Reading, PA-based electrical and automation product distributor Fromm launched an engineering and fabrication division to serve manufacturers and electrical contractors.

Fromm, a 100-year-old distributor, supplies electrical materials and equipment to customers in the industrial and construction markets. The creation of the new division, dubbed FrommConnect, will expand this offering through a menu of services that includes control panel fabrication and assembly, fixture pre-wiring, training, software programming, automation system design and technical troubleshooting.

FrommConnect was born out of the need to help fill the void left by retiring employees, whose skills and knowledge are difficult to replace, while companies strive to meet the demands of today’s competitive business environment, company officials said in a news release.

Company CEO Michael Fromm told business news outlet Lehigh Valley Business that the division represents a significant departure from Fromm’s traditional distribution business.

“For years, our customers have asked us to provide services that were typically sourced from third parties, and we would politely decline because we felt the need to stay in our lane,” Fromm told Lehigh Valley Business. “Ultimately, we decided this strategy was short-sighted and that the risk of being complacent was greater than the risk of rocking the boat.”