Our company’s typical clients are heavy industrial-based companies. We are blessed to have such diversity in our customer base – steel, aggregate, plastics, automotive, etc. Since we are in so many sectors of industry, we have increased job security. One sector such as automotive can tank while others may increase, keeping our company workload relatively steady.
Another component of this security is our nation’s military who’s mission is to keep America and her people safe from threats, foreign and domestic. In the past, we have been called upon to assist the government with projects for the Navy and Air Force. In fact, we rewound a 5,000 HP motor for our local Air Force Base a few years ago. Several years ago, Don Morris figured out how to rewind small aircraft generators for the Navy. These generators are small and tedious, requiring hand winding and a substantial amount of attention to detail. Don worked with the government inspectors to ensure that our generator rewind jobs would pass final inspection. Anyone who has worked with Don knows that he is very innovative and creative, when it comes to figuring out how to rewind a difficult coil project.
When a large batch of 65 generator stators was awarded to us, Don needed some help. The Springfield shop winding department had some capacity but we did not have the expertise needed for this project. One of our winders, Stephen, stepped up to the plate and offered to be Don Morris’s understudy, to learn how to rewind these small genera- tors. Stephen worked directly with Don and then came back to help train other winders in Springfield, on how to properly rewind these special generator stators.
Don Morris was our final inspector and he would pass or reject any windings, before they were delivered to the government inspectors. Horner has completed several hundred of these generator rewind jobs for the Navy, over the years. Recently, we were approached by a general contractor for the Air Force, with an opportunity to quote rewinding 36 aircraft generator stators. Another motor shop had attempted to rewind them and the coils they rewound had the appearance of a 5th grade science project. After reviewing some photos of the aircraft generator stators that we did for the Navy, they paid us to rewind two sample stators. These two jobs passed their winding inspections and we won the bid for the job!
We are currently rewinding these aircraft generator stators at a rate of about 3- 4 per week. This project provides excellent “fill-In work” for our winding department, between large rewind jobs and overtime rewind work.
The work that we perform for our military branches is worth more than just profit dollars. We are supporting the military that supports America, so we are performing a patriotic service for our country. Horner Industrial Group is part of Team USA.
