PACS Indusries services a variety of markets such as electric utilities. large industrials, and oil and gas.

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PACS Industries Inc. is in the enviable position of not only competing with the largest switch­gear manufacturers in the industry, but also working for them. According to founder and CEO Mandell Dalis, PACS Industries’ engineering capabilities not only puts it in direct competition with the biggest names in this market, but those same brands call on the company to handle their specialized engineering and switchgear needs when necessary.

“We build a lot of these niche products that require a degree of engineering the competition doesn’t have,” Dalis says. “The big companies buy from us because they don’t invest in the engineering required to design these specialized products themselves.”

PACS also serves diverse markets such as electric utilities, large industrials, oil and gas, and other sectors that require large blocks of electrical power to operate their facilities. PACS Industries operates  a 240,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and has engineering, estimating, and project management departments at its headquarters in Great Neck, N.Y. PACS sells nationally and overseas.

PACS Industries was founded in 1972 as a metal-clad switchgear manufacturer. The company manufactures metal-clad switchgear lineups as well as power and control center (PCC) buildings to contain such switchgear.

It is not unusual for such PCCs to be 100 feet long. This equipment is used to control and protect electrical systems in large facilities. Recently, PACS provided the main 26,000-volt switchgear for Major League Baseball’s New York Mets Citi Field.
    
Staying Ahead
The bulk of PACS Industries’ sales come from metal-clad switchgear utilizing circuit breakers. Dalis says the company specializes  in manufacturing switchgear from 2,400 to 38,000 Volts and is presently developing additional ranges. Electrical systems this powerful require a great deal of safety innovation, and PACS Industries stays on top of the latest mandates issued by organizations such as OSHA and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) to determine its customers’ upcoming needs. “Within the last few years, safety has become more important than it had been in previous years,” Dalis says.   

“Everything is fine until there is an accident, then someone asks, how safe was the employee in the first place?”

Recently, OSHA and NFPA have mandated employers to provide better electrical safety measures in the workplace. PACS Industries responded by developing its arc-resistant switchgear.

This product protects operators from a potential arc flash, which is a dangerous electrical explosion that can occur in high-voltage situations. Dalis says that if an arc flash takes place in a switchgear cubicle, it can have  a greater impact than a stick of dynamite. According to OSHA, more than 2,000 workers are admitted to burn centers each year for extensive treatment of injuries caused by arc flashes.

PACS Industries’ arc-resistant switchgear is designed to contain an explosion by venting the energy through the roof, away from the operator’s work area. This product hit the market three years ago, and Dalis says it now accounts for 40 percent of PACS Industries’ revenues.

“We jumped right into that and developed a complete line of products,” he says. “We’re the only independent, medium-sized company with a complete range and we have a patent  covering important aspects of the design. Essentially, it was a response to an industry requirement that personnel must have a safe workplace.”

Along with safety mandates, PACS Industries also is developing products that anticipate the distribution of federal funds for infrastructure projects. Since President Barack Obama has earmarked funds for expansion of existing railroad corridors as well as the creation of new routes, Dalis says his company intends to grow its market share in this sector  and is well situated to benefit from the recovery stimulus package.

“We’re already  providing switchgear for this field, but we see it expanding,” Dalis adds. “They are improving the railway infrastructure so it becomes a preferred means of travel.”