After a tornado ripped the roof off of its Wilmington. Del., headquarters on Sept. 28, United Electric Supply Co. has implemented its existing disaster recovery plan and will be operating out of a temporary new location shortly.
About 100 employees were in the building when the tornado struck, but all escaped without injury, according to news reports.

A notice posted on United Electric's Web site on Oct. 1 at www.unitedelectric.com said the company's mainframe computer system and network capabilities have been restored and that the company was operating at full capacity out of United’s other 10 branch locations. The notice also said United Electric’s main phone lines have been rerouted to its Dover, Del., and Vineland, N.J., branches, and that the headquarter location’s inside sales staff and product specialists have been relocated temporarily and are ready to serve customers.

Reports in Wilmington's The News Journal said data on United Electric's computer system had been backed up by its business software system vendor, and that the company had signed a lease for a 60,000-square-foot temporary headquarters in Boulden Interchange Park.

The company's Web site said, "United’s Disaster Recovery Team is working around the clock to get us in that building as soon as possible. United’s Purchasing Group is currently working with our major manufacturers to expedite material for both existing open orders and restocking our new location. We should begin stocking the new facility early next week.

"United’s Accounting and Credit Departments are operating and will be generating customer invoices beginning today (Oct. 1) with customer statements following on Monday, Oct. 4th.

"Renovations have already begun on our tornado-damaged building. The good news is that our building is structurally sound. We should be moving back to 10 Bellecor Drive within six months."

Tom Cloud, United Electric's chairman and CEO, could not be reached for comment. The tornado was part of the remnants of Hurricane Jeanne. For an article on the tornado's impact on United Electric in Wilmington's The News Journal click here.

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