A Message from Our President

Being our customers’ competitive advantage is not a mission; it is not a goal; it is Werner Electric’s promise to you. The mentality “our customers’ competitive advantage” is at the forefront of our employees’ minds with each e-mail sent, call made, or order finalized. To fulfill our promise, WE constantly question ourselves. Ultimately we ask, “Are our efforts as an electrical distributor lean? Are they efficient and effective?”

A competitive advantage exists when our customers can deliver a superior product because of their relationship with Werner Electric. This ability is actualized when Werner’s customers achieve value from our business relationship that others can’t or won’t supply.

The value customers achieve from Werner Electric extends beyond the initial cost of the product. WE seek to maximize cost advantages for our customers that result from the pooled knowledge and advanced technical capabilities of our products and employees. Our resources then streamline the distribution process thereby saving time and increasing the total cost ownership of the process.

As an electrical distributor, WE are charged with potential. Whatever the unique flavor of your business, WE are committed to finding your personal competitive advantage.

Werner's Progressive History

Werner Electric Supply of Minnesota is the result of a joint venture between Werner Electric of Neenah, WI and Van Meter Inc. of Cedar Rapids, IA. This new structure represents the cooperative efforts of three independent Allen-Bradley and Affiliated Distributor members, effectively tripling our resources

Werner Electric Supply of Minnesota’s mission is to be the premier distributor in the Midwest, serving the commercial market, OEM, and the industrial contractor. As a result of the joint venture with Werner Electric of Wisconsin and Van Meter of Iowa, our combined entity is in the Top 5 Allen Bradley Distributors in the world; just one of the many reasons and benefits to our growing business. Together we can be found in approximately 30 tri-state locations and have over 100 degreed engineers.

Our Automation Department takes customer service to the utmost. Providing both over the phone and on-site technical assistance for all the automation products we sell. Our specialists provide informational seminars and hands-on training for these products as well as continuing education classes from our local branches. As an Allen-Bradley authorized distributor, our highly skilled automation group stays up-to-date with this fast-paced industry by participating in regular training, direct from the leader in electrical technology.

With seven branches serving Minnesota and Wisconsin, Werner Electric Supply of Minnesota is poised and ready to tackle even the biggest electrical challenges. We have branches serving you in Cottage Grove, La Crescent, Mankato, Owatonna, Rochester, and St. Cloud, MN and in Eau Claire, WI.

Werner Electric Supply of Minnesota provides a strong mix of personalized customer service, from good old-fashioned face-to-face customer assistance to hi-tech online Web-Order entry that is capable of being customized to each particular customer. We stock thousands of products in our Regional Distribution Center to provide the fastest order fulfillment to our customers, complete with next-day delivery service in most cases.

We at Werner Electric Supply of Minnesota strive every day toward exceptional customer service and to prove ourselves worthy of our customers business by performing above and beyond all expectations. We look forward to tackling future challenges that will allow us to be Your Premier Electrical Distributor.

Our Customer’s Strategic Choice

A chess game begins with eyes glued intently to that stark black and white tiled board. Hands hover poised over rows of painted pieces, the keys to any successful strategy. Minds churn rapidly digesting optimal move combinations in hopes of outwitting the omnipotent opponent.

Customer relations often can feel like a high-powered game of chess. Companies continuously attempt to strategically advance their customers’ benefits with the advent of premier products or value-added services. Werner Electric strives to maintain close partnerships with suppliers and employees that, many “moves” into the consumer relations game, yields high rewards for our customers. The customer benefits of the personal relationships Werner cultivates daily with suppliers and employees are as limitless as the potential piece sequences in the game of chess. Major benefits to our customers can be represented by the pieces utilized in this game of Indian origin: the pawn, the rook, the knight, the castle, and the queen.

In many cases, a chess game begins with a two space advance of the pawn, situated on the frontline of the two line configuration of chess pieces. Just as the pawn is placed on the frontline of the chest board, Werner customers stay on the cusp of available technology as a result of close partnerships with suppliers. “With a strong relationship between a manufacturer and Werner, [it keeps customers] on the forefront of product offerings and a direct line to problem solving,” found Werner supplier Barry Hafermann of AJB. The pawn is many times regarded as an insignificant piece in the game of chess. However, players must not forget, should a pawn advance to the opposing player’s back row, the pawn is promoted to the status of a queen piece. The benefits to our customers being on the forefront of product offering must never be under-estimated.

	They’re always coming up with new ideas, plans, and [help] you to stay motivated. – Gary Spear, Klein Tools

In chess, the bishop is known for its direct pattern of movement. The bishop is able to move without pause forward and backward in a diagonal line. Having strong relationships with our suppliers, serves to provide direct outreach for customers. Gary Spear of the supplier Klein Tools found our promotional procedure of joint sales calls, involving the meeting of a customer with a sales representative and a product specialist who has in depth technical knowledge, connects customers to products with advantages customers may have otherwise overlooked. “The joint sales calls are [valuable] and [lead us to] customers we wouldn’t normally [reach,]” said Spear of Klein Tools.

Besides the benefits of product offerings and customer outreach to the customer, Werner’s approach to close partnerships with suppliers also yields another unique asset: inventive problem solving. In chess, the knight is limited in scope of movement to the shape of an ‘L.’ Unlike the pawn that moves forward unless attacking, the allowable pattern of movement for the knight is comparatively creative. Barry Hafermann of the supplier AJB believes, “When issues come up, it’s extremely important for Werner to have [that] direct relationship with vendors to solve issues effectively and quickly.” Werner Electric prides itself on the progressive mentality its employees bring to each problem-solving opportunity.

Another piece favored by chess players worldwide for its ability to move forward, backward, and sideways is the rook, also known as the castle. Outside of chess, castles were thought of as the hub of activity, entertainment, and culture during the medieval and renaissance eras. Traditionally, castles were bustling with people. Werner Electric brings the man-power and resources of a modern castle to each customer interaction. Wade Stein, Werner Electric Account Manager elaborates, “Instead of me being alone [with] any customer; it is a team that I am bringing.” Each customer served by Werner Electric feels the full effect of the expansive resource pool from which the company draws from product specialists in lighting through automation to product management to quotations specialists.

	I believe we all care about the companies we serve, but more importantly we care about the individuals behind them. – Wade Stein, Werner Electric Account Manager

The queen, arguably the most high-profile piece in the game aside from the king, symbolizes a final major advantage for customers resulting from the partnership between Werner and its suppliers: a high product profile. Terri Cook-Melloy, supplier representative from the company Philips, accredits customer knowledge of their product with its relationship with Werner. “[The partnership] results in more people paying attention to lighting, a higher profile for the products I sell,” said Cook-Melloy.

Werner Electric chooses to employ a strategy whereby, as a distributor, it maintains a close partnership with suppliers. The benefits of this strategy are infinite but can be summarized by five thematic topics: keeping customers on the forefront of product offerings, direct customer outreach, creative problem solving, teamwork, and high product profile for customers. “[Werner Electric] is a distributor who is a partner working toward the success of [customers’] business, a distributor that will continue to evolve and change as [their customers’] market demands,” said Werner Electric Account Manager Wade Stein.

Our suppliers and account managers have found our partnership philosophy, in short, to be motivational, strong, positive, caring, interactive, stable, supportive, fair, and successful. “In terms of marketing products with Werner, our success ratio is significant compared to other distributor relationships,” said Hafermann of AJB. The atmosphere of success imbued in Werner fosters connections.

“I have…witnessed many vendors comment on wanting to do business here versus elsewhere because of how enjoyable Werner is to work with…Obviously, WE are doing something right to get comments consistently from customers & vendors,” Account Manager Troy Newkirk relayed. The partnerships Werner develops between suppliers and customers extends far beyond the interests of Werner. “[We are] truly interested…in our customers’ business…We really try to help each customer become more competitive [and] bring dollars to their bottom line,” said Newkirk. With our partnership strategy, Werner Electric puts the competition in checkmate and helps our customers win.

At a recent company Field Marketing Summit where key suppliers and Werner Salesmen convene to collaborate business strategy, Phil Plowman of Hubbell Wiring celebrated, "It really a joy working with you!” Werner Electric is confident that you, as our customer, will feel the same. Werner’s strives to be “our customers’ competitive advantage” to ensure our customers win every time…Checkmate!

WE Look Forward

Throughout history the act of looking toward the horizon has been associated with innovations in technology. Werner Electric, a company known for moving forward with its strong emphasis on personal growth, continues to strive toward both the literal and economic horizon.

With an advancement-centric business strategy talented individuals with broad skill sets are sought to grow the company for tomorrow. The hiring strategy geared toward ‘the horizon’ ensures a stable, productive employee pool. One of Werner’s strategies to grow for tomorrow focuses on establishing ‘champions’ in the workplace. “WE establish ‘champions’ at every work classification and use those champions to mentor and train all other employees,” Deb Ricci Director of Marketing detailed.

Werner Electric works to continuously expand. “WE continue to invest in the right people to grow our business,” explained Bob Ricci VP of Automation. The business strategy, endorsed by leadership and based on driving a culture of change and growth, separates Werner from the competition. “By continuing to grow business by hiring energetic employees, WE promote the ‘future bench strength’ of the company,” Ricci of Automation explained.

“We have a long term goal with a willingness to invest in taking care of customers. Many of our competitors, when profitability suffers, simply cut people as a cost reduction. We would consider that a competency reduction that is unacceptable to our customers. It takes only days to deplete talent from our employee base. It takes years to build talent,” Powell commented.

With a talent pool of Werner’s caliber, each individual’s skill-set is utilized. “The people here at Werner are the most important resources we bring. We have years of industry knowledge and experience. The depth of our Automation Support Team is second to none,” said Ricci of Automation.

A company with vigor and vision, evident at Werner, continues to be a stable environment for employees. By creating a regional distribution center and hiring 12 employees in 2008 at Cottage Grove alone, WE continue to invest in the profitability of our business. “Werner Electric is generally at or near the upper quartile of performance as it compares NAED Par ratings, an industry affiliation,” Ricci of Automation discloses. Werner Electric seeks to create a culture that is positive and proliferating.

Werner Electric’s immense talent pool has no chance of running dry. “Not a week goes by where, what I would consider to be, the best and the brightest are now seeking our employment. We continually try to understand what is important to the next generation of industry leaders and, create programs, environments, etc. that draw those most engaged individuals to seek a career, at Werner,” Powell elaborated. While driving in a car, the horizon seems elusive, a moving target. The challenge to reach the unreachable motivates Werner Electric daily. As President Kevin Powell expressed, “In a place where innovation and experience co-exist, this is not just a place to work, it is a place to stay and achieve your potential. We rate ourselves on how well we are advancing those around us, not on how well we are advancing ourselves.” WE look to the horizon!