Distribution in the Metroplex
DFW is a major distribution hub for wire and cable. Graybar's 200,000 sq ft Dallas service centre is its primary shipping facility for northern Texas, part of more than 330,000 sq ft it had across DFW in 2014. Distributor Wire & Cable runs a Dallas-area distribution centre of more than 140,000 sq ft in Coppell, stocking everything from tray cable to medium-voltage cable with cut-to-length service. Many smaller branches serve contractors from Fort Worth to McKinney, with clusters around Coppell and Carrollton near DFW Airport and the northwest Dallas industrial corridor.
What a branch empties
- Plywood reels, 12 to 36 in, from building wire and data cable, in large numbers
- Nailed reels, 30 to 60 in, from feeders, MC cable and control cable
- Large reels and drums, 72 in and up, at distribution centres handling medium-voltage and utility cable
- Returnable reels, some with deposits, which go back to the maker under the maker's terms
The returnable reel question
Branches deal with reel returns more than anyone. Some makers want their reels back and run programs to collect them; others ship on one-way reels and don't want them. The returnable ones are the maker's business, and most branches have a process for them. Everything else is the branch's problem, and that's what we take. Keep returnables in their own row, and our driver won't touch them.
Pickup schedules
| Branch type | Typical pattern |
|---|---|
| Small counter branch | A pickup every month or two |
| Busy contractor branch | Every two to three weeks |
| Regional distribution centre | Weekly, or a standing slot |
| Several branches | One contact, each branch on its own schedule |
We avoid the morning counter rush and work to your receiving hours.
Reels for cut lengths
When you're short of take-up reels for cut-to-length orders, we can supply used reels in matched sizes: plywood and nailed reels from 24 to 48 in are the most asked for. Delivery can go on the same truck that collects your empties.
Yard space is selling space
At most branches, the yard holds stock that's waiting to be sold: full reels of feeder, coils of conduit, pallets of fittings. Every empty reel standing there takes the place of something that earns money. A forklift driver who has to shuffle empties to reach a full reel loses minutes on every order. Regular collection keeps that space working, and it keeps the yard safer: fewer stacks to topple, fewer reels rolling loose when the wind gets up, and clear sightlines for drivers backing trucks in.
Counting before each visit
A quick count before each visit helps: how many reels, roughly what sizes, and whether any are damaged. A photo taken on a phone from the dock is plenty. If numbers jump, after a big project order or a stock rotation, we'll send a bigger truck or add a visit. If they drop, we'll space visits further apart. The schedule should follow your branch, not a calendar.
Branches that are also buyers
Distributors are often both sellers and buyers of reels. A branch may want rid of fifty 48 in one-way reels while needing twenty 30 in plywood reels for take-up. We can do both on one visit, and net the two on the same paperwork if you prefer, so there's only one invoice or payment to deal with.
Questions
Will you take reels that a maker would accept back?
We'll leave them for the maker's program if you prefer, or take them if you'd rather not deal with the return.
Can pickups be booked online?
Use the request form or email; for recurring pickups, we agree a schedule once and confirm each visit.
Do you take cable cut-offs?
No. Cable scrap goes to a metal recycler. We take the reels.