Électrimat is a wholesaler and retailer specializing in electrical equipment, heating and lighting fixtures. Founded in 1980, the company was bought in 2011 by Christian Grenier and Mathieu Legris, who wanted to breathe new life into the Quebec SME and develop it further.
The SME needed to modernize to meet its goals for growth
In 2011, Christian Grenier and Mathieu Legris purchased Électrimat, a company specializing in the sale of electrical equipment, heating systems, and lighting. The two entrepreneurs sensed a significant potential for growth.
It’s a risky bet: the market is very competitive, and the company is lagging behind technologically. Employees are working with obsolete computers and management software that would be unable to handle the company’s growth goals.
For Christian Grenier, Électrimat’s development strategy needs to include the acquisition of a robust management system: “If we want to grow, we need a suitable management tool.”
The Solution: ERP software tailored to the needs of Canadian distributors
In 2015, Christian Grenier and Mathieu Legris decided to acquire a distribution ERP system. After comparing several solutions, they choose Fidelio. This ERP system is the most adapted to their management needs and provides the competitive edge they are looking for. The two leaders were
attracted by the three main advantages of the system:
1. A Local Software Developer
It was important for Électrimat to work with a partner in Québec: «Other vendors did not have a local presence, so we would have had to get people to come in from the United States,» says Christian Grenier, President.
Working with a Québec developer had two main advantages:
• The team was easy to reach, which made communicating easier.
• The software was in French, which facilitated user ado
“Since we acquired Fidelio, we tripled our revenue and opened two new branches.”
Christian Grenier, President, Électrimat Ltée
2. Intuitive
To better support its growth, they also needed to choose an intuitive solution that would be easy for employees to pick up. Done and done. Fidelio ERP uses a Windows interface that is familiar to most people.
3. Specialized for the distribution sector
In addition, Fidelio ERP met all of the specific needs of the di stributor such as inventory and sales price management. “Fidelio has all the features an electrical supply distributor like us needs” says
Christian Grenier.Électrimat: A Resounding Success
As a result of the two entrepreneurs’ investment in Fidelio and their modernization efforts, success came quickly, and today, the company continues to grow.
In only a few years, Électrimat tripled its revenue, opened two new branches and developed several new product ranges. Though Fidelio users have doubled in number, the system continues to perform.
Rewards abound: in 2017, the company was awarded the member prize for the strongest growth in Canada and the PWC Affiliated Distri butors Business Transfer Award.
Fidelio was a powerful ally that helped them effectively manage and track their inventory in real time while keeping costs down. Fidelio also helped them analyze their profit margins with accuracy and gave the two entrepreneurs a clear picture of their numbers which is crucial to their decision making.
What about the Future?
To sustain their growth in favourable conditions, the team wants to take full advantage of the flexibility and scope provided them by the features of the Fidelio system. “When we implemented Fidelio, we had a long way to go in terms of systems ,” says Christian Grenier. “We started with core modules, and now we’re in the second implementation phase. We want to add value to the system, use it to its fullest and get better data.”
The next implementation phases will focus on the Customer Relationship Management (CRM ), WMS (Warehouse Management System) and Electronic Commerce modules as well as dashboards and KPIs (key performance indicators): a perfectly adapted set of features for the distribution sector.