Mounts Electric Inc.

A business doesn’t remain strong for decades without learning to adapt and change alongside its customers and that’s what Mounts Electric Inc. (Mounts Electric), an industrial and commercial electrical contractor, has learned to do over the course of 82 years. The privately owned, Indiana-based company is guided by the strong business leadership of Dave Mounts, president and owner. Steve Mounts, Dave’s son and vice president, joined the company in 2002; the duo has since been supporting clients’ ever-changing electrical needs with a strong commitment to continuity and the established values of Mounts Electric.

“This industry requires constant change and movement,” says Rick Will, vice president of operations at Mounts Electric. “You have to be nimble and willing to change to take care of your customers and employ dedicated well-trained personnel who understand their customer’s needs. You don’t just open the doors and expect it to happen; you need the team to draw and keep good customers.”

Founded in 1932 initially as Pyle Electric, the company has learned to embrace change over its long history, and Rick has seen things evolve firsthand. “I joined the company in 1972 after working as a Navy electrician,” he recalls. “I enjoyed working in the electrical field so I took a job delivering material at Pyle Electric to stay close to the industry and applied for an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers [IBEW] apprenticeship.”

Rick took advantage of the opportunity. “With the help and guidance of special mentors, I worked my way up to a foreman and superintendent and was in the field for about 18 years before taking an estimator position,” he continues. “You never know what life has in store for you, but I have no doubt been blessed to spend my whole career at, and be part of, Mounts Electric.”

Today, based in Evansville, Ind., Mounts Electric serves a wide range of industrial and commercial clients, including public school systems, higher education facilities, large-scale construction companies and manufacturers, wastewater treatment plants, public utilities and utility management companies. Along with medium and high voltage power systems the company installs data cabling, traffic signals, temperature control systems, lighting retrofits, design-build and power-quality testing.

A talented team on call

Mounts Electric serves a 100-mile radius of Evansville, Ind.; the heart of the Midwest’s farm belt. Rick says this positioning has opened opportunities for Mounts Electric to work with some of the largest ag-influencers in the country, such as Cargill, ADM and CGB. As a union shop, Mounts Electric is professionally affiliated with IBEW and its highly trained, skilled electricians are members of the IBEW Local No. 16 in Evansville.

“We’re currently employing 17 electricians, but in the past, we’ve been as high as 70,” shares Rick. “Our key estimating and professional staff have a combined total of more than 60 years of experience in electrical contracting and together we deliver the highest quality installation, keeping customer’s unique needs foremost in our minds.”

Over the last decade, Rick says Mounts Electric has made an effort to increase its service, focusing on custom-fit solutions. “At one time, plan and spec was a major focus of our business, but in the last 10 years we’ve transitioned to more of a design-build, service-oriented company,” he explains. “We’ve done work from line relocation for Toyota’s satellite companies to hazard monitoring and new grain handling systems for the agricultural industry, warehouse lighting retrofits to rooftop solar installations, always striving to be an all-around contractor. We have quick access to BC Engineering, an electrical and mechanical engineering firm located in our building, and excellent support from local electrical supply houses.”

Rick says Mounts Electric has made the service-oriented shift to support all customers, whether it is a grain handling facility or manufacturing. “Down time converts to lost revenue, anyway we can facilitate a quick recovery or prevent an outage through watchful and planned maintenance makes us a partner and asset,” he continues. “An important part of that support is qualified electricians on 24-hour emergency call to keep these plants up and running.”

Mounts Electric also maintains large traffic signal maintenance contracts with local cities. “We have about 75 intersections we maintain 24/7,” adds Rick. “We’re fortunate to have a good customer base that calls us when they need us and we have been working with many of them for several years. I think our process and the knowledge of our workforce helps establish a comfort level that brings in repeat business.”

Joining forces

Mounts Electric is well-connected with its customers, as well as industry associations as a member of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) of southern Indiana. “NECA is based out of common interest in competing contractors and serves as a centralized point for union negotiations,” explains Dave. “We have friendly relationships and mutual respect for other businesses who deal with the same issues as us.”

Dave has worked with NECA steadily since 1963, from a previous company to when he purchased Mounts Electric. “I’ve been a member of the board of directors since the early 1980s,” he adds.

Industry affiliations, such as the relationship with NECA, have helped keep Mounts Electric going for decades. “Sometimes things are great, at other points times are tough,” says Dave. “Persistence and longstanding customers always pull us through, keeping us financially strong.”

Rick adds that PO’s and contracts keep the doors open. “However, the Mounts Electric story is not complete without the acknowledgement and appreciation of the Mounts family,” Rick explains, “All the genuinely good and dedicated employees past and present and the support of our families.”

By growing alongside its customers ever-changing needs and staying well-connected in the Midwest, Mounts Electric Inc. continues to build on nearly 82 years of trusted, time-tested electrical contracting.