InfoPower

Years in the making, Interpower® rolled out its 1-week U.S. lead times for power cords in 2008. To those acquainted with power cords, 1-week lead times may not sound that impressive. However, industry professionals know that countries and continents have their own worldwide plug patterns. Though much more standardized today, amperage and voltage ratings may vary from continent to continent, country to country. And plug bridges contain blades and pins which vary in dimensions and configurations per each country’s standard.

Brief History: The current helicopter view of Interpower’s product line shows a manufacturing landscape vastly different than the view from 1993. In ’93, still called Panel Components Corporation, the company moved from Santa Rosa, California, to Oskaloosa, Iowa. That year, the company manufactured its first Accessory Power Strip (APS) in Iowa. Three years later, the company manufactured its first run of North American power cords in June of 1996. In 2004, the company officially changed its name to the Interpower Corporation.

At 7 a.m., Jess, an Interpower Level 2 molder, prepares the ENGEL injection molding machine to mold Continental European (CEE) Cord sets. The CEE plugs will be molded onto 1 mm² international cable, and Jess checks to make sure the 100-lb. CEE mold and proper steel inserts are in place. An additional team member verifies that the correct mold inserts are in place.