After 30 years in the line industry, Michael Hackett conceptualized T&D Transformers Salvage, a mobile salvage yard seeking investments to obtain equipment and increase the industry’s sustainability.
Pleasant Hill, Missouri, May 27, 2024 – Following the rising sustainability trends, Michael Hackett founded T&D Transformers Salvage, a Missouri-based mobile salvage yard dedicated to decreasing the negative environmental impact of the line industry. With a clear plan and high hopes for the future, Michael seeks strategic investors and partnerships to acquire an independent facility, safety equipment, PPE, power tools, and other items that will help him foster a safe environment to dismantle, recycle, or reuse transformer parts.
Currently, to salvage equipment, Michael and his team travel to clients’ sites and break down transformers, including metal, copper, silicone, and steel components, from laminated bolts and oil residue to transformer bushings. The materials are then taken to a scrap yard or – most of the time – recycled and refurbished by the company. To hoist the operation’s efficiency and safety, Michael wants to buy or rent a T&D facility where all safety requirements will be met, and the team will be able to perform all tasks without occupying clients’ workplaces.
T&D is the culmination of Michael’s extensive experience, spanning 30 years in the industry and nearly 18 years as a journeyman lineman. Throughout his career, Michael gained invaluable insights and developed a passion for sustainable line operations while working in transmission, distribution, underground networking, and substations. When speaking of his time as a lineman, he says, “I simply get it done and offer all my clients nothing short of exceptional service and reliability.”
Working in Kansas City in substations, where Michael witnessed heaps of equipment left behind, is what ultimately inspired the creation of T&D. Leveraging his expertise and maintaining the highest level of safety, Michael embarked on a green journey fueled by his passion for line and his desire to uplift the industry’s sustainability. In his 30 years in the field, the forward-thinking founder traveled across the country, noticing the same issues in all states and towns. “That problem is especially harmful when dealing with equipment produced 50 or more years ago when PCB contaminants were the norm,” Michael stresses.
Whether due to large and hefty equipment, high costs, harmful oil stuck in the transformers, or simply because of the transportation and recycling hassle, many lineman sites neglect their clean-up duties. Realizing that encouraging owners to run businesses responsibly will take more than top-notch services, Michael plans on introducing financial incentives and creating a new income stream for businesses by returning a percentage of the transformer’s or part’s value to the client.
Between $300,000 – $500,000 is how much Michael needs to acquire the necessary equipment and the facility and transform it into an environment where waste can be recycled and reused safely. More than capital gains and lucrative financial opportunities, investors have a unique opportunity to support the planet.
Looking into the future, he hopes to teach the ins and outs of the business to his children, turning T&D into an eco-conscious family company created to leave a long-lasting impact. He shares, “What many people don’t realize is that most items can be reused and refurbished, propelling the sustainability cycle. Now is the time to support conscious initiatives and responsible businesses. The longer we wait, the more devastating impact the line industry will have on the environment.”
