35 Years of Gemcell: Celebrate the Journey with Our Special Anniversary Issue
August 3, 2026
What were you doing back in 1991? Maybe you weren’t on the planet yet. Maybe you were at school, or maybe you were in the earlier stages of your career, dreaming big dreams and making big plans.
Here at Gemcell, an idea was forming – an idea to bring the very best Australian independent electrical wholesalers together to go toe-to-toe with the international conglomerates that were an increasing presence in the market, enabling collaboration, and better deals from suppliers, and ultimately stronger local businesses, and stronger local communities.
What started out as a small NSW based group grew and grew, and today Gemcell is the organisation you know well.
It’s been 35 years of growth. It’s been 35 years of stories, of people and events.
So, to celebrate, we’ve put together a very special edition of our popular magazine, Electrical Gems.
We journey back to the early 90s, take a look at how Gemcell came into being, and chart the progress over the decades that followed – while at the same time highlighting key national and international events that took place, too.
We’ve dug through the archives to find stories that are worth retelling, pictures that really capture a moment in time, and hear from some of the people involved in Gemcell today about what makes the organisation so valuable to them.
Of course, we also dig out some of our favourite jokes that have been told too – well, those we can still publish!
We hope you enjoy the issue as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together, and we look forward to whatever the next few decades hold.
Gemcell is a community as much as it is a buying group. We want to support our wholesale members, our suppliers and of course our contractors to be as successful as they possibly can be, because together we are stronger.
Anyway, you better get reading. That coffee’s getting cold.
Sovereign DC fan combines cutting-edge performance with enduringstyle.Engineered with a high efficiency DC motor, delivering large scale airflow thatkeeps your environment effortlessly comfortable.Built tough with weather-resistant epoxy coated components, the Sovereign DCis made to last, wherever you live.Power. Presence. Perfection.Available in White or Black finish with 1500mm & 1800mm sweep. KEY FEATURES: https://ventair.com.au/product/sov1506wh [...]<p><a class="btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link" href="https://gemcell.com.au/new-products/ventair-sovereign-dc/">Read More...<span class="screen-reader-text"> from Ventair – SOVEREIGN DC</span></a></p>
IP44 360 Degrees 8 Metre DetectionMounting Recessed or Surface Black Our popular Owl 360 degree outdoor motion sensor is now available in black.Designed to match dark coloured ceilings, the surface mounting kit makes it ideal for concrete or suspended ceiling installs. For recessed, simply insert the springed clips into a 85mm cut-out. This Owl gives [...]<p><a class="btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link" href="https://gemcell.com.au/new-products/trader-arctic-owl-motion-sensor-passive-infrared-outdoor/">Read More...<span class="screen-reader-text"> from Trader – Arctic Owl Motion Sensor Passive Infrared Outdoor</span></a></p>
Standalone Heat Alarm Device Compatible to the already existing installation base of the Smoke Alarms Wireless connection to the existing Smoke Alarm portfolio in Pacific 230V powered 10 Years lifetime battery as back up Conforms to AS1603.3:2018 [...]<p><a class="btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link" href="https://gemcell.com.au/new-products/clipsal-by-schneider-electric-755ha5l-heat-alarm-surface-230v-lithium-battery-backup/">Read More...<span class="screen-reader-text"> from Clipsal by Schneider Electric – 755HA5L Heat Alarm, Surface, 230V, Lithium Battery Backup</span></a></p>