Utilities Business Review Profiles Marmon Utility

Electric utilities are under increasing pressure to modernize aging infrastructure, support growing electrification driven by data centers and electric vehicles and operate within tighter land-use, operational and regulatory constraints. In this environment, products alone are not enough. Utilities need partners who engage early, stay through execution and remain accountable across the full life of the system.

That is how Marmon Utility—a long-trusted expert in engineered overhead and underground power distribution solutions—positions itself.

The company operates as an extension of the utility, engaging early in system design and planning, working closely with specification teams and supporting engineering, site-level execution and installation. Its involvement does not end at delivery. Post-installation support ensures systems perform as intended long after most suppliers have moved on.

The impact becomes clear in the numbers. Its 138 kV Aerial Cable System has an eight-foot-wide footprint, compared to a 30-foot-wide footprint for a traditional barewire system at the same voltage. In congested corridors, that difference can determine whether a project proceeds or stalls. Utilities can run multiple circuits on existing pole structures and rights-of-way—without acquiring new land or rebuilding from scratch.

“One of the challenges for infrastructure in the U.S. is that there is not enough land to build more,” says Ken Woo, president. “Our solution allows utilities to maximize the use of their existing rights-of-way.”

Built to Last, Designed to Evolve

Hendrix® Spacer Cable Systems has been on the market for more than 75 years, while sister brand Kerite® has supported critical infrastructure for over 170 years. Marmon Utility draws on both legacies and that depth of experience shapes how it delivers value to customers at every stage.

“Our experienced linemen, many with 30-plus years in the field, are part of the product development process,” says Michael Lemelin, Vice President of Engineering. “They know what crews will adopt, what they will trust and what will sit unused because no one wants to work with it in the field.”

That field-driven insight is reflected in the forthcoming Vise Top Line Post insulator, which extends the proven benefits of the Vise Top pin insulator into a line post configuration. The result is lower labor costs, improved installation consistency and a reduced experience threshold for line crews—an important advantage as the industry faces a shortage of skilled labor.

Material science follows a similar path. Fire Retardant insulators address durability requirements that have evolved significantly in recent years, while many products are recyclable, supporting the sustainability commitments utilities increasingly face from regulators and the public. Active participation in industry committees across both distribution and transmission keeps Marmon Utility aligned with emerging standards before they become requirements.

What a Culture of Continuous Improvement Delivers

At Marmon Utility, continuous improvement—rooted in lean manufacturing—translates directly into what utility customers value most: consistent output, reliable delivery and greater planning confidence.

Every employee is trained in lean principles from the start and a dedicated lean engineer supports every facility. The company’s internal belt system reflects the depth of that commitment, with employees progressing through yellow and green belts and ultimately to blue belt—the highest level within Marmon companies, surpassing black belt certification. Standardized processes drive consistency across manufacturing, enabling dependable delivery and repeatable field performance.

“When you have steady processes, quality products are manufactured consistently and trusted to perform in the field,” says Alan Tse, Vice President of Product Management and Strategic Marketing.

As part of Marmon Holdings, a Berkshire Hathaway company, Marmon Utility benefits from shared operational best practices and the capital needed to invest in future capacity— without disrupting current operations. Of the approximately 120 companies within Marmon Holdings, the vast majority operate in industrial manufacturing, reinforcing a strong foundation of operational discipline.

That discipline is most evident in lead-time reliability. Longterm agreements with key raw material suppliers help stabilize the supply chain, while close partnerships with utility customers provide visibility into future demand. This allows Marmon Utility to scale manufacturing capacity proactively, before constraints emerge.

"When we say we can provide a shorter lead time, customers can depend on it,” says Christian Ouimet, Vice President of Sales. “It helps them plan and execute their strategies with confidence."

The result is greater certainty for utilities—improved project sequencing, stronger planning capabilities and confidence that critical infrastructure can move forward when it’s needed most.

The Real Cost Calculation 

Marmon Utility evaluates return on investment across the full lifecycle of a system. Total cost of ownership outweighs the upfront cost—and the difference can be substantial.

Vegetation management illustrates this clearly. For most utilities, it is a recurring operational expense that falls outside capital expenditure and cannot be recovered through the rate base. Hendrix^® Spacer Cable Systems have been documented by public utilities to reduce outages by up to 90 percent—lowering operational costs while improving overall system reliability.

wildfire risk follows the same logic at a larger scale. In fire-prone regions, the financial and regulatory consequences of a single major event can far exceed the cost of preventative infrastructure. In these environments, Spacer Cable becomes a risk management strategy, delivering lower lifetime costs, fewer service disruptions and greater confidence in the system’s ability to keep power flowing.

A Partnership That Endures

Consumers Energy in Michigan brings that value into clear focus.

The utility operates in a heavily forested service territory, where vegetation management is a constant operational burden—costly to maintain and unrecoverable through standard rate mechanisms. Before engaging with Marmon Utility, its approach across conductors, system components, and protective devices was fragmented and lacked a unified strategy.

Marmon Utility demonstrated that Aerial Spacer Cable could serve as a single, cost-effective solution. By defining where and how to deploy it, the company helped reshape both the technical and financial approach to system design.

Today, approximately 85 percent of Consumers Energy’s overhead system—where lines remain aerial—is served by spacer cable. Outages have declined significantly and system reliability has improved in measurable ways.

Marmon Utility remained engaged from the earliest planning discussions through installation and ongoing support, reinforcing its role as a long-term partner rather than a point-in-time supplier.

The Standard Marmon Utility Holds Itself To

“Power for Life” defines Marmon Utility’s mission. It reflects a company that measures its commitments the same way utilities measure infrastructure—over the full life of the system, through changing conditions and against the needs of the communities that depend on reliable power.

Demand for capacity will continue to rise. Extreme weather will continue to test infrastructure. Land and right-of-way constraints will remain. Utilities facing these pressures need a partner that engages early, stays accountable through execution and delivers a range of solutions—from Aerial Spacer Cable systems to highdensity polyethylene molded insulators—that align with the Department of Energy’s vision for a more resilient U.S. grid.

In 2026, Utilities Business Review recognized that contribution, naming Hendrix® by Marmon Utility the Spacer Cable and Insulators Business of the Year.

Reputation in the utility industry spreads quickly. Utilities recommend Marmon Utility to one another and new customers often arrive before formal introductions are made. That level of trust is built over decades—by staying engaged, following through and delivering systems that continue performing long after the project is complete.