Fromm launches a new services division

READING — Fromm, a Berks County-based distributor of electrical supplies and automation products has launched a new division. FrommConnect, is a services division of the 100-year-old company that offers engineering, fabrication and labor-saving services to manufacturers and electrical contractors.

FrommConnect was born partly out of a need to help fill the void left by retiring employees whose skills and knowledge are difficult to replace, the company said in a press release.

The expansion also represents a departure for Fromm from its traditional distribution business, according to CEO Michael Fromm.

“For years, our customers have asked us to provide services that were typically sourced from third parties, and we would politely decline because we felt the need to stay in our lane,” Fromm said in a statement. “Ultimately, we decided this strategy was short-sighted and that the risk of being complacent was greater than the risk of rocking the boat.”

Fromm currently supplies electrical materials and equipment to customers in the industrial and construction markets. FrommConnect will expand the offerings through a menu of services that includes control panel fabrication and assembly, fixture pre-wiring, training, software programming, automation system design and technical troubleshooting, according to the release.

According to Fromm, if the company’s longevity as a distributor has been built on trust, reliability and responsiveness, those same qualities are likely to drive success in the new services division.

“Our top priority is helping our customers achieve their own business objectives,” he added. “If FrommConnect enhances that ability, the decision to disrupt our own business model will have been a pivotal move in the long term.”

Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Reading, Fromm serves customers in the construction, manufacturing, property management, defense, and utility industries in the Mid-Atlantic region. In addition to Reading, Fromm has locations in Pottstown, Souderton, Pottsville, Allentown, Bloomsburg, Honesdale, and Lebanon — including eight supply locations, two design centers and a main warehouse.