• Posted: June 22, 2020
• better construction, Ray Falk, super electric, Wheatland Tube

Industrial plants are complex by nature, requiring highly advanced machinery and on-site employees to work closely in concert to consistently produce a high-quality finished product, time and time again. In this environment, any delay in production – even those measured in minutes – directly translates to lost revenue. 

For that reason, the ability to quickly identify potential issues with critical machinery, determine how best to efficiently address those issues and quickly implement solutions is essential to business success. When one of those issues involves electrical systems, working with an experienced contractor like Chicago-based Super Electric can be the difference between hitting or exceeding production goals or falling far short. Just ask Wheatland Tube. 

A division of Zekelman Industries, the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America and leader in modular construction innovations, Wheatland Tube manufactures steel electrical metallic tubing (EMT), rigid metal conduit (RMC), intermediate metal conduit (IMC), elbows, couplings and nipples (EC&N), and rigid aluminum conduit. Wheatland Tube began manufacturing in 1931, and for almost half of its time in existence, the company’s Chicago plant has relied on Super Electric to meet any electrical need quickly, safely and with the highest possible quality of work.  

Over time, Super’s role at the Wheatland Tube plant has evolved, and the electrical contractor now has six skilled union electricians on-site on a daily basis to conduct maintenance and provide general electrical troubleshooting on the complex machinery operating at the plant. Day-to-day, Super’s work includes projects like pulling electrical wire through conduit, rewiring control panels, installing safety systems and almost any other task that requires advanced electrical expertise. 

According to Ray Falk, the plant manager for Wheatland Tube, the value Super Electric provides is based on an ability to quickly adapt to changing needs and deep expertise in the industrial sector. 

“Being a journeyman electrician is useful, but it’s only the starting point for what we do here on a daily basis,” Falk said. “Troubleshooting issues that arise is the most challenging aspect of the work, and that requires an ability to work quickly and adapt easily. We value a real partnership with the vendors we bring in and an ability to present us with the best options to solve problems, taking into consideration both the cost and time involved. When the time comes to change or upgrade something, Super Electric is good about not just coming back to us and telling us what needs to be done, but giving us the full array of options and recommending solutions that are cost-effective and long-lasting.”

The ability to do so on a consistent basis is easier said than done. Wheatland Tube’s mills operate at incredibly high speeds, with cuts to conduit being produced taking less than a second to complete. Its systems are heavily integrated with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), drives and information technology, meaning any disruption in the process requires an ability to navigate a complex network of controls, diagnose where the issue originated and quickly implement solutions. 

One example of Super Electric’s ability to adjust on the fly and deliver results came several months ago when a zinc pot used in the manufacture of conduit was in need of replacement. What was initially estimated to be a 15-day project needed to be completed in approximately half that time. Working alongside other contractors in the facility, Super completed the electrical portion of the project ahead of schedule, helping the entire project get finished in just seven days and allowing production to resume ahead of schedule. With Super’s contributions at the plant on this project and others, Wheatland Tube’s uptime continues to rise year-over-year, helping the plant meet and exceed production goals. 

“They’re doing more than just being a basic electrician at this facility,” Falk says. “And that’s exactly what we need.”

To learn more about the industrial capabilities of Powering Chicago electrical contractors and how they can deliver better construction in your facility, contact us today.