First in the Nation: E-Tron Takes Top Honors in U.S. Wire Harness Competition

Key Summary

E-Tron Systems, a Virginia-based wire and cable harness manufacturer, made history when employee Elcira DeLeon won the first-ever wire harness assembly competition held in the United States at the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE). Nominated by company Director George Jacob, Elcira completed the timed assembly challenge and delivered a winning performance on competition day, supported by colleague Mayra Ocon. 

When George Jacob, Director of E-Tron Systems, a wire and cable harness manufacturer based in Virginia, heard the announcement that the first-ever wire harness assembly competition was being held in the United States at EWPTE, he was immediately interested.

"I was so happy," said George. "Because whoever won would go down in history as the first person to win this competition in America."

That person turned out to be his own employee, Elcira DeLeon.

Raising the Bar

George's initial goal was modest. "Originally, my bar was very low, to participate for the sake of participation," he admitted. But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to compete to win. He nominated Elcira, a three-year E-Tron veteran with a decade of electronics experience and a reputation for precision and attention to detail, to compete for E-Tron.

The team studied the competition drawings carefully and familiarized itself with the metric system applied, including the usage of a decimal comma in lieu of a decimal point.  The biggest challenge, though, wasn't technical skill. It was the clock. Competitors had exactly one hour to complete the assembly. Only finished harnesses would be judged. Elcira trained well and built the harness within the stipulated 60 minutes. In fact, she got it under 50 minutes during her trials at E-Tron. 

Nervous, But Ready

"It was my first time, but I prepared myself," said Elcira. "There were people coming to look at me, and I had a lot of nerves." Cheering her on from the sidelines and literally sitting on the floor was Mayra Ocon, an operations and customer service colleague who has worked closely with Elcira for three years. "I just sat there and said, 'Hey, you've got this,'" Mayra recalled with a smile.

A Company with Heart

E-Tron is no ordinary wire harness shop. Founded in 1986 in partnership with Fairfax County Community Services Board, the company was built around providing meaningful employment for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including autism. This July, E-Tron celebrates its 40th anniversary.

"At the end of the day, I go home gratified that in a small way, we have touched the lives of people," said George, who is a 20-year veteran of the company. "This company is a microcosm of the United States; every person brings something different, and we all work together to make some of the best quality products America can build."

Next Stop: Munich

Elcira's first-place finish earns her a spot at electronica in Munich in November, the first U.S. competitor ever to advance from this competition. All three E-Tron staffers, George, Elcira, and Mayra, will make the trip together. 

The Global Electronics Association booth at electronica will be #A1-463.