Repairing Drives and VFD s; How the Business Has Changed

EMA has been in the business of repairing industrial electronics for many years. For a long time, one of our primary revenue sources was repairing electronic circuit boards, and while we still do that, the vast majority of our work is now repairing larger horsepower variable frequency drives (VFDs) and large DC Drives. (We still see quite a bit of servo repair business as well). We have a repair shop that is recognized nationally for its excellence.

The reason for the shift had less to do with business strategy, and more to do with the market. As industrial electronics became less expensive, including VFDs and DC Drives, the repair vs replace ratios changed. It often became less expensive to replace them. (A word of caution: the cost of replacement needs to be calculated on a FULL cost basis, and on a complex machine, the changes and installation costs can be far more than the cost of the new drive.)

There were at one time, many companies specializing in repairing small VFDs and DC drives, and one result of the market shift has been the demise of many of those companies. Sometimes it’s simply not possible for a service company to repair a small drive profitably. Those that were unwilling or unable to adapt fell on hard times.

What we’ve seen at EMA is an increase in the complexity of the drives we repair, and/or an increase in the size. It used to be rare to see an 800 HP variable frequency drive (VFD) in for repair, but not so much now. The smaller drives we repair tend to be very specialized complex drives, which are often not easily replaceable. And, other than EMA, there are very few companies that can repair these complex and often obsolete units.

At EMA, our repair and service business is growing. We attribute that to both market changes, and to our commitment to excellent customer service. (At EMA, we measure our customer satisfaction levels, and it’s the highest that we know of within our industry)

We began servicing medium voltage VFD s in recent years, and we expect that to continue growing as a percentage of our business. (See “Medium Voltage Drive Market”) We’re also seeing considerable growth in our field service and equipment sales. With three facilities now in Georgia, New York, and Pennsylvania, we’re able to respond to field service requests in the Eastern US on a regular basis. EMA also continues to perform service on the west coast, and internationally.

We see a continuation of growth for the immediate future. We’re blessed with an excellent team, with a great deal of experience, and continue to be a valuable partner for our municipal, commercial, and industrial customers. To discuss new equipment, repair, or field service, call your nearest EMA facility listed at the bottom of this page.