Chad Hamilton – A-C Electric Company

When California’s first new steel mill in more than half a century needed an electrical contractor capable of executing a highly complex industrial project, A-C Electric Company was prepared for the challenge.

That capability did not develop overnight. It reflects more than 80 years of experience, investment in people and a company culture built around taking on difficult electrical projects and finding ways to execute them safely, efficiently and collaboratively.

Founded in 1945, A-C Electric Company has grown into one of California’s leading electrical contractors, with established locations in Bakersfield, Fresno and Visalia and experience across commercial, industrial and infrastructure markets.

The company’s capabilities extend from electrical construction and design-build services to sophisticated power distribution, controls and complex infrastructure systems. A-C Electric Company also invests heavily in preconstruction, BIM coordination, prefabrication and design-assist services—resources that become increasingly valuable as projects grow in size and technical complexity.

Those capabilities are now being put to work at Pacific Steel Group’s Mojave Micro Mill in Kern County, California’s first new steel mill in more than 50 years.

A company built for complexity

A-C Electric Company’s involvement at the Mojave project began with temporary construction power and expanded as the project developed to include major underground infrastructure and the building electrical scope.

The mill will convert recycled scrap steel into reinforcing steel using advanced Danieli micro-mill technology. The scale, specialized equipment and evolving design requirements make the project significantly different from conventional commercial construction and require extensive coordination between the owner, construction manager, engineers, equipment manufacturers and electrical contractor.

Senior Project Manager Chad Hamilton is helping lead A-C Electric Company’s electrical effort on the project. Rather than relying on a traditional project structure, A-C Electric Company divided the work into four major areas—the rolling mill, fabrication shop, melt shop, and medium-voltage/substation scope—with dedicated project leadership supporting each area.

As construction progresses, the project is expected to require a substantial field workforce supported by project management, engineering, procurement, quality control, safety, BIM and field leadership.

“There hasn’t been a lot of large-scale industrial work locally in the Central Valley, so when we have an opportunity to take on a project like this, develop our people and demonstrate what A-C Electric Company can do, it’s a win for everyone,” Hamilton says.

For A-C Electric Company, the Mojave project represents more than a single large contract. It provides an opportunity to expand the company’s industrial expertise while developing another generation of project managers, field leaders and electricians capable of executing highly technical work throughout California.

Preparing for the unfamiliar

One of the clearest examples of A-C Electric Company’s approach came before major installation activities began.

Recognizing that the Mojave project incorporated specialized steelmaking systems unfamiliar to many members of the project team, A-C Electric Company arranged for key personnel to visit an operating sister facility in Arkansas.

The goal was straightforward: learn before building.

The team studied the equipment, installation methods, electrical systems and lessons learned from an operating facility so that those observations could be incorporated into planning for Mojave.

That preparation reflects a broader philosophy within A-C Electric Company. When the company enters unfamiliar territory, it does not simply wait for problems to reach the field. It brings together field experience, project management, preconstruction, BIM, procurement and engineering coordination to identify potential challenges as early as possible.

For Hamilton, whose career in the electrical industry began in 1991, the project represents another step in that progression.

“The size of this project brings a larger team and a greater level of responsibility,” Hamilton says. “But that’s also what makes it exciting. We have an opportunity to develop our people while showing what A-C Electric Company is capable of delivering.”

That same approach extends across A-C Electric Company’s project portfolio. Early planning, design coordination, constructability reviews and value engineering allow the company to identify conflicts and opportunities before they become expensive field problems.

On projects of this scale, that preparation can be just as important as the installation itself.

Building the next generation of industrial capability

The Mojave Micro Mill also arrives as A-C Electric Company continues positioning itself for increasingly sophisticated work throughout California.

Large industrial projects require more than manpower. They require financial strength, procurement capability, sophisticated project controls, technical expertise and the organizational depth to manage multiple scopes simultaneously.

A-C Electric Company’s ability to bring those resources together is one reason the company has continued expanding the size and complexity of the projects it pursues.

“You absolutely feel the responsibility on a project like this,” Hamilton says. “These projects are important to    A-C Electric Company, and we understand that how we perform today creates opportunities for the company and our people tomorrow.”

That responsibility extends throughout the organization—from apprentices and journeymen in the field to foremen, superintendents, project managers and executive leadership.

The objective is not simply to complete one landmark project. It is to build the experience, systems and people necessary to pursue the next one.

People-first culture

Even as A-C Electric Company takes on larger and more technically demanding projects, Hamilton says the company’s culture remains one of its greatest strengths.

The Mojave site creates a particular challenge because some employees travel significant distances to reach the project each day. To ease that burden, the project team developed schedules that allow certain team members to split their time between the project site and offices closer to home when their responsibilities permit.

“Everybody gets an opportunity to spend some time closer to home during the week when the project allows it,” Hamilton says.

The approach reflects a larger philosophy within A-C Electric Company: people ultimately deliver major projects.

Developing those people, giving them opportunities to take on greater responsibility and creating an environment where employees can build long careers are essential to the company’s long-term success.

For Hamilton, that may ultimately be one of the Mojave project’s most important outcomes.

The steel mill will eventually be completed and placed into operation. But the experience gained by the project managers, engineers, superintendents, foremen, journeymen and apprentices working on it will remain with A-C Electric Company for decades.

That combination of technical capability, preparation and investment in people has helped sustain A-C Electric Company for more than 80 years.

And as California enters a new generation of industrial development, those same qualities are positioning the company for what comes next.