Analyzing Anixter: Execs Talk Rebranding, Being a Complete Security Solution Provider
Anixter has spent the past decade strengthening its security products distribution position, first by acquiring CLARK Security Products and more recently Tri-Ed. Freshly unified under the Anixter name, company execs tell how greater reach, resources and expertise work to their customers’ advantage.
Anixter's corporate headquarters in Glenview, Ill.
All Aboard the Training Train
As technologies become ever more sophisticated, the role of distribution becomes more crucial in providing education and technical expertise to the security dealer. Anixter was recently honored by SSI’s sister publication, CE Pro, with its Quest for Quality Platinum Award for Best Training Programs.
“Anixter continues to deliver best-in-class trainings to its broad base of dealer and integrator customers,” says Geary. “We were very honored to receive CE Pro’s 2018 Best Training Programs Platinum Award. Our ongoing technical trainings are offered in our 80+ North American branch locations, as well as through our Anixter University Program, which offers an array of technical and standards-based education for contractors, integrators, end users and consultants.”
Anixter University’s colleges span the Data Center College, Physical Security College, Building Technologies College and the Industrial Infrastructure College.
Dealers and integrators can also leverage the technical expertise offered at Anixter’s Infrastructure Solutions Lab, where products are researched, tested and evaluated to help customers meet application challenges.
“The key is to help customers do business the way they want to.”— Bill Geary, Exec. VP of Network & Security Solutions, Anixter
The company’s 4,000-square-foot research and educational center tests to all current standards, including ANSI/TIA-568, ISO 11801 and IEEE 802.3, and evaluates industrial communications, enterprise networks and wireless solutions.
“The use of our Infrastructure Solutions Lab allows our customers to provide proven solutions to their end users,” adds Geary. “In addition, Anixter, through the many security events, conferences and trade shows we host and attend, also delivers even more cutting-edge trainings to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.”
Anixter’s SOLUTIONS Briefing Centers extend demonstration and education capabilities globally to many local markets. Equipped with the latest technologies, they allow customers to experience products and end-to-end solutions in a real-world setting to help them solve application-specific challenges.
By seeing the whole system and not just independent parts, integrators can make better purchasing decisions centered on interoperability, total cost of ownership, and their own corporate and IT strategies.
These centers are located in Atlanta, Indianapolis and Boston; plus Sao Paulo, Brazil; Bracknell, U.K.; and Mexico City.Internally, Anixter’s Masters Program is in place to ensure that sales and technical staff have a deep knowledge of their vendor partners’ products and solutions.
“We’re continually making sure our people stay current and knowledgeable on the latest technologies,” Rothstein says. “In any of our facilities on any given night, there are training seminars going on with our key partners both for our people and our customers.”
A look at Anixter’s Infrastructure Solutions Lab at its Glenview, Ill., headquarters.
Growing So You Can Too
Looking ahead, Anixter continues to pursue ways to deepen and broaden the value proposition it brings to the growing global products distribution marketplace. The firm recently announced it was purchasing three security businesses: Central Security Distribution, Atlas Gentech and Inner Range, all of which are in the APAC region.
“The acquisition of these companies will extend our leadership position in the security market globally and add multiple locations in Australia and New Zealand to better serve the needs of our security customers as well as broaden our customer reach,” says Geary. “These acquisitions also strengthen Anixter’s global offering, especially across access control and intrusion detection solutions.”
Regardless of geography, selecting the right technologies, addressing system vulnerabilities, migrating to interoperability, leveraging IoT, and utilizing intelligence rank among some of the most pressing challenges dealers and integrators face today.
Aligning with a trusted distribution partner to meet these challenges and access the products, services and solutions they need has proven a formidable formula to do that. Anixter is proof positive of how the role of today’s wholesale security distributor has indeed been elevated from the standard definition of “a person or company that supplies stores or businesses with goods.”
Erin Harrington has 20+ years of editorial, marketing and PR experience within the security industry. Contact her at [email protected].
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