Pacific Automation - Valued by Australia's Industries

Pacific Automation has travelled far and wide, from a local supplier in the red sands of Western Australia into today’s genuine network of nationwide business partnerships.

From the early days as a Kraus & Naimer distributor in WA and throughout the twists and turns of a 50-year history, the business has adapted, developed, and grown to become one of Australia’s leading providers of electrical products and solutions for industry.

Staying one step ahead of Australia’s rapidly growing industrial sectors has required constant evolution to provide the critical products and technical support that operations in Mining, Oil & Gas, Utilities, Manufacturing, and other sectors – depend on.

At the forefront of Pacific Automation’s business in 2021 are the loyal relationships with domestic and international channel partners, who design, manufacture, and supply the most advanced hazardous area and industrial electrical equipment available today.

Under the guidance of CEO Stephen Armstrong, the internal teams at Pacific Automation continue to overcome challenges and work towards new opportunities that lay ahead by building and nurturing a growing customer base with actual value.

Products, Solutions & Support

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Armstrong is a champion of healthy inter-business relationships and enjoys seeing the many flow-on benefits that robust two-way partnerships have achieved with a growing list of manufacturers, wholesalers, and end-users.

He believes one of the keys to Pacific’s success lies in underpinning the broad product range with expert technical knowledge, in-person support and the option to design and deliver complete application solutions.

“We endeavour to empower our wholesalers, and in turn our customers, with the knowledge and support
they need, when they need it,” Armstrong said. “Simply put, we intend never to leave them hanging.”

By bringing to market a wide selection of high-end automation, electrical and hazardous area products, supported by in-depth technical resources, training and in-person support, the Pacific Automation brand is looking to the future and all that it may hold.

“Incredible support drives growth, and we’ve always had the knowledge; now, we provide the training and tools in product selection and application support to ensure things work out well for all involved,” Armstrong added.

“The strength of our technical support team alongside our knowledge of applications, compliance and hazardous area certifications – for both global and domestic brands – mean that we are right there with our partners and their customers when they need us.”

Building Value for Electrical Wholesalers

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With a developing network of electrical wholesale partners across Australia, Pacific Automation provides both off-the-shelf products and parts alongside unique items, which can then become part of the company’s core solutions packages.

In a newly created role, implemented to precisely drive the wholesale arm of the business, Pacific’s high-energy Business Development Manager (BDM) for Electrical Wholesalers, Mike Rumac, is buoyant about the development opportunities.

“The role I’m in is aimed at generating a genuine uplift in the brand’s electrical wholesaler partnerships and ensuring that Pacific Automation’s values are carried through and delivered from coast to coast,” Rumac said.

“We view our wholesale partnerships as force multipliers for our business and a network that’s built – and depends – on trust. We want our electrical wholesaler partners involved, to have a mutually beneficial relationship and to help them grow their business.”

“Our internal methods reflect that by making our processes easy and responsive.”

By establishing value at the branch level, Pacific Automation aims for solid and dependable relationships with the people in electrical wholesaler business units who are face-to-face with customers and who both need and appreciate the depth of support on offer.

Rumac said that Pacific Automation’s efficiency and modern practices were helpful when getting on board, allowing transactions to begin on day-1 of any new electrical wholesaler branch agreement.

“We maintain a quick response time of under an hour for enquiries; It’s a critical KPI in our business,” he added.
“And we’ll also conduct joint site visits as part of our solutions packages, to support both our wholesalers and end-users, whether large or small, with onsite technical help and resources across the country.
 
A Future Focus

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Going above and beyond the traditional role of a product supplier and engaging directly with end-users has opened a raft of fresh and exciting opportunities for Pacific’s business and personnel.

Collaborative new product designs, like Raytec’s Spigot Mount Linear range, are direct outcomes from solid relationships with both manufacturers and customers.

Designed as a pole-mounted solution for the LNG sector and put to the test with a significant operator in WA’s northwest, the fluorescent retrofit unit was developed in unison by both Pacific Automation and Raytec for Australian conditions – and is now commercially available.

Alongside Raytec’s premium line of hazardous area lighting, and in a significant opportunity for the company’s electrical wholesaler partners, Pacific have launched and are developing the Luminetic range of general industrial LED lighting products.

The Luminetic brand offers high-quality yet affordable LED lighting solutions for industrial and general use and has seen an impressive surge in a short amount of time, with wholesaler arrangements set to help achieve growth targets over the next couple of years.

Accompanied by the launch of a new eCommerce site with vastly improved user functionality, the company, overall, is powering ahead.

One of Armstrong’s mantras for the business is that: “if you grow your people, the business will grow,” and it holds for both internal teams and extends to the group’s electrical wholesaler partnerships.

“We want to grow with our wholesalers, and we do that by providing the right support whether it’s a datasheet, help with product selection, hazardous area certifications or a joint on-site visit,” he said. “We are doing our best to bring value branch by branch.”

View the full article on Circuit Magazine - August 2021 - Pages 4-6