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What is
a Cooperative/Customer Owned Distributor?
Co-op/customer-owned distributors were formed several years ago by
individual rural electric distribution cooperatives. These cooperatives were
tired of operating in a discriminatory marketplace and went on the offensive
to assure themselves a dependable source of electrical materials at a fair
price.
The only leverage that small rural utilities had years ago was to join
together and form a buying cooperative.
That is the story behind Arkansas Electric Co-op, Inc., CEE-US, General
Pacific, Inc., GRESCO, RESCO, TEC, TEMA, United Utility Supply, and Western
United Electric Supply Corporation.
The electric utility industry is currently in an interesting phase of its
life cycle. We are hearing terms like ‘Alliance, Partnering, Share Groups,
and Joint Buying Groups” to name a few.
These terms and ideas are nothing new. As a matter of fact, they are the
simple reason that co-op/customer-owned distributors were formed many years
ago. So “why reinvent a wheel” that has been revolving smoothly for decades?
Co-op/customer-owned distributors are, and will always be, a “yardstick” for
industry price, availability, and service.
The nine EUDA members have combined inventories representing over $145 million and $1.25 billion in annual sales.
EUDA members have a lifelong reputation for assisting rural electric
cooperatives during natural disasters and emergency situations.
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