Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment opens Atlanta facility

Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment LLC of Monroe has signed a lease agreement on a facility for a new regional office near Atlanta, Ga.

Located at 1365 Forest Parkway in Lake City, Ga., the regional office will primarily stock equipment for rentals and sales and provide area customers with field service and shop repairs.

Jeff Johnson, manager of operations in Monroe, said "We currently have many customers in the southeast and the new location will allow us to serve them better. We can offer a faster response to their needs with less cost by having a central location in the area."

In addition to providing equipment rentals, sales and services, Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment is now the authorized dealer for Mantis Cranes in the southeast. Negotiations for other distributorships and plans to staff the new Georgia office with a full-time account manager and technicians are in progress.

Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment provides equipment and services to power line construction contractors and electrical contractors throughout the United States, with a heavy concentration in the southeast and south-central part of the country.

Pike Electric acquires Red Simpson

Pike Electric of Mt. Airy, N.C., has acquired Red Simpson Inc. of Alexandria. The acquisition brings together two of the country's most successful transmission and distribution utility contractors.

Pike Electric services investor owned utilities, EMC's and electrical cooperatives through the southeast and the mid-Atlantic sections of the country. RSI serves the same customer base in the south-central and southwestern portions of the country.

The two companies serve only four mutual customers out of a base of more than 150 customers. The acquisition immediately opens new markets to Pike Electric in states outside the company's current footprint.

John Simpson of RSI was the second generation leader of the company founded by his father in 1963. Red Simpson founded RSI in his home territory and has expanded from one crew in 1963 to currently employ more than 1,500 people.