ETP Transmission celebrates 40 years of innovation

From a patent on hydraulic connections to an established global leader in innovative precision clamping solutions. This year, the Swedish-founded company ETP Transmission AB celebrates 40 years of innovation and continues to deliver unique products to clients all over the world.

ETP Transmission is at the forefront of hydraulic clamping and centring products, with developments in three key areas: power transmission, woodworking, and metalworking. These advancements are represented under the ETP®, ETP HYDRO-GRIP® and ETP HYDRO-FIX® trademarks, all founded on hydraulic principles. This year, ETP Transmission celebrates 40 years as a company, but in fact, the history goes back a few years before that.

It all started with the Swedish engineer and inventor Kjell Landaeus applying for a patent for hydraulic connections in 1972, introducing a novel way to attach objects to a shaft using a pressure medium, a significant departure from traditional methods. Kjell Landaeus had worked on the product for over three years and collaborated with the project manager Börje Peterson from the business network FFV (Förenade Fabriksverken). The network focused on manufacturing and management of military workshops and factories and they became interested in Kjell’s unique invention as they saw the application of it within their own business. When the patent was approved FFV bought it, and together with Börje Peterson, they developed the idea into a commercial product and later on into a new company - ETP Transmission AB.

“When I first applied for the patent I was very excited and a bit nervous, even though I had applied for patents before. It was something special with this product, and once I got the patent I almost couldn’t believe it. It was so important, both for me and FFV, that we could protect the product since we had something very unique. I haven’t been involved in the company for many years now, but it feels good to know that my innovation was the starting point, and it has been exciting to follow their journey”, Kjell Landaeus says.

Unique market position

The machine element that Kjell Landaeus invented came to be the foundation for ETP’s product offering going forward. With this product, the early owners of FFV could offer something to the market that no one else could. During the upcoming years, they developed efficient production methods and started to sell components within Transmission and Woodworking in Sweden. In 1984, ETP Transmission was established as an independent entity, and two years later the international technology and industrial group Indutrade, stepped in as owners. Around this time, the multinational engineering company Sandvik also started to pay attention to ETP. They reached out to start a dialogue, which led to ETP launching a whole new business area within metalworking, new innovations and a close collaboration lasting for over twenty years.

From the start, Börje Peterson from FFV was the president and team leader for ETP Transmission. He expanded the sales channels and established the company outside Sweden. In 1994, the company entered the US market under his guidance, but he also hired a young and promising engineer called Niclas Rosberg to the construction and development department. Niclas came to work very closely with Börje and took over as CEO in 2005. He has now been at the company for over 30 years and he has seen the company grow from a small niche business to a global leader within the field.

“We know that everyone who gets their hands on our technique will love it. No one can offer the same precision as we can and that makes me very proud. Our team is extremely competent and professional. We might still be in a niche business area but what we do has an impact all over the world, from the US to China”, Niclas Rosberg says.

Looking ahead: Challenges and Opportunities

ETP Transmission continues to develop its business and is on a growth journey. The mission is to add more applications and usages for their products and work closer with their clients. In order to do that and to increase their digital presence, the company recently launched an e-commerce site to make it easier for clients to purchase the products and get a better overview of the supplies. Besides developing the business, the company is working a lot with sustainability and has the ambitious goal of being climate neutral by 2025. They already hold all three important ISO certifications (45001, 14001 and 9001), and they offer climate-friendly shipping worldwide and sustainable steel. Niclas Rosberg is convinced that they will reach the goals, and excited for what the future holds for the company.

“By shifting our focus to a lifecycle mindset and several other well-thought-out measures I am convinced that the goal will be accomplished. The life cycle mentality we have has become an essential part of everything we do – from how we manage people issues to our energy consumption and manufacturing of products.”, Niclas Rosberg says and continues:

“It’s amazing that we now celebrate 40 years as a company, and I’m very glad to have been a part of the journey. We have come so far, and even if being in a niche area comes with challenges, I’m convinced that we will grow this company even further and get the chance to celebrate more anniversaries in the future”, he concludes.

About Kjell Landaeus invention

The method employs an elastic mass that expands within a device when subjected to pressure, creating friction between the shaft and the object, holding them together. Unlike using a wedge for example, which relies on direct pressure, this invention uses pressure and elastic mass to achieve friction, preventing the object from spinning freely on the shaft. The advantage of this is that when using a pressure medium with liquid, you always have the same pressure since the force comes from all directions, leading to outstanding precision.

About ETP Transmission

ETP stands for Energy Transfer Products. The business concept is to develop, manufacture, market and sell fastening and centring products based on hydraulic and hydro-mechanical principles. For use as hub-shaft connections, tool and workpiece holders and similar applications. The ETP high precision quality products should offer quick assembly and disassembly and high levels of customer satisfaction.