Radcliffe Electrical Ltd
J. A. Russell Ltd (trading as Radcliffe Electrical) is a New Zealand electrical wholesaler founded in 1951, operating 80+ branches nationwide and distributing electrical, lighting, data, technology, and industrial supplies to trade customers via its On2Site portal and physical network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Radcliffe Electrical Ltd does
J. A. Russell Ltd, trading as Radcliffe Electrical, is a privately held New Zealand electrical wholesaler founded in 1951 in Auckland and headquartered in the same city. The company operates a national network of more than 80 physical branches across New Zealand, distributing electrical, lighting, data, technology, and industrial supplies to a customer base spanning one-man domestic electricians, large industrial and commercial trade contractors, national organisations, and active construction projects.
The company's core digital infrastructure is the On2Site trade portal, an account-holder platform that enables online purchasing, real-time stock checking, catalogue and price-file downloads, file-transfer setup, invoice and statement access, and quote generation. The platform is integrated with third-party contractor job-management tools including simPRO, Fergus, FirstCalc, EasyCalc, and iCert. Radcliffe also operates a trade loyalty programme (RSR Loyalty Rewards), an adjacent solar distribution microsite, and product partnerships with Fortus Safety NZ and NuGreen for safety and sustainable product lines. Compliance services — Supplier Declaration of Conformity (Sdoc) and Certificate of Compliance (CoC) — are offered alongside the core catalogue.
Commercially, Radcliffe runs a wholesale distribution model generating revenue through transaction-based product sales to trade accounts, with quote-based and account-specific pricing rather than publicly disclosed rates. The go-to-market combines the physical branch network, the On2Site digital channel, promotional catalogues, social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and participation in industry events such as the Conztruct trade show. The company is privately held, NZ-domiciled, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds in the source material.
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Radcliffe Electrical Ltd
- Legal name
- J. A. Russell Ltd
- Website
- https://radcliffe.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- J. A. Russell Ltd (trading as Radcliffe Electrical) is a New Zealand electrical wholesaler founded in 1951, operating 80+ branches nationwide and distributing electrical, lighting, data, technology, and industrial supplies to trade customers via its On2Site portal and physical network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electrical Wholesale Distribution
- NAICS
- Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42361)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Transmission & Distribution Line Equipment (Bushings, Insulators, Arresters, Conductors, Hardware) (IMAGAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Transformers (Power, Distribution, Instrument, Specialty) (IMAGAAAA)
Keywords
Where Radcliffe Electrical Ltd is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Electrical Product Distribution: Wholesale distribution of electrical supplies, lighting, data, technology, and industrial products through a branch network to trade customers including electricians, contractors, and organisations
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd (legally J. A. Russell Ltd) is an electrical wholesaler that distributes a wide range of electrical, lighting, data, technology, and industrial supplies through a network of 80+ branches across New Zealand. The company serves trade customers ranging from individual domestic electricians to large industrial and commercial contractors and national organisations, supported by the On2Site online trade portal for account-based purchasing, stock checking, and account management.
Product overview
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd (trading as J. A. Russell Ltd and Radcliffe Electrical) is an electrical wholesaler offering a wide range of electrical supplies and services. The company operates primarily through its On2Site trade portal, which provides online purchasing, product search, inventory checking, pricing files, and quote management capabilities. The product portfolio spans multiple categories including Electrical, Lighting, Data, Technology, and Industrial supplies, serving customers from one-man domestic electricians to large industrial and commercial trade contractors and national organizations. The company also provides business resource tools including FirstCalc, simPRO, Fergus, EasyCalc, and iCert, along with a loyalty rewards program (RSR Loyalty Rewards).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- On2Site Trade Portal
Companies that use Radcliffe Electrical Ltd
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Fortus Safety NZminorFeatured safety product partner on website. Fortus Safety products available through J. A. Russell / Radcliffe Electrical branches.
- NuGreenminorGreen/environmental product range partner. NuGreen sustainable products featured and available through the distribution network.
- ConztructminorIndustry event partner for trade shows. Conztruct is an industry platform connecting trade professionals and suppliers through events and exhibitions.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sonepar: World's largest independent electrical distributor; competes broadly in the same product categories and represents a structural threat or potential strategic acquirer for any sizeable NZ electrical wholesaler.
- Rexel: Global electrical distribution leader with presence across multiple geographies; a broad incumbent whose scale advantages in procurement and private-label products set the competitive ceiling for mid-sized wholesalers like Radcliffe.
- Graybar: Large North American electrical, communications, and data networking distributor; a broad incumbent comparable in scale and product breadth that benchmarks branch-economics and digital trade-portal strategy for an established wholesaler.
Emerging players
- Sparky Direct: Australian online-first electrical wholesaler targeting trade customers; an emerging digital-native competitor that signals the e-commerce disruption risk facing traditional branch-based distributors like Radcliffe.
Direct peers
- Ideal Electrical Suppliers: NZ-based electrical wholesaler serving trade customers with similar product categories (electrical, lighting, data), competing head-to-head with Radcliffe on branch density and stock depth.
- Corys Electrical: One of the largest electrical wholesalers in New Zealand, directly competing with J. A. Russell / Radcliffe Electrical across branches, trade accounts, and product breadth in the same end markets.
Regional players
- Haymans Electrical & Data Supplies: Australian electrical and data wholesaler serving trade customers across multiple branches; a trans-Tasman regional peer that competes in similar categories (electrical, lighting, data) and shares a comparable customer profile.
- Middy's: Largest Australian electrical wholesaler with an extensive branch network serving trade customers; a closely analogous regional peer offering a comparable blueprint for branch economics and digital trade-portal models in a neighbouring market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd social profiles
Digital presenceRadcliffe Electrical Ltd compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd 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 Radcliffe Electrical Ltd
What does Radcliffe Electrical Ltd do?
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd (legally J. A. Russell Ltd) is an electrical wholesaler that distributes a wide range of electrical, lighting, data, technology, and industrial supplies through a network of 80+ branches across New Zealand. The company serves trade customers ranging from individual domestic electricians to large industrial and commercial contractors and national organisations, supported by the On2Site online trade portal for account-based purchasing, stock checking, and account management.
Is Radcliffe Electrical Ltd a public or private company?
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Radcliffe Electrical Ltd founded?
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd was founded in 1951. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Radcliffe Electrical Ltd based?
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Radcliffe Electrical Ltd make money?
One revenue line is on record: electrical Product Distribution.
Who are Radcliffe Electrical Ltd's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sonepar, Rexel and Graybar. Sparky Direct is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Ideal Electrical Suppliers and Corys Electrical. Regional players are Haymans Electrical & Data Supplies and Middy's.
Does Radcliffe Electrical Ltd have an API?
No public API is recorded for Radcliffe Electrical Ltd.
What industry is Radcliffe Electrical Ltd in?
Radcliffe Electrical Ltd's product category is Electrical Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAAAF, Transmission & Distribution Line Equipment (Bushings, Insulators, Arresters, Conductors, Hardware), with a secondary code of IMAGAAAA, Transformers (Power, Distribution, Instrument, Specialty). Its NAICS code is 42361 and its SIC code is 5084.