ETC Unifies its European Identity

Beginning this year, all formerly separate operations of ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) in Europe will be known by one name. Starting March 31, Transtechnik Lichtsysteme in Germany and IES in the Netherlands join the company’s current locations in London, Copenhagen, and Rome under the common banner of ETC.

“Calling ourselves solely ‘ETC’ in Europe means much more than an emphasis on one name,” says Bill Gallinghouse. “It represents the total integration of the people, technologies, and products of these four strong companies into a unified portfolio. Transtechnik Lichtsysteme and IES will remain as strong brands within the greater ETC company portfolio. Now we can offer the best lighting solutions to each European market.” ETC now has more than 100 employees in Europe, living and working in seven countries.

Project services are available for the smallest installations to the largest turn-key television studios and are coordinated through the ETC office in Holzkirchen, Germany. Technical service and support is provided by the extensive Authorized Service Centers (ASC) network that the company has been developing in Europe over the last ten years.

ETC now offers a an extensive product portfolio, ranging from Source Four® fixtures to Transtechnik™ lighting systems, Avab™ control desks,and IES™ sine wave dimming.

ETC is continuing to develop new products, maintaining the heritage of each brand. Recent introductions include the ETC SmartFade® and Avab Congo™ consoles, which were developed using ETC engineers in England, Germany, the US, and Sweden. Some IES dimming products are now UL listed and are being sold into the North American market as part of ETC’s Smart Solutions product line. Transtechnik and Avab control systems, and Transtechnik NT™ consoles are being enhanced with new hardware and features.

ETC products are now manufactured and assembled in multiple locations -- Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. As a model of future ETC production practices, SmartFade, a console that was developed by engineers in four countries, is being manufactured both in Germany and the US.

“By making significant investments in people, product development and infrastructure,” says Gallinghouse, “we are able to offer some of the best brands and lighting solutions in Europe, along with the service and support that Transtechnik, IES, Avab, and ETC are traditionally known for.”