Seeco Logo Banner


 

 

Our History

1934 Photo of Seeco's First Facility This is a 1934 photograph of SEECO's first facility which was located in downtown Charlotte, N.C.,  two blocks from present day Ericsson Stadium.  Captured in the photograph is a long line of 34.5 kV hook-stick disconnect switches, the primary product of the company in its' early years.  The back of the photograph bore the following inscription: "Duke Power Co. purchase order D-14911, SEECO sales order 4162.
The Beginning

Southern Electrical Equipment Company (SEECO) was founded in 1920 as a supplier to the electrical utility industry.  The company was originally organized and managed by several individuals who had held key engineering and procurement positions with Duke Power, an investor-owned electrical utility based in the Carolinas.  Frequently challenged and sometimes frustrated by the difficulty in locating and procuring electrical products that met their utility specifications, these individuals determined to start their own company and supply the very items they had been looking for.  Out of that desire to design and manufacture a better product, SEECO was born.

The product focus of the company was initially directed toward substation applications.   In these early years, SEECO developed a complete line of hook-stick disconnect switches and mechanical connectors; the company also fabricated specialized copper bus bar assemblies, and designed and manufactured substation packages.

Located in Charlotte, N.C., the company's geographical market was originally in the southeast United States, and included regional investor-owned utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and municipal systems.  In this time period (1920's, 1930's, and 1940's), many rural areas in the southeast were still without electric power or were served by newly developed cooperative and municipal systems.  Due to its' geographic location, products, and engineering capabilities, SEECO was a major supplier of substation apparatus to many of the newly developed electrical systems in rural North and South Carolina, northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee, and southern Virginia.  From the 1920's through the 1960's, SEECO was also heavily represented in the electrification of the southern textile industry; many industrial substations erected or expanded in those years were SEECO "projects." 

A Major Acquisition
In 1980, SEECO acquired the transmission and substation switch product lines of the A.B. Chance Company.  Included in this acquisition were the commercially popular one-way, two-way, and three-way phase-over-phase GOABS® which are used in transmission switching applications, and the MONORUPTR® vacuum interrupter which adds full load-break capabilities to air-break switches. 

The acquisition of an established and respected line of group operated switches, with an existing nationwide customer base, was a major turning point for the company.  By virtue of this acquisition, SEECO was transformed from a supplier with a regional (southeastern U.S.) market focus to a manufacturer with both national and international customers.   Within 3-5 years of the acquisition, the company was recording sales in virtually all 50 states, Canada, Central America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

The new product lines also necessitated major changes in the manufacturing capabilities of the company.  At acquisition, SEECO took receipt of ten trailers of equipment, tooling, and fixturing, all of which required inspection and repair or reconditioning for active manufacturing service.  New manufacturing personnel were hired and trained for 6 months prior to shipment of the first complete switch.  Major expansions to our foundry, machining, and fabrication departments occurred soon thereafter.  

Product Development Drives Growth
In response to industry initiatives in automation, SEECO made the decision in 1995 to develop new products that would complement and support the automation of group operated switches.  Particular emphasis was placed on products that would facilitate the rapid identification and isolation of faults, and restoration of service. 

The first major new product was introduced in 1996, a family of motor operators for switching applications in distribution, substation, and transmission.  Product configurations include motor operators for both torsional and reciprocating switch operation.  

In 2000, SEECO began production of the next major new product, line post sensors (monitoring insulators) for monitoring and reporting line status and condition.  Line post sensors replace conventional oil-filled CT and PT devices in monitoring, relaying and metering applications.  The product design employs next generation technology and is patented.

The most recent major new product was introduced in early 2002, a family of battery test assemblies for batteries used in conjunction with motor operators and/or RTU's.  Battery test assemblies provide local and remote indication of battery condition as determined by load tests applied to the batteries on user defined time intervals.  

These new products and SEECO's commitment to new product development have been favorably received by the industry.  As a result, SEECO has experienced significant sales growth and industry recognition.  Over the period 1995 to 2004, sales and employee headcount have increased approximately 250%, and a second manufacturing facility was added in early 2004. 

More new products are scheduled for introduction in 2005 and we invite you to visit our website periodically to view information when it is updated.

 

Home | About Us | What's NewContact Us | Products & Solutions | FAQ's

For More Information
Copyright © 2003 [SEECO] All rights reserved.
Southern Electrical Equipment Company, Inc.