Episode Details

Overview

Tom Poteet from Mesa Power Solutions discussed the company's rebranding to Mesa Power Solutions, emphasizing their role as an electricity provider. They differentiate themselves by offering long-term leases and expert maintenance services. Mesa has upgraded their 22-liter engine from a 350 kW prime power rating to 500 kW. They also announced plans for 2.25 MW units. The conversation highlighted the urgency in the power market, with lead times for transformers being particularly long. Mesa serves various sectors, including data centers and resilience-focused facilities, and Tom emphasized the importance of early project initiation to avoid delays.

Outline

Introduction and Welcome to Industrial Talk

• Scott introduces the episode of Industrial Talk, sponsored by the Propane Education and Research Council, highlighting their commitment to safety training and innovative propane power technology.
• Scott thanks listeners for their support and introduces the broadcast from Power Gen in San Antonio, Texas, mentioning the beautiful Riverwalk location.
• Scott introduces Tom Poteet from Mesa Power Solutions, hinting at a rebrand and expressing excitement about the upcoming discussion.

Tom Poteet's Rebrand and Company Overview

• Scott and Tom discuss the rebranding of Tom's company from Mesa Solutions to Mesa Power Solutions, emphasizing the shift towards being seen as an electricity provider.
• Tom explains the new branding as a way to highlight their expertise in both making and maintaining generators, differentiating them from other companies.
• Scott mentions his involvement with the Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) and how Mesa Power Solutions' services align with their focus on asset management and reliability.
• Tom elaborates on the company's long-term lease model, emphasizing the expertise of their technicians in maintaining and solving customer problems.

Differentiation and Market Positioning

• Scott and Tom discuss how Mesa Power Solutions differentiates itself by occupying both halves of the generator market, involving both manufacturing and maintenance.
• Tom explains the company's strategy of assembling, leasing, selling, and maintaining generators, which sets them apart from competitors.
• Scott highlights the value of Mesa Power Solutions' services to customers, reducing the headache of managing generators and ensuring reliable operations.
• Tom mentions the company's upgrades to their physical power output, allowing them to extract more power from the same engine blocks, such as increasing the prime power rating of a 22-liter engine from 350 kW to 500 kW.

Market Demand and Future Plans

• Tom discusses the increasing demand for larger engines and the company's response with designs for 2.25 megawatt units.
• Scott and Tom talk about the fast-paced nature of the power market and the challenges of meeting demand, including the lead time for transformers.
• Tom emphasizes the importance of starting projects early to avoid delays and the increasing urgency from customers to expedite orders.
• Scott and Tom discuss the broad spectrum of customers Mesa Power Solutions serves, including commercial, industrial, and data centers, as well as facilities needing improved resilience.

Conclusion and Contact Information

• Scott and Tom wrap up the conversation, with Speaker 1 expressing excitement about the future of the power generation industry.
• Tom provides his contact information, including his email an