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Paralleled Generators Keep Werner Electric's Warehouse Moving

Werner Electric Supply distributes quality electrical products and services throughout 13 Wisconsin and North Dakota locations; With over 400 employees and double-digit growth, operational efficiencies are at a peak.

In June 2016, Werner Electric moved from their Neenah, WI facility of approximately 100,000 sq. ft. to a new building and the location only a few miles away in Appleton, WI and over 260,000 sq. ft., 200,000 sq. ft. warehouse. The Neenah facility was filled, driving Werner Electric to store products in other warehouses around their existing location.

New Building Supports Growth & Experience

Werner Electric decided to design and build a new facility to create an efficient environment to quickly and effectively service their customers. Jeff Erickson, Senior Product Manager, had responsibility for the electrical power design and layout as he is the resident expert on distribution equipment, generators, switchgear, and transformers. He also is responsible for the data communication and lighting teams. The company considered its options.

Backup power was a key component for the new building. Over at the Neenah location, the standby generator could only handle 50% of the warehouse. “We had to decide what areas of the warehouse were critical to supply backup power,” said Jeff Erickson. The other areas had to be left unattended in addition to the products stored in other locations.

Wolter’s Power Systems group recommended a 1000 kW Generac Gemini generator. This solution contains two 500 kW generators paralleled in a single enclosure, thus providing inherent redundancy. Additionally, the Generac PM-SC controller offers three levels of load control. The new paralleled system provides support for office lighting, UPS backup systems, and continuous power for the warehouse, including the four sets of vertical conveyors.

Generator to the Rescue

There are always challenges with new constructions, and Werner Electric was not immune. Within the first week of installing the backup generator, the electricity went down twice in the first week. The utility company was working on a solution to provide more power to the facility. Throughout the next 3-4 months, the Generac generator had to step in and help out. Power would sometimes go down 2 to 3 times per night, from a few seconds too short of an hour.

Wolter’s Power Systems group took the necessary steps to test the product and ensured there were no issues upon start-up, and it was perfect. “When it came to backup power, we went to our partner, Wolter, to size and recommend the best solution,” explains Jeff Erickson, Senior Project Manager.

The Generac generator responded perfectly, never missing an outage, allowing Werner Electric to continue preparations to stay on task. The intelligence of the generator’s automatic transfer switches offered a quick transition when power was back at capacity.

Using & Marketing Our Solutions

In most cases, generators are situated in the back of the building, screened off for appearances. Since Werner Electric Supply distributes generators to its customers, it decided to display its solution right in front of the building for everyone to see. There’s nothing like practicing what you preach.


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Werner Electric Generac generator

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