20 Years of E-TEC
In 2019 E-TEC hit the big milestone of being 20 years in business, and given how increasingly difficult it has become for a business to achieve longevity, we felt it important to not simply celebrate the occasion, but to also take stock of how we got there, to make sure we all understand what it is that makes us tick, and look to how we build on this to allow the multinational organization as E-TEC has become, to be even more cohesive and push itself forward into what will hopefully be a long and successful future, and one that many current and future employees can be proud to be a part of.
To show how important we considered this to be, a committee was assembled to create a special hard backed commemorative book to give to everyone in the company. All current employees were represented in pictorial form and with written contributions coming from many, plus contributions from clients and partner companies. Areas covered included the company’s origins, how it was built up, philosophy of relations within the company and with customers, our software development projects, how the world we live and operate in has changed over the 20 years, a spot light on some of our client projects, and a general flavour of what it is like to work in E-TEC as well as coming together for social occasions. A lot of time and dedication went into the making of the book, which hopefully people will value for years to come.
Some extracts from the book:
“From the beginning I wanted the people involved to feel that they were really a part of E-TEC. Funding in those early days was fundamental to our success and with our employees willing to invest in the company, there was no doubt in my mind that this was indeed the right way and any last doubt quickly faded.
“To this day, I still tell my colleagues that the only limits within E-TEC are the limits of their own ambition and imagination. This is apparent from the above average number of people who have served in our company for ten years or more. Some colleagues who worked with me prior to the formation of E-TEC are already in their fourth decade alongside me!” – Krzysztof Tutaj CEO, E-TEC International
“In the last 20 years, the company has had its ups and downs with many battles along the way but thankfully we remain financially stable and have been growing our profits steadily each year. Reflecting on the past two decades in business, what immediately comes to mind are the people in E-TEC. To be in business for 20 years requires having incredibly talented people in our organization. It has been very satisfying to see one of our software projects which I have been heavily involved in, eBooks (recently rebranded eLibri), is now live in Ireland, UK and Holland.
“I came across a quote recently, “A company that doesn’t have a history may not have a future”. I also believe that a company that doesn’t have a Soul doesn’t have a future. E-TEC has both in my view.” – Michele Keogh, Finance & Administration Director E-TEC International.
“The same goals exist today 20 years later. A company where people feel at home, where customers feel at home. A foundation for effective and decisive entrepreneurship. A company with accumulated professional knowledge and experience in management, whether commercial, technical financial or organizational.
“In addition, there is an overarching corporate philosophy with the common thread: integrity. Both within the company and externally, we aim to meet everyone with an open mind. Trust is so important in any relationship and especially with our customers. You cannot demand trust, you must earn it! Our “Can do” attitude is ingrained in what we do on a daily basis, it has sustained our organization from the beginning and will do so into the future.” – Kieran Kennedy, Managing Director E-TEC Ireland.
“When I started in the company in 2005, the mission, vision and core values of the organization were clear and well thought out. The goal for E-TEC in the Netherlands was to forge ahead, structure the company, clean it up where necessary and mould it into a well- functioning organization. When difficult economic times arrived, integrity and team spirit, the pillars of our organization helped us pull through and become even stronger, and we remember this when recruiting new talent, we seek a “good fit” for our team in addition to the required knowledge and expertise.
“Working with people who understand their profession and who you also like is a privilege that not everyone enjoys. Almost every day I go to work with pleasure. Each day is varied, sometimes unpredictable, but almost always satisfying.” – Frans Vermolen, Managing Director E-TEC Netherlands.
“It is 20 years since the incorporation of E-TEC Power Management UK. Time really does fly! It’s been an exciting and rewarding time watching the group grow. The average lifespan of a successful company in the 1920’s was 67 years. Today companies typically exist for an average of 15 years. This in itself gives cause for E-TEC to celebrate the vision and hard work which enabled the group to grow and expand into its 20th year of existence.
“Over the years I have frequently been heard to say that E-TEC is part of my extended family, and proud of it. So, is it luck, or is it the environment that we have endeavoured to create over the years? We should always seek solutions that work for everyone in the company. While it’s true that you can’t please all of the people all of the time, giving people choices, rather than a rigid set of rules to follow, does, I believe give a feeling of empowerment across the company.” – Bob Hunt, Managing Director E-TEC UK
“Almost twenty years ago we founded E-TEC Germany. We started out in an old stone building in Düsseldorf Reisholz. In winter it was always cold and in summer hot, but we were highly motivated and wanted to build a modern and successful company in the field of IT infrastructure with our colleagues in the other countries. I would not have believed then that I would still be working in E-TEC at the age of 70, never mind still enjoying it.
“A memorable milestone came in 2006, when Host Europe gave us our first million-dollar order to build a large Data Centre with over 200 racks. This was a real challenge for our small team and it took enormous effort. There were so many sleepless nights but it was the start of the future development of modular data centres. During this time modular data centres were still completely unknown and E-TEC delivered the first of these in Germany.” – Karl-Heinz Steffens, Director E-TEC Germany