ETC expands again

In the last few years, ETC has entered new markets, introduced dozens of products, surpassed three million Source Four® fixture sales, and gained new customers worldwide. To keep the pace of this steady growth, ETC is expanding its office in New York City and opening a new factory in Wisconsin.

"Our New York office is in the heart of the theater district," says ETC CEO Fred Foster, "and we want to get the most out of the location. We're using it to support the local community, by opening our doors to lighting professionals to drop in and experiment with new products and collaborate on projects." The renovated office will be twice its previous size and include state-of-the-art demo and training rooms, product labs and working lounges, where visitors will have access to all of the latest ETC technology.

Like Town Square in ETC's Middleton facility and the Playhouse at Gypsy Corner in its London office, the New York office is themed. ETC Scenic Designer Kate Foster dreamt up a motif for the space fitting of its Broadway surroundings, and the first glimpse of it will come on Wednesday, December 11th, when ETC hosts its annual holiday open house.

The factory in Mazomanie, Wisconsin - just 17 miles from ETC's headquarters in Middleton - is a 355,774-square-foot facility that will primarily be used for manufacturing and storage, with the remaining space open for further expansion. "We're designing the new building in the same spirit as our factory in Middleton," explains ETC President Dick Titus. "It will have lots of light, comfortable workspaces and common areas for employees to gather for informal meetings." The structure will house distribution and rigging assembly, offices for support staff, a woodshop for tradeshow booth construction, and a studio for video and photo shoots.

"With both of these expansions, we're looking toward the future," says Fred Foster. "They'll help us continue our mission to provide the best products and services for our customers."