Lakes Electrical Distributors
By Richard Mead.
This article appeared in Electrical Gems Issue 82, December—January 2008
Fifteen years of dedication and hard work yields rewards and awards for Lakes Electrical Distributors.
When LED won their category in the 2000 Kalgoorlie Boulder CCI Goldfields Business Awards from over 23 nominations, it was a wake-up call for opposition companies who said LED would never last. More recently, having won a much bigger award, a three year supply contract with Goldfields St Ives, LED has proven beyond doubt that their success was no "flash in the pan".
Jim and Clare Fleming accepting their award in the 2000 Kalgoorlie Boulder CGI Goldfields Business Awards
Lakes Electrical Distributors opened its doors for business back on the first of February 1992. At the time, founders Jim Fleming and his wife Clare felt like two small fish in a very large pond. But they had a big vision for the company. Originally located in Dwyer Street, Boulder, with a staff of three and a very modest sales budget, they believed in their ability to grow the business by offering better service to local mining and industrial clients than their opposition.
Looking back, Jim and Clare are amazed at the growth of LED and the success the group has achieved. But Jim is quick to point out that success has not come easily. "When we started," said Jim, "our main rivals predicted we would only last three months. It's amazing how determined that makes you to succeed in business!"
LED has now been in business fifteen years, and Jim and his partners have worked extremely long and hard, yet they credit much of the growth and success of the company to the loyalty of LED's customers. "We have established a great many mutually rewarding partnerships with our customers and suppliers over the years, and we are proud to still have many of our original customers today as clients," said Jim.
"LED recently won a three year supply contract with Goldfields St Ives, one of the biggest mining companies in the region, to supply electrical requirements to Kambalda and Agnew, which meant beating off five of Australia's biggest electrical supply groups," said Jim. "In addition to servicing The Goldfields, Perth and many parts of Australia, we have been exporting equipment to Africa for many years, and in the past few months, won contracts to supply materials for a brand new gold mine and village in Mali, West Africa, through a customer who has been with us for the entire 15 years we have been in business as LED Goldfields."
"When we started, our main rivals predicted we would only last three months. It's amazing how determined to succeed that can make you!"
Jim Fleming Owner, Lakes Electrical Distributors
The Goldfields area of Western Australia has a rich and textured history, beginning with the gold rush of the 1890s. In the decades that followed, the Western Australian goldfields played a dynamic role in shaping the history and economy of Australia, and many large-scale mines still operate there today. The city of Kalgoorlie- Boulder is Australia's largest outback city with a population of over 30,000. Jim and Clare Fleming have lived in Kalgoorlie- Boulder for 23 years, eight years longer than LED has been in business. "We now consider ourselves to be locals," quipped Jim. In addition to LED Goldfields in Kalgoorlie, there are three other LED branches, two around 600 kilometres to the west in Perth, the other branch in Esperance was runner-up in the 2006 Local Chamber Business Awards. The four branches now employ a total of 23 staff between them.
Expansion for the company has been steadily implemented in response to market needs and opportunities. Jim and partner Joe Settineri opened the company's first branch - LED Perth, now managed by Jim's son Stuart, back in 2000. The Esperance branch,managed by Peter Walker, was then opened the following year. Then, two years ago, Jim and Joe Settineri opened the group's fourth outlet at Canning Vale, along with partner Peter Eiffe. LED Goldfields now operates from larger premises in Federal Road, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and employs a staff of nine.
"Service second to none" was Jim Fleming's business plan from day one. Today, the culture is stronger than ever within the company and "Service Second To None" remains the company's slogan and operating manifesto. As the only locally owned and operated independent electrical wholesalers on the Goldfields, LED Goldfields offers a dedicated 24 hour a day, seven days a week service to electrical contractors and mining companies throughout the region.
"This is one of the reasons we are so successful," explained Jim. "LED now deals with clients all over WA, in other states and even overseas. In 1998, Lakes Electrical Distributors achieved another long-term objective when LED joined Gemcell. "Gemcell gave us better buying power with major suppliers throughout the world, access to over 200 outlets throughout Australia, but allowed us to maintain our independence," explained Jim.
In the future, Jim and his partners see little need to change the formula that has proven so successful in the past, except that LED will introduce new technology to keep abreast of industry demands, make jobs easier and enhance existing services. "We know we offer an excellent service," added Jim, "our pricing is competitive, we keep extensive stocks, we have a good computer system to control the day to day business and we have a good name as a reliable supplier." No idle words! The LED group has the points on the board to prove it.