Etco
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Joe Dunn |
| Headquarters | Bradenton , United States |
Area served | Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, South America |
Key people | David Dunn (owner) |
| Products | Precision metal stampings, ignition parts, silicone elements, assembly machinery |
| Owner | Dunn family |
ETCO, Incorporated is a privately owned manufacturing firm located in Bradenton, Florida. Established in 1947, it ranks among the longest-standing private manufacturers in the United States. ETCO focuses on producing precision metal stampings, which include both standard and custom components, ignition parts, silicone elements, and assembly machinery. In 2011, the company merged its North and South divisions but maintains two independent production facilities in Warwick, Rhode Island, and Bradenton.
The company’s products cater to leading appliance makers, automotive manufacturers, as well as clients in the medical and telecommunications industries.
Ownership remains within the Dunn family, with expansion largely fueled by retained earnings rather than external public funding.
History
Originally named Electric Terminal Corporation, ETCO was established in 1947 by Joe Dunn in Warwick, Rhode Island. Subsequently, David Dunn took majority control and broadened the company’s operations while introducing the Zero Defects manufacturing methodology. Over several decades, ETCO secured more than 30 patents related to manufacturing and by 2011 was responsible for producing nearly fifty percent of all plug blades in the US market.
Marking its 75th year recently, owner David Dunn emphasized the company’s continuous advancement and commitment to innovation.
Products and Services
Standard Products
Includes quick disconnects, ring terminals, spade terminals, male disconnects, pins, contacts, and receptacles.
Cord Products
Features cord set blades, ground pins, blade/pin assemblies designed for power cord termination and molding processes; assembled parts for printed circuit board installation; Hospital Grade Blades and Pins conforming to UL/CSA certification standards.
Insulated Products
Offers fully insulated terminals rated for temperatures up to 150°C with flame retardant characteristics; certified by UL/CSA.
Automotive Products
Comprises spark plug terminals and boots; robust battery cable terminals such as ring terminals and stamped top post battery terminals along with cable termination tools.
Special Terminals and Stampings
Provides custom stamping solutions available either on reels or as loose pieces; includes tooling for stamping dies and related application equipment.
Certifications held include ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, along with RoHS compliance.
Industries
ETCO supports a wide range of industries including Agriculture/Off-Highway, Aerospace, Automotive Aftermarket and OEM sectors, Battery manufacturing, Construction, Health and Medical fields, Marine applications, Lighting solutions, Appliance/Home products, Communications technology, Electronics manufacturing, Telecommunications infrastructure, Trucking industry, and HVAC systems.
Zero Defects Policy
ETCO pursues a zero-defect goal in its part production through stringent quality control measures combining automated machine assessments with manual inspections. This approach aligns with the Philip B. Crosby zero defect philosophy. Company leadership attributes significant manufacturing lifecycle cost reductions to this quality management strategy. Nonetheless, some experts such as W. Edwards Deming contend that striving for zero defects may be unrealistic and expensive, advocating instead for managing acceptable variation levels rather than completely eliminating defects.
Coil on Plug Investigation
ETCO released a detailed technical analysis entitled “Under the Boot” in response to customer concerns and Technical Service Bulletins issued by manufacturers such as Acura and Honda regarding Coil on Plug ignition systems. The study revealed that the spring-type connectors responsible for conducting current from the coil to the spark plug do not meet the retention strength criteria specified in SAE Standard J2032 3.2.1 for High Voltage Ignition cable assemblies. Although Coil on Plug technology provides benefits in terms of cost efficiency and user convenience compared to conventional wired ignition setups, ETCO’s research emphasizes potential reliability issues with these connection components.
Asia Pacific
Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
North America
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela