Thorne & Derrick Electrifying Industry With 3M
Published 08 Jul 2024
PR | Chris Dodds (Thorne & Derrick Sales & Marketing Manager) 4.7.2024Â
Thorne & Derrick International have been honoured to welcome Patrick Rogiers (President at 3M Electrical Markets Division) alongside a delegation from 3M Europe and the UK Channel Management Team to their UK office.
The high-profile visit recognised the significant business growth Thorne & Derrick have achieved in recent years with 3M Electrical – a success story rooted deep in a relationship existing since the formation of our company in 1985.
“Without exception today was the most personally satisfying and commercially significant working day in my 30 year career with Thorne & Derrick. I joined Thorne & Derrick in 1994 when we held a supply-contract to the nationalised mining industry with British Coal; we were supplying MV Cable Accessories to electrify and power our economy.”
“Fast forward to 2024 and a strong constant pervades; relationships.”
“As we move towards a digitalised and de-carbonised world Thorne & Derrick’s relationship with 3M and global energy providers continues to electrify industry from trackside to turbine, from Teesside to Taiwan,” comments Chris Dodds.
5 Steps
Thorne & Derrick, identified as a global fast-growth 3M Electrical Distributor, focused during the business review meeting on an even-closer integration of our core business objectives to drive further high sales growth through a “best-in-class” service offer to customers.
We identified and agreed our 5 Steps to further intensify and improve our service provision to back up your business;
1. Kitting – a new Agreement and ability to deliver from stock cable-customised MV HV Joints & Terminations tailored to projects and delivered on the shortest lead-times in the industry – this includes new MV Kit developments to meet evolving cable specifications, UK DNO and Network Rail PADS Approved variants at 11kV, 33kV and 66kV.
2. Stocking – an expansion of existing and the introduction of new product lines into stock across the 3M Electrical Product range from LV to HV. From Scotch Tapes for 600V repair to QTEN for 66kV termination – we hold the deepest and broadest selection of 3M Scotch, Scotchcast and ColdShrink cable accessories in UK stock at Thorne & Derrick.
3. Training – advanced “Train the Trainer” Programme for the Thorne & Derrick team to enable delivery to customers of office and field based Product Installation Training for Cold Shrink Cable Accessories at 11kV, 33kV and 66kV.
4. Relationships – selective expansion of Qualified Electrical Construction Contractor Appointments to provide a 20 Year Warranty for 3M Medium Voltage Cable Accessory installations. QECC is a Partnership between 3M, Thorne & Derrick and the Contractor Partners designed to provide valuable benefits to industry. As part of the QECC Programme, contractors receive in-depth 3M Medium Voltage product and technology training – this includes both practical installation and theoretical training on 11kV, 22kV, 33kV and 66kV Joints, Terminations and Separable Connectors.
5. Strategy – a collaborative sales-marketing strategy to further extend market share-gain with added sales growth underpinned by a world-class customer service experience.
Resilient & Reliable HV Power Systems
Thorne & Derrick’s EPC Framework Agreements and our Approved Vendor Listing with major project delivery contractors has led to outstanding growth in the Renewables, BESS, Rail, Data-Centre and Explosive Atmosphere sectors.
Stakeholder Engagement with 3M | Left to Right: Jonathan Hewitt – Key Accounts Sales Engineer (Wind Energy) at T&D, Kate Palmer-Randle – Channel Manager North Europe at 3M, Lee Burrell – Company Director at Advanced Power Services, Andy Townsend – National Sales Specialist at 3M, Jenny Swindells – Regional Division Leader Northern Europe at 3M, Chris Dodds – Sales & Marketing Manager at T&D, Carl Cox – Sales Engineer (Rail) at T&D, Patrick Rogiers – President at 3M, Heather Andrews – Business Development Manager at Advanced Power Services and Richard Derrick – Managing Director at T&D
Advanced Power Services are 3M QECC Certified installers of 3M Medium Voltage Cable Accessories supported by a 20 Year Warranty, including Network Rail PAD’s variants and industrial Cold Shrink Cable Joints, Terminations and Connectors up to 66kV.
“Thank you Chris for scheduling a great day, I enjoyed it very much and I am looking forward to capitalizing on the joint opportunities that we have ahead of us. Empowering customers to deliver efficient, reliable and sustainable energy is the worldwide strategic intent of 3M Electrical. I was impressed and delighted to see, hear and better understand how Thorne & Derrick are emphatically contributing alongside 3M to this global goal” – Commented Patrick Rogiers President at 3M.Â
“3M’s science appliance to material technology has enabled us to introduce product innovations for cable protection, repair, jointing, testing and termination up to 66kV,” added Chris Dodds – Sales & Marketing Manager at Thorne & Derrick.
The Centre of the Renewable Universe
Our visitor group were hosted in the afternoon by Stephen Thompson (BDM HV Electrical – ORE Catapult) at Blyth in the North East of England, the UK’s leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. This included a tour of their world-class facility for the testing and validation of HV Cable Systems, Terminations and Accessories.
ORE Catapult’s continued investment and capability expansion has accelerated the scale up of cable and accessory voltages from 33kV to 66kV to 132kV – this significant contribution to Net Zero has supercharged the development and growth of UK supply-chain expertise, including Thorne & Derrick.
Testing & De-risking Offshore Renewable Energy Technology
George Rafferty, Director of Communications at NOF, provided an insightful and powerful presentation emphasizing the strategic role of NOF and Energi-Coast in the Energy Transition of our planet. NOF are the UK’s strongest business development organisation helping to make valuable connections between companies in the global energy sector.
NOF have assisted in the fast-tracking of Thorne & Derrick’s revenue and profitability growth by facilitating our supplier status and strengthening our positioning with several of the world’s most high profile wind energy projects from Dogger Bank (Teesside) to Greater Changhua (Taiwan) to Vineyard – the first large-scale operational wind farm in the USA.
Spearheading Success | From small round table meetings to high profile energy sector conferences, NOF organise targeted events that provide access to major energy brands and opportunities to showcase our products and services.
Thorne & Derrick are Specialist Distributors to EPC’s & Contractors working on the design, construction and maintenance of UK, European and international projects supplying an extensive range of LV HV Cables, Accessories Jointing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt – this includes Hazardous Area (ATEX & IECEx Certified) Equipment to provide Power, Heating & Lighting to the Potentially Explosive Atmospheres industries.
Based in the UK, we are highly customer responsive and absolutely committed to providing a world-class service.
Since 1985, we have provided expert technical support and express delivery from extensive UK stocks to world-wide destinations.
