NETA’s industry-leading Corporate Alliance Partners (CAPs) have joined forces with NETA to work together toward a common aim: improving quality, safety, and electrical system reliability.
In our ongoing NETA World series focused on the thought leadership behind these successful companies, this issue features Drew Welton, Vice President of Sales for intellirent, a division of ElectroRent. Welton provides strategic leadership to the sales team and creates new business development for the industrial testing and power production industries.
intellirent, a division of Electro Rent Corp, is a worldwide rental provider of test equipment. With a deep commitment to exemplary service, anticipatory preparation of equipment, technical support, and logistics, intellirent delivers field-ready equipment for electrical testing, maintenance, acceptance, power quality, and monitoring applications.
NW: What is the biggest challenge facing your company?
Welton: The obvious answer to many in our industry includes human resources and supply chain issues including long and unpredictable lead times for test equipment. As a rental equipment provider, it is critical to have appropriate inventory on hand at any given moment. Since the pandemic years, our rental business has experienced significant growth, driven by testing demand. In response to a large surge in opportunities for NETA companies, we in turn must be able to respond with rental equipment.
In anticipation of that growth, we have added procurement expertise, increased our investment in the fleet, collaborated with our vendors to anticipate demand, and in some cases, made collaborative decisions based on the supply chain — all to meet the urgency our customer requires.
NW: What are the biggest challenges facing your customers?
Welton: Human and investment capital are certainly the big two challenges. We have also noticed that many of our customers are restructuring and moving from being independent to being part of a larger entity through mergers and acquisitions. This has been going on for some time, but it seems to have accelerated rapidly in 2023 and 2024. This can create new and exciting opportunities but also additional uneasiness with all the change.
NW: Which industry trends are you keeping an eye on?
Welton: Without a doubt, we are watching the energy demand coming from data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) growth. The percentage of rental equipment we ship for these types of projects has grown substantially. If you look at the recent growth predictions for data centers, it’s incredible to see how much opportunity there is now and in the future thanks to data storage and AI. I just met with a relatively new company that is contracting to provide energy resources specifically for data centers: gas turbines, transformers, and breakers — an entire project opportunity on its own! This also creates demand for engineers and technicians in this field.
NW: What new technologies are changing the way you work?
Welton: I have the opportunity to be a contributing IEEE member, specifically with the Transformer Committee, where new design technologies and testing methods are always being revised and updated. One of our goals at intellirent is to educate our customers and the people in our industry about these new technologies. Field service technicians sometimes get comfortable in how they perform their jobs, and they occasionally resist change. Many of our vendors put in great effort to develop equipment based on new standards and technologies, and it becomes underutilized. This is why we put forth a very strong effort in presenting and educating those who attend events like PowerTest and many other conferences around the country.
NW: What do you predict will impact your business in the near future?
Welton: In terms of asset management, I see a strong trend towards monitoring systems, along with AI to better predict the health and life expectancy of these assets. From generators to transformers, breakers, and nearly all assets associated with the power industry, monitoring is starting to take hold. At this point, I do not see this as a replacement for the work our technicians perform but rather to provide better insight into work prioritization and focus.
NW: Is this a good time to be in the electrical power testing business?
Welton: For those willing to be dedicated to their time on the road, work weekends and holidays, and be responsive to a continuous learning process, it could not be better! It takes a special kind of person to do what we do, and if it’s a field that motivates you, jump right in, but you need to understand what you’re in for. I love being in the field and wish I could be there more often. The opportunities that exist are endless!
NW: If you could change one thing about how your business operates, what would it be?
Welton: Well, to start, I’d like to be 20 years younger and have more time to do what I love in this industry. I have over 30 years of experience in this space. I’ve worked for many companies, and the team and leadership at intellirent are one of the best experiences I have had. Not that I didn’t learn and grow with every opportunity I had at other companies, they were all excellent, but intellirent has provided a great experience in having the latitude to not only continue to grow but to share what I have learned to help others. Getting back to what I would change? Not a thing!
NW: What advice do you have for young people entering the field?
Welton: Wake up in the morning feeling excited about what the new day will bring! Nothing is more important in your career path than enjoying what you do. So, let’s say after 5 or 6 years you’ve had enough breaker, transformer, and relay field testing, and you’re thinking about moving on. If you feel like you understand everything about your job, you’re probably wrong! That’s my first point: There is always something more to learn, so always embrace that opportunity.
Second, ask yourself, “What part of my job do I love the most?” If you answer, “Relay testing,” wow, first, I have profound respect for you! Why not consider expanding what you are passionate about? Look for vendor opportunities in the field. Maybe you’d be great in sales or as an applications engineer, even join the IEEE PSRC, where you not only learn but share and contribute your experiences. There is so much opportunity in this industry, you should never feel like you’re stuck. Don’t be afraid to take chances and move on. Just do it for the right reasons.
NW: How important is mentoring in the electrical testing field and why? What is your personal experience with mentoring?
Welton: Being both mentored and mentoring at every step has meant everything to me throughout my entire career! I think that is why I loved being in sales, showing people technologies that will make their jobs easier and learning about the challenges they face. I never wanted to leave a sales call without learning something and sharing that knowledge with others, which is extremely satisfying. There are very few people in this industry I have not learned something from, and that learning experience doesn’t always come from a professor or in the classroom.
NW: What are your personal strategies to keep growing and learning as a professional?
Welton: I want to contribute all I can in passing on what I’ve learned over the years and continue to be humble. Treat others the way you’ve always liked to be treated, smile, stay happy, and continue to enjoy all the gifts this industry and life have to offer!