Exploring Arcos: Utility Management and Operational Efficiency

Scott MacKenzie hosts the Industrial Talk podcast, featuring Paul Bernard, President and CEO of ARCOS, a company that helps utilities manage call-outs, crew management, and damage assessment. Arcos' solutions integrate with various systems like asset management and GIS to provide linemen with real-time, situational awareness, enhancing safety and efficiency. The company, backed by Vista, has grown significantly, integrating acquisitions like Clearion for vegetation management. Arcos' platform is configurable and user-friendly, crucial for adoption by linemen. The company aims to expand beyond utilities into other industries with similar needs.

Action Items

• [ ] Explore expanding ARCOS' solutions to international markets.
• [ ] Investigate acquiring a company to enhance ARCOS' vegetation management capabilities.
• [ ] Make the Arcos platform more configurable and user-friendly for customers.

Outline

Introduction and Overview of Industrial Talk Podcast

• Scott MacKenzie introduces the Industrial Talk podcast, emphasizing its focus on industrial innovations and trends.
• Scott mentions a free ebook and workbook available on Industrial Talk, highlighting five elements of successful companies: educate, collaborate, innovate, invest in culture, and communicate effectively.
• Speaker 1 provides a brief introduction to Scott MacKenzie, describing him as a passionate industry professional dedicated to transferring cutting-edge industry innovations and trends.
• Scott MacKenzie welcomes listeners to the Industrial Talk podcast, broadcasting from Distribute Tech in Dallas, Texas, and introduces Paul, the guest for the episode.

Paul Bernard's Background and Role at Arcos

• Paul Bernard introduces himself as the president and CEO of ARCOS, joining the company eight months ago.
• Paul shares his extensive experience in growing and developing companies, particularly in software, and his background in taking companies from $5 million to over $100 million in revenue.
• Paul explains his role at Arcos, focusing on understanding markets, competition, and creating a competitive moat, as well as driving operational execution and scalability.
• Scott MacKenzie asks Paul to elaborate on ARCOS, its history, and its current offerings.

Arcos' History and Solutions

• Paul explains that ARCOS was founded 25 years ago to address the issue of call-out for utilities, particularly in situations where utility workers are needed at odd hours.
• Arcos has sold its call-out solution to over 23 of the top 25 utilities in America, providing a plum job opportunity for young utility workers.
• Paul discusses the acquisition of additional companies like Crew Manager, which helps manage resources and equipment once they are in the field.
• ARCOS' solution integrates with various systems like asset management, workforce management, and outage management systems, providing linemen with situational awareness and the tools they need to work safely and effectively.

Integration and Safety Features of Arcos' Solutions

• Scott MacKenzie inquires about the agnostic nature of ARCOS' solutions and their ability to incorporate design requirements.
• Paul confirms that ARCOS' solutions integrate with various systems, presenting information to linemen about different voltages, equipment, and other relevant details.
• Paul emphasizes the importance of safety, particularly in de-energizing circuits, and shares a success story from Hurricane Helene where ARCOS' system helped avoid dangerous situations.
• Paul highlights the mutual aid aspect of ARCOS' system, where different utilities can use the same system to coordinate restoration efforts, leading to significant lead generation for Arcos.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Utility Space

• Scott MacKenzie and Paul discuss the challenges and opportunities in the utility space, including the increasing demand for power due to data centers, AI, and climate change.
• Paul explains the efficiency play that ARCOS offers, helping utilities manage their resources and infrastructure more effectively.
• Scott and Paul discuss the importance of vegetation management, which typically consumes 30% of a utility's budget, and how Arcos' solutions can help with this.
• Paul mentions the acquisition of Clearion, a company that helps with vegetation management, and the potential for future acquisitions to expand Arcos' capabilities.

Expansion and Configurability of Arcos' Platform

• Scott MacKenzie asks about the configurability of Arcos' platform and its potential to expand into other verticals.
• Paul explains that the platform is configurable and that Arcos is looking at six different opportunities to expand its solutions.
• Paul emphasizes the importance of simplicity and ease of use for Arcos' mobile app, especially for linemen working in challenging conditions.
• Scott and Paul discuss the potential for Arcos' solutions to be used in other industries, such as pipeline and aviation, where coordinating field workers is crucial.

Final Thoughts and Contact Information

• Scott MacKenzie asks Paul about the contact information for ARCOS and how listeners can get in touch.
• Paul provides the website and LinkedIn information for ARCOS and himself.
• Scott wraps up the episode, expressing his excitement about the conversation and the potential of Arcos' solutions.
• Scott promotes the Industrial Talk podcast and the Industrial News Network, encouraging listeners to support the platform and stay tuned for future conversations.