Wright’s Way Has Been Doing It the Wright Way for Over 65 Years
August 16, 2016
From the moment Cliff Wright traded in his military uniform for an electrician’s tool belt in 1949, Wright’s Electric has been showing customers throughout the Chatham, Ontario area how to wire “the Wright way.”
In those days Wright’s Electric used their specialty in radar systems to provide a wide range of services on televisions, radio, and appliances, to name a few.
“You had to have a broad spectrum in those days to stay alive,” explains Brian Wright, second generation owner of Wright’s Electric (Kent) Limited.
Brian learned the business and the importance of finding your niche and sticking with it while working at his father’s side (shown in photo: Cliff Wright with an early VW van at one of the first ever complete pushbutton farming setups in 1959).
In 1975, Brian Wright took over the business and celebrated 40 years at the helm in 2015. In 1977, Wright incorporated the name Wright’s Electric (Kent) Limited, and under this name the company’s reputation continues to grow.
“It’s worth more to me than money.” Wright added of his reputation. “They want us, not our price. A reputation can’t be purchased but it can be grown.”
Wright’s Electric enjoys a zero-defect ratio in an industry that has seen as high as one defect in every two jobs. They also maintain the highest safety level in ISNetworld compliance. Wright would like to see future education focused on teaching the public about safety around electricity, as it powers the world we live in.
Maintaining a service focus to their business and staying away from bid work has helped the Chatham company differentiate itself from its competitors and maintain a loyal customer base.
“That’s what separates us. To go forward in this business you have to do something no one else can or will do and we have some of each.” Wright said.
Currently, the company does some control work for utilities across Ontario, works with grain mill operations and is the electric company on call for Reliance Home Comfort.
Wright sees a lot of opportunity for young electricians coming into the field, and encourages them to embrace their talents and explore the many areas electricity can take them.
“This is a good career to be in,” Wright added. “The electrical future for people going into the trade is wide open.”
Two of his children, Tom and Michelle Wright, have entered the business in their own way and are the third generation to keep Wright’s Electric moving forward. To support his children and other electricians coming into the system, Wright has been very active in lobbying the province for improvements to his industry.
“It’s only through organizations like the OEL that the real grass roots can be known,” Wright said.
Find out more about Wright’s Electric: 519-352-8795; 650 Grand Ave East, Chatham, ON.
This profile first appeared in Dialogue, published by the Ontario Electrical League; https://oel.memberclicks.net/assets/Publications/dialogue/final-dialogue2015-march-on-the-job-wright.pdf.
