INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
Through the development of smart hand held devices , consumers are already aware of the potential technology can bring .
COUNTERING THE COUNTERFEITERS
In the second part of our exclusive interview , Tony Greig , CEO of Legrand UK & Ireland , discusses the issue of counterfeit products and some of his company ’ s plans for the future .
How do you counter the problem of counterfeit products ? Any successful product launch will likely garner a following of low cost imitations which will operate under the guise of offering similar levels of capacity as the original , but at a fraction of the cost .
Fortunately , a number of standards and legislation – from British and European manufacturing standards to CE marks – exist to provide a framework which is intended to protect end users from the dangers of counterfeit products . Given we all work in the electrical industry , we ’ re well aware of the very real dangers that stem from not respecting a very powerful form of energy . The health and safety elements which form a crucial foundation for much of the legislation are there to ensure that products can be used without risk or fear . However , cheap imitations more often than not fail to meet these standards .
I ’ d therefore argue that the most effective way to combat the problem of counterfeit products is to cut out the demand for them .
If you specify products in line with the proper standards , then the health and safety risks that stem from non-compliant products will be taken out of the equation . We are all very conscious of the pressures to valueengineer cost out of projects , however the potential costs associated with significant harm from a non-compliant or counterfeit product will far outweigh that of using compliant products , which may come in at a slightly higher price point .
What can manufacturers like Legrand do to help address such threats as skills shortages in the industry ? Given the increasingly digital direction the industry is heading in , with the likes of BIM , the Internet of Things and smart cities either already in existence or very much on the horizon , we need to ensure momentum is not lost through a lack of available resource . It ’ s no secret that much of the workforce in our industry is of a different generation , and I do feel that the dropoff in apprenticeships over the years has hampered the supply of fresh talent coming into the industry . However , it is pleasing to see the resurgence of apprenticeships and I hope they will rise to become as prominent as they once were .
Another very real threat to the electrical industry , and wider construction sector as a whole , is the lure of the City and careers in professional services . Financial services
32 | July 2017