Partner Case Study
Delivering substation batteries at high speed for Hubill Power Systems
How C&D helped longtime partner Hubill Power Systems get power solutions to their utility company customer at top speed.
Snapshot
Hubill Power Systems, a C&D Technologies Certified Partner, has a 70-year history of providing the highest quality power solutions and unparalleled customer service. That reputation was put to the test by a utility company that requested reliable substation batteries in a matter of weeks.
Hubill turned to C&D, which produced and delivered the batteries on schedule–while maintaining the highest levels of safety, quality, and reliability.
"C&D made it happen. I've never seen it before," said David Swaim, President of Hubill Power Systems and a 40-year veteran of the power generation market.
"The customer is very pleased, and they just love C&D."
C&D is a leader in the industry and their innovation and technology is what separates them from the competition and allows C&D to satisfy our customers’ needs–whatever it may be."
David Swaim, Hubill Power Systems
Case Study Facts
Partner: Hubill Power Systems, located in Iowa and Indiana and a partner to C&D since 1956
Application: Energy and infrastructure substation batteries for utility company
C&D Solution: Switchgear and Control Series batteries
The C&D Advantage
In November 2024, a utility customer placed an order with Hubill Power Systems for switchgear and control batteries for backup power. The utility wanted to have the order completed by end of year to meet budget and 2025 project planning goals.
Swaim immediately contacted C&D, who committed to producing the batteries, even though the standard timeframe to manufacture, test, and ship such batteries is 8 weeks.
The order called for six battery strings. Each battery system included 20 individual 6V batteries in a single case. The keys to successfully meeting the order timeframe included:
1) Assembled in USA with foreign and domestic parts
A key factor in achieving the tight timeline was that C&D assembles and tests the batteries in the USA. In this case, the substation batteries were assembled in C&D’s Attica, Indiana facility. C&D’s robust supply chain also contributed to the success of the order.
2) “All In” Approach
The entire C&D team–from executive leadership to facility management, and all other team members in the Attica facility–worked together. Many of those employees are long tenured and have worked together at C&D for years, creating the camaraderie and expertise necessary to meet the deadline. Communication was also essential, as the entire team regularly spoke to ensure the schedule was kept.
3) Commitment to Customer Service
Doing whatever possible to meet customer needs is a cornerstone of C&D’s 100+ year history. The immediate response from C&D was, “How can we make this happen?”
Swaim was impressed, “I know how long it takes to build a battery. C&D came through and made it happen.”
Quality First
While the timeline was short, C&D did not lose focus on what is most important–quality. The batteries were delivered on time, but not before they passed C&D’s rigorous testing processes before shipping.
"We only sell and service quality equipment. Over the 70 years that we've been in business, C&D has been a leader in quality and power solutions,” said Swaim.
“C&D has an optimal design and advanced manufacturing for consistent, reliable battery performance," said Swaim. "C&D is a leader in the industry and their innovation and technology is what separates them from the competition and allows C&D to satisfy our customers’ needs–whatever it may be."