The future looks bright for prefabrication
More and more installers are working with prefabricated electrical products. Up until now, electrical installers have not been impacted too much by the rise of prefab (the share of installers arguing that this segment is growing range between 5% and 30% per country). However, when asked about the near future, prefab’s impact is undoubtedly going to take off; 68% of electrical installers in the Netherlands expect a future rise, while France (33%), Poland (39%) and Germany (39%) are still slightly more modest about the future expectations.
A lot of prefab is bought directly from manufacturers
The supply of prefab is currently going through various channels. Wholesalers, being the traditional go-to for installers, are also a logical place to buy prefab products. However, a substantial share of installers buys prefab directly from manufacturers. This is especially the case in Poland (34% bought from manufacturers), France (30%), and Germany (29%). Also, dedicated prefab suppliers are emerging, most notably in Poland (23%) and Spain (28%). There is potential for manufacturers to partly bypass the wholesaler and to push their prefabricated products directly towards the installers.
Some installers are already involved in their own production of prefab products
When asked where prefab is currently purchased, some electrical installers indicate that they do not purchase any, as they are themselves producing this. This is especially the case in Poland (64%) and the Netherlands (41%). At the same time, the United Kingdom generally seems to be lagging behind, as 59% of the installers do not use prefab products at all.
For more detailed information, we refer you to the European Electrical Installation Monitor Q2 2020.
