Conversation with Steve Kistner

Chief Executive Officer, Thermo Bond Buildings, LLC

3062

How did Thermo Bond get started in the wind energy industry?

Thermo Bond Buildings has been building Electrical Equipment Shelters and Telecommunication Shelters for nearly 30 years. Many of our energy and utilities customers using our buildings for telecommunications and other applications appreciated the flexibility and vast array of integration options and saw our ability use those talents building substation control buildings. Together with our customers we began designing, engineering and building Substation Control Buildings over 15 years ago.

What products does Thermo Bond offer specifically for the wind market?

Thermo Bond Buildings builds fully integration Substation Buildings, Inverter Buildings and Power Control/SCADA Buildings for the wind market. These buildings can be all steel buildings, precast concrete buildings and prefabricated lightweight buildings in a number of configurations. Thermo Bond Buildings also provides smaller cabinet style enclosures for smaller equipment needs.

What advantages does Thermo Bond offer over other manufacturers?

Thermo Bond Building is not just providing a shell that you can put your equipment in. We pride ourselves on providing a complete solution for each of our customers’ unique projects. We work with each Project Manager to customize our solution to provide a site solution. We can provide the electrical (AC & DC systems), integration, batteries, rectifiers. Doing the integration at our facility reduces field expenses and potential delays at the site.  We are able to help the customer reduce the number of vendors they are managing.

How does the process work?

The customer contacts a Thermo Bond sales associate by phone, email or through our website, which leads to an exchange of information, drawings, questionnaire, etc. to establish the scope of work and design needs (e.g., shelter size, HVAC, electrical, grounding, etc.). A detailed quote that includes shipping cost is prepared by the Thermo Bond associate for the customer to review. A purchase order/contract is submitted by the customer along with a rough sketch of the shelter design for use by the Thermo Bond drafting department in preparing detailed construction drawings of the interior layout, exterior view, cross sections of the wall, roof and floor, skid assembly and foundation. Construction drawings are finalized by the customer and our manufacturing team at Thermo Bond builds it according to specifications. A Thermo Bond representative provides blueprints to the appropriate state agencies, if necessary, and coordinates delivery of the finished building by truck and trailer to its designated location. The completed project is reviewed by the Thermo Bond associate to ensure complete customer satisfaction prior to the invoice being processed.  We continue to support the customer as required after the building is delivered.

Could you cite a specific wind industry installation?

Thermo Bond Buildings constructed, delivered and installed a 15’-0” x 46’-0” x 10’-6” all steel, fully functional, pre-assembled control building to a Nebraska 230/34.5 kV wind energy substation. The building construction was of a heavy duty, non-combustible, rigid framed steel structure that included AC/ DC electrical components, a 125vdc Battery system, HVAC, cable tray, grounding, alarm and other auxiliary equipment. Thermo Bond provided this high quality, cost effective solution within the customer’s mandatory 12 week timeframe, while satisfying all customer required structural, electrical and safety specifications as well as adhering to all state and local regulations and building codes.

(800) 356-2686 www.thermobond.com /ThermoBondBuildings @ThermoBond