Eaton Corporation
Charging ahead
With everything from planes, factories, hospitals, vehicles and data centers relied upon by people every day, the companies behind such integral parts of the modern world depend on Eaton to solve some of the most complex power management challenges
With sales of 22 billion dollars and a global reach, Eaton provides energy-efficient solutions that ensure its customers can effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power in a more sustainable, safe and efficient manner. Dedicated to improving the quality of life and the environment through the utilisation of power management technologies and services, the company has approximately 95,000 employees across the globe and sells its products and solutions to customers in more than 175 countries.
Aware of the pivotal role it plays for customers, Eaton puts creating and maintaining strong working relationships with its clients at the heart of its operations. Building these relationships on a foundation of excellence and technology leadership, Eaton delivers innovation and a dedicated level of service and support to clients in each of its five distinct segments: electrical products, electrical systems and services, aerospace, hydraulics and vehicle.
“In the electrical segment, we have the broadest portfolio in the industry ranging from products and services for utility power generation to outlets and lighting in your home. Eaton works with customers across the entire power chain,” says Umesh Patel, Director of Marketing, Eaton Corporation, Canada.
Increased efficiency
“A lot of our end markets, such as oil and gas, mining, metals and aerospace, are cyclical, however within these markets there are always sub-segments that are growing faster than others. These are the areas that we are targeting by offering products and services to customers that are looking to be more efficient and productive,” he adds. “One example of this is the variable frequency drive (VFD), which improves the energy efficiency of air conditioning and heating (HVAC) systems in 19buildings. HVAC systems have historically operated fans and motors at constant speeds. This mode of operation is inefficient. The variable frequency drive changes the speed of the motors or fans in response to demand for air or water flow. This dramatically reduces the amount of energy that is being used in buildings When VFDs are combined with LED lighting, a building’s energy usage can be reduced by 50 per cent.”
Technology trends
Spurred by megatrends, which impact the way people live and do business, Eaton develops innovations that help its customers to find ways to use power more efficiently, safely, reliably and sustainably. Current megatrends include the fact that by 2029, aviation is expected to carry close to 11 billion passengers around the world, which means airports will need an increasing amount of reliable, safe and constant power. In response to this, Eaton’s products and solutions ensure airports run without any interruption of power. Another future-based trend is centered around the fact that by 2050, global demand for energy in buildings is projected to increase up to 60 per cent. In response to this, Eaton will continue to help customers design new energy-efficient buildings and also modernize existing buildings with the goal of increasing reliability, reducing energy costs and meeting sustainability goals.
“One source for developing products and solutions is through existing customers and the direction they want to go in. However, we also look at technology trends and try to anticipate needs that our customers aren’t even thinking of yet, this is another source of innovation for us,” confirms Umesh.
To remain at the forefront of innovation and maintain fast responsiveness to each customer’s needs, Umesh says Eaton is undergoing major investments across a range of areas within the business: “Our investments are similar to our customers in the sense that we want to be more productive and efficient. To make this possible we are looking into how we can drive greater synergies between different businesses, such as sharing facilities, capital investment and technology development.
“Other key areas for us are digitisation, which means more investments in how we interface with customers and gather and analyse data; these kinds of investments are leading the way when it comes to us becoming more competitive moving forward.”
Young talent
Another focal area for the company is resourcing employees through initiatives with universities, scholarships and internship programmes. “There is a real need for attracting younger talent across the globe. There was more STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) type talent available in the past, however to compete in this current market we need to attract and retain the best talent. A company 21like Eaton is not as visible to the regular consumer as we are behind the scenes most of the time, which means we have to work that much harder to ensure young talent is not only aware of us, but also of what we can offer in terms of careers,” explains Umesh.
Looking ahead, Eaton will focus on ensuring it meets the expectations and commitments that it has in place with its stakeholders while also making the right investments to maintain the long-term viability of the business. “This will involve talent development, new products and technologies and a drive for more synergies within our business so we can become more competitive, productive and efficient,” Umesh concludes.
Eaton Corporation
Products: Electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power management solutions