TEG Opens 10th Branch in Cork

WITH OPERATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IT WAS TIME FOR THE ELECTRICAL AND LIGHTING DISTRIBUTOR TO MAKE ITS MARK IN THE CITY…

Irish-owned electrical and lighting distributor Trade Electric Group (TEG) has recently opened its 10th branch in a carefully chosen location: Cork, the second largest city in Ireland. “We had been looking for the perfect premises for the past two to three years and have found  it at last,” commented Managing Director Fergal Costelloe.

“There is a booming market in Cork to service and our nearest branches are to the West, in Killarney, and to the East, in Waterford,” added Paul Gilligan, Operations Manager at TEG.

Paul was responsible for getting the premises fitted and bringing the stock into the 12,000sqft self-contained unit at the Vantage Trade Centre. The building features a trade counter, modern offices and meeting rooms, a canteen and other facilities for the staff, and a mezzanine deck. There is also space to add a second floor, if necessary.

The Cork branch is also championing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) IT system, as it is the first store in the group to use the new software to manage its stock and consult product availability in other branches.

“It has been a big task to do the physical build, set up the new IT system and train the staff before the soft opening in March, but it is beginning to get busy as we have been very well-received,” Paul commented.

“We are really getting the value of the customers now.

They are doing business with other competitors in Cork, but also opening accounts with us.”

According to Paul, the staff in Cork have been fundamental to the branch’s success at such an early stage. “Bryan O’Brien and Chris Nason have a world of context and knowledge between the two of them, and service is the real philosophy of this company,” he said. “We have a genuine team spirit here and we are nicely structured, so there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to pitch in and grow the business”.

Fergal explained the company wasn’t actually planning on opening the branch right away, but the staff were keen to get started. “We choose to empower our employees to make their own decisions and to support them. At the end of the day, they are the ones who make it happen in TEG and we have confidence in their talent to manage the branch,” he commented. As part of the strategy to establish themselves in the new address, TEG is planning a grand opening for the summer, as well as investment in local advertising.