‘DC technology will lead energy transition’

Fortop is another brand stronger. Since 1 April, it has partnered with Schaltbau. A name that particularly rings a bell in the railway industry. For years, the German specialist has been marketing products that electrify this world. Knowledge and experience it is now bringing to the industry with the new Eddicy brand. “DC technology is going to change the world,” states Harmen Sikkema, director of Fortop convinced. “With a brand like Eddicy in the portfolio, we can help customers achieve their ambition of carbon-neutral production.”

Eddicy is more than a brand name that sounds good. It simultaneously refers to the inventor of direct current, Thomas Edison, and the importance of energy efficiency. “The transition to climate neutrality is the most important challenge facing the industry today. DC technology will be crucial in that story of electrification. After all, everything related to renewable energy - from storage to charging stations, from microgrids to electric vehicles and battery test benches - runs more efficiently with DC voltage,” says Harmen Sikkema.

New sub-brand

A world that may still be evolving from an industrial point of view, but in other fields they are already more advanced. Harmen Sikkema: “In railway technology, direct current is the standard. It is from this knowledge and experience that Schaltbau started developing products for other sectors. Not newcomers, but products with the necessary maturity. Everything to do with energy, e-mobility and safe intralogistics will now be housed under the new sub-brand Eddicy. For us, this cooperation is an opportunity, because we actually already know many of these customers. Only the applications are new.”

More than pushing boxes

Eddicy includes switches and connectors in all kinds of sizes and capacities. That Schaltbau came knocking on Fortop's door for distribution in the Netherlands and Belgium is no coincidence. “Interviews revealed that they had been following us for two years. Another supplier had warmly recommended us, because we can do more than just push boxes,” says Fortop's managing director. “We speak the same language as Schaltbau and all the other brands in our portfolio: that of technology. By sharing your knowledge, you don't sell products, you sell solutions. And that is what customers really need and are looking for. Moreover, we also work through different channels. Those who just want to order online can do so just as easily at fortop, via our product portal.”

Ready to make the world a better place

The products Eddicy has to offer will be completely new to the range. But there is very high confidence that they will take off. “With Eddicy, we have the potential to change the market. The industry now runs on AC voltage perhaps for 99%. With the energy transition underway, that ratio will be thoroughly shaken within a few years. Just because of the higher energy efficiency that DC technology has to offer. By the way, the plant where Eddicy will be produced, built in 2019, is already proving this in practice. It operates entirely on DC voltage thanks to Eddicy solutions. This allows the plant to produce 35% more energy-efficiently,” Harmen Sikkema concludes.