United Electric Controls (UE) designs and manufactures industrial safety and control solutions for alarming and emergency shutdown of process equipment. UE recently celebrated 90 years in business at its headquarters in Watertown, Massachusetts.
The company was incorporated in the Boston area in 1931 after combining two then-recent inventions – the metal bellows and a snap-acting switch – to create a control for oil burners. UE survived the Great Depression by providing thermostatic controls for chicken brooders, after which came World War II and UE provided pressure switches for fuel tank warning systems on Navy carriers and minesweepers.
reliability of UE products
UE remains a valued supplier to heavy drives–oil & gas refining, chemical, power, water & wastewater
From those humble beginnings through to UE’s modern-day innovations like the first two-wire electronic switch, the first Safety Integrity Level (SIL-2) switch, and the first five-year battery-operated wireless HART gas detector, UE remains a valued supplier to heavy industries – oil & gas refining, chemical, power, water & wastewater.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for equipment including fire suppression, pump systems, burner systems, and many others also rely on the value and reliability of UE products.
“Providing reliable, value-added solutions and earning the trust of the companies we work with has always been the key to our longevity in this business,” said Dave Wilbur, UE’s General Manager. “We listen to our customers and continuously update and innovate our products to meet ever-changing industry requirements.”
UE’s work culture
All UE employees were enabled and assigned to launch and participate in ‘Action Centers’
The innovation does not stop at the product solution level either. UE was an early adopter of the just-in-time, continuous improvement production system pioneered by Dr. Shigeo Shingo at Toyota. Shortly after beginning their lean manufacturing journey, UE won the award named in Dr. Shingo’s honor – the prestigious North American Shingo Prize for Manufacturing Excellence.
It was an affirmation of providing customers with the shortest lead-times, lowest cost, and increased quality via waste elimination and mistake-proofing (poka-yoke) methods. More importantly, all UE employees were encouraged and empowered to launch and participate in ‘Action Centers’ and improve processes around UE. This philosophy remains a strong component of UE’s work culture in place.
UE’s extensive involvement
This coincided with UE’s extensive involvement in education and literacy, particularly the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Since UE employed a multicultural workforce, it was important that all employees had a voice if the new continuous improvement system were to succeed. It was a rewarding endeavor as employees learned the skills required to communicate continuous improvement ideas that ultimately benefited the customers we served. As a further testament, a visit to UE by former Massachusetts Governor William Weld and the late, former First Lady Barbara Bush who championed adult literacy, showed UE as a model for workplace literacy.
UE’s Chairman of the Board, Dave Reis summed it up best in a statement to employees regarding the company’s ninetieth anniversary, “We have a lot to celebrate. Ninety years and going stronger than ever. Thank you again for making UE such a wonderful company. You succeed many other great employees who came before you going back to 1931 and carry on a proud tradition and legacy.”
