CEI started in 1985 as a sign maintenance company. Signs meant poles, poles meant lighting, and lighting meant electrical — the company grew outward from there into a full commercial electrical contractor and eventually into mechanical, plumbing, and roofing.
Four decades later the electrical division is still the core of the business. Amie Brown runs electrical operations along with signs and poles.
What we do
– Service and repair on existing systems
– Panel, breaker, and switchgear replacement
– Three-phase power distribution
– Circuit additions for new equipment
– Lighting repair, replacement, and LED retrofit
– Emergency and egress lighting, including testing
– Motor and control wiring
– Generator connection and transfer switches
– Troubleshooting intermittent faults
Service work, not just installation
Most commercial electrical contractors in this market are oriented around new construction. We are oriented around buildings that already exist.
That distinction shows up in the work. Tracing an intermittent fault through a forty-year-old panel with three generations of undocumented modifications is a different skill than pulling new wire in an open building. It is most of what our service techs do.
Power for new equipment
When a tenant adds a piece of equipment, the electrical is usually the constraint. A new walk-in, a second fryer bank, an EV charger, or a piece of shop equipment can exceed what the existing panel and service can carry.
We evaluate available capacity first and tell you whether you need a circuit, a subpanel, or a service upgrade — before the equipment shows up on a truck.
Lighting and retrofits
Lighting is where most commercial buildings have the clearest payback available. Retrofitting fluorescent or HID fixtures to LED cuts energy draw and largely eliminates the relamping cycle, and parking lot poles are usually the biggest single line item.
We handle interior retrofits, exterior and parking lot lighting, and the pole and base work underneath it.
Emergency electrical service
Power problems do not wait. Dispatch runs 24 hours at 816-221-0006 and routes to the on-call electrician.
Common after-hours calls: partial power loss, tripping breakers that will not reset, burning smell at a panel, failed exterior lighting on a dark lot, and equipment circuits down in a kitchen or production area.
Code compliance
Electrical code changes on a cycle, and jurisdictions adopt those changes on their own schedule. What passed inspection in 2010 may not pass today, and violations usually surface at the worst moment — during a sale, a tenant improvement, or an insurance inspection.
We handle code corrections and work with inspectors directly.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer 24/7 emergency electrical service?
Yes. Call 816-221-0006 any hour.
Do you do residential electrical work?
No. CEI is commercial only, including multifamily and apartment properties.
Can you tell me if my panel can handle new equipment?
Yes. We perform a load evaluation on the existing service before you commit to equipment, which is considerably cheaper than finding out afterward.
Do you handle parking lot lighting and poles?
Yes — fixtures, poles, bases, and the underground feeding them. It is where the company started.
Are you licensed in Missouri and Kansas?
Yes, including a Johnson County contractor license and City of Kansas City contractor license.