Becoming A Part Of Adder’s Evolution

Adder Technology, now on the brink of its fortieth anniversary has changed a lot since its inception. We’ve had the pleasure of working with them for a few years and were lucky enough to sit down with their Operations Director, Andy Corteen to understand how they’ve evolved, what’s driven that change, where they’re headed next, and of course why they use WATS.

Always Evolving

Established in 1984, in the era of the BBC Micro and the Sinclair Spectrum, Adder has evolved to become a multi-Queens Award winning, global market leader in connectivity solutions, enabling the real-time control and management of distributed IT systems for organizations around the world. Adder manufactures and exports its Keyboard, Video and Mouse (KVM) technology worldwide.

At the heart of Adder’s success are its founders, who are still actively involved, driving the company forward. Adder’s journey has been marked by significant milestones, including transitioning KVM technology onto IP networks and drastically expanding the scope of their solutions. This leap enabled activities like controlling industrial equipment from thousands of miles away and with near-instantaneous failover solutions.

Adder has evolved from a convenience-based business to one that’s integral to operations in critical sectors like nuclear power and air traffic control. Their goal is always pixel-perfect, lag-free performance and they strive for a user experience so seamless and reliable that no one should ever know their technology is being used.

The Next Step In Data-Driven Innovation

Looking towards the future, Adder didn’t just want to survive but to thrive and shape their future proactively. A core component of this vision is harnessing data throughout the design, testing, and production phases. The company realized the need for a comprehensive approach to data capture, moving away from ad-hoc, sometimes inconsistent methods that ultimately hindered knowledge accumulation.

The introduction of WATS into Adder’s operations was a significant part of their vision. It became the solution to unify data capture and analysis across different manufacturing locations worldwide.

Over a six-month period, Adder refined its approach, focusing not on the tool itself but on the essential data required to make leaps in product quality and consistency. This process led to a more efficient testing regime, which in turn revealed things even they didn’t know about their products, such was the additional dimension added by unifying all their test data.

With WATS, Adder has found a tool that not only provides facts but transforms them into actionable insights. Their goal is comprehensive: from engineering tests to final commissioning, all data should flow back to a central point to demonstrate control and drive informed decisions.

Adder’s success over the years stems from its foresight and the ability to find smart solutions that meet its needs. WATS has become a part of Adder’s ongoing evolution, embodying their ethos of smart innovation – and that’s something we’re so proud of.

More about Adder

Adder’s KVM solutions improve user experience, desktop ergonomics, and production workflows for customers around the world, and their high-performance IP KVM matrix technology delivers endless connectivity possibilities. Leading broadcasters, motorsports teams, social media powerhouses, and world-leading transport hubs have all identified the benefits that an IP KVM matrix can deliver – unparalleled flexibility, huge cost savings and improved resiliency.

Discover more about Adder

If you’re facing challenges like Adder’s in managing manufacturing test data or looking for tools that support growth and innovation, WATS is here to help. Contact us to learn more today.