Over the past 35 plus years, EMA has built a reputation for being the best in the business when it comes to VFDs. Remember: “No One ANYWHERE Is Better At Drives Than We Are!” However, our capabilities extend well beyond drives. In addition to Medium Voltage VFDs, EMA supplies new-surplus and remanufactured switchgear as well as e-Houses and PDCs (power distribution cabinets). With OEM switchgear lead times now commonly around 65 weeks, access to in-stock inventory can make a decisive difference. We can deliver a customized switchgear lineup in as little as eight weeks, including customization to meet project-specific requirements. Standalone feeder vacuum breakers are also available for delivery within days.
We recently had a customer in the cement industry have an 8,000 HP synchronous motor running a critical application fail catastrophically leaving the plant desperate for help. Lead time on a replacement motor was approximately 50 weeks—an unacceptable timeline given the cost of downtime. Leveraging 35 years of experience with drive-related equipment and a focus on restoring operations quickly, EMA engineered a solution using equipment that was already in stock within our vast network of suppliers. We supplied an 11,000 HP induction motor, 9,000 HP Siemens Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drive, input switchgear, and an e-House with HVAC to house all the equipment. Using this solution, the customer returned to service in less than three weeks.
By comparison, ordering a new synchronous motor would have taken about 50 weeks, and repairing the failed unit would have required an estimated 15–20 weeks. With a conservative downtime loss figure of $500,000 per day, the customer saved at least $42,000,000 in down time verses repairing the old motor and $164,500,000 in downtime verses waiting on a new motor!
| Per Day Loss | 3 Weeks of Loss | 15 Weeks of Loss | 50 Weeks of Loss |
| $500,000 | $10,500,000 | $52,500,000 | $175,000,000 |
| Difference | $42,000,000 | $164,500,000 |
If you have an upcoming VFD, switchgear, or e-House/PDC project—and schedule certainty is critical—EMA is ready to help. Contact us to discuss your requirements and timelines. We’re a family-owned business who understands the significance of downtime, and we’ll work to get you a solution even if it requires out-of-the-box thinking that you can’t get from many of the large, corporately owned firms.
Call us, Email us, or use our chat feature to discuss how we can help your organization today!
No One ANYWHERE Is Better At Drives Than We Are!