Gemcell Australia

The old expression: “…must be something in the water” could well have originated in Wagga Wagga. An unusually high number of elite sports stars come from this regional city in southern New South Wales. But there’s also an independent electrical wholesaler in Wagga Wagga setting new standards for performance levels. Could it be the famous “Wagga Effect” working for them?

The list of past and present high profile sports stars who come from Wagga Wagga reads like an international sporting “Who’s Who.” Let’s start with cricket. There’s ex Australia captain Mark Taylor and Michael Slater, two of Australia’s most successful opening batsmen. How about NRL stars Jamie Soward of the St. George Illawarra Dragons, the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Joe Williams, Clive Churchill medal-winner Peter Sterling, the acclaimed Mortimer brothers Steve, Peter and Chris and ex Wests captain Arthur Summons whose image is immortalised in the NRL Premiership trophy.

In Rugby Wagga Wagga can claim (among others) Nic Henderson of the ACT Brumbies who has also been called into the Wallabies side on occasion. In AFL how about 1995 Brownlow Medallist and former Sydney Swans captain Paul Kelly plus Wayne Carey, ex North Melbourne captain, ex Adelaide Crows and All-Australian captain in 1996. Then there’s Athens 2004 Olympian Patrick Dwyer, Hockeyroo co-captain Melanie Twitt, triathlete Brad Kahlefeldt and golfer Steve Elkington. There are more, but you get the idea. What is it about Wagga Wagga?

Geographically there are no special clues. The capital city of the Riverina region with a population of 60,000 sits at the intersection of the Olympic and Sturt Highways in Southern NSW. Griffith lies to the west and the Snowy Mountains to the east. In the absence of any tangible explanation for the plethora of sporting stars spawned in this otherwise unremarkable place, the theory of the “Wagga Effect” was born, a phrase used by the Australian Institute of Sport to describe the disproportionately high number of elite sports men and women who come from regional cities.

However great its sporting heritage might be, Wagga Wagga has more to offer than the Sporting Hall Of Fame. Wagga Wagga is also home to PowerPlus Lighting & Electrical Suppliers, the only independent locally owned electrical wholesaler in Wagga Wagga. PowerPlus has just moved into its own landmark new building designed to their own specifications, an impressive achievement just six years after the business began.

PowerPlus Wagga Wagga is the brainchild of two entrepreneurial businessmen, Chris Kelly and Chris Ferguson. Between them they spent a combined thirty years plus working for a multinational company before deciding that they had both had enough. Along with the realization that they possessed sufficient knowledge to manage their own business came the conclusion that an opportunity was staring them in the face. So in March 2003, Chris Kelly and Chris Ferguson found themselves owners and managers of their own electrical wholesale and lighting supply business.

The business opened its doors at 36 Edward Street Wagga Wagga, but recently made a move into their own new purpose built warehouse at 9 Nagle Street. In line with the PowerPlus policy of providing high levels of customer service and a friendly business environment, the new building is fully airconditioned and also incorporates a coffee “nook” where customers can take a refreshment break. Happy hour occurs most afternoons.

With eight members of management and staff PowerPlus Wagga Wagga is not a big firm, yet Chris Kelly emphasised how membership of Gemcell assists them to effectively punch above their weight. This enables them to compete with the multinationals and build their business in a competitive commercial world. Chris also added that the networking opportunities with fellow Gemcell members was a big plus for smaller independent businesses like theirs.

In their new premises PowerPlus Wagga Wagga now has the place with the space to build their business and grow. And with Gemcell backing them they look forward with confidence to a secure future. But in case you are wondering how they can be so certain of success, it’s really not hard to figure. They live in Wagga Wagga, and they drink the water.