Behind the scenes of electrical wholesaler Dubbo Powerhouse

Dubbo Powerhouse: a true ‘powerhouse’ supporting contractors in Central West NSW

When you’re running a family business, there’s more at stake. You can’t just walk out the door bang on 5pm and forget all about it till the next morning.

It’s with you, all day, every day.

It’s life, and it matters.

Many electrical contractors know this only too well, as do independent electrical wholesalers like Dubbo Powerhouse. 

For almost 25 years, Dubbo Powerhouse has been a prominent member of life in the NSW city.

Situated almost 400km west of Sydney, the city, with a population of approximately 55,000, has four electrical wholesalers – meaning competition is stiff, and to flourish for more than two decades, you’ve got to be doing things well.

“We always have our contractors at the front of our minds,” says Dayne Gardiner, whose parents, Darren and Sherree, founded the business in 2002. Today, Dayne and brother Jakke lead the business full-time, with Darren still heavily involved, too.

“It’s our job to make sure our contractors are up to speed, make sure our services are up to speed, and work with them to ensure they have whatever they need, when they need it. At the end of the day, it all comes back to customer service.”

Dedication to contractors working in the mines

Today, Dubbo Powerhouse employs 12 people across its two branches – a second branch was opened in Cobar, another 300km west, in 2006, with local employment opportunities just one of the many benefits the business provides to the local community.

Serving a primarily industrial, mining-based customer base, the experience of more than two decades working in mining serves both staff and customers well.

“You’ll get a breakdown at a mine site, and you’ve got to hot shot that item straight out there so they can get on with things the next day,” says Dayne.

“We’ve got to do the legwork to get that item to them. Whatever it takes we’ll do it, because we know what the impact will be if they don’t have that part as soon as possible.”

Being switched on and always attuned to the needs of contractors working in mining is a key differentiator to other wholesalers who may have a wider customer base. Contractors know Dubbo Powerhouse will make things happen – they know they’ve got their back, and they have the runs on the board to prove it.

“Our customers are very loyal and we appreciate the support they have provided us over the best part of 25 years,” says Dayne.

Supporting the Dubbo and Cobar communities

As a community-focused business, there’s a lot that goes on outside the sheds in Dubbo and Cobar, too. Sports teams are sponsored, as are charity sporting events. The ability to give back to the community and support things close to their contractors’ hearts is key.

“Our contractors are the same as us – they’re operating their own, small family businesses, and we need to look after each other. If they help us keep money in the local community, we’ll put it back in there for everyone’s benefit – it’s a win-win,” says Dayne.

Looking ahead, it’s very much a case of business as usual for Dubbo Powerhouse. Last year, the Dubbo store got a new fit-out, and the focus is very much on supporting its electrical contractors as much as possible.

As for Dubbo Powerhouse’s relationship with Gemcell, Dayne believes it’s been instrumental in helping the business grow into the ‘Powerhouse’ it is.

“Without Gemcell, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today,” he says.

“With the pricing and access to suppliers that comes from having more than 360 branches across the country, it really does help independent wholesalers compete against the multinationals. Our relationship with Gemcell is a very, very important part of our business.”