Electric Enterprise opens new control repair division

Electric Enterprise, Inc., of Stratford, Conn., a servicer of servomotors, amplifiers, and controls, recently launched a division for repairing and servicing computerized numerical control products. Called CNC Machine Repair Co., the division will offer repair and preventive maintenance services on computerized numerical control machines tools, including bearings, ballscrews, drives, digital readouts, and spindle and servomotors. Steven Hume is general manager of the new division.

Graybar acquires Florida electrical supplier

Graybar, St. Louis-based distributor of electrical and comm/data equipment and supplies, recently bought the Ocala, Fla., branch of Besco Electric Supply Co. The branch, 66 miles north of Orlando, includes a lighting showroom, warehouse, and counter operation. Graybar's Jacksonville branch manager, Mike Bennett, will oversee the Ocala operation.

Three former executives of Clevelandbased Rockwell Automation Reliance Motor Group have formed a venture with Kirloskar Electric Co. of Bangalore, India, to offer U.S. distributors a line of motors initially to be offered in the 1-150 hp range. Wayne Huron, Glenn Griger, and James Ansberry, all former Reliance executives, will handle sales, marketing, and financial duties for the new KEC North America, to be based in Cleveland. Plans call for the venture's product offerings eventually to include vertical hollow shaft, IEC, mill-duty, and inverter-duty motors.

TECO-Westinghouse launches service division

TECO-Westinghouse Motor Co. has added a large motor service division to its Round Rock, Texas, operation. Designed for large motor repair, the company's 500,000-square-foot facility is outfitted with 200-ton cranes, 675,000 lb. capacity air pallets, and 350,000 lb. capacity lathes. In addition to motor repair, the facility offers engineering services, motor performance upgrades, motor testing, and spare motor parts.

K.J. Electric announces plans for facility expansion

K.J. Electric of Syracuse, N.Y., a distributor of industrial electric and electronic products, recently announced plans to triple the size of its facility in Tonawanda, N.Y., with a $1.4 million expansion. The company estimates that the staff will increase from six employees to around 25, while the facility will grow in size to 18,500 square feet. An existing distribution warehouse is to be expanded and a new repair shop added.

GE Supply introduces online purchasing service

GE Supply, Shelton, Conn., has introduced a Web site for ordering and specification information about General Electric products for original-equipment manufacturers, maintenance engineers, and repair shops. The site, at www.motordirect.rom, lists more than 800 products from an inventory located at sites around the U.S. Motors range from fractional to 400 horsepower. Customers can pay with a major credit card or through a direct-billing account.

Baldor Electric receives two market engineering awards

Baldor Electric Co., Fort Smith, Ark., maker of motors and drives, recently received two Market Engineering Leadership Awards from Frost & Sullivan, the market research firm. The Product Innovation Award was given in response to the company's use of inverter-duty magnet wire in all three-phase motors one horsepower and above. The Customer Service Award was given in recognition of quick customer response, according to Baldor.

Search is on for the oldest working Reliance motor

In celebration of the ninety-fifth anniversary of Reliance Electric products, Rockwell Automation, Reliance Electric's parent company, has issued The Reliance Electric Endurance Challenge to find the oldest continuously operating Reliance Electric motor, drive, and programmable control. The challenge is to find the oldest such product still in use by the end of this year. Rules, applications, and contest updates are available from Rockwell Automation distributors and on the Internet