Distributor evolves into value-added reseller for industrial customers

For some 100 years, the name Cebeo has been synonymous with the distribution of electrical equipment, technical services and solutions for the residential, tertiary and industrial sectors. To respond to increasing automation in industry, Cebeo has recently been evolving more and more from distributor to value-added reseller. As a certified Industrial Automation Distributor (IAD) of Schneider Electric, the ‘Cebeo Solutions for Industry’ department is an ideal partner, advising customers and working with them and the manufacturer to find the right solution for each application. 

Automation is very much on the rise today. Themes such as Industry 4.0, the smart factory, big data, remote control, real-time visualisation and analysis of data on servers - local or in the cloud - and cybersecurity have become part and parcel of our industry. “We see it as our task to guide companies, especially industrial SMEs, to take the step towards automation and digitalisation in an efficient and secure way, without expensive investments,” states Peter Beuckels, Engineer Solutions for Industry. “Therefore, we want to build the same competence as our suppliers to be able to support this target group as a value-added reseller to make their machines and processes simpler, smarter and future-proof. After all, due to our excellent geographical spread, we are much closer to the customers than the manufacturers. The Approved Partnership (Value-Added Reseller - VAR) with Siemens fits into that picture, but we also approach the market in a similar way for Schneider Electric.”

Certified partner for automation specialist

As a certified Industrial Automation Distributor (IAD) of Schneider Electric, the ‘Cebeo Solutions for Industry’ division is a selected partner, with which the manufacturer works closely to provide comprehensive service to customers from the industrial segment. A team of Cebeo specialists followed an intensive training programme with Schneider Electric's experts, which in turn allows them to support customers with the same level of knowledge. “We inform customers about the latest trends and products within the Schneider EcoStruxure platform, provide training in class, via webinars or possibly at the customer's premises, and support customers in their projects, for example by designing, engineering and manufacturing their boards,” Beuckels explains. “This way, we can help machine builders, OEMs, integrators and other industrial customers to create smarter, connected, more flexible, more efficient and safer machines, to better analyse and then optimise the production process, to prevent cyber-attacks or give operators remote access to machines ... and these are just a few examples. As a result, we create a payback effect.”

Automation and digitisation need not be expensive

Cebeo thus offers customers added value that cannot be underestimated in areas such as PLCs, drives, HMI, industrial PCs and software that can be present both locally on a server and in the cloud. “Using a demo case from Schneider Electric, we can present our story in a professional manner. This tool includes a PLC controller, which we can connect directly to a router, a control panel, which allows us to log into the machine remotely in a cyber-secure way, and an intelligent motor starter, which allows us to visualise and analyse measured values in real-time, even via software in the cloud,” Beuckels concludes. “This allows us to demonstrate that the move to automation does not necessarily require an expensive investment. Thanks to an industrial PC, you can also read data from an old machine and transmit it to a software tool in the cloud. Every project is unique and our specialists always work with the customer and manufacturer to find the most suitable tailor-made solution.”