Southwire recently installed solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging systems at its Corporate Headquarters in Carrollton, GA and Customer Service Center in Fontana, CA.  

The company is aiming to install EV charging stations at all manufacturing plants, customer service centers, and large offices over the next several years. The initiative’s goal is to support team members who choose to drive an electric vehicle and to power the company’s own EVs.   

Standard EV charging stations are connected to the electrical grid. These new units are stand-alone systems that have an integrated solar panel, battery, and two charge ports.

If necessary, the units can be relocated, should conditions at the site change. Southwire is installing these units as a proof-of-concept pilot to assess whether an off-grid system can meet the company’s requirements.  

“For our manufacturing sites and large offices, we typically install standard charging systems in conjunction with facility upgrades or other projects,” explained Bo Quick, vice president, Corporate Sustainability. “In cases where we lease the facility, it generally does not make sense for us to invest in electrical infrastructure upgrades to support EV charging.  Instead, we are optimistic that an off-grid solar charging system will meet our needs and help us accelerate our transition to electric vehicles with adaptable infrastructure.” 

Southwire introduced its formal sustainability philosophy in 2008 based on five tenets: Growing Green, Living Well, Giving Back, Doing Right and Building Worth.  Installing electric vehicle charging systems supports both the tenets of Growing Green (environmental stewardship) and Living Well (team member benefit). 

Southwire is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of wire and cable used in the transmission and distribution of renewable electricity and EV charging. 

To learn more about Southwire’s commitment to sustainability, visit our website at https://www.southwire.com/sustainability.