Redpaths
Redpaths is a New Zealand family-owned electrical wholesale distributor founded in 1945, operating 19 branches across the South Island to supply electricians and tradespeople with electrical products, solar solutions and trade software.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1945
- HeadquartersChristchurch, New Zealand
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Redpaths does
Redpaths (legally R.Redpath Limited) is a New Zealand-based, family-owned electrical wholesale distributor founded in 1945 and headquartered in Christchurch. The company operates 19 branch locations across the South Island — from Nelson in the north to Invercargill and Gore in the south — serving electricians, electrical contractors and tradespeople with a comprehensive range of electrical products, components and supplies. It employs over 100 staff members and generates revenue primarily through wholesale product margins on B2B trade accounts, with quote-based pricing and pay-as-you-go billing.
The company's product portfolio spans core electrical wholesale (cable, circuit breakers, lighting, accessories distributed under partnerships with Schneider Electric, Legrand, Signify/Philips, Haier, Clevertronics, Atkore/Unistrut and others) and a growing solar and renewable energy vertical that includes Sigenstor solar products and the Basis Smart Panel, which Redpaths positions as the world's first fully digitised electrical panel integrating solar, battery and EV control. Distribution is augmented by a digital ecosystem: the free Workmate trade workflow software (rebranded from TradieTech), integrations with Fergus and simPRO job management, Groundplan takeoff/estimation, the Schneider Product Selector, and the RewardMeNow POWERPOINTS loyalty program. The Circuit Breaker magazine, published bi-monthly since 2016, supports customer engagement and promotional cadence.
Redpaths runs an enterprise field sales / B2B wholesale go-to-market motion targeting SMB electricians across the South Island, with the branch network functioning as the primary sales channel. Leadership transitioned in 2022, with Brent Cameron appointed CEO after nearly 40 years at the company and Tony Saunders moving to Chairman of Directors. The business is privately held, with no institutional investors, parent company or public listing disclosed, and operates exclusively in New Zealand with no global footprint claim.
Redpaths firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Redpaths
- Legal name
- R.Redpath Limited
- Website
- https://redpaths.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1945
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Redpaths is a New Zealand family-owned electrical wholesale distributor founded in 1945, operating 19 branches across the South Island to supply electricians and tradespeople with electrical products, solar solutions and trade software.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Redpaths industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electrical Wholesale Distribution
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit) (CRAIADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Switchgear & Switchboards (HV/MV/LV, GIS/AIS) (IMAGAAAB)
Keywords
Where Redpaths is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Christchurch
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices20 records
Markets served
Redpaths business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Electrical Wholesale Distribution: Sale of electrical products, components, and supplies to electricians and tradespeople through branch network. Revenue generated through product margins on wholesale pricing.
- Solar & Renewable Solutions: Sale and installation support for solar panels, battery systems, and renewable energy products. Includes Basis Smart Panel and Sigenstor products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Trade/Commercial Accounts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Redpaths product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Redpaths is an electrical wholesale distributor that supplies cable, circuit breakers, lighting, accessories, and related electrical products to electricians and tradespeople through 19 branches across New Zealand's South Island. Its offering extends into solar and renewable energy hardware (including the Basis Smart Panel and Sigenstor products) and free access to Workmate trade workflow software, with dedicated teams supporting residential and commercial energy solutions.
Product overview
Redpaths is an electrical wholesale supplier operating as a platform-plus-services model, offering physical electrical products and supplies alongside digital trade software tools. The core portfolio includes electrical supplies distributed through 19 South Island branches, solar products (including Sigenstor panels and Basis Smart Panel as the world's first fully digitised electrical panel), and a suite of trade software tools (Workmate for workflow management, Groundplan for takeoffs/estimation, Fergus and simPRO for job management). Supporting offerings include the RewardMeNow loyalty program and The Circuit Breaker magazine publication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Electrical Products & Supplies Comprehensive range of electrical products and supplies (cables, circuit breakers, lighting, wiring accessories, and related components) supplied wholesale to electricians, tradespeople, and contractors across the South Island of New Zealand via 19 branch locations.
- Basis Smart Panel The world's first fully digitised electrical panel offering complete energy control with tips, remote control, real-time insights, advanced digital safety, and seamless integration for solar, battery, and electric vehicles, with claimed up to 20% electric bill reduction. Targeted at residential and small commercial energy customers.
- Solar Products & Solutions Solar panels and renewable energy solutions including the Sigenstor product line, supported by a dedicated Redpaths solar team to assist trade and direct customers with selecting the right solution.
- Workmate Trade Software Free online workflow management software for tradespeople, covering pricing, quoting, invoicing, and job management, compatible across all devices. Offered free to Redpaths clients as a value-add to the wholesale electrical relationship.
- RewardMeNow Loyalty Programme (POWERPOINTS) Loyalty programme for Redpaths clients that issues POWERPOINTS tied to trade purchases, redeemable for rewards. Drives repeat purchasing and customer retention across the South Island branch network.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 20% reduction in electric bill with Basis Smart Panel
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Redpaths
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Redpaths technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature2 records
Redpaths partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Workmate (TradieTech)coreWorkmate is online trade workflow management software rebranded FREE to all Redpaths clients for pricing, quoting, invoicing, and job management. Designed by tradesmen for tradesmen, compatible across all devices.
- Atkore (Unistrut)minorSupplier of cable management and support systems. Redpaths distributes Atkore/Unistrut products through branch network.
- ClevertronicsminorEmergency lighting and lighting control systems supplier. Redpaths provides access to SDoc technical documentation for compliance.
- HaierminorConsumer and commercial appliances including heat pumps. Redpaths distributes Haier products through branch network.
- Schneider ElectricminorElectrical distribution, automation, and energy management products. Deep partnership for product distribution and technical support.
- SignifyminorLED lighting and connected lighting systems (Philips). Redpaths distributes Signify products through South Island branches.
- LegrandminorElectrical and digital building infrastructure products. Redpaths distributes Legrand solutions through branch network.
- FirstflexminorWorkwear and safety apparel supplier. Promotional partnership with winter Stoney Creek clothing promotions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Redpaths competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ideal Electrical Suppliers: NZ-focused electrical wholesaler serving trade customers. Similar product range and channel model, making it a direct competitive peer in regional NZ markets.
- GB Electrical: NZ electrical wholesaler with a comparable trade-counter business serving electricians and contractors, including solar and renewables lines. Directly comparable on customer base and product mix.
- Corys Electrical: New Zealand's largest electrical wholesaler with national branch coverage and a broadly overlapping product range (cables, switchgear, lighting, solar). Directly comparable on B2B trade-counter model, target customer (electricians), and product mix.
- Powerbase: NZ electrical wholesaler with a trade-counter model and trade-customer focus. Directly comparable on channel and product offering; Redpaths' own website co-brands Powerbase, evidencing ecosystem overlap.
- J.A. Russell Ltd: NZ-listed electrical and plumbing wholesaler operating a multi-branch network across both islands. Closely comparable B2B trade-counter model, product mix, and customer base to Redpaths.
Broad incumbents
- Bunnings Trade: NZ trade-focused arm of Bunnings Warehouse, selling electrical, lighting, and related supplies to tradespeople. Competes for share of electrician spend via convenience and pricing, though with a less specialized electrical range than Redpaths.
- Sonepar: World's largest B2B electrical distributor with operations across Australasia. Competes with Redpaths in overlapping product categories but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- Rexel: Global electrical distribution leader with a substantial New Zealand presence (formerly Hagemeyer). Comparable product breadth and B2B trade focus, but operates at vastly greater scale and across multiple verticals.
Others
- Schneider Electric: Global electrical equipment manufacturer and Redpaths' key supplier partner (with integrated product selector on Redpaths' site). Not a direct competitor, but an ecosystem participant that anchors Redpaths' product offering and partner economics.
Regional players
- Trident Electrical: Australian electrical wholesaler with a comparable trade-counter model serving electricians and contractors. Functionally similar in business model but primarily serves the Australian market rather than competing head-to-head in NZ.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Redpaths social profiles
Digital presenceRedpaths financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Redpaths leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Redpaths funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Redpaths M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Redpaths
What does Redpaths do?
Redpaths is an electrical wholesale distributor that supplies cable, circuit breakers, lighting, accessories, and related electrical products to electricians and tradespeople through 19 branches across New Zealand's South Island. Its offering extends into solar and renewable energy hardware (including the Basis Smart Panel and Sigenstor products) and free access to Workmate trade workflow software, with dedicated teams supporting residential and commercial energy solutions.
Is Redpaths a public or private company?
Redpaths is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Redpaths founded?
Redpaths was founded in 1945. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Redpaths based?
Redpaths is headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Redpaths make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Electrical Wholesale Distribution is the primary driver. The others are solar & Renewable Solutions.
Who are Redpaths's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ideal Electrical Suppliers, GB Electrical, Corys Electrical, Powerbase and J.A. Russell Ltd. Broad incumbents are Bunnings Trade, Sonepar and Rexel. Schneider Electric is listed as an others. Trident Electrical is listed as a regional player.
Does Redpaths have an API?
No public API is recorded for Redpaths.
What industry is Redpaths in?
Redpaths's product category is Electrical Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIADAE, Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit), with a secondary code of IMAGAAAB, Switchgear & Switchboards (HV/MV/LV, GIS/AIS). Its SIC code is 5070.