From Volume 2 Issue 3 of Connected.
Time on the jobsite is important. From installation to manpower hours, working with the Kirby Risk Commodities Center team for wire solutions is “the only way to really pull wire,” says Jim Ott, Zeller Electric Project Manager. It increases savings with flexible options backed by a knowledgeable project management team.
Ott first learned about Kirby Risk's wire solutions when he attended Southwire Solutions University, a program his Account Manager suggested. “Bob really pushed the program, and I learned about Southwire services and how they were interconnected to what Kirby Risk offered,” says Ott. “The services directly related to what we used in the field.”
CUSTOM CUTS
Kirby Risk wire services start basic by offering custom cuts. Single cuts are placed on a fiber or wooden reel if the cut is more than 200 feet. If the cut is less, a customer can request a coil.
Larger pulling jobs benefit from parallel reels. Parallels can be made of multiple legs of different-colored wire depending on what the job requires. The Commodities Center team will measure, cut and layer the wire to the customer's specification. For easier grip during pulls, pulling heads can be added to each cut. Customers can complete wire runs in 50 percent less time and more quickly by using our cutting, paralleling and pulling heads as part of jobsite prep.
For customers still accustomed to using black wire, we offer phase tape. With this type of parallel, the different legs need to be identified. “We pre-cut the wire and put a colored tape (phase tape) on each tip of each cut. Once all legs are complete, we hang them, then pull together,” says Cristhian Saldana, Kirby Risk Commodities Center Warehouse Manager. “That way, it's all together in one reel as a parallel and the customer can easily identify what end is needed to energize.”
Saldana says that on an average day, the Commodities Center team processes about 120 single cuts of a variety of wire and stacks about 40 to 50 parallels.
REELS
A paralleled wire pull for a single job can weigh thousands of pounds, so choosing the right reel for the jobsite is important. The Commodities Center utilizes Southwire SIMpull™ Reel Maneuverable Payoff System. “It's basically a wheel within a wheel,” says Saldana. “One person can roll it no matter how heavy. It's more efficient because it takes less people to use it.”
The Southwire SIMpull™ Reel allows a single person to safely move up to 6,000 pounds without a pallet jack or other equipment. “It is, hands down, the most convenient reel to use,” says Ott. “It can be used in multiple locations. It fits through a standard door frame, which is a huge plus. And how it moves — it can turn in the tiniest locations.” Ott says most competitor reels still require pallet jacks and tend to be bulky and cumbersome, requiring additional manpower to maneuver. “The SIMpull™ Reel is the best system that I am aware of,” says Ott.
A-frame reels are also an available option. These reels sit on a jack stand and require a pallet jack or other equipment on site in order to move. “We can place any size reel on the a-frame. If it won't work on the SIMpull™ Reel, then we can use the a-frame,” says Saldana.
If the job requires wire to be placed on a-frame reels, then the SIMpull™ truck could be an option for the jobsite. A-frame reels are loaded on the back of a flatbed truck and wire can be pulled from the truck. “We stay with the pull,” Saldana says. “The a-frames are lined up in the correct sequence, and then the driver lines up the truck where the customer needs it.”
PROGRAMS AND MANAGEMENT
Customers work with their local branch or Account Manager to place the orders. Then the branch or Account Manager works with the Commodities Center team to manage and input the orders and all the project details for the order, including cuts, order of stacking, reel type, timelines and delivery. For large or consecutive projects, customers may want to consider a Copper or Steel Conduit Contract. These contracts are based on pounds, not dollars, for a specific period of time. The contract sets the pricing for specific jobs or accounts and applies to will call, counter and delivery orders. It is completely tracked and managed by the Commodities Center team.
“The support and knowledge of the staff makes Kirby Risk an ally of mine. It's the quick response time and how they do their best to get us what we need when we need it,” says Ott. “Whether it's wire off the shelf and prewrapped or cut to order, they know our project deadlines and make sure stuff gets on a truck and to us. The delivery and response time from that team makes a huge difference for us. Basically, I don't pull wire unless it's using Kirby's wire solutions.”
Kirby Risk wire solutions save money by decreasing installation time and labor hours. To learn more about wire management solutions, contact the Commodities Center team by emailing [email protected]. Kirby Risk is committed to providing our customers with the right services, products and solutions for their business. Check out our Strategic Services for more money and labor-saving solutions.