an initiative of which our members can be really proud. Wholesalers and manufacturers worked long and hard together to define and create the content and the visionary EDA board allocated the appropriate resources to enable their work to be published to the highest standard in book format then later digitally on the EDA Learning Platform, The EDA Academy.”

Since their launch in 2018, demand for the training modules continues to grow: to date over 11,000 modules have been ordered by 2,633 individuals working for 210 businesses in the UK’s electrotechnical sector, and across 860 wholesaler branches. Every module studied is rigorously assessed and 79 per cent of those who successfully complete their module assessments receive the top distinction grade.

The presentation of the award will take place at a ceremony in December 2025.

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FireAngel has reinforced its commitment to wholesaler partners by introducing a dedicated Wholesaler Support Team.

Focused on building strong relationships and delivering tailored, trade customer-first support, the team works closely with branches across the UK to identify opportunities, share expertise, and drive sustainable growth together.

The team has been thoughtfully developed as part of FireAngel’s continued investment in providing dedicated, on-the-ground support to its valued wholesaler partners. Regional Account Managers, Beth Christmas, Lewy Fardon and Dan Grimsdell, bring extensive industry knowledge and a hands-on approach, working closely with customers to navigate evolving legislation, optimise stock availability and strengthen their fire safety offering in line with market demand.

FireAngel’s Regional Account Managers provide nationwide support to trade wholesale partners across the UK. The team has been appointed to provide proactive, on-the-ground support, whether wholesalers are looking to expand their product range, improve stock turnover or offer more informed advice to their own customers.

This initiative forms a key part of FireAngel’s wider customer support strategy, focused on delivering proactive, personalised support at every level. The launch also marks a significant step in FireAngel’s continued investment in its field-based sales operations and aligns with the company’s long-term strategy to simplify compliance and make fire safety more accessible across the supply chain.

Johan Keen, National Trade Sales Manager at FireAngel, said: “The formation of our dedicated Wholesaler Support Team reflects our focus on delivering a more hands-on, consultative approach for our valued wholesale partners. We want to ensure all our partners are not only stocking best-selling, regulation-compliant products, but also fully supported in driving growth and profitability to end users.

“Our team is equipped with specialist knowledge of fire and CO safety technologies, including the latest in connected smoke, heat and CO alarms, and will be instrumental in helping trade customers stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.”

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Rexel UK is now using Podfather fleet planning, route optimisation and electronic proof of delivery software to strengthen its supply chain.

Operating a mixed fleet of nearly 400 vehicles, ranging from 3.5 tonne vans to 18 tonne trucks, Rexel makes around 5,000 deliveries a day. Rexel uses Podfather to manage overnight deliveries from its hubs, including a newly opened multi-million-pound distribution centre in Aylesbury, to branches across the UK. The logistics solution is also used at a regional level for ‘last mile’ deliveries from branches to customer sites or home locations.

At the start of each shift, all Rexel drivers are guided through a series of customised vehicle checks to ensure both driver and vehicle are roadworthy and ready for the day, or night, ahead. These checks include welfare questions in accordance with Rexel’s FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) accreditation, as well as routine safety checks, and all responses are recorded, using the Podfather app, making them easy to access for fleet management and compliance reporting.

For ‘last mile’ deliveries, Podfather is used to plan routes and optimise vehicle journeys ensuring customer time windows are met, unnecessary mileage is reduced and vehicle capacities are maximised. Details of the route are sent directly to the driver’s mobile device, removing the need for paper tickets and delivery manifests, and ETA notifications are sent by email and text. This has transformed Rexel’s customer facing interactions and removed the disconnect between sales and warehouse operations.

Chris Davey, Supply Chain Director at Rexel, commented: “Using Podfather we have professionalised our delivery service from the start of each driver’s shift right through to the point of delivery. We know that our drivers and vehicles are fit for purpose; we know our operation is as efficient as possible, and we have real-time visibility of schedules as they unfold. This information is easy to access and easy to share, meaning that our warehouse and branch operations are better connected and that our customers are well informed.”

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CEF has teamed up with waste management and recycling company Waste Experts and ROSI – a French innovator in solar panel recycling – to offer UK wide collection capabilities for end-of-life solar panels.

The partnership aims to directly address a critical issue in the renewable energy sector – the responsible recycling and treatment of end-of-life solar panels.

As the UK makes efforts to shift to clean energy, sustainable solar panel recycling and material recovery has never been more critical. Despite this, the UK currently lacks the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the transition. Currently, many end-of-life solar panels risk being sent to landfills, stock pilled or illegally exported – leading to increased environmental harm.

To tackle this challenge, CEF in partnership with Waste Experts and ROSI, is offering a UK wide collection for end-of-life solar panels via a combination of in house and subcontracted fleets, ensuring fully compliant handling and transportation in line with environmental and regulatory standards.

The end-of-life solar panels will then be processed at ROSI’s facility using advanced recycling technologies to recover up to 95% of the value of photovoltaic (PV) modules, including high-purity silicon, silver, copper, aluminium, and high-transparency glass.

The approach aims to significantly reduce the reliance on virgin materials and ensures valuable resources remain in circulation. Producing less than 1% of disposable waste, it also helps cut carbon emissions, as each tonne of recycled solar modules saves one tonne of CO2, greatly reducing the environmental footprint of solar energy.

Mike Gadd, Director of Renewables at City Electrical Factors (CEF), said: “Waste Experts provide CEF customers with a nationwide solution to manage their carbon footprint by considering a product’s full lifecycle and ensuring responsible end-of-life treatment. By recovering valuable materials and minimising landfill waste, we are driving long-term sustainability in clean energy and beyond.”

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Now in its 11th year, the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) held its annual Learning Achievement Awards recently at London’s Shard. The ceremony, where more trophies were presented than ever before, celebrates those working in the UK’s electrotechnical sector who have delivered excellence in their Apprenticeship or their EDA Product Knowledge studies.

The trophies were presented by EDA President, David Moore of Medlock Electrical Distributors (part of the ANEW buying group), and John Henry, Managing Director at EDA Apprenticeships Plus, the organisation which operates the Association’s Apprenticeship Service for Wholesalers and sponsors the Awards.

The Association’s CEO, Margaret Fitzsimons, said, “This is the largest trophy presentation in the history of our Learning Achievement Awards, celebrating 22 deserving winners. Representing both Wholesaler and Manufacturer businesses the length and breadth of the UK, these winners are selected based on their exemplary results. It was a pleasure to meet and chat with them and an honour to celebrate them as shining examples of success in the UK’s electrotechnical sector. Congratulations to all the winners and, of course, their managers and mentors, who play such an important role in their careers.”

The 2025 Learning Achievement Award winners are:

• Bradley Howard, Medlock Electrical Distributors (part of the ANEW buying group)
• Jacques Eyre, Eyre & Elliston Holdings Ltd (part of the ANEW buying group)
• Joshua Hobbs, LH Electrical Ltd (part of the AWEBB buying group)
• Devon Greening, Devondale Electrical Distributors Ltd (part of Grant & Stone) – (part of the AWEBB buying group) –Award collected on Devon’s behalf by Darren House, Managing Director, Grant & Stone
• Callum Ford, CEF Ltd
• Taylor Rees, CEF Ltd
• Charlie Cooper, AIB Electrical Wholesale (Glasgow) Ltd (part of the Fegime UK buying group)
• Savana Benecke, AT&T (GB) Ltd (part of the Fegime UK buying group)
• Leila Gab, Rexel UK Ltd
• Joshua Smith, Western Automation (part of Stearn Electric Co Ltd)
• Cameron Moss, Stearn Electric Co Ltd
• Luke Miller, 7 Core Electrical Wholesale Ltd (part of The IBA Buying Group)
• Paul Wogden, Olympic Fixings (EDA Affiliate Manufacturer) – Award collected on Paul’s behalf by the EDA’s Diana Gaina
• Emma McCorkindale, Deta Electrical Company Ltd (EDA Affiliate Manufacturer)

A further set of Awards were presented to these eight individuals who have studied all 12 EDA Product Knowledge Modules and achieved the top Distinction grade across the board:

• Dusan Balog, Edmundson Electrical Ltd
• Steven Bridges, Edmundson Electrical Ltd
• James Bonser, Electric Center
• Jack Butler, Lockwell Electrical Industrial
• Abbie Bayley, Edmundson Electrical Ltd
• Max Jones, Edmundson Electrical Ltd
• Rodney Richardson, Rexel UK Ltd
• Andrew Campion, Kingfisher Lighting Ltd (Luceco Group) (EDA Affiliate Manufacturer)

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Luceco PLC (BG Electrical) is the 18th manufacturer to announce their sponsorship of EDATA, the electrotechnical sector’s data pool which is managed by the Electrical Distributors’ Association.

The 28 sponsors, a mix of manufacturers and wholesalers of various sizes, have each pledged their support to the data pool which offers EDA wholesalers and branches free access to information and images on 280,000+ products sold through the supply chain.

Ian Hunter, Trade Sales Director at Luceco PLC said of their sponsorship: “I am a very strong advocate for EDATA. It is through the EDATA data pool that Luceco gives EDA wholesalers easy access to rich accurate product data that helps them deliver exemplary customer service and increased sales whether that’s across the trade counter, through tenders and submittals or e-commerce.

“Luceco has been part of EDATA since 2020. Becoming an EDATA sponsor is an important strategic decision for us, demonstrating our commitment to the data pool, and playing our part in its development.”

Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA, said “Luceco’s sponsorship means they gain a place on the EDATA Steering Group, giving them a voice in how the data pool evolves. Ian has been a strong supporter of EDATA since its inception and it is thanks to the generosity of all the sponsors that we can make access to EDATA free to every EDA wholesaler and branch.”

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