Join the Effort – Mitigate the Risk
We spoke with Nicholas Mair, Managing Partner of the Ex Industries team about the company’s role in hazardous area electrical products and services, and how its approach has remained consistent over 30 years.
A Conversation With Nick Mair – Ex Industries Managing Partner
We spoke with Nicholas Mair, Managing Partner of the Ex Industries team about the company’s role in hazardous area electrical products and services, and how its approach has remained consistent over 30 years.
Thirty years in business says a lot. In any industry, that kind of longevity is rare. A lot of companies start with big plans and good intentions, but the reality is most don’t last that long. Only about 30% of businesses make it ten years, and roughly 15% reach the 30year mark. Staying relevant for three decades means you’ve consistently done something right for your customers — both internally and externally.
What’s important to me is that the company built its reputation long before it was acquired by our investment company, Pesek & Mair. Our job isn’t to reinvent everything. It’s to protect what already works, continue improving where it matters, and add products and services that help our clients. Thirty years is really a reflection of the trust the company has earned over time.
Honestly? Not trying to be everything to everyone.
Having previously served as a managing partner and shareholder at other companies, including setting up various startups, one thing I’ve learned is that the goal should never be to be the biggest or the loudest company in the room. Companies that chase attention or try to dominate every market often lose sight of what actually creates value for customers. That’s not what EX Industries has ever been about. It’s heads down, focus, and taking care of the customer.
In industries like ours, competence and trust matter far more than flashy marketing. Ex Industries stayed focused on hazardousarea electrical solutions, and that focus has built real expertise over time. In a lot of industries you see companies chasing every
opportunity that comes along. Sometimes the smarter strategy is sticking to what you know and doing it exceptionally well.
Our customers aren’t looking for hype. They’re looking for people who understand the application, the timelines, and the products — and who can help them get it right the
first time.
In the long run, companies don’t earn a 30year reputation by being the loudest — they earn it by being dependable.
Longterm thinking.
In hazardous environments, the goal isn’t just getting equipment installed — it’s making sure it’s safe, compliant, and maintainable for years to come.
A lot of decisions are made based on short-term factors like price or availability. But experienced engineers know the real cost shows up later — in maintenance, downtime, or compliance issues. That’s often when problems surface, and when suppliers who focused only on the initial sale disappear.
Anyone can sell a product. Fewer people are willing to stand behind how that product performs five or ten years later.
The customers we work best with are the ones thinking about the full lifecycle of the installation, not just the initial purchase. That’s where experience and planning really matter.
It’s the team that makes everything possible. A company like ours lasts 30 years because the right people are in the right roles, consistently delivering quality work. In hazardous environments, experience, planning, and attention to detail matter more than anything else.
When the team is staffed correctly and held to high standards, projects run smoothly, equipment performs reliably, and customers can trust the outcome. At the end of the day, reputation is built by the people doing the work every day. Buildings and brands don’t create reputations — people do.
For me, customer service isn’t just a buzzword. I take it seriously. Just ask the team.
“That we’re just ‘selling electrical parts” In reality, a big part of what we do is helping customers avoid costly mistakes in hazardous environments.
Our tagline says it well: Join the effort — mitigate the risk. If the wrong product gets installed in the wrong classification area, it can delay projects, create compliance issues, or worse. So the real value isn’t the box — it’s making sure the right box goes in the right place. In hazardous environments, the cost of being wrong is always higher than the cost of getting it right the first time.
The industry is evolving quickly. Energy transition, automation, and electrification are all changing how projects are designed and executed. At the same time, we’re adding new manufacturers and partners who share our commitment to getting things right. That opens the door for smarter solutions and stronger collaboration with our customers.
One thing that won’t change is that hazardous environments demand attention to detail.Standards and expectations are only getting higher, which creates real opportunity for companies that truly understand the technical side of the business and can help customers operate safely and reliably.
Leadership always comes with challenges, and I think anyone who says otherwise probably hasn’t been doing it very long. One of the toughest lessons I’ve learned personally is dealing with suppliers who don’t always share the same standards or integrity that we hold ourselves to. In our world, cutting corners or overpromising can create real problems downstream, and it falls on me to protect both the company and our customers.
You quickly learn who you can trust and who you need to hold accountable — and how important it is to surround yourself with partners and people who share your commitment to doing things the right way. I’ve also learned that leadership requires humility. You don’t always get every decision right, and when that happens, you have to be willing to learn from it, adjust, and move forward. I’ve had snakeoil pitched at me more times than I can count.
Over time, I’ve realized that the best leaders aren’t the ones who try to control absolutely everything — and I’ll admit, that can be hard for me, but it’s my journey. I focus on building strong teams, empowering them, and making sure everyone is aligned. It’s never easy, but it’s the only way to get results that last.
Coffee or tea? Tea. Nonnegotiable.
Early bird or night owl? Early bird during the week. Night owl when problems need solving.
Best business advice you’ve received? Don’t talk about it — show me.
One word that describes Ex Industries? Dependable.
Thirty years is a big milestone. But in this business, reputation is built one project at a time.
Our goal is simple: make sure the next project is done just as well as the last one.
Because in hazardous environments, doing things right isn’t a slogan — it’s a responsibility.
Join the effort, mitigate the risk. Are you with us?