Known globally for its commitment to innovation and reliable products, Red Lion Controls is a key player in the renewables industry. The company has been performing at the very highest level for four decades, so we asked Diane Davis, Director of Product Management Ethernet Networking, to explain the secrets of its success…
PES: Welcome. Would you like to begin by bringing us up to speed with your operations in the wind industry?
Diane Davis: Red Lion Controls has a rich history of working with both turbine manufacturers and system integrators in the wind industry, with our N-Tron and Sixnet industrial Ethernet switch series. Renewable energy markets continue to be a strong and growing part of our business worldwide.
PES: And how is business in general? Are you optimistic for the coming year?
DD: We are optimistic for the coming year. With the recent acquisitions of N-Tron and Sixnet, Red Lion is well positioned for continued growth in industrial automation and networking markets.
PES: We note that you’ve just launched the N-Tron NT24k. Can you tell us a little about the benefits of this new product?
DD: Red Lion’s N-Tron NT24k series was introduced to address market needs for modular industrial Ethernet switches that provide higher port counts and varying media configurations. Our rackmount and DIN rail switches are designed to withstand the most challenging environments with high reliability and wire-speed performance.
Wind farms are often located in remote locations that range from dry deserts to corrosive oceans. These areas face extreme conditions that include fluctuating temperatures, heavy dust, high humidity and salty air. With built-in redundancy and monitoring capabilities, Red Lion’s rugged switches provide a scalable solution that performs reliably in these environments.
PES: It’s been built with versatility clearly in mind. Can you talk us through a few of the options?
DD: The modular N-Tron NT24k switches were designed to address the growing need to mix copper and fiber optic media, along with Gigabit and 100Base speeds in higher port count solutions. The NT24k series is available in rackmount and DIN rail configurations.
