Southern States, LLC

Southern States, LLC, is a switch manufacturer based in Hampton, Georgia. Southern States facility is home to a high voltage laboratory in which they test their products on a regular basis. They have also gained over 120 patents for their products.

History

Southern States was founded in 1916, by Mr. W. E. Mitchell. Originally started as an electric motor and transformer repair shop in Birmingham, Alabama, the company's first product was a motor operator. Southern States went on produce products such as disconnect switches, expulsion power fuses, and distribution cutouts.

Company Expansion

In 1940, its continuing growth as a corporation led to the relocation of Southern States from Alabama to Hampton, Georgia, where the company purchased Henderson Foundry & Machine Works. Southern States was then able to create a variety of different metal castings.

The company continued to grow in size throughout the middle and late 1900s. Major expansions took place in 1952, 1959, 1964, 1976, and after the company entered the SF6 products field in 1998.

The year 2004 brought a global growth. Southern States acquired two disconnect switch manufacturers in Europe — Egic of Lyon, France; and Coelme of Venice, Italy—and then entered into the power electronics field with the CMDTM current measuring device.

World War II

With the United States entering World War II at the end of 1941, Southern States changed from a supplier to the electrical utility industry into a wartime industry. They began to produce firing pins and bomb casings for the U.S. Military. Southern States returned to the production of electric utilities after the war.

Company Timeline

  • 1916: W.E. Mitchell opens an electric motor & transformer repair shop in Alabama.
  • 1920's: Expulsion power fuse line introduced. Air disconnect switch line introduced.
  • 1930's: Distribution cutout line introduced.
  • 1940's: Henderson Foundry & Machine Works purchased in Hampton, Georgia. Army-Navy "E" Award recognizes excellence in munitions production. Birmingham plant closed & operations moved to Hampton.
  • 1950's: Double side break switch line introduced. Reverse loop contact introduced.
  • 1960's: Extra High Voltage 550kV switch line introduced. Ice tested switch line introduced.
  • 1970's: 1100kV switch produced. 800kV switches furnished for the Itaipu Dam, the world's largest power generation project. Cole Electric Company switch acquired.
  • 1980's: 245kV and 550kV switches seismically qualified via shaker table tests. High-voltage direct current switch line introduced.
  • 1990's: Acquisition of Siemens/Siemens-Allis/Allis-Chalmers/Schwager-Wood Corporation switch lines completed. Service division formed. SF6 products introduced (load and line switchers and horizontal interrupter circuit switchers)
  • 2000's: SF6 product line expanded (vertical interrupter circuit switchers and CapSwitcher). Egic and Coelme switch lines acquired. First Power Electronics product introduced (CMD, a current measurement device).

Company Divisions

As an LLC, Southern States is broken up into three distinct divisions that manufacture a wide variety of products and services.

Switching Division

  • Disconnect switches
  • Group operated switches
  • Ground switches
  • Hookstick switches
  • Operators
  • Switch-fuse combination
  • Switch interrupter attachments

Power Switching Division

  • Capacitor switcher
  • Reactor switcher
  • Circuit switchers - horizontal, horizontal line, vertical
  • Load and line switchers
  • Switch interrupter attachments

Sensors and Automation Division (SSIPower)

  • Current measurement device
  • Fault locator in transmission networks

Service Division

The service division provides replacement parts and upgrades for multiple manufacturers switches.

  • Engineering Services - TRV Voltage studies, coordination studies, equipment life cycle evaluation, training.
  • Field Services - spare parts, repair or upgrade of existing equipment, inspection & service recommendations, testing, turnkey installations, installation supervision.
  • Mobile Switch Solutions - Engineer and construct custom trailers for quick deployment of switching equipment and substation devices.

Patents

In more than 90 years of business, Southern States has obtained over 120 patents for their products. Notable patents acquired by the company include:

  • No. 4,413,189 (1983) Demand reduction system for regulated electric utility distribution circuits
  • No. 6,236,010, (2001) Circuit interrupter feat. a penetrating electrical contact with a grip and release structure
  • No. 6,316,742, (2001) Limited restrike circuit interrupter used as a line capacitor and load switch
  • No. 6,483,679, (2002) Capacitor switch with an external resistor and insertion whip
  • No. 6,559,562, (2003) Voltage sag and over-voltage compensation device with a pulse-width modulated autotransformer
  • No. 6,583,978, (2003) Limited restrike electric power circuit interrupter that is suitable for use as a line capacitor and load switch
  • No. 6,597,549, (2003) Capacitor switch with an external resistor and insertion whip
  • No. 6,750,563, (2004) Voltage sag and over-voltage compensation device with a pulse-width modulated transformer
  • No. 7,078,643, (2006) Capacitor switch with an internal retracting impedance contactor
  • No. 7,115,828, (2006) Internally switched electric power interrupter
  • No. D529,870, (2006) Single-phase high voltage capacitor switch
  • No. D531,132, (2006) Three-phase capacitor switch
  • No. D531,133, (2006) High voltage capacitor switch
  • No. D532,752, (2006) Single-phase capacitor switch
  • No. 7,191,074, (2007) Electric power monitoring and response system
  • No. 7,476,823, (2009) Current pause device for an electric power circuit interrupter
  • No. 7,683,798, (2010) Current monitoring device for high voltage electric power lines
  • No. 7,745,753, (2010) Capacitor switch that includes a bi-directional toggle mechanism and linearly opposing opening and closing spring latches
  • No. 8,063,333, (2011) Limited flash-over electric power switch
  • No. 8,274,007, (2012) Magnet interrupter for high voltage switching
  • No. 8,392,130, (2013) High voltage power line communication system using an energy harvesting power supply

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