Our History
Founded in 1999 by control system designer and programmer (now company president) Bill Long, Altec made its name as a controls company. Altec begins its operations in a 3,500 square foot facility in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. Altec’s early days include service work and small projects for local customers in various industries including the veneer and plywood manufacturing industry and astronomical observatories.
25 Years of Vision
Founded on the cusp of the 21st century, digital revolution is in Altec’s DNA.
- In 2001, we introduced our PLC/Delta RMC-based veneer lathe and charger controls, an industry first.
- 2003 marked our first collaboration with Disney, supplying drives and controls for their Soarin’ Over California attraction in Orlando, Florida.
- A new veneer clipper controller and its new XY Scanner 3D, 32-laser, PC-based XY scanning and optimization system was introduced in 2004.
- In 2005, we delivered our first green veneer stackers and completed controls upgrades to three veneer peeling lines. Altec also delivered an electrical and control system for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope to be deployed in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile!
- Altec completes the electrical and controls upgrade for the Disneyland Monorail trains for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California in 2007.
- In 2010, Altec completed the most complex ride system project in the world to date: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal Islands of Adventure in Florida. In the decade since, we’ve expanded to manufacturing our wood veneer and lathe machinery, turnkey ride control & show action systems, engineering and manufacturing services to serve our global partners.
Growing further
- In 2010, Altec completed the commissioning of the ride control system for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction at the Universal Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida. This is the most complex ride control system on any ride to date and was 100% designed and built by Altec.
- In 2011, we relocated to a larger 7,500 square foot facility in Coquitlam, BC and delivered drives and control system for the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster attraction at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.
- 2013 to 2015 were an important years, as Altec launched three new products: the Altec Electric Charger—the first fully-electric charger in the veneer and plywood industry using planetary roller screw technology, and the Altec XY Scanner laser line scanning and optimization system for the XY charger and the Altec Electric Clipper. We also delivered the ride control system for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction at Universal Studios Japan and in Hollywood, and developed the ride control system for the Flying Theater ride system.
Going International
- In 2016, we acquired Demco Manufacturing, Inc., a Texas-based steel fabrication and machine shop. This acquisition added 28,000 square feet of additional manufacturing capacity to Altec, allowing us to provide a greater scope of service to our growing international client base.
- In 2017, Altec delivered its first ride control system for a roller coaster produced by Bolliger & Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland. Altec also delivers its first carriage and first backup rolls manufactured at our Texas subsidiary. We also launched two new products—a new steel fabricated carriage complete with electric servo technology, and the Altec Clipper Scanner which provides accurate and consistent optimization of veneer ribbon clipping into sheets based on adjustable specifications.
- Altec delivered the ride control system for the Batman attraction at Warner Brothers World in Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2018.
- In 2021 Altec completed design and commissioning of two ride control systems for Universal Studios Resort in Beijing. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey dark ride and the Decepticoaster roller coaster.
- In 2022, we formed a subsidiary company, Altec Entertainment, Inc., with an office in Orlando, FL, to be closer and provide better service to our customers in the entertainment industry.
A Bright Future
Our expertise in the wood veneer & entertainment sectors combined with our solid foundation in machinery & metal fabrication ensures that our business is resilient, diversified, and positioned for continued growth.
Contact
For inquiries about our services, please fill out the contact form below. We look forward to hearing from you.