Switched On | Demesne Electrical

Conor Kearney says he wasn’t even a ‘man with a van’ when he started out in the electrical industy. He was one rung below that! Today he’s the owner of CJK Engineering, a firm that turned over 40 million euro last year. Not bad for a man without a plan!

This episode has a big emphasis on how important it is to invest in the people around you as well as:

• Why the snobbery around apprenticeships is thankfully changing 
• The importance of company culture and ethos
• How to compete with better-known, big-name contractors
• How a creative use of Linkedin can get you noticed

Conor Kearney left school after his intercert and went for an apprenticeship - ending up working in Moscow in the late 80s. He admits to starting his own engineering company ‘on a whim’ a decade later, but today it’s turning over tens of millions of euro a year. 

CJK Engineering delivers projects for the big foreign direct investment companies in the commercial, pharma, industrial and data centre sectors. Despite this, he’s still very tied to the community on the northside, helping to give people a chance in the industry no matter what their age or background.

CJK on Linkedin

Paul Morrow works for Klauke – a company renowned for its high-quality electrical connection technology and tools for crimping, cutting and punching. Paul has been in the cable accessories market for 26 years. He shares some of the exciting innovations in his field of expertise, particularly in the area of safety.

Paul on Linkedin

How do you grow a business when the global economy is tanking all around you and you have a young family to feed? 

Director of Kane Engineering, Damien Kane, took a risk and it paid off. The company has grown 300% in ten years to become one of the best-known names in Northern Ireland’s electrical industry. 

We also hear from Patrick Driessen from Conta-Clip Germany about the nifty new products that will make jobs in the industry easier in 2021. This episode features loads of insights into brand building as well as:

• The challenges and opportunities of a family-owned business
• How important it is for family firms to invest in people
• Developments in the switchgear industry 
• How the Internet of Things will be a major part of the business in future

About Our Guests

Damien Kane took over the family engineering business despite not being an engineer. Kane Engineering is the leading supplier of Low Voltage switchboards,motor control centres and control and automation products in the north. The company’s switchboards can be found in developments like Titanic Belfast, The ICC (which was formerly known as the Waterfront Conference Centre) and The Grand Opera. 

Damien on Linkedin

Patrick Driessen is International Product Manager for Conta-Clip Germany. It supplies more than 17-thousand articles across  four main product groups; terminal blocks, PCB terminals, electronic interfaces and cable-management systems. The company creates specific solutions for widely varying branches of the industry; from marine engineering to building automation to environmental technology. 

Patrick on Linkedin

When you’ve risen to the top of your game in the energy industry – where do you go next?

If you’re the former CEO of Bord Gais, John Mullins, it’s all about solar power. He’s forecasting it will be the number 1 new source of electricity worldwide for generations to come.

We also hear from Brady Corporation, which provides wire ID solutions to companies like SpaceX, about the hot product for 2021. 

In this episode we learn how imporant solar power generation is going to be in Ireland as well as:

• Key insights into the energy industry and where the money will be
• Trailblazers in the renewables sector
• Going from the head of Bord Gais to cold-calling investment funds 
• Future forecasting and predictions for the industry

About Our Guests 

John Mullins became the head of Bord Gais at the age of 39. The Big Switch to being a dual fuel supplier was under his watch. At 44 when his contract was coming to and end, he had the choice to either look for another job or start a brand new business. He chose the latter option. His business Amarenco is now a leading independent solar-power producer and builder of some of the biggest Photo Voltaic farms in Ireland this year.

John on Linkedin

Tom Cullinane is Territory Sales Manager for Brady Corporation – The American manufacturer supplies cable and wire identification solutions in 33 countries –serving everyone from panel builders to Aerospace companies like SpaceX. He shares the products he’s most excited about coming to the market this year.

Tom on Linkedin

What do you do when a massive contract is within your reach but you’re not currently big enough to take it on?

Tommy Hynes tells us how his small procurement business, EES, scaled up to take on a major project and hit the big time. Don’t be afraid to fail? Tommy reckons it’s more imprtant to make sure you’re not afraid to succeed.

We’ll also hear from Procell, a Duracell company, about the latest innovations in the professional battery market.

From technical advancements in the electrical industry to learning how to create a global business, this episode will tell you:

• How to build your reputation
• How to expand into other territories
• What it takes to win contracts with American multinationals
• Advice on seeking investment

About Our Guests

Tommy Hynes didn’t pick a good time in his life to leave a good job and start a business. With a young baby at home, he and his wife founded EES and operated from a shed in their back garden. 30 years later and the global sourcing firm is worth 50 million euro. They’ve flown PPE to America and China when nobody else could get it, managed to get an essential part to Puerto Rico when the island was ravaged by hurricanes and taken to the road in the middle of the night to get a job over the line.
eesireland.com

Christian Oshodin works for Procell as their key UK and Ireland Key Account Manager. Procell is a professional battery brand from Duracell, which is exclusively focused on the professional battery market. They regularly test professional devices in settings like hospitals, and analyse what’s needed to power them.
Christian on Linkedin

How do you go from engineer to globe-trotting electrical genius? Eryl Owen shares his story. We also hear the measure some companies will take to solve an electrical problem. 

In this episode we learn tons about networking your way around the world and how far you should go to help people including

• The importance of the company car
• Different electrical work standards worldwide
• How to travel and speak the local language without Google Translate 
• Email v Phone Calls
• The most important business relationship you can have

Eryl Owen has been described to me as an ‘International Man of Mystery’. The 71 year-old Electrical Industry Agent has taken over 3,700 flights in his storied career. He speaks fluent Spanish and Italian and has customers in every country in the world. Now that the pandemic has grounded him back home in Wales, it’s the perfect time to catch up with him and chat about his illustrious career.

Dimitri Gardikiotis is an application engineer with ILME UK a designer and manufacturer of industrial multipole connectors for power, signal and data. Dimitri works with industrial companies to develop connectivity solutions, identify and resolve any technical issues and assure product approval and complete customer satisfaction.
Dimitri on Linkedin

The Switched On podcast is produced by dustpod.ie for Demesne Electrical

Niall Curran worked at Wesco as a teenage summer job. After a world of experience with global leaders including Intel, he came back to Wesco as GM, bringing with him a wealth of experience to guide one of the North-Easts largest retailers through its next fifty years. The journey has not without its challenges.

We also chat with Robin Earl from Dehn UK, another person with a long line of electrical engineers in the family. Robin started out as an apprentice in his father and grandfather’s electrical engineering business in East Sussex. 

In this episode we hear

• Lessons from Intel about Quality Assurance
• How Ireland is different to the UK market
• Challenges of being related to the boss
• The Importance of Opportunity
• How Covid has changed the industry

Niall Curran is GM of Wesco Electrical, aka The Light House. They are the leading electrical wholesaler in the North East with locations in Drogheda, Navan, Newbridge & Naas. Their success has been built on outstanding service to the electrical business in Ireland and next year they will celebrate an incredible, 50 years in the business.
Niall on Linked In
Wesco Website
 

Robin Earl is Market Development Manager for Dehn UK – the lightning and surge protection specialists. Robin has over twenty years’ experience in the field and serves on a number of committees for British wiring regulations.
Robin on Linkedin
Dehn UK

The Switched On podcast is produced by dustpod.ie for Demesne Electrical

John Corcoran from Davenham Switchgear has seen his share of financial highs and lows. He shares some brutal truths. Sami Kokkomäki from switch manufacturer Katko talks about why you would need to shut the power off and fast.

In our second episode we hear the gritty truth about running a business during boom and bust

• Jumping from a safe job to your own business
• How to clear an overdraft fast
• One thing to consider before borrowing five million
• Getting paid on time
• When expansion is good and when it is not

John Corcoran is MD of Davenham Switchgear, the largest panel builder in the Republic of Ireland. It’s providing power solutions for all those data centres you see sprouting up across the country. The wholly-owned Irish company is based in Clondalkin and celebrates its 40th birthday next year. 50% of its output is now exported to destinations like the Middle East and Tokyo. John’s led the troops through some extremely tough times having initially founded the company from the ashes of a previous firm, to raising the phoenix from the flames of the recession.
Davenham Switchgear

Sami Kokkomäki is sales director for Katko’s European and American division. The Finnish company is an isolator and switches manufacturer and what Sami doesn’t know about switches isn’t worth knowing. All that and he speaks four languages.
Sami on Linkedin

The Switched On podcast is produced by dustpod.ie for Demesne Electrical

How to you go from sweeping the floors to buying the company? Paul Fitzsimons tells us the Demesne Electrical story.  We also hear what’s ahead for the electrical sector with Mark Keogh from Schneider Electric.

These two industry leaders share a ton of great things with us including 

• The early days at Demesne Electrical
• What it takes to move up the ranks
• Three tips for ambitious people
• What is the fourth industrial revolution
• How upskilling can help your career
• Women and the marketplace

Paul Fitzsimons started out sweeping the floors of Demesne Electrical’s warehouse in the 1980s. Today he is one of the co-owners of the company, having grown the business to become the leading independent Irish-owned supplier, importer and distributor of industrial and electrical components in the country.
Demesne Website

Mark Keogh is Vice President for Buildings & Industry Business at Schneider Electric Ireland – one of the most well-known names in the manufacturing industry. Last year he celebrated 30 years with the company. He’s giving us his view on future key trends and requirements in the electrical industry – and when someone of his calibre shares this information, we sit up and take notice!
Mark on Linkedin

The Switched On podcast is produced by dustpod.ie for Demesne Electrical