Project Overview
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Facility Type: Industrial
Project Date: June 2025
Services Provided:
- Electrical Equipment Supply
- Electrical Code Compliance Review & Plan Verification
- Asset Value Recovery
- Heavy Equipment Rigging & Relocation
- Critical Equipment Shipping & Handling
- Critical System Disconnects
- Hazardous Material Removal & Disposal
- Permitting, Inspection & Regulatory Compliance
Project Scope
The client was preparing for a major facility upgrade that required 4000 amps of new electrical service. Their existing electrical infrastructure was no longer sufficient, and they were facing long lead times and steep costs for new switchgear. Standard manufacturer quotes came in at over three times the client’s budget, with delivery timelines approaching a year. The entire project schedule was at risk.
Travel Safe delivered a fully functional used switchgear lineup that met the client’s needs, fit their existing plans, and complied with local code requirements. We sourced the equipment from one of our data center decommission projects, reviewed engineering drawings, and verified all specifications prior to delivery.
In addition, we decommissioned, removed, and purchased the client’s old electrical equipment. What would have been a costly removal process became a net-positive asset recovery.
Decommissioning and replacing a switchgear lineup under a compressed schedule required overcoming several obstacles:
- Budget constraints: New equipment quotes were three times higher than the client’s available budget.
- Lead times: Delivery for new switchgear would have delayed the project by up to 12 months.
- Code compliance: Used gear required detailed review to ensure acceptance by inspectors.
Our Solution
Travel Safe reviewed the client’s electrical plans and procured a compatible 4000 amp switchgear lineup. We verified the equipment against local code and confirmed integration with the facility’s electrical design.
An account manager worked directly with the client to guide them through the decision-making and compliance process. A full-time onsite project manager oversaw the decommissioning and removal of the old equipment and the delivery of the new switchgear.
All work was self-performed. No subcontractors were used during any phase of the project.
- Saved the client 72% on switchgear costs compared to new equipment
- Eliminated nearly a full year of lead time
- Converted equipment disposal costs into resale value
- Delivered a code-compliant used solution
- Kept the project on schedule and under budget