50 years of history at ETC

Picture this: it's 1975. Flares are in fashion (weirdly, they’re back again), disco is on the rise, and the world of lighting is on the cusp of a shift towards something much bigger…

Tungsten lighting reigns, and lighting control systems are large, clunky, and not so user-friendly. That is, until a few college friends from the University of Wisconsin decided they could do it better. Enter ETC.

Fred Foster, a lighting design student at the time, teamed up with his brother Bill Foster and two friends – Gary Bewick and Jimmy Bradley, and they set out to make a lighting console. They had seen the Q-file, a revolutionary console at the time (which cost the University of Wisconsin a huge $150,000!) and they challenged themselves to make a better one for $5,000.

What they created was the Mega Cue – a computerized, memory-based lighting desk that punched way above its weight. It wasn’t just a school project; it was the spark that lit the way for what would become ETC.

The Mega Cue made its debut at the USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) convention in 1976, and it was a hit! The visitors loved it, and the little startup idea of ETC was suddenly being taken seriously.

Over the next few years, ETC moved out of the dorm room and into the real world. The focus? Making lighting control systems that didn’t just work, but worked beautifully, intuitively, and reliably, even when the pressure was on.

ETC’s consoles quickly became industry staples. From the Concept line in the ‘80s (a variation of which was eventually chosen by Disney to control its parade lighting), to the famous Expression series in the ‘90s, and on to the powerhouse Eos family we know and love today, ETC has consistently set the bar for what a lighting desk should be.

Expression:                   Concept:  
                                                               Eos:    

ETC didn’t stop at control desks. A period of rapid growth followed as ETC expanded into Asia, and opened branches across Europe as well. The company extended its theatrical roots and dove headfirst into dimming systems, architectural lighting, power control, and – most famously –the Source Four.

Introduced in 1992, ETC’s ellipsoidal fixture, the Source Four revolutionized the lighting industry. Energy-efficient, bright, versatile, and virtually indestructible, the Source Four became the go-to lighting fixture around the world.

The 1990s marked the debut of several groundbreaking products: from Sensor Classic to Obsession, MicroVision, Source Four jr, and even Unison (which signaled ETC’s first major expansion into the architectural lighting market).

Fast forward to 2009 where ETC officially entered the LED lighting market with the acquisition of Selador, as well as showing a first glimpse of ETC rigging. More acquisitions took place as the company expanded including, Penko Engineering B.V, Vortek Rigging, High End Systems, Echoflex Solutions and more.

As ETC grew, so did the need for great people, and it's the people who truly make ETC shine (pun intended). While the cutting-edge technology sets the company apart, it's the unique culture behind it that defines it. ETC is known for being creative, innovative, a little quirky, and deeply passionate about the arts. The global team includes individuals from various backgrounds – musicians, designers, theatre technicians, engineers; people who genuinely love what they do. At ETC, employees are number one, and the company is committed to valuing and supporting them every step of the way.

In February 2024, ETC announced that it had become 100% employee owned – a testament to the company’s core values and the people who bring them to life. The news highlighted a natural extension of a culture where people come first, and where every contribution helps shape the future of the industry.

50 years of Lighting the Way

From a homemade lighting console built by four friends, to a globally recognized company shaping the world of lighting, ETC has never stopped pushing boundaries (or buttons). Now, as ETC celebrates its 50th anniversary, it's time to reflect on a legacy of achievement, creativity, and community - and to look ahead to the great ideas to come. 

The future is bright, and ETC will be there, shaping what comes next.