Curtis Instruments, was established in 1960 in New York. Throughout its 50 year history, Curtis has led the way with innovations in motor control, battery management, power conversion and vehicle instrumentation. Vehicle design engineers at major OEMs worldwide have depended on Curtis technology to enhance and evolve their own products.
From the beginning Curtis has been at the forefront of developing clean transportation alternatives by working with leading global electric vehicle manufacturers. Curtis’ innovative technologies eliminate the emissions of combustion-driven engines, which is a major impact on improving air quality. Curtis employees are proud to be part of a company which has been devoted to green technology way before it became a buzzword.
Today, the company is an internationally recognised leader in instrumentation and controls, primarily for electric vehicles of all types, but also for standard internal combustion powered vehicles. As a global technology leader, Curtis operates 12 offices where more than 1,000 Curtis employees worldwide are committed to providing excellent sales and service support. Curtis is committed to providing local support to its OEM customers. In Europe, Curtis is positioned in the UK, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and Germany. Additionally, Curtis operates a flagship manufacturing facility in Bulgaria and a major R&D centre in Switzerland.
The Curtis product offering includes a wide range of integrated system products for the off-road vehicle market. This includes a full range of motor speed controllers (traction, steering and lift controllers for AC Induction, SepEx® , Permanent Magnet and Series Motors). As a company specialising in vehicle management systems, Curtis provides CAN bus instrumentation, DC/DC converters, DC Contactors and all types of input devices, chargers, alarms and beacons, used by industry leading OEMs in a diverse spectrum of applications.
Curtis products are designed for maximum flexibility, functionality and performance, and provide the most comprehensive performance features and benefits in the industry. To maintain its technological leadership, Curtis invests over 10% of gross revenue in innovation, in four flagship R&D Centres.
Highly specialised engineers and technicians are working in California, Switzerland, New York and China, where Curtis products are engineered to meet the highest industrial quality, reliability and safety standards.
Curtis is committed to a coordinated and integrated process to build quality in from start to finish, with a comprehensive system to assure product quality and reliability. Curtis operates three flagship manufacturing plants covering the world market from Puerto Rico, Bulgaria and China. Its guiding philosophy states: “We strive to design and manufacture only one level of quality – the highest.” Each Curtis employee is committed to this principle, day in and day out. Curtis employs a team-driven, quality-focused approach from concept to design, from manufacturing to post-sale support.
Curtis Instruments is an ISO 9001:2000 registered company, actively working toward ISO 14000 certification with a rigorous corporate mindset and on-going dedication to quality in every facet of our organization. The company employs “Design-for-Reliability” in every aspect of its process: product design – process design – test equipment design – even failure analysis design and a closed loop corrective action plan. Curtis products are subjected to a series of component stress and reliability tests. Products undergo severe stress, shock, vibration, temperature and humidity tests, as part of design qualification. In case of defect, Curtis subjects all in-warranty returns to an exacting failure analysis and root cause analysis. Systematic corrective action is directly tied to this uncompromising inspection and analysis.
Throughout its history, Curtis has been in the forefront of advancing “green” EV transportation. NASA used Curtis products for its lunar rover electric vehicle Apollo missions and also on experiments aboard the MIR space station. In the subsequent decades, Curtis Instruments’ electric vehicle technology has helped replace the pollution of combustion engines with emissions-free electric and hybrid-powered vehicles. Curtis’ advanced motor speed controller technology allows for smooth acceleration and deceleration in forward and reverse. Curtis monitoring technology displays the “fuel” level of the battery, just like a fuel gauge on conventional vehicles, as well as other information essential to safe operation. In warehouses where forklifts and other materials handling vehicles are used, electric motor vehicles produce zero emissions. It makes a huge difference in the indoor air quality, and the health of employees who spend the day in these enclosed environments. Curtis’ technology also empowers a wide range of off-road and neighborhood electric vehicles. In addition to industrial vehicles used to carry goods, you will find it in wheelchairs and power vehicles for the disabled, and in personnel movers such as the trams used in airports. Another important usage is in leisure vehicles such as golf cars. Clearly this is the logical choice for EV OEMs – and for a cleaner environment.
Key to the success of Curtis Instruments in Europe is the materials handling industry. With ideally placed sales offices throughout Europe, they are well placed not only to work with OEMs on systems projects, but also to promote and distribute complimentary products for this market place.
As well as the electric vehicle “system” approach for developing solutions with fork truck manufacturers, Curtis, particularly in Europe, is able to supply ancillary equipment under the “Care And Safety” product range. Working closely with Vision Alert in the UK, they continue to promote and sell the Xenon range of beacons throughout Europe, alongside a range of reverse alarms and specialist vehicle warning light systems,
As the Vision Alert product portfolio is growing, so is the partnership with Curtis, who are now promoting not only the Xenon range of safety beacons but also, to compliment these in materials handling applications, a range of rotating beacons.
There are many worldwide suppliers of similar products to the Vision Alert range, but Curtis can see the huge benefits of offering a proven range of high quality alarms and safety beacons, through their European network of companies, to provide a more comprehensive offering to the European materials handling market.
For further information, please contact Anita Chapman on 01604 885230, email: info@curtisinst.co.uk, www.curtisinstruments.com
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