Specialized Engineering

Resources Ready to
Address Your Biggest
Challenges
 About Why We Services How We Case Meet Our How to
SWIFT Are Here Studies Team of Get Help
Inside Can Help
Engineering
Specialists
 Southwire Engineering Corps is
About a proud member of SWIFT
SWIFT
SWIFT is a group of highly experienced teams
dedicated to providing technical and opera-
tional support for the specialized needs of
our clients. From solving complex engineering
challenges to preparing for rapid response
during storm events, we’ve assembled the
best people and resources to help when it
matters most.

Our Engineering Corps
technical team is comprised
of elite engineers with ex-
pertise in power, electrical,
mechanical, civil, chemical,
polymer science, industrial,
and nuclear engineering.
Our High Voltage (HV) In-
stallation team offers the full
spectrum of underground
transmission cable installa-
tion services including un-
matched engineering support,
onsite project management,
installation, and testing.
Facing a pressing deadline?
Our dedicated Southwire
SPEED™ team will be able
to handle all of your cable
requests, reducing lead times
and fulfilling short lengths for
non-standard constructions.
Our Storm Activation team
works around the clock with
our partners to assess the
pending impact of natural
disasters to ensure they have
the materials they need to
keep the power on.

ABOUT
SWIFT
WHY WE HOW WE CASE HOW TO BACK TO
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Why We
Are Here Expertise

Customer
Performance

Readiness
 The top wire and cable
Why We engineers solving your most
Are Here complex challenges
Expecting the unexpected. Our customers often face unique
challenges that can occur at any stage of a project: from drafting
plans, through executing project construction, to ongoing opera-
tions. That’s why we are here.

Our customers expect us to have the experience and aptitude

necessary to address their most complex and mission-critical
challenges. This includes complicated problems that often appear
without warning and need to be solved fast. To meet these needs,
we formed the Southwire Engineering Corps.

The Engineering Corps is comprised of elite engineers with exper-

tise in power, electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, polymer sci-
ence, industrial, and nuclear engineering.

Highlights:

• 9 certified professional engineers, 3 doctoral degrees

in engineering Southwire is an innovation leader
with over 460+ patents and works
• Chairman of ICEA and IEEE Overhead Line Subcommittees
with top companies on their most
• ASTM B01 mission-critical initiatives.
• Authors of industry standards – Southwire’s Overhead Conduc-
tor Manual and Power Cable Manual

WHY WE
ARE HERE
ABOUT HOW WE CASE HOW TO BACK TO
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TEAM GET HELP BEGINNING
 LINE DESIGN We help customers balance ampacity requirements with sag and
ASSISTANCE tension requirements for optimal conductor selection.

Services SPEC With decades of experience engineering electrical systems, our team
works diligently to ensure your specifications are accurate and de-
VALIDATION signed to precision.

CABLE
Selection of the right materials can often make or break a project.
With decades of experience designing wire and cable systems, our
SELECTION team works tirelessly to ensure you have the right cable for the job.

Keeping temperatures below their maximum ratings helps to ensure

AMPACITY NESC clearance limits are not violated. Increasing ampacities can

CALCULATIONS
quickly drive up costs. Our design engineers can help recommend
cost-effective cable designs with higher temperature ratings.

MAXIMUM Short-circuit current is a vital measure for all power distribution

SHORT-CIRCUIT systems and is required by the NEC as a data point for their reg-
CURRENT
ulations. Our team can help with the calculations to ensure your
system design is up to code.
VALUES
Depth of skill and the ability to
respond with innovative
VOLTAGE DROP
Our team of experts can help you determine proper wire and cable
size for an electrical circuit based on voltage drop and current carry- solutions set our team apart.
CALCULATIONS ing capacity.

CABLE CHEMICAL Constructions with various types of insulation and jacket types may

RESISTANCE
be recommended depending on the application and the environmen-
tal factors impacting your project. Our team can help ensure you
CHARACTERISTICS choose the right materials for the right application.

SERVICES

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How We Help
At Every Stage
We help companies initially
assess the feasibility of
proposed projects and systems.
This includes assisting with
the determination of project
requirements regarding best
practices for wire and cable.
Find out how our Engineer-
ing Corps helped the West-
ern Area Power Adminis-
tration upgrade ampacity
while lowering cost.
Case study
We can help ensure your
projects stay on track, on
budget, and meet industry
regulations by assisting with
project planning processes.
Learn about the benefits of
the Southwire Automated
Materials Management
(SAMM) system that
provides real-time tracking
information of critical
materials.
Video
ABOUT
SWIFT
SWIFT TEAMS
Choosing the right wire and
cable is critical to the success
of your project. Our team of
experts will collaborate with you
to ensure the cable you source
will meet the rigors of the
application.
Read about our Cofer
Technology Center, where
industry experts, including
metallurgists, polymer
chemists, and process
engineers are pushing the
boundaries of wire and
cable innovation.
Explore
HOW WE
CAN HELP
WHY WE CASE
ARE HERE SERVICES STUDIES
TEAM
Often questions arise once
materials are onsite. We can
help ensure that our innovative
solutions are installed proper-
ly according to industry best
practices. This includes working
onsite alongside engineers
during the installation process
to support the success of your
most critical projects.
Read about our
collaboration with CNP
while installing our
innovative C7 overhead
®
conductor.
Case study
HOW TO BACK TO
GET HELP BEGINNING
Our products are based on
strong engineering principles
and backed by years of
research and testing. If you
have a problem with wire and
cable, let us know, and we will
troubleshoot it for you - even if
it’s not our cable.
Learn how we made recon-
ductoring more affordable
for a utility in Denmark.
Case study
 Feasibility

Case
Studies

Operations

Resourcing
Planning
Case Study
Western
Area Power
High-temperature, Low-sag
Administration Conductors Ease Ecologically
Sensitive Line Upgrade
When the Western Area Power Administration (Western) want-
ed to upgrade the ampacity of a 230 kV transmission line near
the Lower Colorado River, they knew the existing ACSR con-
ductors were approaching the end of their life span. Conductor
selection became a design challenge.

The Davis-Mead line is part of the Parker-Davis Project, which

includes 1,541 miles of high-voltage overhead transmission
lines in Arizona, southern Nevada, and California.
“Besides the obvious
PROJECT:
budget benefits, using
“The existing 61 miles of 230 kV line had a capacity of 170
MVA. By mid-2004, growing demands on the grid required more
existing sites and structures
230 kV line ampacity
upgrade power down that route. The goal was a rating of 450 MVA, a could shorten the project by
164% increase in capacity,” says Allen Turner, electrical engineer, two to three years.”
Western Area Power Administration, Design Group.
PRODUCT USED:
Allen Turner
Southwire ACSS/TW
Full case study here
Electrical Engineer
HS285 Overhead Con-
® Western Area Power Administration
ductor

PROJECT OWNER:

Western Area Power

Administration

CASE
STUDIES
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Video Southwire Automated Materials
SAMM
Management (SAMM)
The SAMM system provides real-time information on the lo-
cation and delivery of cable reels. Watch our video to learn
more.

“When you order cable and

PROJECT:
SAMM system
ADVANTAGES:
• Real-time information
on delivery of materials
• Accurate information
on location of spare
reels
• Faster removal of
empty steel reels
you know when it ships, you
can mobilize forces to re-
ceive it, you can check your
project schedule to make
sure you’re ready for it, and
you can have the resources
available for installation.”
Learn more about SAMM here
Freddie Stewart,
Vice President of Business Development
Southwire

CASE
STUDIES
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Explore
Cofer Cofer Technology Center
Technology
Center Southwire’s Cofer Center is a dedicated 50,000 square foot
onsite research and development center staffed with industry
experts including metallurgists, polymer chemists, and pro-
cess and applications engineers.

In this environment, the link between real-world customer needs

and truly innovative - and practical - solutions starts with ad-
vanced research.

The labs are equipped to do industry accepted qualification

testing to standards set by the Association of Edison Illuminat- The Southwire Cofer
ing Companies (AEIC) and the Insulated Cable Engineers Asso-
EXPLORE: ciation (ICEA). Technology Center houses
our world-class R&D team,
Cofer Technology Cofer Center testing helps ensure that new and existing South-
Center wire products reliably meet or exceed the requirements of
which communicates with
ANSI/ICEA S-94-649 for concentric neutral cables, ANSI/ICEA each business unit to learn
Established in 1992 S-97-682 for cables that use copper tape shields, longitudinally what solutions to pursue to
corrugated tape, or drain wire shields, and the AEIC supplement,
World-class testing
CS8. Capabilities include flame testing facilities, a complete solve our customers’ most
and laboratory work to
support innovation in mechanical testing facility, and a world-class metallurgy lab for pressing problems.
low, medium, and high chemical and physical analysis of materials. Insulation experts
voltage cable blend, analyze, and test existing and new cable insulation com-
pounds.

Cofer Center engineers also support the only facility in North

America producing solid dielectric extra-high voltage cable.
Southwire can supply utilities with components and turnkey
installations up to 400kV.

Learn more about the Cofer Technology Center here

CASE
STUDIES
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Case Study
CenterPoint High Capacity Meets
Energy – C7
®

Low Sag
Overhead
Conductor CenterPoint Energy upgrades line capacity with first installa-
tion of C7® overhead conductor.

Originally published on T&D World by Chester Kowalik, senior consulting engineer at Center-
Point Energy

Excerpt: The problem comes when designing for ice and wind
loads, where conductor sag can exceed high-temperature sag
due to the elongation of the carbon fiber core under loading
conditions. Modeling done at Southwire found the strength and
elastic modulus of the ACCR, which uses an Al-Zr alloy, was “The author would like to
PROJECT:
sufficient for even extreme ice and wind loads. The stranded thank the team at Southwire
carbon-fiber core continues to limit the high-temperature sag,
but the Al-Zr version will sag more than the O-temper version at
for their support in making
CenterPoint Energy
high temperature. CNP wanted to use both to have two options this a successful installa-
available in future projects. tion.”
PRODUCT USED:
Read the full article here
C overhead
7®

conductor Chester Kowalik,

Senior Consulting Engineer
CenterPoint Energy
PROJECT OWNER:

CenterPoint Energy

CASE
STUDIES
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Case Study
N1 and Otra Ultra-High Strength Steel
Danmark Upgrades Danish Grid
N1 and Otra Danmark upgrade line with HS285® Overhead
Conductor

On Denmark’s Jutland peninsula, near Arhus, the second-largest

city in Denmark and a major seaport, power needs for homes
and industry are growing just as quickly as in the U.S. But build-
ing new towers to carry larger, heavier conductors can push up-
grade budgets past the breaking point. The Danish utility opera-
tor N1 found an alternative. They reconductored existing towers
PROJECT: using Southwire’s ACSS/TW (aluminum conductor, steel-sup-
ported, trapezoidal wire) conductors with Southwire’s ultra-high “Southwire has 25 years of
experience with the ACSS/
®
N1’s HS285 overhead
strength steel core called the HS285® overhead conductor.
conductor project

N1’s HS285® overhead conductor project is a double-circuit

TW conductor architecture.
CONTRACTOR: 170kV line stretching 22.5 miles (36 km) between the cities of That was an important fac-
DELPRO A/S
Trige and Tange. The line was built in 1963, using ACSR (alumi- tor in making the choice.”
num conductor, steel-reinforced) conductors. By 2005, the orig-
inal 980 amp capacity just wasn’t sufficient. N1’s goal was to
PRODUCT USED: develop a capacity of 1,500 amp down the same right-of-way.
Merete Neilsen,
Southwire ACSS/TW Manager of Power and Networks
®
HS285 Overhead Otra
Full case study here
Conductor

PROJECT OWNER:

N1/Otra Danmark

LOCATION:

Arhus, Denmark

CASE
STUDIES
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Meet Our Team Problem
of Engineering Solvers
Specialists

Expertise

Understanding
Meet the Engineering Services Corps
Team

Barrett M. Kimball Amy W. Murrah

Director of Overhead Transmission Engineering Product Engineer

Barrett joined Southwire after working seven years in the Amy is a Product Engineer in the Energy Business Unit.
U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. In May 2018, She assists our utility customers, as well as our sales
he was promoted to his current role within the Energy team and marketing team, providing engineering calcu-
Business Unit where he oversees all aspects of technical lations and technical information for installations and
sales and support of bare overhead transmission prod- specifications of overhead and underground products.
ucts, and the advancement of Southwire’s position in the She also provides product training to internal personnel
carbon fiber composite core conductor market. and utility customers.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engneers (IEEE)
Affiliations • IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Affiliations
• International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE)
• NEETRAC Technical Advisor

770-832-5049 770-832-4827

Casey Spradlin Charles L. Holcombe, P.E.

Senior Product Engineer Product Engineer

Casey has worked across multiple product groups Charles works with the Overhead Transmission Engi-
starting in high voltage underground transmission. He neering group within the Energy Business Unit, where
is currently responsible for coordinating new orders by he provides technical applications and field support for
examining technical needs relative to project design, Southwire’s overhead transmission products and ser-
conducting special tests for product development, and vices. He also manages the design and development of
provides engineering assistance with cable manufactur- new trap wire conductors.
ing. He is the co-inventor on one U.S. patent.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • ASTM B01 Vice-Chair

Affiliations • IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Affiliations • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE) • IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES)
• Working Group Chairman Insulated Cable Engineers Association • Standards Association
(ICEA) • National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
• Ga. Society of Prof. Eng. (GSPE) - West Georgia Chapter

770-832-4922
770-832-5070

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Meet the Engineering Services Corps
Team

Allee A. Armstrong Emory Barber

Applications Engineer Vice President Technical, Power Systems and Solutions

Allee is an Applications Engineer in the Energy Business As VP Technical for Power Systems and Solutions, Emory
Unit where she provides technical and cost reviews of leads the technical support programs for a broad range
customer specifications. She also calculates design and of insulated utility wire and cable, bare transmission
build requirements and specializes in technical training cable, and high voltage and extra-high voltage cables and
for utility customers, including Southwire’s SAG10® systems. He is the co-inventor on two US patents.
software, one of the premier sag and tension calculation
applications in the industry.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE)
Affiliations Affiliations
• IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES)
• International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE)
• NEETRAC Advisory Board Representative
• Wire Association International (WAI)

770-832-4986 770-832-5010

Cory Liu, Ph.D., P.E. Yuhsin Hawig, Ph.D.

Senior Design Engineer Director of OEM and Energy Engineering

Cory joined Southwire Company on the technical team of Yuhsin leads the specification and the MV/LV engineer-
the Energy Business Unit in 2015. Throughout his career, ing team. She has extensive experience in innovation,
he has worked in the manufacturing of wire and cable business process development, and application support
at several different factories. He often deploys program- for wire & cable, electrical, electronics, communication,
ming skills to automate tasks and improve processes. and automotive industry. Dr. Hawig has published 16
research articles in 10 peer-reviewed journals, has been
granted 3 U.S. patents, and has a formal certification on
FMEA and PPAP.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Affiliations • Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC) Affiliations • International Council on Large Electric System (CIGRE)
• NEETRAC Management Board Representative

770-832-5833
704-379-9646

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Meet the Engineering Services Corps
Team

Mark A. Lancaster, MBA, P.E. Joseph Rezutko, P.E.

Chief Engineer Design Engineer

In his accomplished career with Southwire, Mark has Joseph is a Design Engineer focusing on HV and EHV
worked across several groups and initiatives including cable systems. He is responsible for the design, thermal
overhead and underground distribution, substation and and electrical analysis, performance characteristics, and
generation support, and high voltage cable. He is the bid of high voltage cable systems. In this role, he works
co-editor of the Southwire Overhead Conductor Manual closely with sales, engineering, production, and
and holds 3 U.S. patents for cable and conductor designs manufacturing.
and dynamic rating of overhead lines. 
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Professional -IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES)
Affiliations

-Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC)
-Towers, Poles, & Conductors Committee (TP&C)
Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

• Chairman ASTM International B01 Committee, 2010-2014

Affiliations • Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC)

• National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)

• Past Secretary, Ga. Society of Prof. Eng. (GSPE)-West Georgia Chapter
• Convener, International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE)
• Board of Directors, Wire Association International (WIA), 2000

770-832-5043 704-379-9657

Reema Pothireddi Sherif Kamel, Ph.D.

Design Engineer Technical Director

Reema is a Design Engineer for HV and EHV underground Sherif heads the HV/EHV Engineering team and brings
transmission cable systems. She is responsible for cable extensive experience in HV testing techniques and the
design including finite element analysis to study the elec- development and operation of cable accessories, insu-
trical and thermal behavior of cables, technical support lators, surge arresters, and low voltage surge protective
for cables through manufacturing, and installation and devices. Dr. Kamel has published 10 papers and numer-
product design support. ous reports and has been granted 20 US patents.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Affiliations • IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Affiliations • International Council on Large Electric System (CIGRE)
• IEEE Women in Engineering Society • Vice Chair, Insulated Conductor Committee (ICC)
B03D – IEEE Standard 592

704-379-9716 704-379-9711

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Meet the Engineering Services Corps
Team

Erika Akins Paul McCracken

Applications Engineer Senior Product Engineer

Erika is responsible for providing technical information to Paul has been heavily involved in the research and devel-
support sales teams and customers in the OEM and En- opment of a large assortment of cable types, including
ergy markets. Previously, she worked at a plant manufac- tray cables, wind turbine tray cables, electric off-vehicle
turing medium and high voltage cables, analyzing failures battery charging cables, submersible cables for industri-
and providing technical insight to the quality assurance al fountains and pumps, continuous flexing cables, and
lab and test area. many more. He has been instrumental in migrating all
specs into the CableBuilder® system.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Affiliations • Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Affiliations

• Wire Association International (WAI)

770-832-4585 770-832-4827

Steve Wetzel Sy Shaheen

Senior Product Engineer Vice President of Industrial Engineering

Steve is the product expert on mining cables, flexible Sy leads a team of engineers in the day-to-day support
cables, and VFD cables, helping to improve the quality of the Industrial sales team. He has published several
®
and processes behind the RHINO brand mining cable technical application papers and helped architect the
products. He is the author of many applications notes industrial catalog website. He works with plant quality
and technical journal articles, has presented at national teams to find cable non-conformances and investigates
events, and has developed testing protocols for mechani- field back-charges to determine the root causes of cable
cal and electrical testing of new cable products. issues.

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Professional • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Affiliations • Insulated Cable Engineers association (ICEA) Affiliations • IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES)
• CSA Working Group:
-CSA 22.2 Numbers 38, 51, 75, 96, 96.1, 96.2, 131, 203
-CSA C68.5 and C68.10

770-832-4922
770-832-5070

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Meet the Engineering Services Corps
Team

Mark Dulik Jeremy Woodham

Applications Engineer Specialist Specification Specialist

Mark is responsible for providing technical and site sup- Jeremy’s responsibilities include providing manufac-
port for sales engineers, contractors, engineers, and end turing and technical support on new product designs.
users. He has written several application notes on field He is an expert on all of the Energy Division’s products,
testing and best practices for industrial products. He including Bare Overhead Transmission, 600V Under-
is the lead engineer for cable pulling calculations, field ground, Cable-In-Conduit, and others. Jeremy works with
walk-downs for best pulling practices, non-conformance sales, manufacturing, quality, engineering, and vendors to
issues, and field investigations. review customer specifications and ensure that products
meet industry standards.

Professional • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

Affiliations

440-565-5199 770-832-4121

Dixie Brooks
Specifcation Specialist

Dixie works closely with sales, manufacturing, quality, en-

gineering, and vendors to review customer specifications
and industry standards to help design or select a product
to meet the needs of the customer and provide technical
support. Dixie maintains critical documents including
customer specifications, engineering design approvals,
and sales check lists for quoting and orders.

770-832-5943

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If You Have General Technical Industrial Underground T & D
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