Streamlining Utility Pole Logistics: Blackwood Solutions’ Partnership with McWane Poles
- alisonkimmel
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Ready to improve your operations with a trusted partner? Visit www.bwoodsolutions.com to learn how Blackwood Solutions can support your utility pole needs!
At Blackwood Solutions, we’re dedicated to supporting electric utilities and utility pole manufacturers with specialized logistics solutions, and our partnership with McWane Poles exemplifies this commitment. As highlighted in a recent McWane Poles social media post, Blackwood Solutions has been partnering with McWane for over five years, providing exceptional support in hauling and unloading ductile iron utility poles. This collaboration demonstrates how Blackwood can improve operations for other utility pole manufacturers and electric utilities, focusing on efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
The Customer’s Challenge: Streamlining Ductile Iron Utility Pole Logistics
McWane Poles, a leading manufacturer of ductile iron utility poles, faced the challenge of efficiently delivering their heavy, oversized products to electric utility job sites. Ductile iron utility poles are durable and sustainable, but their size and weight—often up to 90 feet long—require specialized hauling and unloading capabilities. Utilities needed a reliable partner to transport these utility poles to the field, especially during time-sensitive projects like storm recovery or grid upgrades. McWane turned to Blackwood Solutions for a seamless solution, trusting us to handle their logistics with our Solutions Not Problems approach.
How Blackwood Delivered: Efficiency and Safety in Action
For over five years, Blackwood Solutions has supported McWane Poles with our fleet of self-unloading grapple trucks, capable of hauling and unloading ductile iron utility poles without the need for cranes or extra crews. This efficiency has been a game-changer, as shown in the McWane Poles video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X6_bfms0nw), which features one of our operators handling utility poles with precision. Our Real-World Safety protocols ensure every step is secure, from loading to delivery, while our Deliver Excellence commitment guarantees McWane’s utility poles arrive in perfect condition.
Results/Outcomes: Timing, Cost Savings, and Service Level
The partnership with McWane Poles has yielded significant results for both the manufacturer and their utility clients. Our self-unloading trucks reduced delivery times by eliminating the need for additional equipment, allowing utilities to complete projects faster—critical during storm recovery when restoring power is urgent. This efficiency also led to cost savings, as utilities avoided crane rental fees and extra labor expenses, aligning with our Serve First value of prioritizing client needs. Blackwood’s high service level, backed by over 8,000 new pole loads delivered in 2024, ensured McWane’s utility poles were handled with care, maintaining their quality for installation.
How Blackwood Can Improve Operations for Other Utility Pole Manufacturers and Utilities
Our work with McWane Poles highlights how Blackwood Solutions can enhance operations for other utility pole manufacturers and electric utilities. For manufacturers, our oversize hauling and self-unloading capabilities streamline logistics, cutting delivery times and costs while ensuring safe handling of wood, steel, or concrete utility poles. For utilities, we offer additional services like utility pole recycling—having processed over 400,000 tons of materials since 2017—as well as safety racks and inventory yard management to keep your utility poles organized and accessible. Ready to improve your operations with a trusted partner? Visit www.bwoodsolutions.com to learn how Blackwood Solutions can support your utility pole needs!