As a stocking distributor of used/remanunfactured switchgear, circuit breakers and related products for the last 40+ years, we have seen a lot of changes come and go. Back in the day...as they say...our business dealt mostly with industrial service shops that specialized in this equipment and servicing it in the field. Technicians would request equipment and dealers would help flesh out the details to make the equipment delivered was the right fit and function for the job. As we often say, "we supply round pegs for round holes", but that's an understatement of facts because there are many factors that come into play and the only way to navigate through them is to have experience and product knowledge. That knowledge is only gained through one school - the school of hard knocks.

Today, the internet has had major inroads into our industry and with it, have come some advantages and some pitfalls. The major advantage is that everyone has access to a wide array of suppliers and information. For some this is a welcome trend, for others it can be overwhelming. The transfer/sharing of equipment specifications is faster and easier than it ever was before and this is aided to a great degree by the ability to share photos of equipment online. We estimate that more than half of the requests that come in with nameplate information alone, end up requiring a photo to find the other specifications that would cause problems in the field. For instance, ITE manufactured the K-1600 from the 1960's through current production. There was one product update in particular that made for issue that affected product interchangeability. It's one of those things that you have to see to understand and you have to make sure you spec the right equipment. Issues like this arise in various forms across all product lines and all manufacturers. The pitfall is when someone inexperienced in specifying this equipment reaches out to a dealer that is either not knowledgeable or not reputable or often times both. Time and money are wasted and it gives our industry a bad name.

If you are one of these customers, we can only suggest that as you are communicating with your suppliers, there will probably be one that asks you a bunch of questions that at first might seem annoying. In reality, answers to these questions will ensure your product will work for you application and should assure you that you will get the right equipment. As we say her at NPE - the right equipment, at the right price...right now!