News


Contemporary Controls wins award - combined efforts of two companies deliver 'smallest' industrial Ethernet products

26 March 2003 News

Contemporary Controls says it is committed to solving customers' problems. And part of the product development cycle is being accountable to customers - and even to their customers - in the case of OEMs. The strategy is working and has not gone unnoticed, states the company.

This year, Control Engineering magazine selected Contemporary Controls as one of 35 winners in the 16th annual editors' choice award program. The magazine judged the company's CTRLink Ethernet hubs and switches on the following criteria: technological advancement, service to the industry, and impact on the controls market. The editors favoured these products' compact size, affordability and low-voltage AC/DC operation.

"We are proud of the recognition we are receiving with CTRLink," says Joe Stasiek, sales manager. "But more important CTRLink shows we are working for our customers, not vice versa. We are focusing on problems and processes that are truly critical to their success."

The product line is a series of miniature industrial Ethernet hubs and switches designed for the space requirements of shrinking panels and small machines. These products have been described as 'the world's smallest' to date in the trade press.

CTRLink was co-developed by Contemporary Controls and Heyfra Electronics in Eisleben, Germany. The companies said they introduced this new family of Ethernet products because this technology had the most potential. The name 'CTRLink' represented the companies' commitment to making Ethernet suitable for control. Contemporary Controls wanted to tap into the German market in Europe so it established the subsidiary, Contemporary Controls GmbH. The reason: Germany has consistently led the way in developing industrial networking technology; "by partnering with Heyfra we gained what we had lacked, German-speaking technical support and written German documentation," explains Stasiek.

The engineers at Contemporary Controls have endeavoured to enhance CTRLink's capabilities so customers receive the best value overall when implementing an Ethernet network. The CTRLink line was expanded from hubs and switches to include adapters. On the drawing board for 2003 are 'Managed' switches that intelligently route traffic.



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Products of the Year 2025
News
With the electronics industry slowly rebounding after the downturn of 2024, many new and exciting products were announced across the various sectors. These are my picks for 2025.

Read more...
Embit signs NeoMesh wireless protocol stack licensing agreement
News
The agreement enables Embit to offer fully customised module solutions with integrated NeoMesh wireless protocol stack that leverage NeoMesh’s ultra-low power consumption and exceptional scalability.

Read more...
Latest European market figures
News
The latest market figures indicate a modest, but notable return to growth across the European electronic components sector.

Read more...
2025 GSA award nominees
News
The Global Semiconductor Alliance recently announced the nominees in various awards categories. Winners will be revealed at a gala event on 04 December 2025.

Read more...
Automation and AI: powering Africa’s energy future
News
Driving innovation, reliability, and digital transformation in Africa’s energy sector – a key focus at the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba.

Read more...
SAPVIA hails R2bn credit guarantee fund for transmission expansion
News
Soon after the mini budget was delivered in parliament, the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) congratulated Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, for the announcement of a R2 billion Credit Guarantee Vehicle.

Read more...
Automotive Ethernet communications
EBV Electrolink News
EBV Elektronik has expanded its automotive solutions offering with Infineon’s Marvell Automotive Ethernet portfolio.

Read more...
Tronics Microsystems begins machine and asset health monitoring
News
Tronics Microsystems, a subsidiary of TDK, has announced its expansion into vibration sensor solutions, targeting process and asset monitoring to support predictive maintenance and industrial IoT applications.

Read more...
Electronic News Digest
News
A brief synopsis of current global news relating to the electronic engineering fields with regards to company finances, general company news, and engineering technologies.

Read more...
4000 A containerised DB for power project
News
Power Process Systems has successfully completed the design, fabrication, and commissioning of a 4000 A containerised distribution board for a wind/PV solar hybrid renewable energy project.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved