The yellow vans with black lettering advertising Albert Lea Electric Co. are a frequent sight on the streets of Albert Lea and the country roads of Freeborn County. Twenty-five electricians work for the company, which was originally founded as Central Electric in 1919.

Business continues at a normal pace, said co-owner Cal Johnson. The company handles an average of 50 service calls a week, both residential and commercial.

“We seem to be holding our own pretty well, knock on wood,” Johnson said.

Area businesses who are adding new equipment and machinery frequently need additional wiring and ways to get more electrical power at their facilities. Albert Lea Electric provides the necessary services as these companies expand and modernize.

Calls to commercial and industrial enterprises make up roughly 75 percent of the company’s business, with the remainder devoted to residential calls. Installation of fiber optic equipment continues to be a priority for all electricians, Johnson said.

Electrical contractors are required to follow federal guidelines when installing new electrical equipment. Compliance with federal regulations is cited by Johnson as one of the company’s biggest working challenges.

“The codes change quite often and it can be a pain to keep track of the guidelines,” Johnson said.

Albert Lea Electric recently worked on an upgrade of the voice data recording system at the Albert Lea Medical Center. In 2005 the company also installed the electrical components for the new dialysis system at ALMC. The company is continuing its work at the medical center, Johnson said.

Johnson estimates that 75 percent of company business takes place in Freeborn County, though it will bid on contracts and accept service calls in more distant areas. The company fulfilled a large electrical contract for IFP Inc. of Faribault three years ago, and did more work at the company last year. Zimpro Inc. of Garner, Iowa, also utilized the company’s services when it went through an expansion and remodeling project recently. New businesses coming to town tend to look to the company for electrical services, as it is one of the largest such businesses in the county. ITC Midwest called on Albert Lea Electric as its electrical contractor when it built its new facility on Freeborn County Highway 38 last year.

Electrical work has been an ongoing project at the Cargill Inc. plant in Albert Lea. The former Schweigert Foods cooked meat processing plant has been undergoing extensive renovations in the past seven months and Albert Lea Electric has been busy seven days a week to complete its part of the work. Johnson said his eletricians appreciate the chance to work on such a large project while avoiding extensive travel time.

“Our guys really like to work right here in town.”

Albert Lea Electric tries to work within a 60-mile radius of its home base, so it’s electricians can get home at night. Occasionally the company will accept contracts at worksites that require staying in out-of-town motels. Separate work crews are assigned responsibiity for residential and commercial/industrial work.

“We have to be one of the largest electrical contractors in Freeborn County, if not the biggest. It’s great to meet all these different people and work with area businesses,” Johnson said. He and his partner, Mick Delger, employ only union members as electricians.

Service calls to residential customers make up the remaining 25 percent of the company’s trade. Upgrades from fuse boxes to circuit breakers are often a part of the conditions in today’s home loans, as borrowers require safer, less accident-prone equipment to be installed before loan approval can be granted. Older residents often have problems getting access to hard-to-reach fuse boxes and have difficulty replacing the fuses.

When local business outlets close, the company’s electricians are sometimes called in to remove equipment so that it can be shipped to other locations. Even with some business closures and recent slowdowns in economic activity, Johnson said he feels very fortunate that his business is located where it is.

“In talking to my suppliers who deal with contractors nationwide, it’s pretty obvious that other areas of the country are much worse off than we are.”