Central Illinois Electrical League Member Spotlight
Lester Sales is a results-driven team dedicated to helping our
vendor partners thrive. We believe success is built through thoughtful planning,
consistent execution, and a deep commitment to shared goals. That’s why we
invest the time, talent, and resources needed to deliver measurable results. In
2023, Lester Sales became an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company.
This ownership structure empowers our employees with a vested interest in our
collective success and enhances the stability and dedication we bring to our
manufacturer partnership. Our commitment to performance, innovation, and
service is stronger than ever. While we honor the principles that built our
reputation, we remain agile and proactive in meeting the evolving needs of our
partners.
Lester Sales is built around four core divisions that work together to drive growth
and deliver value: Commercial, Industrial, Construction, and Logistics. Each plays a
unique role in serving our customers and supporting our partners. It’s a well-
rounded model that reflects our commitment to service, innovation, and long-
term success. What makes this structure powerful is how it balances the business
across multiple categories. Each division carries its own focus, yet our sales team
represents the entire line card, so every customer interaction is backed by the full
strength of Lester Sales. This balance ensures that we always have solutions to
bring forward and keeps us aligned with the evolving needs of the market.
Electrical Updates
Explosive electricity demand projected
- Grid is weakest link in the electrical system.
- Interconnection delays can take years, but new AI tools may cut that to months.
- Grid constraints are already limiting new projects.
Grid Infrastructure is struggling to keep up
- AI and Data Centers are now the #1 Driver of electricity growth worldwide.
- Data centers could consume up to 12% of US electricity by 2026.
- Some estimates show global data center demand growing 14-17%
Result
There will be massive investments in transmission, substations and transformers.
Trillions being invested in power infrastructure.
- U.S. utilities expected to spend $1.1 trillion on grid updates.
- Companies like Siemens Energy are building new factories and expanding grid equipment production.
AI is transforming Operations
- AI is being used for Load forecasting, Real time grid balancing, Predictive maintenance.
- Virtual Power Plants use AI to manage distributed energy sources.
Renewables still growing but hitting limits
- Renewables, natural gas and nuclear will supply all new electricity demand through 2030.
- Solar Growth is slowing after record expansion.
- Grid congestion is limiting renewable connections.
Supply Chain Bottlenecks still exist
- There are massive shortages in transformers and Grid hardware. (For example one chip factory may take 400-500 transformers).
Policy and Pricing changes are emerging everywhere
- Governments are charging large energy users like AI/data centers more.
- Governments are adjusting climate policies to avoid blackouts.
Electrification of Everything
- We will see rapid growth in EVs, Industrial electrification, Smart Buildings
What this means for Electrical Distributors:
- Expansion of warehouses near data center hubs
- Stocking more switchgear, cable, transformers and backup power equipment
- Building with relationships with hyperscalers such as Amazon or Google
- Distributors can expect 5% growth in 2026 however demand will be uneven by region and sector
