Extending its strong commitment to developing industry innovations, Southwire recently held its groundbreaking for the Thorn Customer Solutions Center. As an upgrade to one of Southwire’s existing facilities in Carrollton, Ga, the state-of-the-art training center will showcase Southwire’s product portfolio and will allow for education and hands-on training for contractors, channel associates and industry training partners.

“The development of the Thorn Customer Solutions Center brings an exciting opportunity for Southwire,” said Brandon Moss, Southwire’s president of Tools and Assembled Products. “Tactical experience is the most important aspect of fully understanding the value of the entire Southwire product offering, and, through this facility, we will provide training and education for our end users on how to fully maximize the benefits of the solutions we offer.”

The facility’s namesake is attributed to Southwire’s past president and CEO, Stuart Thorn, who led and inspired the development of many industry-leading, innovative products such as SIMpull Solutions™ technology.

“It is a real honor to receive this recognition,” said Thorn. “During my time at Southwire, my team and I worked diligently to create an innovation-based culture whereby we focused on our end-users, observed them on the job site, unearthed their unmet needs, and created solutions to problems that had been overlooked for decades.  This new facility is a direct reflection of that commitment, and I will personally be excited to see the many compelling end-user needs that its talented occupants will conscientiously identify and creatively resolve.”

The more than 18,000 square foot training center will include a classroom area with capacity for up to 80 participants, a demonstration jobsite environment with hands-on opportunities to sample Southwire’s tools and equipment and wire and cable products and more than 1,500 square feet of conference rooms and staff offices.

The facility will also feature a new front entryway and a resurfaced parking lot with additional space.

“We expect to train as many as 150 groups of contractors at the center each year,” said Moss. “From the owner to the foreman, the Thorn Customer Solutions Center will be the place where knowledge of more efficient, safe and productive electrical installation methods is learned. We’re at a place in the industry where many skilled workers are retiring, and as our customers recruit a new generation of employees, our products and services will be key to sustaining a productive workforce in the industry.”

The Thorn Customer Solutions Center is expected to celebrate its grand opening in the Fall of 2016.

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Pictured Above (L-R): Southwire President and CEO Rich Stinson, President of Southwire’s Construction Systems and Solutions Group Norman Adkins, Southwire’s Past President and CEO Stuart Thorn, President of Southwire’s Tools and Assembled Products Brandon Moss and Southwire’s Director of Equipment Tim Bardin