Local business earns international award at recent electronics expo

by Kelly Waterhouse

FERGUS

The team at Station Earth knows small businesses can make a big impression on the world stage,  after winning their fourth international award.

The local business recently took part in the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association’s (CEDIA) Expo in Indianapolis,  Indiana, which includes an industry award gala.

“This is an important event because you are judged by your industry peers and entries come from all over the world,” said Station Earth sales manager John Stumpf. “We enter our own projects.”

For the expo, the Fergus business entered in the category of “best home theatre under $90,000.”

“We did a home theatre  install in a new home being built in Aberfoyle,” said Stumpf.

The design and install won the team the silver award, which Stumpf explains is no small feat for the team.

“This was the biggest category of the event, with entries from all over the world. The furthest entry was a company from Cypress.”

The award follows previous installation wins in home technology systems at the CEDIA expo, including:

- 2006: silver for best home theatre from $40,000 to $70,000;

- 2007: gold for best integrated home, $270,000 to $355,000; and

- 2011: silver for best home theatre, $189,000 to $240,500.

“It is great that the ‘little shop from Fergus’ can compete, and win, on an International Stage,” Stumpf said.

While he is clear winning isn’t everything, he is proud of his team, which includes 26 employees, most of whom have been with the company since it’s beginning.

“It’s verifies that we do good work,” Stumpf said. “It shows what a group of passionate individuals can do when they put their mind to it.”

Plans are already underway for next year.

“We have a project going in next year that should be our largest project to date,” Strompf said.

Recognition on the international stage is good for the company’s profile, but Stumpf insists that goal of the business remains providing home electronic and technology needs.

“It’s great to win all these awards, but we’re not just about upper echelon products. There is no budget too big or too small to shop here. We have something for everyone,” he said.

Station Earth is located at 766 Tower Street South in Fergus. For more information, visit www.stationearth.com.

October 12, 2012