Big News at Etratech!

We've just introduced our new logo and user-friendly website! As we prepare to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we're ready to embrace a bright future. 

"The introduction of our new logo and website represents our commitment to growth and expansion in the years ahead," says our CEO, Michael Desnoyers. "We feel the boldness of our new logo represents that optimism and our vision for the future. Our dedication to highest quality and service standards have brought us where we are today, and that's the reason we've been able to retain clients so well. It's reflected in our new tagline, 'Better Client Relationships By Design.'
 

"While we may be facing a new future with regard to technology, our commitment to client satisfaction will never change."
 

Read the press release about our new look here.

 

And, if you've bookmarked this blog, please update your bookmark to reflect our new URL:

http://www.etratech.com/resource-center/blog/

How Do You Fit into the Internet of Things?

As the Internet of Things (IoT) grows we’ll begin to see more physical objects connected and accessible via the internet. Gartner Group  predicted in December 2013 that Internet of things would grow at thirty times its 2009 pace this year – a pace far greater than the “traditional” internet. "The growth in IoT will far exceed that of other connected devices. By 2020, the number of smartphones tablets and PCs in use will reach about 7.3 billion units," said Peter Middleton, research director at Gartner. "In contrast, the IoT will have expanded at a much faster rate, resulting in a population of about 26 billion units at that time."

 In fact, we’re already seeing Smartphone controlled home appliances such as the Nest thermostat and the Samsung smart refrigerator. And wearable items like the FitBit and Nike+ series are currently the fastest-growing segment of the IoT.  Just this past week, Samsung announced a partnership with Trek to create a more personalized and enhanced experience for both leisure and professional cyclists.  The partnership will tie Trek bicycles to Samsung mobile and wearable devices to monitor cyclist health and facilitate better coordination across competitive cycling teams. Even investor and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is bullish about the IoT, particularly as it impacts individual health and fitness. He’s especially optimistic about personal tracking devices. "I think we're coming to a scenario where rather than us having to know what to put in and what's smart to get a response, there are sensors that are tracking things and then giving us information.”

Cuban is not alone in his optimism. A recent Pew study suggests that connected devices will have a profound impact on our lives by 2025. "Many experts say the rise of embedded and wearable computing will bring the next revolution in digital technology," wrote Janna Anderson, director of Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center and author of the report. "They say the upsides are enhanced health, convenience, productivity, safety and vastly more useful information for people and organizations. The downsides: challenges to personal privacy, over-hyped expectations and tech complexity that boggles us." 

Brands with a more traditional focus are also joining the Internet of Things, such As the Internet of Things continues to grow at a rapid pace, even more traditional brands like GE are jumping on board.  (GE is currently building its own R&D center – and working with Frost Data Capital to create a business incubator for startups focused on disruptive technology.) At Etratech, we know it’s part of our future, and we’re excited about being part of this next technological wave. In fact, nearly every manufacturer is going to have to start thinking in the context of IoT, whether your product is luggage, locks or staplers. As the trend continues, consumers are going to expect all devices to be connected and controlled by their iPhone or tablet.

So, how is your company planning to fit into the Internet of Things?

Etratech Announces Its New Partnership with Summit/ems Corporation

At Etratech we are constantly working to ensure that we are offering our customers the best products and services, which is why we’re excited to announce our new partnership with Summit/ems Corporation. This strategic partnership with the Logansport, IN company will allow us to broaden our manufacturing opportunities as well as expand our international presence.

Summit/ems Corporation, founded in 1993, is an electronic manufacturing services (EMS) company that specializes in providing high quality components, subassembly or final assembly of a diverse range of specialty projects for mid volume markets.

Now, companies that are headquartered in North America will have local access to our design and development services as well as our turnkey manufacturing solutions from our Shenzhen, China facility. We’re pleased to be able to share our knowledge with Summit and its clients. In turn, we will benefit from Summit’s US connections as well as give Etratech the ability to entertain smaller volume projects. And most importantly, our partnership gives us a shared focus on high quality customer service.

To learn more about our engineering and design services, our vertically integrated manufacturing solutions, and our global focus and to view a portfolio of our work, visit our website. And to keep up-to-date on all our company news, follow us on Twitter.

Etratech and the Earth

As Earth Day approaches – April 22 – we’re continuing our efforts to get greener at Etratech.  One recent accomplishment that makes us particularly proud is our recent achievement of ISO 14000 certification. Most of you are probably familiar with what that means, but for those who aren’t, this certification addresses various aspects of environmental management, including improving operations and processes to reduce negative effects on the environment.

At Etratech we aim to be environmentally conscious. These ISO standards will help us improve and revise our current practices.

If you’re a company with an on-premise manufacturing facility like we are, small changes can have a big impact. ISO 14001:2004 maps out the framework for us to follow in order to create an effective environmental management system. For us – and other companies like ours - benefits of ISO 14001:2004 could include:

•  Reduced cost of waste management
• Savings in energy and materials consumption
•  Helping to reduce workplace pollution
•  …and other economic benefits, too!

In the spirit of Earth Day – and really, every day – we’re dedicated to making difference. All of us at Etratech are fully on board with these efforts to be more environmentally-friendly. We hope you’re also embracing the spirit of the day and helping to make the world a little greener!

Extraordinary Elevators

Elevators are a wonderful innovation of convenience and productivity. Many of us enjoy the effortless comfort of an elevator to climb and descend from a number of floors with the push of a button. It is a piece of equipment that’s quite prevalent in modern society and, surprisingly, been around since 236 BC. While the very first elevators were powered by hand or animals, today they’re typically powered by electric motors and feature automatic doors with simple controls. The function of elevators haven’t changed much since its inception; however, designers all around the world have certainly experimented with the aesthetics, structure and capabilities, creating elevators that often warrant a second glance.

The AquaDom in Berlin-Mitte, Germany is one such elevator. Designed by architect Sergei Tchoban, the AquaDom is the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium and holds more than 1,500 tropical fish and over 50 different species. Every hour, about 260,000 gallons of water circulate through the aquarium. Inside this massive aquarium is a two-story glass elevator that has the capacity to hold 48 people. The aquarium elevator cost nearly $17 million to build and is a true feat of architectural engineering. 

Closer to home, the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas features another unusual elevator—one that travels on an incline. Known for its iconic pyramid construction, the structure of the Luxor hotel requires elevators to move at an angle of 39 degrees. The floor of the elevator stays level, so most people do not experience a strong sensation of moving sideways. The inclined nature of this elevator results in a 14-foot horizontal shift from the top to bottom of the hotel. This shift required engineers to pay special attention to reinforcing the elevator cores using superplasticized concrete.

One last elevator to note is the Bailong elevator in Zhangjiajie, China. The Bailong elevator is built into the side of a cliff and rises more than 1000 feet high. It takes people to the top of a huge cliff and took three years to build, at a price of about $19 million. Capable of carrying 50 people, this unusual elevator takes just less than 2 minutes to reach the top. To build it, workers dug lift shafts and tunnels in the quartz sandstone column, and also installed earthquake detectors as a safety precaution. Located in China’s Hunan Province, the Bailong—or “Hundred Dragons”—elevator attracts 5 million visitors every year. 

Different as they are, each one of these amazing elevators shares one simple commonality: they all have a sliding door. In this regard, the Aquadom, Luxor incline elevator, and Bailong are no different from the commercial elevators we use to get to the office or move freight from one level to the next. They’re all controlled by an electrical system that dictates the speed and interval at which the door opens and closes.

An expert manufacturer of advanced electronic controls, Etratech is familiar with the electrical systems that control our elevators. In the past, we’ve even worked with a leading elevator door manufacturer to create the first known wireless freight elevator door control system in the world. For more information about how Etratech can optimize the operation of your elevator, contact us today.

What’s the Reasoning Behind Reshoring?

In an increasingly global economy, there is an interesting trend right now creating a lot of buzz – it’s called re-shoring.  This is essentially a reversal of off-shoring, a movement that many business and manufacturers have taken advantage of for several reasons – among them are cheaper labor costs, a global business presence, 24-hour customer service capability, etc. 

However, as global wages rise, the benefits of off-shoring are beginning to diminish, and many companies are singing the praises of re-shoring their work in order to achieve some of the same goals that were sought when offshoring.  Electronics manufacturing specifically has seen some interesting shifts in location, among other well publicized manufacturing shifts from China to the U.S. 

There are several advantages to having a business operate all under one roof: shorter lead times, eliminated waste, reduced intellectual property regulations, and fewer transport concerns, among other things.  However, the natural drawbacks for bigger companies are obvious – if your sales are global, it makes sense to have more than one location for your business.  This is essentially the same strategy that Jeff Bezos has with Amazon warehouses – go to where the customer is.  From this perspective, it may be desirable for a company with a global presence to continue to establish supply chain strength in places other than the original location of the business.

At Etratech, we’ve taken all of these thoughts and acted on them – with manufacturing bases both here in Burlington and (a recently expanded plant) in China, we can deliver to our customers exactly what they require, and from wherever they require.  At Etratech, the flexibility of having both options to choose from seemed to be the best way to cater to the requests of our customers, depending on their preferences.  It is this desire to better serve our customers that drives our business here at Etratech, and we’ll continue to make decisions based on that commitment. 

Want to weigh in?  Tweet @Etratech, or give us a call, we’d love to hear from you.

Etratech and HVAC Controls Systems

Over the last several years we have seen records fall in the path of extreme weather, both in the U.S. and throughout the world.  Droughts, record-breaking heat, and endlessly lingering winters have shown that our old models and expectations seem to be turning obsolete.  As the weather throughout the world becomes more volatile and unpredictable, people rely increasingly on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology (HVAC) to enhance their safety and comfort.  Additionally, as the popularity and practicality of super-efficient “smart homes” increases, the need for those to help improve the technology and efficiency of HVAC systems throughout the world becomes more pronounced.  Who will bring creative and cost-effective solutions to the most pressing problems in this area?

At Etratech, we have established ourselves as an innovative leader in engineering and design, with a proven track record of incorporating new technology into HVAC products.  Our broad experience in this sector has made us a trusted partner for some of the leading manufacturers in the HVAC field.  Working with a number of market leaders, Etratech was able to develop an industry first:  proprietary air balancing technology for heat recovery ventilation.  Many other companies were trying to achieve this goal, but were unable to do so.  Etratech took the lead to create this state-of-the-art technology.  We are proud to stand at the cutting edge of this industry, innovating and manufacturing advanced electronics and controls for maximum performance and efficiency, with products that meet the most stringent international standards of quality.

Even if we can never be certain of what the next weather trend might be, we do know this: residential and commercial HVAC consumers will continue to demand innovative, convenient, and energy-efficient products to meet their demands—now, and for many years to come.