industry manufacturing founded 1947 headquarters bradenton florida us area served worldwide key people david dunn chairman products precision metal stampings both commodity & customized ignition components silicone components assembly equipment number of employees 250 2011 website etco.com etco incorporated is a privately held american company based in bradenton florida . founded in 1947 it is now one of the oldest privately held manufacturing corporations in the united states . 1 some of etco s major areas of operation include manufacturing of wall socket auto parts custom metal parts precision metal stampings for appliances and other metal based products . in 2011 it merged operations of its north and south divisions while maintaining two autonomous manufacturing locations based in warwick rhode island and bradenton florida . etco s products can be found in electronic home appliances sold by several major appliance manufacturers . the products can also be found in cars sold by automotive manufacturers as well as medical and telecommunications companies . etco remains a family owned business as descendants of the founder from the dunn family own over 85 % of the company . as a result most of its growth has been due to reinvestment of the company s own earnings rather than public financing . contents 1 history 2 zero defects policy 3 coil on plug research 4 countries of operation 4.1 asia pacific 4.2 europe 4.3 north america 4.4 south america 5 notes 6 references 7 external links history edit etco incorporated was founded in 1947 as electric terminal corporation by joe dunn in warwick rhode island . years later his son david dunn purchased a majority stake in the company and sought to build several divisions ; successfully integrating zero defects process in its manufacturing operations . the company grew throughout the 70s 80s and 90s being awarded over 30 manufacturing process patents and producing nearly half of all plug blades manufactured in the us in 2011 . 2 zero defects policy edit etco s stated manufacturing objective is zero defects in the course of parts production . the products manufactured at etco s plants go through a rigorous quality assurance process including machine review and visual inspection by hand to ensure that it adheres to the zero defect principle of philip b. crosby . 3 relying on this quality management principle etco s management contends that it has been able to implement methodologies that have led to savings throughout the products manufacturing lifecyle . 4 arguments exist that oppose the zero defects policy including w. edwards deming who stated that the philosophy is more a fad and would lose favor . dr. deming stressed the importance of establishing a level of variation or anomalies acceptable to the recipient or customer in the next phase of a process . often some defects are quite acceptable and efforts to remove all defects would be an excessive waste of time and money . another criticism leveled at the zero defect manufacturing philosophy is the cost inherent with implementing it versus the benefits achieved post implementation . coil on plug research edit etco released a technical report detailing results of comparative testing conducted at their r & d facility . this report titled under the boot was published after a series of consumer complaints research and articles involving coil on plug ignition systems . 5 there were also technical service bulletins tsbs issued by automobile manufacturers from automotive manufacturers including acura honda 6 that caused the company to release the white paper on this research . the main focus of the research looked at the spring like connection devices . the connection devices used to supply the current s path from coil to plug were not as robust as the mated fit terminal to terminal connections required on wired ignition systems . these coil on plug devices do not have the retention values demanded by sae society automotive engineers standard j2032 3.2.1 for high voltage ignition cable assemblies . 7 proponents of coil on plug technology cite cost and ease of use as primary advantages when compared to standard wire assemblies . countries of operation edit asia pacific edit australia china india indonesia japan malaysia pakistan philippines south korea singapore sri lanka taiwan thailand vietnam europe edit austria belgium denmark finland france germany greece hungary ireland italy netherlands poland portugal romania russian federation spain sweden switzerland turkey ukraine united kingdom north america edit canada mexico united states of america south america edit argentina bolivia brazil chile colombia paraguay peru uruguay venezuela notes edit about etco references edit about etco thomasnet etco company profile page businessweek phillip crosby associates information page quality management info source new york times wheels blog january 2011 acura technical service bulletin april 1997 sae high voltage ignition cable assemblies page external links edit etco official site businessweek etco profile philip b. crosby zero defects bio page v t e technology outline of technology outline of applied science fields agriculture agricultural engineering aquaculture fisheries science food chemistry food engineering food microbiology food technology gurt ict nutrition biomedical bioinformatics biological engineering biomechatronics biomedical engineering biotechnology cheminformatics genetic engineering healthcare science medical research medical technology nanomedicine neuroscience neurotechnology pharmacology reproductive technology tissue engineering buildings and construction acoustical engineering architectural engineering building services engineering civil engineering construction engineering domestic technology facade engineering fire protection engineering safety engineering sanitary engineering structural engineering educational educational software digital technologies in education ict in education impact multimedia learning virtual campus virtual education energy nuclear engineering nuclear technology petroleum engineering soft energy technology environmental clean technology clean coal technology ecological design ecological engineering ecotechnology environmental engineering environmental engineering science green building green nanotechnology landscape engineering renewable energy sustainable design sustainable engineering industrial automation business informatics engineering management enterprise engineering financial engineering industrial biotechnology industrial engineering metallurgy mining engineering productivity improving technologies research and development tribology it and communications artificial intelligence broadcast engineering computer engineering computer science financial technology information technology music technology ontology engineering rf engineering software engineering telecommunications engineering visual technology web engineering military army engineering maintenance electronic warfare military communications military engineering stealth technology transport aerospace engineering automotive engineering naval architecture space technology traffic engineering transport engineering others applied science cryogenics electro optics electronics engineering geology engineering physics hydraulics materials science microfabrication nanoengineering engineering list audio biochemical ceramic chemical polymer control electrical electronic entertainment geotechnical hydraulic mechanical mechatronics optical protein quantum robotics animatronics systems components infrastructure invention timeline knowledge machine skill craft tool gadget scales femtotechnology picotechnology nanotechnology microtechnology macro engineering megascale engineering history prehistoric technology neolithic revolution ancient technology medieval technology renaissance technology industrial revolution second atomic age jet age space age digital revolution information age theories and concepts appropriate technology collingridge dilemma critique of technology diffusion of innovations disruptive innovation dual use technology ephemeralization high tech hype cycle low technology mature technology strategy of technology technicism techno progressivism technocapitalism technocentrism technocracy technocriticism technoculture technoethics technoetic technogaianism technoliberalism technolibertarianism technological alliance technological apartheid technological change technological convergence technological determinism technological escalation technological evolution technological fix technological innovation system technological momentum technological nationalism technological paradigm technological rationality technological revival technological revolution technological self efficacy technological singularity singularitarianism technological somnambulism technological transitions technological unemployment technological utopianism technology lifecycle technology acceptance model technology adoption lifecycle technomancy technopaganism technorealism technoromanticism technoscience feminist transhumanism other emerging technologies list fictional technology high technology business districts kardashev scale list of technologies philosophy of technology ethics of technology science technology and society technology dynamics science and technology by country stem fields pre stem women steam fields technology alignment technology assessment technology brokering technology companies technology demonstration technology education technical universities and colleges technology evangelist technology fusion technology governance technology integration technology journalism technology management technology museum technology policy technology shock technology strategy technology and society technology transfer technophilia technophobia technoself technosexual technosignature technostress terotechnology book category commons portal wikiquotes v t e car design car classification antique city car classic compact compact executive compact mpv compact suv crossover suv custom hot rod lead sled lowrider street rod t bucket economy executive family car large full size grand tourer hot hatch kei leisure activity vehicle luxury microcar mid size mini mpv mini suv minivan multi purpose vehicle mpv muscle luxury pony sport compact sport utility vehicle suv sports car subcompact supercar supermini truck ute van voiturette body styles 2 2 baquet barchetta berlinetta brougham cabrio coach cabriolet convertible coup coup de ville coup utility drophead coupe convertible fastback hardtop hatchback landaulet liftback limousine multi stop truck notchback panel van phaeton pickup truck quad coup retractable hardtop roadster runabout saloon sedan sedan delivery sedanca de ville coup de ville shooting brake spider spyder roadster station wagon targa top torpedo touring car town car coup de ville t top vis vis specialized vehicles amphibious driverless autonomous hearse gyrocar roadable aircraft taxicab tow truck propulsion alternative fuel autogas biodiesel diesel electric battery nev ethanol e85 fuel cell gasoline petrol direct injection homogeneous charge compression ignition hybrid plug in hydrogen internal combustion liquid nitrogen steam drive wheels front wheel rear wheel two wheel four wheel six wheel eight wheel twelve wheel engine position front mid rear layout engine drive front front front mid front rear front front rear rear mid rear rear rear front four wheel mid four wheel rear four wheel engine configuration internal combustion boxer flat four stroke h block inline reciprocating single cylinder straight two stroke v vee w engine wankel portal category v t e automotive design part of a series of articles on cars body framework car platform backbone chassis beltline body on frame bumper cabrio coach chassis continental tire crumple zone dagmar bumpers fender fender skirts grille hood hood scoop monocoque overhang pillar pontoon fenders quarter panel roof rack shaker scoop spoiler stressed member engine subframe tonneau trunk lid compartments trunk boot dickie hood bonnet doors butterfly doors gull wing door scissor doors sliding door suicide door vehicle canopy glass greenhouse power window quarter glass opera window sunroof windshield windscreen windshield wiper windscreen wiper other elements bumper sticker curb feeler front end bra hood ornament japan black nerf bar omniview technology run flat tire spare tire tire tyre tow hitch truck accessory window deflector geometry approach and departure angles breakover angle overhang ride height roll center turning radius weight distribution exterior equipment lighting daytime running lamp headlamp sealed beam high intensity discharge lamp hidden headlamps turn signals trafficators rear position lamps stop lamps reversing lamps safety reflector retroreflector other elements vehicle horn vehicle registration plate vanity plate windshield washer fluid windscreen washer fluid wing mirror power side view mirror legal motor vehicle theft vehicle identification number category commons portal v t e automotive engine part of the automobile series basic terminology compression ratio crank cylinder dead centre diesel engine dry sump engine balance engine configuration engine displacement engine knocking firing order hydrolock petrol engine power band redline spark ignition engine stroke stroke ratio wet sump main components connecting rod crankcase crankpin crankshaft crossflow cylinder head crossplane cylinder bank cylinder block cylinder head flywheel head gasket hypereutectic piston main bearing piston piston ring reverse flow cylinder head starter ring gear sump valvetrain cam cam follower camshaft desmodromic valve hydraulic tappet multi valve overhead camshaft overhead valve pneumatic valve springs poppet valve pushrod rocker arm sleeve valve tappet timing belt timing mark valve float variable valve timing aspiration air filter blowoff valve boost controller butterfly valve centrifugal type supercharger cold air intake dump valve electronic throttle control forced induction inlet manifold intake intercooler manifold vacuum naturally aspirated engine ram air intake scroll type supercharger short ram air intake supercharger throttle throttle body turbocharger twin turbo variable geometry turbocharger variable length intake manifold warm air intake fuel system carburetor common rail direct injection fuel filter fuel injection fuel pump fuel tank gasoline direct injection indirect injection injection pump lean burn stratified charge engine turbo fuel stratified injection unit injector ignition contact breaker magneto distributor electrical ballast high tension leads ignition coil spark plug wasted spark electrics and engine management air fuel ratio meter alternator automatic performance control car battery lead