Wooden spools in Exton

A crossroads in West Whiteland

Exton is an unincorporated community, mostly in West Whiteland Township, that grew up around the crossing of the Lincoln Highway (US 30) and PA 100. Since the US 30 Bypass and US 202 were built nearby, the area has become one of the main business and retail hubs of central Chester County: Exton Square, shopping centres along Pottstown Pike and the Lincoln Highway, and a string of office, flex and light industrial parks along PA 100 and the bypass. Housing developments fill much of the surrounding land, and the Exton station on the old Main Line is served by SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale trains and Amtrak's Keystone service.

Industrial and flex buildings

The parks along PA 100 north and south of the bypass are a mix of office buildings, labs and flex space for light manufacturing, assembly and warehousing. That kind of building keeps electricians busy with tenant changes: new lighting, new power for machines, new data and controls. Expect reels of 30 to 48 inches from feeders and machine power, plywood spools of building wire, and some plastic spools of control and data cable. When a tenant leaves, a building may also be stripped, leaving a pile of reels and offcuts.

Retail and housing

Retail turnover at Exton Square and the shopping centres brings quick fit-outs that leave a few reels and spools at a time. New houses, townhouses and apartments in West Whiteland, Uwchlan and Lionville add small reels and spools from service entrance and branch-circuit cable. Builders often want the last of them gone before a final inspection or settlement.

The road network

The US 30 Bypass is the spine of the area, linking Exton east to US 202 and west toward Downingtown and Coatesville. PA 100 runs north toward Lionville and the Turnpike's Downingtown interchange, and south toward West Chester. US 202 is a short drive east, giving direct access north to King of Prussia and south to West Chester and Delaware. For a pickup heading to New Jersey, US 202 and US 322 lead toward the Commodore Barry Bridge.

A typical Exton pickup

A flex-building tenant moving out might leave:

That is a single trip with a box truck. The broken reels go for recycling; the rest are cleaned up and go back into use.

Measuring before we come

If you can, measure the flange diameter and the traverse, the width between the flanges, and note the arbor hole size. That lets us plan the truck and tells us who will want the reels afterwards. The size chart lists the common sizes.

Recurring pickups for Exton businesses

Manufacturers and contractors that receive cable on reels every month can set up a regular collection. We fit Exton into routes through central Chester County, alongside West Chester and Malvern. See recurring pickup.

A crossroads for centuries

The land around Exton has been a transport crossroads for centuries: the Lincoln Highway follows an old turnpike route west from Philadelphia, the Main Line railway runs just to the south, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike passes a few miles north. Lionville, Uwchlan and Chester Springs began as crossroads villages and now hold schools, shopping centres and housing developments. The steady arrival of new residents and businesses means there is almost always a building going up somewhere nearby.

Cleanrooms and labs

Some flex buildings in the area have been fitted out as laboratories or cleanrooms. Those use specialised cable for controls, monitoring and backup power, and the contractors keep the spaces spotless, so empty reels leave the building quickly and pile up outside by the dumpsters. A standing arrangement with the facilities manager keeps that area clear.

Schools and the library

Downingtown Area and West Chester Area school districts both serve parts of the Exton area, and the county library has its headquarters in Exton. Public buildings like these run summer projects, when students are away, which produce a burst of reels in July and August.

Hobby farms and horse country

North and west of Exton, around Chester Springs and Ludwigs Corner, small farms and horse properties use reels for fencing wire and hoses. They are also a source of very old reels when barns are cleared.

Indoor sports and entertainment venues

Big-box buildings around the bypass have been converted into trampoline parks, climbing gyms, sports complexes and entertainment centres. Conversions like that require new lighting grids, sound systems, scoreboards and kitchen power. The electricians' leftovers, often a dozen or more drums, sit beside the service door until someone hauls them away.

Thorndale and Downingtown

West along the Lincoln Highway, Downingtown borough and Thorndale have older mills, a growing downtown, and rail stations. Runs through Exton usually continue there.

Winter salt and road crews

PennDOT and township road crews store salt, plows and equipment in yards around Exton. Lighting and charging upgrades there produce occasional drums.

Questions

Do you also cover Downingtown, Lionville and Chester Springs?

Yes, as well as Uwchlan, Whiteland and the rest of central Chester County.

Can you collect from a building that is being emptied?

Yes. Give us the date the building has to be clear and the name of the person in charge on site.