Power solutions company wins business award

Setec, a designer and manufacturer of power solution products, has been named the 2015 Telstra Victorian Medium Business of the Year.

The Knoxfield-headquartered company has designed and manufactured innovative power supplies, battery monitors and battery chargers for a range of industries including medical, gaming, recreational vehicles (RV) and RF communications.

Former CSIRO electronics engineer Peter Lloyd started the company, with his wife Jill, from a garage in Doncaster in 1968. Within 15 years of operation, Setec was shipping more than $1m worth of power supplies within Australia and around the world. The company is still owned and operated by the Lloyd family.

“In order to be competitive, Setec must remain at the forefront of innovation in both product development and processes. We employ the latest manufacturing and engineering techniques to maintain the success that has been built over the years and continue into the next generation of family,” said second-generation Setec CEO David Bayliss.

Bayliss saw an opportunity in 2014 for Setec to launch an innovative battery management range, specifically designed for the RV consumer market. The BM PRO range includes a device called the ‘BatteryCheck’, which connects to standard deep cycle batteries and uses advanced Bluetooth technology to communicate wirelessly with smartphones. This enables RV owners the ability to view comprehensive data about their batteries — all with the touch of a button.

Setec recently formed a development team in Penang, Malaysia. For time-critical projects, the company employs a lean development team utilising online product development freelancers — allowing them to bring products to the market in a more efficient way.