A recent news release, “Schneider Electric Partners with Kele to Increase Capabilities,” might have set off some alarms in the electrical distribution business since the subheading read, “Kele and Schneider Electric partner to offer stronger distribution options for customers.”
In the news release, Kele says it is “the leading supplier of building automation products, services, and solutions in the Building Automation Industry.”
Is this about a new “master distributor” for electrical distribution? Has Schneider Electric changed the way it goes to the broad market? The answer is no.
Bill Snyder, vice president of channel development for Schneider’s electrical distribution operation told tedmag.com that the news release from Kele, perhaps, could have been worded better.
According to Snyder, Kele handles distribution to building technology integrators, of products most electrical distributors do not handle, for example, Schneider’s Barber Colman line.
Snyder said Kele’s relationship is with Schneider’s Building Management operation, the former TAC, acquired by Schneider in 2003.
Schneider’s Building Management unit competes with Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Siemens Building Technologies and other companies selling campus-wide and/or other large-scale building automation services and solutions.
Snyder also said that there is possibly one electrical distributor in the entire country that carries Schneider’s valves, actuators, and such, as Kele does.
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