Mr. Dietrich, first of all, congratulations on 75 years of E-T-A! Looking back: What was the most significant technological development of your company?
One of our most significant inventions - especially in the field of automation technology - is without doubt the electronic circuit breaker. This type of device - invented by E-T-A over 20 years ago - is now an indispensable part of automation. Anyone who protects loads in the 12, 24 or 48 V (DC) range that are fed by a switching power supply can no longer do without this form of overcurrent protection. The electronic version is the next stage in the evolution of overcurrent protection: whereas in the past it was mainly about protecting the line and later primarily about the permanent availability of the control voltage, modern overcurrent protection devices also support digitalization, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Is there an absolute 'bestseller'?

The overcurrent protection family from E-T-A also supports digitalization, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

© E-T-A

We see three major trends for us in the automation sector. Firstly, the cybersecurity requirements for our devices: As they become more intelligent and increasingly connected, we need to ensure that our devices are secured against intrusion by third parties. This is also an issue at EU level with the 'Cyber Security Act' and its impact on smart devices.

The second major topic is machine safety and functional safety. Machines are becoming ever more powerful, their operation must become ever safer - as must their components. This means that we are developing devices that support the trend towards higher standards in terms of error-proofing.

A third topic is the increasing demand for protective devices for DC voltage. In order to further reduce CO2, the use of renewable energies is becoming increasingly important. Research and development projects on the use of renewable energies in industrial production facilities have been running for years. For example, we are talking about the direct use of photovoltaics on the roof of a factory, which means the use of 1,000 V(DC) or 750 V(DC). Such new approaches require new technologies. We are already testing the first prototypes of new device families - but it will be a while before they are ready for the market.

Where do you see the biggest challenge in the coming years, in terms of business and/or technology?
In business terms, this is certainly the recruitment of a sufficient number of employees. We want to continue to grow, so we have a constant need for specialists and employees. At the same time, the 'baby boomer' generation will be retiring in the next few years, further exacerbating the problem.

From a technical perspective, I believe that the constant technological change towards more intelligent devices and systems with the requirement for secure hardware and software is a challenge. Mechanics are being replaced or supplemented by electronics. The integration of electronics is progressing and the intelligence of devices is increasing. The further development of analysis software with growing artificial intelligence certainly plays a major role here. This is because it allows the complexity of possible applications to grow in the future.

What special events are you planning to celebrate your anniversary?
We are planning a big open day together with many of our international employees, customers and partners. On this day, we will also inaugurate our new small parts warehouse, E-T-A's largest single investment in the last 30 years and a clear commitment to the Altdorf site. We are very proud to have state-of-the-art warehouse logistics at our disposal, which will help us to continue to grow successfully over the next few years.

In the evening, a large evening event for all E-T-A employees will take place in a festive setting. A unique event in the 75-year history of E-T-A.