Safety, Productivity and Quality

Pritchard Electric
Written by Grace McDermott

Since 1962, Pritchard Electric has served customers throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. From industrial and commercial to residential and even high voltage distribution line work, Pritchard Electric’s suite of in-house services are extensive.
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Committed to quality, productivity and safety, Pritchard has worked diligently throughout the years to create an environment of progressive expertise. By investing in high-end technological innovation, staff training and in-house diversity, the company has managed to triumph through some of the toughest times in American development. Tom Braley, the current president of Pritchard Electric, gave us a look into what sets Pritchard apart.

In the early 1960s, when Robert Pritchard setup Pritchard Electric, the economic, environmental and industrial settings were much different from today. The business started as a family operation with Pritchard and his wife focusing on industrial maintenance and construction. Throughout the course of the company’s growth, other projects, including commercial works, have arisen, but the Pritchard name remains synonymous with industrial service and maintenance.

In recent years, the firm has taken on major contracts with some large industrial developments in the nation, and the customer list is growing. Working on a wide range of projects that vary in both size and requirements, Pritchard’s experience provides a strong foundation for even the most complex jobs. From chemical and power plants to refineries and steel production, Pritchard has served clients across the electrical spectrum.

The company’s future is looking better than ever before. With expansion and innovative changes on the way, Pritchard Electric is on the cusp of a new wave of success.

Industrial maintenance and construction is a highly complex segment of the wider electrical sector. Pritchard’s experience and training in these requirements is ultimately what continues to draw major contracts from across the region. “Our customers are looking for three things: safety, productivity and quality delivered to meet their schedules, and we consistently meet all of these.”

In recent years, Pritchard’s suite of vertically integrated services has become a pivotal advantage for clients, proving that technical skill sets are equally important as the ability to self-perform over the lifecycle of a project. “The company is very well rounded, always has been. The diversity, in terms of what we offer, has been a huge part of our overall success,” said Braley.

The company’s full-service approach streamlines the electrical maintenance process. It can handle high voltage work, including overhead and underground lines as well as substations. Moreover, the firm’s broader service capabilities run the gamut of lighting, power distribution and supply, controls, instrumentation, etc. through to encompassing fiber optics, data, communication and security.

Backing Pritchard’s diversity is an extensive, high-end fleet. With upwards of sixty vehicles including pickup trucks, bucket trucks and diggers, the firm is able to bypass third-party providers ensuring that projects are always completed on time. As many companies attempt to consolidate a subcontractor list and create centralized communication networks on a project, Pritchard’s diversity is seen as extremely valuable. “Many of our customers prefer to work with one electrical company. As a result of our diversity, we are able to provide solutions for all their electrical needs; that really differentiates us.”

Providing trained and skilled technicians is the only way to ensure the quality of any technical service, but this is particularly true of electrical work. Pritchard Electric has taken this task to heart, investing heavily in its team and safety systems. This focus on training and expertise carries throughout each segment of the business and has become an intrinsic part of the Pritchard brand. With fifty plus years of knowledge behind it, Pritchard Electric continues to cultivate some of the most advanced electricians in the region. “We have always been lucky to have a team of very well-trained electricians. That is essential in this business,” said Braley.

In line with the focus on staff excellence, Pritchard maintains an overarching mission of safety according to Braley. “We have a strong focus on safety throughout the company. Safety is our top priority at all times.” Pritchard has three full-time safety professionals on staff and one of the best safety records around. It ensures, by way of training, that worksite injury remains at an all-time low.

By instilling a corporate culture of professional excellence, Pritchard has not only ensured the highest standard of safety for its staff, but the highest level of quality for its clients. “It is important to us to do our work safely, and leave the customer with a quality product. Customers appreciate that, and know when they work with us, that is what they are getting.”

Pritchard’s commitment to retaining highly qualified personnel has extended beyond its in-house team. As an active participant with the local IBEW/NECA apprenticeship program in Huntington, the firm continues to invest in future talent.

When it comes to service, there is no better indicator of success than a portfolio of long-term clients. Although the company has been around for several decades, many of its clients remain the same. Close client relationships have always been a key pillar of Pritchard’s approach and remain at the core of its success. “We have been fortunate to develop and maintain long standing relationship with clients, some of which have continued for decades.”

As many companies have moved away from personal project management and services, Pritchard has pushed harder. A prime example of this is Pritchard’s relationship with one client that has lasted continuously for fifty-two years. Providing a personal touch with face-to-face oversight has led to word-of-mouth advertising and high client retention. Pritchard has managed to outlive some of the toughest times in our economic history.

“The majority of our work is from repeat clientele. We have been fortunate that as many facilities change hands and change names, we have remained with them continuously, and that’s because of our reputation and relationships,” the president affirmed.

Pritchard’s founder, Robert Pritchard, was an active and supportive member of the National Electrical Contractor Association (NECA), a group dedicated to the development of the electrical industry in the US. As an active member of the board, serving at local, state and even national level, Robert Pritchard was a vocal proponent of NECA’s work and once said that NECA was more responsible for his success than he was.

Braley explained, “NECA is a great partner, and has always been and is a major part of what we do. During some tough times in the industry, Bob even loaned the local NECA Chapter $25,000 to keep them going and later forgave the loan and interest due.” That is an excellent indication of how much he thought of NECA’s assistance and worth to his company. Pritchard Electric has been registered with NECA since 1965 and has a long, ongoing history with the group.

As the sector has progressed, Pritchard has stayed ahead of the curve by investing in progress and industrial innovation, all the while maintaining a small-business approach to customer care. Industrial maintenance requires on-going innovation and constant vigilance; consequently, Pritchard’s customer-centric ethos continues to set it apart from the crowd.

Pritchard Electric has blended progressive and innovative services with the personal approach of a family firm. Through investing in both technology and people, the company has cultivated a strong client base and a reputation which is sturdier than the economic fluctuations of the US industrial environment.

According to Tom Braley the current president, the company plans to expand into new markets in the upcoming years, seeking to take on new areas of service and further integration of diverse services. Pritchard Electric’s growth and industrial innovation are stealthy achievements, but in the end, it is its impressive commitment to staff and customers alike which will carry the company through the next decade.

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