When Diversified Supply, Inc. was facing 18-week lead times from a major supplier to fulfill large orders of fence post grounding clamps for

AEP, they turned to Greaves, who cut that lead time in half. Even more impressive, while the competitor already had the part in inventory, Greaves tooled up and manufactured the order from scratch.

The C148 grounding clamp from Greaves performs a simple but essential task: fastening ground rods to fence posts, such as those used to construct protective fencing around substations and other power utilities. When Diversified orders these clamps for their major customers, the quantities are typically high — between 4,000 and 6,000 units. Meeting those demands on schedule had become a challenge… until they found Greaves.

Unlike one of the largest competitors in the electrical connector manufacturing industry, Greaves was able to flex its production schedule and resources to meet the challenge – and deliver in half the time.

Necessity Spurs Innovation

At Greaves, decision-makers think like engineers — because they are engineers. Meeting this tall order required out-of-the-box planning. Fortunately, the clamp in question already carried a CSA rating, as it had been part of the Greaves catalog for years. However, in the past, these clamps had been purchased from another manufacturer and resold. That approach wasn’t an option this time – it would have been too slow and they wouldn’t hit the price point needed to be competitive. So, Greaves decided to manufacture the clamps themselves.

It took about six weeks to create new casting plates at one of Greaves’ partner plants in Bridgeport, CT. After casting, all machining and assembly were performed at the Centerbrook, CT facility. In total, the clamps were manufactured and shipped in approximately nine weeks. 

But that’s not all. To optimize the product for cost and quality while still meeting electrical, mechanical, and bolt-down torque requirements, Greaves engineers conducted a metallurgical analysis and determined that the top and bottom castings should be made from two different bronze alloys. This required two separate match plates and casting runs. 

As impressive as this performance is, it gets even better. With the new matching plates already in hand, future orders of this type could be completed in just two to three weeks.

The result of this effort? Diversified was thrilled. In a feat of engineering, planning, and execution, Greaves once again proved their motto: “Small enough to care, big enough to deliver.”

Do you have a special application or project? Find your local Greaves representative using our interactive map, or call us directly at 1-800-243-1130.