Have an Emergency on a Holiday Weekend? No Problem!

Labor Day weekend lived up to its name for a dynamic duo at The Macomb Group in the wake of the St. Clair Power Plant fire in East China Township, Michigan.

The DTE Energy plant suffered major roof and interior damage on Aug. 11, forcing a shutdown.

But that turned out to be just part of the drama, as a major knock-on problem showed up: Plant inspection revealed that coal inside an existing hopper was unacceptably hot and urgently needed to be removed.

The solution would be to install stainless steel chutes to offload the scorching coals. But it was early Saturday morning during Labor Day weekend. How could DTE personnel get their hands on the required 40 feet of 18- or 20-inch Schedule 10 piping with four matching elbows?

Call in Macomb experts.

The operation begins

Just after 8 a.m., DTE employees put a call through to the Macomb after-hours hotline, and the system relayed a message to Regional Manager Kirk Humphrey. A quick chat with the client to confirm requirements, followed by a check on all 19 Macomb branches, confirmed what Kirk suspected: The items were not in stock.

Kirk followed through with a call to Macomb Purchasing Manager Brandon Perilli who quickly identified numerous possible stockholders that might carry the pipe. But would they be accessible on a holiday weekend?

After dozens of calls, Brandon located the required pipe in Atlanta and a corresponding set of fittings in Houston. The challenge now was to get the materials to St. Clair County in as short a time as possible.

Brandon worked with the suppliers and a dedicated freight company to ensure they collected the pipe and fittings that afternoon with delivery scheduled at the plant by Labor Day.

All goes according to plan

Brandon coordinated both collection and delivery with the DTE logistics firm, enabling DTE personnel to remove the hot coals safely.

“I don’t believe many — if any — other suppliers could have pulled this off at this particular time,” says Kirk. “But at The Macomb Group, we answer the phone on weekends and holidays and we have the capabilities and resources to handle such emergencies.”

Coming through on a very short schedule — with some difficult-to-locate materials during a major holiday weekend — is all part of the outstanding customer service standard we strive to provide at The Macomb Group.

[cta]Stuck in a difficult position and need emergency help? Contact the experts at The Macomb Group by email at info@macombgroup.com or by phone at 888-756-4110. For a complete list of The Macomb Group Locations, visit our website.[/cta]