Electronic Theatre Controls

About Electronic Theatre Controls

Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) is a prominent manufacturer of lighting and rigging technology for entertainment and architectural applications. The company was established in 1975 in Madison, Wisconsin, by a group of University of Wisconsin-Madison students: brothers Fred and Bill Foster, Gary Bewick, and James Bradley. Their journey began with a shared belief that they could create a superior microprocessor-based lighting control console for a fraction of the cost of existing systems. This conviction led to the development of their first console, the Mega Cue, in a bedroom, which marked the inception of the company.

The founders' drive was significantly influenced by their mentor, UW-Madison professor Gilbert Hemsley, a renowned lighting designer who inspired a culture of possibility. The company's first major contracts came from Disney in the late 1970s and early 1980s to create lighting controls for their theme parks, which propelled ETC from a small startup to a key industry player. A pivotal moment in ETC's history was the 1992 launch of the Source Four profile spotlight, a product that became an industry standard. Over the years, ETC has grown through strategic acquisitions, including LMI in 1990, the lighting control division of Arri GB in 1995, High End Systems in 2017, and GDS in 2019, which expanded its product portfolio into dimming, automated lighting, and backstage communication systems. In March 2024, ETC became a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP), a move initiated years earlier by the late co-founder Fred Foster to ensure the company remained private and employee-focused.

ETC's business model is centered on the design, manufacture, and sale of a wide array of professional tools for lighting and rigging. Its client base is diverse, serving small and large venues worldwide, including theaters, television studios, houses of worship, schools, hotels, casinos, and theme parks. The company generates revenue through the direct sale of its extensive product line, which includes lighting fixtures like the iconic Source Four, control consoles such as the Eos and Wholehog families, dimming and power control systems, networking infrastructure, and motorized rigging systems. ETC is also known for its comprehensive technical and customer service, offering 24/7 support and maintaining a global network of authorized service centers.