Above, in the main photo, the North Union Business Advisory Council, consisting of teachers, board of education members, school administrators and local business representatives, receive a tour of TCI of Ohio, which handles oil recycling and the breakdown of machinery and equipment. In the inset photo, buckets of copper from electrical transformers have been organized for recycling at TCI of Ohio on Ira Bean Parkway in Richwood.
(Journal-Tribune photos by Ally Lanasa)
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Do you know what happens to colossal electrical transformers at substations after they are replaced?
North Union’s Business Advisory Council recently learned where the older equipment goes at Trans-Cycle Industries of Ohio, LLC, located at 150 Ira Bean Parkway, Richwood.
Craig Renner, the plant manager, gave the council a tour of the facility and discussed workforce needs.
The local facility recycles and disposes of electrical transformers, which can weigh hundreds of thousands of tons, and other oil-filled electrical equipment.
TCI of Ohio, which opened in Richwood in May 2018, is a family-owned business and is part of G&S Technologies. Renner said TCI has seven different facilities across the U.S., one of which is dedicated to refurbishing transformers. The Ohio facility specifically handles the oil recycling and the breakdown of machinery and equipment. Any transformers that need to be rebuilt are sent to a sister operation.
Renner told the council the facility employs about 50 people on the floor and about 10 people in the office. TCI of Ohio also maintains 10 people for a temporary workforce.
Additionally, the company has about six drivers, who are contracted with a sister facility.
Renner said roughly 75% of his employees are from “right here in Richwood.” Other employees are mostly from neighboring communities like Marion, Marysville and Magnetic Springs, he explained.
Renner said “turnover is extremely low,” noting that there is a lot of flexibility with employees, as the company is a family-owned business.
He also expressed interest in working with younger people. Even if an individual does not stay with TCI of Ohio for long, Renner said it is “worth it to us” to “invest in a quality person.”
Employees between the ages of 20 and 30 have “great work ethic” and “are some of our best employees,” Renner said.
Superintendent Richard Baird told Renner the North Union Local Schools District started encouraging students to pursue a trade rather than a four-year institution about five years ago because of the financial impact of college debt. North Union’s partnership with Tri-Rivers Career Center – in addition to the expansion of career pathways offered at North Union High School – has helped students prepare to enter the workforce after graduation.
Although it is impossible for a business to be fully “recession-proof,” Renner said the market for used oil collection and metal recycling is more steady than the automotive or some other industries.
“There’s so much less volatility,” he said.
Renner told the council scrap metal and oil pricing is as high as it has been in years. In addition to dismantled transformer parts, TCI of Ohio also sells transformers “as is.”
Renner added that substation dismantling and pumping is a growing aspect in the industry. Since the beginning of 2022, TCI of Ohio has completed 48 substation projects without any injuries for a variety of utility contractors. Prior to last year, this work was done by TCI of Alabama.
TCI of Ohio’s customers include large utilities, municipalities, colleges and other institutions as well as private businesses.
Renner added that the Richwood location is “one of the more efficient plants in the network,” saying it takes employees only a couple of hours to scrap a transformer.
Baird said the tour was the business advisory council’s first, but it “will not be our last.”
“We are already discussing an April tour with Memorial Health,” he added.
Baird said the idea for a tour was brought up at the council’s previous meeting because North Union staff and community business representatives needed more “exposure to the workforce.”
“It was a great idea to share ideas and thoughts about workforce development,” the superintendent said. “Eventually, we also hope to open the door to tours, apprenticeships and even jobs for our students. We found the experience valuable. We also take that opportunity to give the industry an opportunity to get to know us better and learn what we are doing.”
North Union’s Business Advisory Council operates under three quality practices: to develop professional skills for future careers, including the new IT and computer science pathway; to build partnerships with local businesses to expand the council and to offer internship opportunities to students; and to coordinate experiences, such as Career Days at North Union Elementary School and the North Union Middle School career trips.
The council’s partner members include employees in healthcare, education, utility, manufacturing, agriculture, government, economic development, business and engineering fields.
The council will meet on March 14 at noon at the North Union Local Schools District Office, 12920 Route 739, Richwood. The council will be hosting the Richwood Area Business Association for this meeting.