January 2019 | Vol. 1
5 Things You Need To Know
Bringing You The Latest Industry News
FEATURED THIS MONTH
- ECI Turns 50 – 2
- ECI’s Training Capabilities – 3
- IoT 2019 Predictions – 4
- This Year in Trade Shows – 5
- Valve Success Story – 6
Welcome To Our Monthly Newsletter!
In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, ECI is bringing back our popular “5 Things You Need to Know” newsletter (with an updated look, of course!). Each month, we will be featuring 5 current industry trends, new product releases/enhancements, company features, employee spotlights, and much more. Kicking off the year, this month’s issue features our company’s 50th anniversary and how we’ll make this year special – not just for us, but for you as well! We’ll also be discussing our workforce development partnership with local colleges and universities, what you can expect from the highly-discussed internet of things (IoT) for 2019, major industry trade shows taking place throughout the year, and a recent success story on updating a 72-year old control valve.
Eastern Controls Turns 50
Our Golden Anniversary starts now!
Founded in 1969, Eastern Controls, Inc. (ECI) has built its success with the “customer first” mindset put in place from the beginning by founders Cliff McLaughlin Sr., his wife Elke, John Bravacos, and Dick Bright. In its founding year, ECI opened a sales office just outside Philadelphia, PA as a manufacturer’s representative for Masoneilan (a major process control valve and instrumentation manufacturing company).
Now, with over 30 manufacturing partners across the Mid-Atlantic region, ECI has the ability to provide you with state-of-the-art products and services covering a wide variety of industries – Power, Chemical, Petrochemical, Life Science, Food & Beverage, Refining, and more. With the addition of the PTU (Process Training Unit), our facility is your one-stop shop for product demos, training, and informational seminars!
Throughout the year, we’ll be showcasing specific milestones within our 50-year history highlighting noteworthy events and accomplishments!
So, what’s in it for you? Well, you will be included in this year-long celebration! Click on our social channels at the bottom of the page and follow us to see what we have in store for you all year long. Trust us…it’ll be worth it!
Check out our social channels and follow us as we #Celebrate50!
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IoT Predictions for 2019
See how experts think the internet of things will further enhance our world in 2019!
The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is quickly becoming a well-known term thrown around nowadays both in the workplace and outside of it. Simply put, IoT is the concept of connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (as well as with each other). With its potential to impact how we work and live, it seems only appropriate to try and understand how it will continue to evolve. Below are Forrester’s predictions on how IoT will transform throughout 2019.
Bundled IoT Services will try to motivate a slow consumer market
As of right now, consumers aren’t too keen on an interconnected, centralized smart home. We’ll see businesses try to bundle services together and tack on discounts as incentives.
The term “IoT” will diminish
We’ll find the conversation shifting away from this ambiguous buzzword to actual use cases, applications, and performance management solutions.
IoT vendors will compete to be IoT platforms
Business professionals aren’t looking for one industrial IoT platform to manage every process at their company…they’re looking for platforms specializing in specific tasks. So, in 2019, we can expect to see many more IoT platform partnerships form.
Cybercriminals will target smart cities
Forrester predicts an increase in ransomware attacks targeting smart cities in 2019. Smart cities need to take precautions and start preparing now.
A market for IoT managed services will develop
2019 will host an IoT run market to manage the ongoing end-to-end life cycle of a connected product.
“IoT is not only changing how businesses operate, but also how people live.”
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ECI’s Training Capabilities
ECI offers a wide variety of training opportunities for our customers, as well as local colleges to offer students a hands-on training space utilizing the PTU.
Since acquiring the PTU (Process Training Unit) in 2016, we have formed a solid workforce development program training our customers on various equipment found in real-life process plants, such as control valves and instrumentation. With classes ranging from Control Valve 101 to Fundamental Instrumentation School, our training curriculum covers all areas of the industry.
The PTU is what sets our training program apart. It’s is a full-scale working process plant with on-line instrumentation and controls integrated with the PlantPAx process automation system from Rockwell Automation. It’s the perfect learning tool for engineering and maintenance professionals already in the workforce.
With an aging workforce, however, a focus needs to be on the next generation of workers. Keeping that in mind, we formed a partnership with Delaware County Community College (DCCC) to provide students
the unique opportunity to get hands-on with the necessary equipment. This really helps enhance their learning experience and gives them an advantage over their peers in their field following graduation.
To learn more about our workforce development program click here to check out our available courses and training calendar. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Training Coordinator, Sue McLaughlin, at 610-325-4600!
Our Process Training Unit (PTU) sets the ECI training program apart from the rest
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This Year In Trade Shows
Check out the top industry trade shows happening throughout 2019!
1. ISPE Aseptic Conference
03/18 – 03/19
The 2019 ISPE Aseptic Conference, now in its 28th year, will focus on the future of aseptic processing, including containment, multi-product facilities, and the increasing use of robotics.
2. ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium
08/06 – 08/08
Enjoy two full days of presentations on instrumentation, system integration, automation, new technologies, and much more at the WWAC2019 in Orlando, FL!
3. Chem Show
10/22 – 10/24
Find new products, technology, and ideas to optimize your process operations at the Chem Show! With thousands of industry professionals and more than 270 exhibiting companies, the Chem Show is the largest North American event exclusively focused on the processing of fluids, powders, and gases.
4. Power-Gen International
11/19 – 11/20
POWER-GEN International is a 30-year-old power generation event with various content covering all forms of energy. Topics focus on technology, innovation, and policy advancements with more networking opportunities than ever before!
5. Rockwell Automation Fair
11/20 – 11/21
With over 150 exhibits and more than 400 hours of educational opportunities, Automation Fair offers you the ability to experience innovative technologies and trends, accelerate your expertise and skillset, and transform your business practices.
Trade Shows are the best way to accelerate your expertise
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Control Valve Success Story
Discover how ECI successfully replaced a 72 year-old control valve and dramatically increased the our customer’s process efficiency!
Eastern Controls often has loyal Masoneilan control valve users reach out about replacing their old valves. One of our experienced Application Specialists recently received an inquiry from a customer about replacing a 72 year-old Masoneilan 21K series control valve! Flow data changes over time, and since this customer had such an outdated valve, we were able to provide a solution with the necessary updated flow data.
With the technology Masoneilan control valves possess today, replacing this 72 year-old valve ultimately saved the customer time and money, while enhancing
their process efficiency. Our customer was so impressed with the install that they actually snapped the pictures above and sent to us completely unsolicited!
This is just one of many success stories involving Masoneilan’s superior line of control valves. With valves as old as the one illustrated above, it’s clear that Masoneilan’s valves are built to last!
Masoneilan’s line of rotary control valves are known throughout the world for their high quality and durability. Today, rotary valves continue to offer dependability, with a unique combination of high capacity and turndown capability.
Available in various dimensions, rotary valves offer increased flexibility to match existing installations. Not sure which valve you need for your application? Click here to contact ECI today!