ETC #1095

ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) is an American manufacturer of lighting and rigging equipment for the stage: lighting control consoles, dimmers, conventional and automated (LED) fixtures, and control and rigging systems for theatres, concerts, studios, theme parks, and architectural lighting. It is one of the world's leading companies in the stage lighting industry.

The company was founded in 1975 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA: four University of Wisconsin students — Fred Foster, his brother Bill Foster, James Bradley, and Gary Bewick — came up with the idea of using the new 8080 microprocessor to control theatrical lighting and released the Mega Cue console. The headquarters later moved to Middleton, Wisconsin, where about 90% of the company's products are manufactured. Over the years the company grew through a series of acquisitions, expanding into LED fixtures, rigging, automated lighting, and networking systems. In 2015, ETC became partially employee-owned through an ESOP, and in December 2023 it became 100% employee-owned; in 2025 it celebrated its 50th anniversary.