FOCUS ON ALIGNMENT: Dodge warehouses to stock Reliance brand in Canada

Rockwell Automation Power Systems’ Canadian operations in Toronto, headed by Maurice Blair, regional manager for Canada, recently realigned the Reliance Electric brand name under the Power Systems Group, which currently distributes the Dodge brand in Canada. It follows a move made by Rockwell Automation in the United States 18 months ago. The Power Systems group, a division of Rockwell Automation, now offers Dodge mechanical power transmission products and Reliance Electric motors.

According to Blair, “We wanted to wait until the change had been implemented successfully in the U.S. before we emulated it in Canada.” The realignment was effective April 2, 2001, in Canada. Currently, the company has Dodge warehouse locations in Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton to which the Reliance products will be added.

The Reliance Electric brand was launched as a full-line motor supplier in the Canadian market in 1996 by Rockwell Automation Canada, and since then its motor business here has grown by over 500 per cent, says Blair. Previously, Reliance products were handled through Rockwell’s Allen Bradley sales staff. In the past five years, he says, “the division was able to leverage Rockwell Automation Canada’s logistics infrastructure and Dodge Canada’s facilities to focus on market penetration.

“Our goal is to build on the successes achieved since 1996. We want to service the Reliance brand with the same level of industry-leading service we have for our Dodge products.” To that end, the company is adding 14 new staff. As well, new distributors are being sought for the Reliance Electric line in Canada.

Reliance products also will be included in the Power Systems Order Management System. Other support resources will be increased as well, Blair says. All the developments are to be completed by the end of September.