Building Wire
THHN, THWN, THWN-2, XHHW and XHHW-2 branch-circuit and feeder wire.
We buy surplus industrial cable in Illinois
MC, AC, tray cable, VFD, PLTC, control, instrumentation and shielded cable from plants, integrators, panel shops and distributors across Illinois.
Plant cable is specific, and that is what makes it valuable
Industrial cable is engineered for one job: tray runs, motor feeders, variable-frequency drives, instrumentation loops, power-limited control. A reel of 3/C 2/0 VFD cable or 16 AWG shielded instrumentation cable is expensive new and difficult to substitute, which is why unused industrial cable moves well as surplus.
We buy MC and AC cable, tray cable (TC and TC-ER), VFD cable, PLTC, control cable, instrumentation cable and shielded constructions, in copper and aluminum, from #18 through 500 MCM and larger multi-conductor assemblies.
Construction details drive the price
Two reels of "3/C 12 AWG" can be worth very different amounts depending on shielding, armour, jacket material and voltage rating. The printed legend and the reel tag tell us: conductor count, AWG size, shielding type, armour, temperature and voltage rating, and whether the cable is rated for exposed tray runs.
Send a photo of the tag and one of the legend. If the cable is cut, a photo of the end shows the conductor count, the shield and the drain wire in one frame.
Specs
Industrial cable families
Typical constructions and where they come from. Mixed pallets from a plant shutdown are common and welcome.
| Family | Typical construction | Sizes | Voltage |
|---|---|---|---|
| MC cable | Metal-clad, THHN conductors, aluminium armour | #14 – 4/0 | 600 V |
| AC cable | Armoured cable, bonded armour | #14 – #6 | 600 V |
| Tray cable (TC) | PVC/nylon, exposed tray rated | #18 – 1000 MCM | 600 V / 1 kV |
| VFD cable | 3/C with ground, overall shield | #16 – 4/0 | 600 V – 2 kV |
| PLTC | Power-limited tray cable, twisted pairs | #18 – #12 | 300 V |
| Control cable | Multi-conductor, numbered | #18 – #10 | 600 V |
| Instrumentation | Shielded twisted pair, drain wire | #16 – #24 | 300 V |
Condition & paperwork
How plant cable is reviewed
Cuts, shorts and missing tags are normal. Missing legends are the real problem.
Plant surplus often arrives as a rack of partial reels in several constructions. That is fine. What we need is a way to tell them apart: keep the tags on, or photograph each reel with a note, and list approximate footage per reel.
Cut lengths of tray or VFD cable are acceptable when the cut end is clean and the footage is known. Cable that has been pulled through tray and re-coiled is reviewed case by case, with condition and jacket damage taken into account.
We do not buy the panels, drives, motors or enclosures the cable connected to. Industrial cable only.
Helpful numbers
Call +1 (614) 715-3047 with the reel tag in front of you. If the tag is gone, a tape measure and a photo of the cut end gets us close.
Questions
Industrial cable questions
Do you buy cut lengths of tray or VFD cable?
Yes, when the construction and footage are known. A clean cut end and a readable legend are enough to identify the cable; the remaining length can be measured from the coil or estimated from the wrap.
Can you take a mixed pallet of control cable?
Yes. Label each reel with its construction and approximate footage if you can. Unlabelled mixed pallets are still reviewed, but expect more questions and a longer turnaround.
Is shielded instrumentation cable bought by the reel or by weight?
By the reel or by footage when the length is known, with the metal content as one input. Shielded pairs with drain wires are priced as a construction, not as scrap copper.
Related
Other wire we buy
Loads are often mixed. If your reels span more than one category, send the whole list in one request.
Medium & High Voltage Cable
5 kV through 69 kV+ EPR, XLPE, concentric-neutral and shielded cable.
Specialty & Flexible Cable
Welding cable, SOOW, communication, low-voltage and fire-alarm cable.
Quote
Quote your industrial cable
We review every request and reply with a quote or the questions that would let us price it.
Ready to move that surplus wire?
Send the wire type, footage or reel count, and a few photos. We review every request and reply with a quote or a request for more detail.