construction | industrial | automation | energy | national accounts | international
Project Sunroof will show you Pg 06
HELP YOU REDUCE LABOR
Save time, save money, and increase profit Pg 20
MEET OUR
project management team
They are with you from concept to completion Pg 32
SPRING & SUMMER 2016
SOLAR PANELS
on and off site solutions that
A SHEALY ELECTRICAL WHOLESALERS PUBLICATION
PAGE
IS YOUR HOME SUITABLE FOR
Contents
SHEALY BECOMES
a division of Border States
ON COVER
Home of "The Big Red Chair" goes green ...
*
12
Google, expands to 42 more states and millions more rooftops...
CHAPIN FURNITURE is the home of the big red chair, but the business just turned green...
SAVE MONEY by utilizing our
customized solutions on and off of your job site...
AL
OFFICI -
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*
PAGE
42
solutions that save you money
26 06 12 20
IT'S LLY OFFICIA
ON AND OFF SITE
RENEWABLE ENERGY
passed on through generations
PROJECT SUNROOF from
-
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27 32 42
RENEWABLE ENERGY and
HABITAT BUILD
sign up for a spot to build a home
educational experiences passed on through generations...
OUR PROJECT management
teams are smooth operators, making your project run as planned...
SHEALY ELECTRICAL becomes a Division of Border States Electric, a 100% employee owned company...
43
34
E
southeast locations
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON (843) 879-0232
CHARLESTON DOWNTOWN (843) 853-7044
COLUMBIA & CORPORATE (803) 252-5668
FLORENCE
(843) 656-0088
GREENVILLE (864) 242-6880
GREENWOOD (864) 223-4210
Shealy Electrical Wholesalers began with one man’s idea. In 1945, John Shealy started the business on the foundation of honoring promises. He believed
employ more than a hundred thousand people, but we will strive to be the first choice of our customers, service.” Electrical wholesale distribution has changed a lot over the course of 71 years. And, amazingly, this business has spread itself over the entire earth.
person to reach a little
Shealy has grown to 17 branches
they could reach, and to venture beyond their comfort zone. Mr. Shealy was always focused on connecting with his customers, stating, “This business may spread itself over the entire earth; it may
(803) 278-1504
SUMTER
(803) 934-8350
always providing excellent customer
in challenging each higher than they believed
NORTH AUGUSTA
throughout the Carolinas with over 350 employees, and has supported projects in over 30 countries on every continent. Throughout our years, we have had the honor of serving the communities in which we work. We
NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE (704) 372-3040
CLINTON
(910) 592-5776
CONCORD (704) 782-7006
DUNN
(910) 892-0132
GASTONIA
(704) 864-8721
KERNERSVILLE (336) 992-2329
MONROE
have partnered with international
(704) 225-8988
contractors, supplied government
MOORESVILLE
contracts overseas, and have
(704) 799-3444
RALEIGH
(919) 390-7039
4
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
become a reliable source of solutions and products
we sought guidance from Border States Electric.
for our diverse customer base. Our goal has been
Border States helped us navigate through the ESOP
to always do better and be better for you … ever
setup process, but eventually, a better way began
evolving to service your needs and help you grow your
to emerge. In lieu of starting an ESOP on our own,
business.
we began to consider joining their already 100% employee-owned company.
Our shareholders, a few partners, and I sat down not too long ago to talk about the long-term strategy for
Becoming a division of Border States was an easy
Shealy. We asked ourselves, ‘What type of future do
decision to make.
we envision for Shealy and its employees? What do our customers need?’ Quickly after those questions
Border States Electric is one of the largest employee-
were asked, we were faced with the question of ‘How
owned electrical distributors in the U.S. with locations
will we get there?’
in 16 states. They serve the construction, industrial, and utility markets. Like Shealy Electrical, Border States is
After exploring many options, the group decided that
an independent distributor, a member of Affiliated
an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) was the
Distributors, and a member of the North American
clear route for Shealy to take in order to take care of
Association of Utility Distributors.
our employees, our customers, and continue the longterm legacy of our business.
Even more, our two companies share the same core values based on doing what’s right for our customers,
When we were ready to start creating the ESOP, we
employees, vendors and our communities. We both
began visiting electrical distributors that were already
possess a strong desire to grow, encourage innovation,
set up with that business model. Along that journey,
and believe in the power of employee-ownership.
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
5
It has been said that “one reason people resist
right there … offering you more solutions, products,
change is because they worry about what they
geographical coverage, and support than ever.
might have to give up, instead of what they have to gain.”
I’d say we are making John Shealy pretty proud right now … reaching a little higher than even he
There will be a few changes that you will see
may have believed we could reach. And while
happen in the coming months. I am joining the
Shealy Electrical may have been the idea of one
Border States leadership team as the Executive
man, it’s never been about just one man. It’s always
Vice President and will be working with all of the
been about family, friendship, community, and
employee-owners to make our company the best it
service. The connections and partnerships that we
can be. With this move, my wife and I will relocate
have formed with you over the decades will only
to Fargo, ND and I will report to the CEO, Tammy
continue to grow from this point forward. Our goal is
Miller.
to always do better and be better for you.
Don Masters, once the Senior VP of the Installer
We are Shealy Electrical Wholesalers – A Division
Market, will become the Vice President of Border
of Border States Electric. Employee owned and
States’ Southeast Region, which is made up of our
customer driven.
former Shealy locations. While things are changing, you have so much to gain from Shealy becoming a division of Border States. Our commitment to you will grow even stronger, and as your business grows, we will be
W
ith the recent expansion of Project
customers are visiting the Project Sunroof website each
Sunroof, tens of millions of potential solar
month, and the company is continuously working to
customers from across the U.S. can now
expand its reach.
Google their own rooftops to find out if
their home is suitable for solar panels.
Project Sunroof is currently not available in Texas, Hawaii,
Google launched Project Sunroof last August in three
Alaska and the District of Columbia. However, Google
cities -- San Francisco, Fresno and Boston. In January, the
plans to reach all 50 states in the coming months.
program expanded to 20 U.S. metropolitan markets in the most active solar states in the U.S., including California, Massachusetts, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Nevada,
Rhode Island, Idaho, South Dakota, Mississippi, Tennessee,
“Google is in the business of providing universal access to information,” said Nicole Lombardo, head of business
Connecticut, Colorado and North Carolina.
development and partnerships at Project Sunroof, in an
Last month, Project Sunroof hit a new milestone by
have and find new use cases for it that can help, in this
expanding to 42 states, with the ability to analyze roughly
case catalyze the renewable energy transition here in the
43 million rooftops. According to Google, “thousands” of
U.S. ...is within our core.”
interview. “So being able to take the imagery that we
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
7
As a company, Google is also a large user of renewables
electricity bill information. They can also view savings
and wants to “help others outside of the company
estimates for different financing options, including a loan
choose cleaner power options,” she said.
and direct purchase. Potential customers can then click
Project Sunroof works by using high-resolution aerial
to see solar providers in their area.
imagery from Google Earth to help calculate a roof’s
Project Sunroof currently hosts a mix of solar companies,
solar energy potential. Potential customers simply need
including major players like SunPower, local installers
to enter their address, and in roughly one second the
like Verengo Solar and new players like Pick My Solar.
program analyzes factors such as shade, roof orientation
Interested customers can choose to share their contact
and local weather patterns to calculate how many
information with selected providers on the Sunroof
hours of sunlight hit that roof in a typical year. All of this
platform or contact them directly.
information is combined to create an estimate for how much the household could potentially save by going solar
For customers, this amounts to a quick and easy way
over the term of a 20-year lease.
to learn more about solar and get an initial quote. For
Users can fine-tune the estimate by entering their
But rather than receive a list of names, installers receive
companies, Project Sunroof serves as a lead generator.
8
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
a list of customers that are actively looking at going solar
A central challenge for Google is to continue to expand
and whose rooftops have already been prescreened.
the pool of customers. Today, customers are primarily
“First and foremost, this is about how Google can catalyze the rooftop solar market,” said Lombardo, speaking at GTM's Solar Summit. “That was some of the
learning about the Project Sunroof through news articles and by using Google to search for "Project Sunroof" in order to find it.
first feedback we got from developers: volume, volume,
“Because we’re still in an early stage, the majority of the
volume -- we need more qualified homeowners.”
market does not know this this tool exists,” said Lombardo.
“The second piece of feedback was [the question of whether Google can] help us expedite the process of
“So one of things we’re hoping to work on is making it more widely known.”
qualifying someone,” she added. “That’s where some
Google is also working to make the service more widely
of the new imagery that we have and being able to
available. Project Sunroof is now available in 42 states, but
calculate whether or not they have enough roof space
those states do not have full Google Earth coverage. At
helps simplify a couple of steps.”
the same time, Google is continuously trying to improve This service isn't free for solar companies. Providers have to pay to join
its imagery. There is a team of 10 employees, mostly engineers, working to refine the technology and offer more granular information on things like the boundary of a roof and height points like a chimney.
the platform, and
“We’re never done,” said Lombardo. “We are constantly
they have to bid
helping to train the neural network behind this.”
to receive referrals. It’s up to users to actually send their information over to a provider, and the company pays
In addition, Google is working on how to make the tool
only when Google shares its information.
more valuable to solar companies. Sunrun and SolarCity,
Max Aram, founder and CEO at Pick My Solar, which
companies have already made major investments in their
operates a marketplace of rooftop solar installers, said he
own customer acquisition and engagement programs,
finds Project Sunroof to be valuable in two ways: “One is
and already spend a lot money on online marketing with
that when Google jumps into an industry it’s a validation
Google and other companies. Paying more to access
for that whole industry,” he said. “The other thing is that
Google’s solar leads, particularly at the pace and scale
the quality is good and the model is interesting. They’re
at which national installers operate, is an expensive and
not trying to buy and aggregate leads originated by
potentially redundant proposition.
other companies; they’re originating their own deals and controlling the search. So obviously, it’s going to be much
for instance, are not Project Sunroof partners. These
Lombardo acknowledged that the Sunroof project
easier for Google to provide these leads.”
is evolving. Eventually Google plans to go beyond
As awareness around solar increases, Google could
solar projects. The company could also offer new services
eventually eliminate the myriad of lead generation
to solar companies, like tracking utility rate changes -- it
companies currently out on the market, said Aram.
just depends on technology barriers and demand.
Google provides a key top-of-the-funnel service, because Google search is virtually universal. Once the leads are generated, Aram said he sees marketplace companies
residential solar to support community and commercial
“We’re definitely at a point where we’re looking for partnerships and ideas,” she said. “We’re here to help.”
like Pick My Solar taking control of the sales process for a large segment of the market, similar to Kayak or Expedia for travel. Solar companies would then manage the
Julia Pyper is a Senior Writer at Greentech Media covering utilities, grid
installation.
issues, electric vehicles, the solar industry and energy storage.
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12
THE CIRCUIT SPRING & SUMMER 2016
JAMIE BROWN
KEITH GRIMAUD
Brown Electric
JOE GRIMAUD
THE CIRCUIT SPRING & SUMMER 2016
13
ric
even though our chair is red,
CHAPIN FURNITURE is now green.
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THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
This began as a project profile about a solar installation on a furniture store. However, after interviewing the Grimaud family, the family was so much fun and their backstory was so interesting that we decided to include it. Joe Grimaud, a retired Air Force fighter pilot, opened his first business in 1976 – a Midas Muffler Shop. Many years and many auto service businesses later, Joe’s oldest son left his position with Rockwell and took over operations for his father. Since his son had been doing such an admirable job of running the muffler business, Joe felt no desire to interrupt a good thing and let him continue in that management role. He then bought a 6 acre tract of land in Chapin, SC that held a closed grocery store. Joe thought that the land was a great real estate investment, but he needed to generate money with the facility so
that he could pay the mortgage. Joe and his wife Gladys converted the facility to a high end furniture store in 1999. After only 14 months, they faced much pressure from the inundation of the market with moderately priced furniture made overseas. It was obvious that something needed to change, and Joe was introduced to a furniture liquidator for help with existing inventory. The liquidation sale was so successful, that they decided to bring in some moderately priced furniture to continue their market trial. Based on
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
that success, Grimaud decided to form a new corporation under a new name for the sale of moderately priced goods. In early 2015, Grimaud was approached by a developer interested in buying the 6 acre tract for use as a shopping center, with Publix being the anchor tenant. The decision to sell this property and search for a new location was made. By this time, Grimaud’s youngest son Keith and his wife Jennifer had come to work in the store. They found a prime location right next to the interstate to relocate their
15
furniture business. Joe and Gladys realized when Keith came to work for them; he had a natural ability and talent for the business. Keith and Jennifer soon became the owners of Chapin Furniture. Gladys Grimaud stated that Keith and Jennifer “have design in their DNA”. They have learned a lot, but from the beginning, the desire was there. Jennifer mentioned that as a child, she didn’t really play with Barbies – her passion was designing and redesigning the Barbie houses, over and over again. She joined Chapin Furniture as a buyer four years ago and is responsible for all of the layout, design and buying
16
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
for the business. When working on the design for the new Chapin Furniture location, Keith began looking into the possibility of using solar power to lessen the utility bills. It was an idea that intrigued him, but several local builders told Keith that it didn’t make sense to use solar – perhaps because they were unfamiliar with it. When Keith persisted and did more research, he learned about the incentives from SCE&G as well as federal and state incentives. He contacted several different solar providers and found Jim Woods, Director of Clean Energy for Shealy Electrical Wholesalers. Anyone that has EVER met Jim knows how passionate he is about solar. Keith said that “it seemed like a good fit – we could recoup our investment pretty quickly and we were already investing in energy efficient lighting and an energy efficient HVAC system”. All of the interior lighting is LED with timers and motion detectors. Because of the size of the building, they knew that the energy costs were going to be substantial. And as Jennifer said, they wanted to be able to tell the “green story” too. They wanted the new facility they built to leave as small of a carbon footprint as possible. Some of their suppliers feel just as strong about this concept. . Bassett is making a new line of tables and for every one that they sell, they plant three new trees. The elder Mr. and Mrs. Grimaud had a lot of confidence in Keith and Jennifer’s decision on the solar project, even though they originally joked that they had gone to “the dark side”. The installation of the solar array was completed by Jamie Brown with Brown Electric. There are usually obstacles with any large
KEITH GRIMAUD
JENNIFER GRIMAUD GLADYS GRIMAUD
JOE GRIMAUD
18
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
don't stop just because there might be a few obstacles. project, and this was no exception. The new building was already under construction when Keith met with Jim Woods. The construction superintendent wasn’t familiar with solar installations and wanted to ensure that the roof would handle the additional load per square foot from the solar panels. To overcome the builder’s uncertainty of structural integrity, Keith Grimaud hired an independent structural engineer to review the plans. By the time it was all said and done, the engineer was able to confirm the design layout of the solar panels on a rail mounting system attached directly to the standing seams of the metal roof. The rails were positioned over the structural portions of the building to accept the load. For this 117.81 kWDC solar project, we used 462 Boviet 255w solar modules mounted on the warehouse roof with Unirac SM Series racking and 3 Solectria PVI-36TL inverters. The store’s power usage and solar offset is unknown, as this is a new construction project and there is no history to design around. However, it is estimated that the system
could produce up to 70% of Chapin Furniture’s electric needs. The payback estimate is just over 4 years. They will utilize SCE&Gs incentive of $0.18/kWh for everything produced for 10 years, along with the 30% federal tax credit, $35,000 South Carolina tax credit and available MACRS accelerated depreciation. The grand opening was Memorial Day weekend and the store received rave reviews for both the interior and exterior. This was Chapin Furniture’s first project with Shealy Electrical Wholesalers and Keith said that “Shealy has been very easy to work with. Jim is a likable guy and really easy to deal with.” When asked about his advice to others considering “going green” with solar, he said “Don’t stop just because there might be a few obstacles. Keep investigating. Educate people.” Chapin furniture is located at 660 Columbia Avenue in Chapin, South Carolina. Just look for the Big Red Chair.
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20
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
ON
OFF
SITE SOLUTIONS
PROFITS
COST OF SUBCONTRACTING
S I T E S O LU T I O N S
DIRECT JOB EXPENSES
COST OF MATERIALS
COST OF LABOR
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
21
One of the largest expenses on a construction project is the cost of labor. Let us take care of that for you ...
In an article titled “Procurement Management in the Electrical Contracting Industry” written by Philip Nimmo for ECmag.com, according to data from the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), revenues-on average-are broken down as follows: 42% to cost of labor, 34% to cost of materials, 4% to subcontracting, 17% to direct job expenses, 3% to profits.
“Within a small margin, the materials for a project are essentially fixed and at a price set by the local market. For the contractor, the biggest variable is labor; this is also the factor with the biggest impact on a contractor's profitability. Every hour saved in labor on a hard-bid job can be applied directly to profits.” Nimmo also states that, “approximately 40 percent of the labor on a job goes to material handling in some form: receiving, unpacking, assembling, waiting, ordering, returning, fetching, and locating. 40 of the 42 percent on every job gives a potential of almost 17 percent of the revenues that can be converted from cost of labor to bottom-line profits.”
After hundreds of hours spent talking to electrical contractors about reducing labor hours, Shealy has devised a multitude of ways to help you on your projects – Shealy On and Off Site Solutions. Shealy Electrical Wholesalers partners with you to deliver added service and help you move dollars spent on excess labor to the profits column. We work with you to reduce the amount of time your employees are standing around locating, waiting for, transporting, and inventorying products. We get you exactly what you need, when you need it, where you need it.
Shealy Electrical Wholesalers offers an array of options to help you get the savings you deserve. [ JOB SITE STORAGE ] From work cell deliveries, to materials managed on site, our team will work with you to maximize your efficiency. Together, we will set the expectations and demands of your project. We currently offer On Site Solutions clamshell job boxes and conduit trees. Job boxes and trees get the right product you need, in the closest proximity to where your employees are working. This reduces the amount of steps they have to take to get fittings, hardware, wire nuts, boxes, etc. Less time locating and more time working. Our On Site Solutions team will take on site inventory of product used and replenish them to your set levels. This reduces the amount of time spent on small essential items, and more time for you to invest in more critical areas. This also reduces the potential of stock outs due to poor communication or forgetting to place an order. It’s never a good thing to stop work because you’re out of couplings, right? Our On Site Solutions can also provide manned or unmanned, conex or semi-trailer opportunities for those large jobs that require a large amount of product. Equipped with shelving, Shealy can be the on site warehouse for your needs. All to ensure you have what you need, when you need it, where you need it.
[ PRE-FAB/PRE-ASSEMBLY ] With Thomas & Betts e-fab, Shealy can save you time and money, and eliminate leftover inventory on your rough-ins. Choose from custom configured or pre-assembled options. Everything arrives on site labeled and ready for speedy install. And, cost savings can be calculated in advance. At Shealy, we'll also handle any value-added product modification needs. Whips, cut or pre-assembled strut, threaded rod or specialized packaging - if you have a need, we'll develop a solution for you.
[ WIRE & CABLE MANAGEMENT ] Our wire and cable services embrace lean concepts – always looking for ways to save you time when you pull wire. Our revolutionary combination of wire, materials, equipment, tools and services offer a complete and streamlined start-to-finish installation process. Customization is the key to EVERYTHING we do. You can have your wire (in the color that you specify) paralleled, cut-to-length with SIMpull Heads pulling grips installed and delivered to your jobsite just in time for you to pull. We can supply you with on-time delivery, flat bed and/or A-frame set up, Maxis tools for handling the wire, and even onsite manufacturer support and expertise.
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
23
[ KITTING ] We also have kitting for multi-family dwellings or hotels where there are multiple like units. Our kitting solutions consolidate the separate materials related to your project into one packaging unit. When needed, they are delivered to the site and your employees can have everything they need in one box to complete each unit. On site Solutions also helps to overcome challenges many face with time constraints, logistics, and space. Not all solutions are perfect for every project. Your best solution may be to combine multiple services to create a true “lean” solution project program aimed at lowering total cost. For example: Pre-fab + Job Boxes + Conduit Trees + On Site Trailer. In addition to all of the services that Shealy offers, one of our greatest is the skill of our account managers. Our skilled AMs can offer you additional labor saving products and instruct you on their use and value. Some of these products have included Super Kwik Couple & Fit; colored conduit solutions to identify critical circuits; Super Kwick Fitting; Maxis wire pulling products and the entire line of Southwire solutions. That is why it is crucial to work with your Shealy account manager to determine how we can customize our solutions to fit your needs. We are with you from concept to completion - all while we help you save time, labor and money.
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• Prefabricated electrical rough-in assemblies • Pre-built trapeze systems and cable tray • BIM downloads in all the popular software formats • A dedicated engineering support team that can assist you with design and pre-planning • Online cloud-based configuration design tool For more information about Thomas & Betts and ABB Low Voltage Products LEAN Construction services, contact your Shealy or T&B/ABB representative.
renewable
energy
passed on through generations
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
27
Working with Shealy was tremedous. No worries, and painless.
28
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
C.M. Tucker Lumber Companies, LLC was founded in
type operation with a door and window shop and a
1920 by C.M. Tucker, Sr., who firmly believed that personal
planer mill. Their major growth began in the 1970’s when
contact, honest products, and exceptional service
pressure treated wood began to make an appearance
equaled success. Carl Tucker didn't know it then, but he
in the market. C.M. Tucker Lumber eased into the treating
was building a legacy that has been handed down for
operation and that then led to deck components and
four generations.
remanufacturing, which is a large portion of what they do today. Carl III and his four sons, David, Mark, Paul and
Tucker Lumber manufactures a variety of lumber and
Andrew are currently active members of the Tucker family
pressure treated wood products and has been on the
that run the business. Mark states that there was never
same site in Pageland South Carolina for almost 100
any pressure to join the business but there is a certain
years. In the beginning, they were a small mom and pop
advantage to working for yourself. There aren’t many
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
29
when you talk about renewable resources, the thing that comes to mind is renewable energy. The Tucker Lumber Family (from left to right) PAUL TUCKER MARK TUCKER CARL TUCKER DAVID TUCKER ANDREW TUCKER
firmly established 4th generation family owned businesses
comes to mind, says Mark, is renewable energy. This is
around and C.M. Tucker Lumber is a shining example of
also very important to their customers, with Lowe’s being
how to be successful for almost 100 years.
their largest account. They want to be environmentally conscious and on the leading edge of technology. Not
By the nature of the business, C.M. Tucker Lumber is
everyone was on board with the idea of solar at first, but
naturally environmentally conscious - they are preserving
when the numbers came back, it was hard to deny that it
wood products to make them last for many years. They
made great business sense.
own 20,000 acres of timber land and actively manage those acres for the renewable resource (they plant two
Shealy Electrical and Inman Solar met with Tucker Lumber
trees for every one they cut down). When you talk about
in 2015 to discuss a possible solar project. Shealy had
renewable resources, the other thing that naturally
worked with Inman in the past and felt that they would
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THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
31
be a good fit. Tucker had to decide where to put the
installations). C.M. Tucker Lumber gladly played the
solar install and if they wanted roof or ground mount.
guinea pig for Duke in helping them get up to speed on
They operate four locations in Pageland and operate
everything that needed to be done. Mark stated that
under two separate power companies: Lynches River
Inman did a great job in working with Duke. Although
Electric Co-op (shipping yard and new treating plant)
there was a lot of planning in the beginning, the project
and Duke Energy (manufacturing). They have two off site
itself only took about three weeks. This project will be Net
buildings – one on Lynches side and one on Duke. They
Metered under Duke Energy’s DER incentive program,
elected to put the solar array on the Duke power side
allowing Tucker Lumber to save roughly $2,500 per month
due to the solar rebates from Duke, and the fact that
on their electric bill.
they had ample space to locate the project. There was back and forth discussion on ground vs. rooftop mount,
The Duke rebate is really what made this project viable for
but part of the reason for doing this project was that they
Tucker Lumber to do. They will also receive a federal tax
wanted to provide education to the local schoolchildren.
credit. The warranty was another factor in their decision
You can’t take kids up on to a roof (really, not a good
– with a 4 ½-5 year payback and a 20 year warranty,
idea), so ground mount it was! They are developing a
they are 15 years to the good. It’s a great thing to be
handout for the kids – one side would be from the Duke/
environmentally conscious and want to do the right thing,
Solar perspective and describe how solar power works
and a short payback makes it that much easier! They
and the benefit of that. The other side would talk about
found a project that is economically sound, good for the
sustainable forestry. They mentioned that a lot of kids in
environment and helps with their positive image to their
school have a bad view of lumber companies, thinking
customers – a win-win situation.
that they are cutting down all of the forests. Tucker Lumber wants them to understand that they actually
C.M. Tucker Lumber was already a Shealy customer,
replant more than they cut down. If these companies
but this was their first major project together. When
didn’t replant, they would put themselves out of business
asked to sum up how the project went, Mark said, “The
pretty quickly!
whole project went great. This was totally turnkey – it just happened. We had to dedicate zero management
This is a relatively small solar installation at 162 kW, but it is
hours other than going to the site and taking pictures
a start and it was Duke Energy’s first major South Carolina
as it progressed. Working with Inman and Shealy was
new commercial program project (outside of residential
tremendous. No worries and painless.”
SYLVANIA LEDVANCE Luminaire Family
KRISTIN REMELIUS
JULIA DRAYTON
CHARITY CHANEY
THe Charlotte metro north carolina WRITTEN BY DAVID BUDNICK
project management team is a group made up of
processes and procedures to become a primary
Amy Howell, Charity Chaney, Julia Drayton, Kristin
resource to our customer’s project needs. The
Remelius, and David Budnick. With a combined
following will briefly touch upon some of the
53 years of electrical industry experience and 24
services we provide.
years of project management experience these 4 project managers and 1 project administrator strive to make sure that all project requirements are met. We manage projects involving lighting, gear, cable management, and national accounts.
While our quote team works diligently to win the projects they quote, we typically begin managing when the project is won and with the submittal process. We create lighting, gear, and/or wire management submittal packages based on the
Charlotte's project team was formed to facilitate
customer's needs. These can be created in a
our customer’s growing project needs. Since
few different mediums including paper copies,
those humble beginnings, we have developed our
electronic copies through email or drop box, and/
DAVID BUDNICK
AMY HOWELL
or put onto compact discs. While submittals can
While the release process sounds simple, there
be considered a mundane process, we consider
are many variables that can occur, and having
submittals to be both our customer's and Shealy's
the PM team involved helps ensure success. For
calling card to the overall project process.
example, it might be necessary to ship all of the
Once the submittals are reviewed and returned to us, if approved, we establish the project's requirements and prepare to release the material. If they are not approved we will rework the
recessed lighting housings immediately , but hold the balance of fixtures with a do not ship before date. We accommodate this type of request on a regular basis.
submittals as needed and resend for approval.
Our customers may also need us to kit project
Our national accounts project team works
material for a project. In this situation we may
primarily the same as the construction project
store material in our warehouse depending on the
managers with some differences. For example,
customer's requirement. In this scenario we have
these project managers may work with site plans
material shipped into a Shealy warehouse. The
and the quotes department to quote projects. In
material is received, marked, and stored until such
addition, they may work with fixture templates
a time that the customer requests it. Typically, we
have a predetermined amount of deliveries and that put a set fixture package together at our - ARTICLE AND PICTURES BY JOHN PEELE, DUNN NC LOCATION length of storage negotiated. facility to be shipped nationwide.
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THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
When the customer is ready for material, we list out what they need for our kitting department to pull and prepare the delivery. We also facilitate staged or phase releases if needed. During the project, we update our customers with tracking sheet updates. We also provide updates through a Shealy designed PM portal. The PM portal will show customers their orders, tracking, and invoice links to any project that is in flight. The PM portal provides real time viewing of the project status and can have multiple log ins so the customer's team can all be on the same page. Most projects run without much incident, but there are cases where product may arrive damaged or become defective after the initial startup. If this is the case, your project manager will be your liaison with the factory to get replacements sent out to you. If the material arrives visibly damaged, we always recommend to sign for the material as damaged on the bill of lading with the driver. That helps facilitate a smoother freight claim with the freight carrier. Your PM will also work to return any defective material on your behalf as well as make arrangements for the material to be returned from the jobsite if needed. In a majority of the incidents we will send the defective material back through our warehouse for tracking purposes. As a project winds down, we can create operation and maintenance manuals for the customer to close out the project. These are available upon request. This is usually the time we help set up any technician aided start ups if needed. While mainly for controls this can also include gear. Our team is a multifunctional resource for customers. We provide a number of services from the simple and mundane, to the involved and detail oriented. Project management is a service feature our customers have come to rely on and one we continuously look to improve and expand upon.
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Version 1.1 – 25 October 2013
AMBER HENDRIX
CLAY LOVELACE
TANYA SEMER
South Carolina’s Project Management
WRITTEN BY TANYA SEMER
team was built based on an idea from our Vice
Charlotte and Columbia’s Project Management
President of Construction segment, Barclay
teams operate on the same basic fundamentals.
Ryan. After Shealy Electrical’s acquisition of EDI
The project management teams are with the
in 2011, Charlotte’s Project Management team
customer throughout their whole project. This
was something that our South Carolina branches
allows Shealy account managers to take on more
wanted to emulate. With the encouragement of
projects. Cal and Clay used guidance from our
Barclay, two of our previous international segment
Charlotte branch and customized our solutions
employees Clay Lovelace and Cal Craig alternated
based on their experiences in sales. Shealy's
weeks of training in Charlotte to make a home for
South Carolina project management began in
Project Management in Columbia.
Columbia's construction segment and has evolved
YA ER
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37
to cover seven additional branches. Project
our PM warehouse. With this experience, PM can
management has also expanded into the industrial
help you develop an area of expertise or create a
market with the help of Don White, Brian Bell and
path for a future career in another division in the
Fred Metz and international segment with Gregg
company.
Martin and Mike Pollock.
Besides the basics: submittals, order entry,
Today our Columbia team consists of Clay Lovelace, Tanya Semer and Amber Hendrix. Columbia PM takes a ‘no limit’ approach when implementing a project. As Clay Lovelace states, “PM allows one to interact with many departments within Shealy, including AP, AR,
pricing, quotations, tracking, delivery and O&Ms, our project management team drives and implements customer based solutions. There are several on-site and off-site solutions to offer with the sale of a project. Highlights include our 10,000 square foot PM storage warehouse with kitting availability, job boxes, and customizable billing and shipping.
JONATHAN MATHEWS
- ACCOUNT MANAGER
I use Project Management to offer our customers a dedicated support system. The Project Management Team is responsible from beginning submittals to final invoicing. They are a priceless resource for any account manager.
Now let’s take a glimpse into our project manager’s world with a little Q&A from our South Carolina team.
AMBER HENDRIX have you molded project Q “How management into your own?” “I always take into account the customer I am dealing with. This helps me manage the project to suit their needs.”
relations. While working in all of these areas you
types of relationships with Q “What customers and/or vendors have you
begin to gain a deeper understanding of all levels
developed since being on the Project
of the organization and begin to see how they all
Management team?”
inside/outside sales and customer/vendor
fit together.” Each day brings something new and doesn’t limit you to stay within the boundaries of
"Managing each project allows me to get to know
more about the customer. I learn more about their your title. Days can begin with a customer visit - ARTICLE ANDneeds PICTURES BY JOHN PEELE, NC LOCATION and expectations andDUNN how they expect in Charleston and end with inventory counts in things to flow.”
CLAY LOVELACE
Q “What is the biggest value added service that PM offers to our account managers and customers?”
“Our services as a project management team allow our outside account managers to help our customers with additional projects. We take care of the rest. As far as the customer side? The sky is the limit in my mind. They know that we are there to assist them in ways to get their job done from start to finish and everything in between. They put their trust in us to get the job done. It’s a win for outside sales and for our customers.”
World Travelers From the coldest parts of Alaska to the hot sun of Mexico, across
Q “What is the best part about being a project manager?" “That every project is different; and helping customers with difficult situations they may encounter.
Europe and into India…
For instance, there may be a
wherever in the world an Intermatic
special delivery requirement,
brand of control is installed, it’s
customized billing aspect, and/
certain to provide lasting value.
or on-site storage issues just
That’s because throughout our resilient 125-year history, we’ve continually evolved to meet the changing needs of our customers. Rely on Intermatic for straightforward, cost-effective controls that help conserve energy, improve safety, reduce costs,
to name a few. This gives us the ability to adapt to different customers and different jobs, and it gives them the option to go after projects they may not have done in the past.”
and increase productivity.
TANYA SEMER
Q “What value-added
services do you see
Connect with us
customer’s using?”
BRAD DEANTONIO
- ACCOUNT MANAGER
I utilize Project Management because they are organized and focused. The projects that they manage are large and complex with tight timeframes and require a level of focus and attention that they are well equipped to provide. The software they utilize helps track shipments and confirms that the project stays within the agreed upon dollar amount. They are there to assist with problems that come up midinstallation from defective fixture replacements to correcting shipping errors. Their access to project information allows them to quickly respond to any question or concern that may arise and allows them to quickly find a solution.
E R
D o fe s fr m p
THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
39
“A big hit with our customers has been our PM storage warehouse. Customers who have limited storage options on jobsites have found that using our storage solution creates a tremendous advantage. We can gauge damaged shipments and shortage several months before a project even begins. Kitting allows their work days to be customizable. Once a customer uses our storage option with a personal PM and - SVP warehouse employee, you often see them reusing this option for it’s obvious benefits.”
Q “What have been your favorite projects to work on?” “I personally have enjoyed working on Riverbanks Zoo and Cardinal Newman High School. With the Riverbanks Zoo, it was interesting to see the types of lighting needed for the new bear and otter exhibits. We currently are working on the pedestrian bridge that allows safer access for zoo visitors. With Cardinal Newman High School, this project started from the ground up. Deadlines were strict as students needed to be in school. It’s nice to know that Shealy was a part of children’s future educations.”
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WE CARE ABOUT Your timE and we realize that life is more than work. create customized solutions that save you time and money
WHERE do you want to be right now? let us help you get there faster.
www.shealyelectrical.com
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THE CIRCUIT SUMMER & FALL 2016
IN SHEALY NEWS
Take a look at what is going on within the company. More company and product news can be found on our facebook page and at www.shealyelectrical.com/resources/news
Shealy electrical wholesalers is acquired by border states electric Shealy Electrical Wholesalers was acquired by Border States Electric on August 1, 2016. Border States is one of the largest employee-owned electrical distributors in the United States. Based in Fargo, North Dakota, they have locations in 16 states and serve the construction, industrial and utility markets. Like Shealy, Border States is an independent distributor, a member of Affiliated Distributors and the North American Association of Utility Distributors, and is very engaged in our industry. Our two companies share similar core values based on doing what’s right for our customers, employees, vendors and communities. We both possess a strong desire to grow, encourage innovation and believe in the power of employeeownership. Joining Border States will accelerate our goal of transitioning our company to the associates through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). In the months ahead, we will keep you informed as we work through the transition with Border States. You will continue to work with the same great people you know and trust at Shealy, and they will become employee owners at Border States and have a greater stake in the game.
shealy ELECTRICAL JOINS THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL BRIGADE for operation homefront During the month of July, Shealy Electrical associates donated $1,670.00 and over $400 in school supplies to Operation Homefront of the Carolinas. Operation Homefront, is a national nonprofit that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. The donation will be used to support Operation Homefront's Back-to-School Brigade Campaign.
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SHealy electrical makes donation TO HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK and loaves and fishes May 2016 : Shealy Electrical donated $2,026 to Harvest Hope Food Bank and $1,815 to Loaves and Fishes
BORDER STATES ELECTRIC NAMES DON MASTERS VICE PRESIDENT OF SOUTHEAST REGION Don Masters, once the Shealy Electrical Wholesalers senior vice president – installer market, became the vice president of BSE’s southeast region on August 1, 2016. BSE, a 100 percent employee-owned company, announced June 7 that they had reached an agreement to purchase Shealy Electrical Wholesalers; the transaction will close August 1. “I want to be identified by our customers as their best choice for supplies, services and solutions. I look forward to leading the southeast region in that effort and making this region second to none,” says Masters. The southeast region is made up of BSE’s 17 acquired Shealy branches in North and South Carolina. BSE supplies products and services to construction, industrial and utility customers. The 100 percent employee-owned company is rated the eighth largest electrical distributor in the U.S. by Electrical Wholesaling magazine. BSE has more than 2,200 employees and 97 branches in 18 states after joining forces with Shealy Electrical Wholesalers. Corporate headquarters are located in Fargo.
This is the third year Shealy has made a donation to Harvest Hope and Loaves and Fishes. Money and canned goods were donated by associates who paid for the right to wear jeans on Thursdays during the month of April. We called this our "Casual for a Cause - Thankful Thursday" campaign.
to our communitie s
2016 HABITAT BUILD DATES SET! We invite everyone to come build a home with us ! Sign up for specific days and shifts at shealyhabitatbuild2016.splashthat.com This will be Shealy’s fifth home with Habitat for Humanity and our third time partnering with Schneider Electric and Central SC Habitat for Humanity. On Thursday evening we will have our family friendly kick- off party. This is a great time to get to know the recipient family, sign a 2X4 that will be placed in the home and enjoy hors d’oeuvre and refreshments. For more information please visit shealyhabitatbuild2016.splashthat.com
Powerful things are happening. When stars align, powerful things happen. The all-stars of Shealy Electrical Wholesalers have joined forces with Border States Electric, a 100 percent employee-owned, American company.
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