Draft:Electronic Theatre Controls

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  • Comment: I can count 10 citation needed tags and the history section is just WP:PROSELINE and should be changed to actual prose. Cowboygilbert - (talk) ♥ 02:59, 15 November 2024 (UTC)


Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC)
Company typePrivate
IndustryLive Entertainment
Founded1975
FounderFred Foster, Bill Foster, James Bradley, Gary Bewick
Headquarters
Middleton, Wisconsin
Websiteetcconnect.com

Electronic Theatre Controls[1] (ETC) is a manufacturer of live event technology based in Middleton, Wisconsin. Starting in the entertainment industry with a custom lighting control console in 1975, ETC has since expanded into rigging, luminaires, architectural and commercial installations, and horticulture lighting. They are known for lighting performance venues, museums,[2] building exteriors, stadiums,[3] and houses of worship.[4] ETC has won awards for its products, innovation, and company culture, including awards from Live Design and the Professional Lighting and Sound Association. They are known for their various lines of lighting fixtures, Eos lighting controllers, and Paradigm architectural control systems.

ETC History

[edit]

In 1975, University of Wisconsin-Madison students Fred Foster, Bill Foster, Gary Bewick, and James Bradley announced their goal of creating a theatrical lighting control system. The four friends set to work in the Fosters' home, creating what would eventually be known as the Mega Cue. For the first several years in business, the consoles were sold exclusively to Berkey ColorTran, who then sold them under their company name.[5][6]

By 1982, ETC launched its first branded console called the Concept,[7] which Disney used to light their parade routes.[8] Around this time, ETC also began working closely with the dimming system manufacturer Lighting Methods, Inc. ETC acquired LMI in 1990.[9]

The Source Four, an ellipsoidal reflector spotlight, was announced at the Live Design International trade show in 1992. It was widely adopted and as of 2012 has sold over 3 million units.[10]

In 1995, ETC opened its first international office, ETC Asia, in Hong Kong. Following this, the company expanded further, opening offices in Denmark (1997), Rome (1999), and Germany (2002).[11] In 1998, ETC acquired Vari-Lite Inc.'s architectural lighting company, Irideon.[12]

The lighting industry began a shift to LED technology, which led to ETC's acquisition in 2009 of Selador.[13][14] In 2014, ETC purchased the Vortek rigging division of New York-based Daktronics and began to offer rigging solutions internationally a year later.[15] ETC continued its expansion into new markets as the company bought the automated lighting company High End Systems in April of 2017 from Barco, Inc. [16]

After the purchase of High End Systems, ETC entered the horticultural lighting market when the company launched RAYN Growing Systems and began exploring the effect of LEDs on plant growth in 2019.[17] In February that year, Fred Foster, the founder and CEO of ETC, passed away at the age of 61 and Dick Titus stepped in as President/CEO.[18]

ETC celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015, and became one-third employee-owned, eventually enlarging its Employee Stock Option Plan to become 100 percent employee-owned in December of 2023.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Barrett, Rick. "Electronic Theatre Controls sheds new light on entertainment". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  2. ^ Mesenbrink, John (25 October 2019). "Exhibit Puts T. Rex in New Light". Architectural Products. Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  3. ^ Stancavage, Sharon. "Refitting Madison Square Garden". Lighting&Sound America. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  4. ^ Huang, Judy. "ETC Selador(Tm) LED Lighting Graces San Francisco Cathedral". LEDinside. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Founding ETC Consoles". blog.etcconnect.com. 2024-08-02. Archived from the original on 2025-06-17. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  6. ^ Tenenbaum, David. "Still on Stage after 40 years: Wisconsin firm grows beyond theater lighting". Wisconsin News. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  7. ^ Theatrecrafts - Archive - Electronic Theatre Controls / ETC. (n.d.). Www.theatrecrafts.com; Theatrecrafts. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.theatrecrafts.com/bhc/manufacturer/etc Archived 2024-11-11 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Chen, Kevin. "Manufacturer Introduction: ETC(Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc) Manufacturer". ICRFQ. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  9. ^ About ETC (2 November 2021). "The history of ETC through company acquisitions". et cetera. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  10. ^ "ETC Milestone: Three Million Source Four Lighting Fixtures Shipped". ALIA. 2012-08-07. Archived from the original on 2019-04-05. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  11. ^ About ETC (2 November 2021). "The history of ETC through company acquisitions". et cetera. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  12. ^ Cashill, Robert (November 1998). "ETC purchases Irideon from Vari-Lite". Live Design. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  13. ^ PLSN Staff. (2009, February 16). ETC Enters LED Market with Selador Purchase. PLSN Magazine. https://plsn.com/newsroom/all-news/etc-enters-led-market-with-selador-purchase/ Archived 2025-01-23 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Newman, Judy (19 February 2009). "Middleton's ETC Buying LED Firm". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  15. ^ Journal, K. R. | W. S. (2014, August 4). Electronic Theatre Controls purchases rigging division of Daktronics. Wisconsin State Journal. https://madison.com/business/electronic-theatre-controls-purchases-rigging-division-of-daktronics/article_00220266-66f5-5ef1-835e-ee37ecde7d18.html Archived 2025-01-23 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Novak, Bill (31 March 2017). "Electronic Theatre Controls buys Austin event lighting firm". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Dynamic lighting system, including controls and vision systems, to be displayed at GreenTech". www.hortidaily.com. 2023-06-09. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  18. ^ Gores, Paul. "Fred Foster, co-founder of Middleton-based theater lighting company ETC, dies at 61". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  19. ^ ETC: Becomes 100% employee owned. (2024, March 6). Pilot Hill Advisors. https://www.pilothilladvisors.com/news/etc-becomes-100-employee-owned Archived 2025-01-23 at the Wayback Machine