Tait Communications Explained

Tait Communications
Type:	Trust Structure
Industry:	Technology
Foundation:	1969
Hq Location Country:	New Zealand
Area Served:	Worldwide
Key People:	Yoram Benit ^[1]
Products:	Two-way radios Network Systems Public Safety solutions Utility solutions Urban Transport solutions
Num Employees:	869 (Worldwide 2011)
Homepage:	Tait Communications

Tait Communications is a multinational radio communications company with headquarters based in Christchurch, New Zealand. The company has offices in 17 countries and employs 869 staff (2011). Tait develops voice and data radio technologies, exporting about 95% of products from its Christchurch manufacturing base.^[2] Customers include London Buses,^[3] Country Fire Authority^[4] and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.^[5] Competitors include Motorola, Harris Corporation, E.F. Johnson Company, Raytheon, HYT, Selex and EMC spa.

History

Tait Limited (trading as Tait Communications and formerly known as Tait Electronics Ltd) was founded in 1969 by New Zealand electronics innovator and businessman Sir Angus Tait, KNZM, OBE. The company's founding staff of 12 radio technologists^[2] produced the first generation of all-transistor mobile radios in New Zealand.^[6]

• In 1973, Tait released the Mini-phone series of mobile radios, which were adopted as the industry standard in New Zealand.^[6]
• In 1979, Tait launched a range of portable radios and base stations, exporting over 25% of its production. The first wholly owned subsidiary was opened in Huntingdon, UK.
• In 1982, Tait opened facilities in Houston, United States.
• In 1988, Tait opened facilities in Brisbane, Australia.
• In the mid-1980s Tait moved into developing trunking technology. Substantial investment followed in a broad range of trunked products and TaitNet systems based on the open MPT 1327 standard.
• In 1990, the T800 series of modular base station and repeater equipment was on the market. The T700 series also appeared.
• In 1992, the T2000 series of mobile radios was released.
• In 1993, additional offshore subsidiaries were opened and the T3000 series of hand-portables and the Quasi-Sync base station/repeater systems were introduced.
• In 1994, the first in a series of mobile data despatch products for use with the T2000 radios was launched.
• In 1996, the T3000 Series II, an enhanced version of the portable series, went to market.
• In 1997, Tait's T2000 range was updated with the launch of the T2000 Series II.
• In 1998, Tait released the Orca series of portable radios. Additional base-station and system enhancements followed, including the T1810 single-site trunked channel controller, before the release of Tait's portable radio range, the Tait Orca 5000.
• In 2003, the release of the 8000 tier of base stations and mobiles replaced the T800 base station and T2000 mobile.
• In May 2005, Tait launched P25 (Project 25) products based on open standards and open interfaces.
• In 2008, the TP8100 replaced the Orca portable radio.
• In 2010, Tait opened facilities in Vienna, Austria.^[7]
• In 2011, Tait opened facilities in Melbourne, Australia^[8] and expanded in Beijing, China. (Office in Beijing has been shut down)^[9]
• In 2012, Tait Electronics Ltd changed its name to Tait Limited.
• In 2014 the regional office in Huntingdon UK was closed and opened office in Milton, Cambridge UK ^[10]

Technologies and solutions

• P25 (Project 25)
• DMR (Digital Mobile Radio)
• MPT 1327
• MPT-IP
• Distribution Automation
• Network Management

Corporate affairs

CEO

• Alan Martyn Gall - General Manager Nov 1992 to Jan 1998
• Warren Francis Rickard - Chief Executive - Jan 1998 to May 2001
• David Michael Chick - Managing Director - Jun 2001 to Jun 2009 ^[11]
• Frank Owen was the CEO of Tait Communications from March 2009 until April 2014. Previously he was the CEO at privately owned Australian company GPC Electronics.^[12] In April 2014, David Wade has been appointed as the acting CEO until a replacement for Frank Owen was found.
• Garry Diack was CEO from September 2014 until June 2021, after having been a director of the board since July 2014.^{[13] [14]}
• Yoram Benit was made Interim CEO in June 2021, before being confirmed by the board as CEO in January 2022.^[15]

Structure

Sir Angus Tait (founder) established a trust structure for the company to be held in. The company is owned by two trusts: the Contel Charitable Trust and The Tait Foundation. Tait is financially independent and audited annually by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Corporate recognition

Tait Communications has received the following awards:

• Canterbury Champion Supreme Award (2003)

Tait partners with the following associations and groups in their industry:

• Funding and oversight of Wireless Research Centre, located at the NZi3 Innovation Institute, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand^[16]
• Founding member of the DMR Association ^[17]
• Member of International Association of Public Transport^[18]
• Associate Member of the Utilities Telecom Council

Offices by location

• Australia – Brisbane, Melbourne
• Austria – Vienna
• Brazil - Sao Paulo
• France - Paris
• New Zealand – Christchurch
• Singapore
• UK - Swavesey - ^[10]
• USA – Houston
• Locations information via Tait website

Further reading

• The Best is Yet to Come, Tait Radio Communications, by Dave Wilson, et al., 2004
• Radio Fidelity – The Story of Angus Tait and an Industry Sparked by Loyalty, by Virginia Green.

External links

• Tait Communications official site
• Tait Communications corporate video

Notes and References

1. Web site: New chief exec for Tait Communications. 24 January 2022. 24 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220124032905/https://www.landmobile.co.uk/news/new-chief-exec-for-tait-communications/. live.
2. Web site: Sir Angus McMillan Tait, 1919-2007. 28 March 2011. 25 May 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100525022445/http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Business/People/T/TaitAngus/. live.
3. Web site: NZ radios keep London buses moving. - Australasian Business Intelligence . 2011-04-14 . 2012-11-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105205745/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-147802316.html . dead .
4. News: Tait wins firefighting deal . Heather, Ben . 6 July 2010 . . 16 November 2011 . 23 October 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023214446/http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3886660/Tait-wins-firefighting-deal . live .
5. Web site: 404 Page – Urgent Comms. 14 April 2011. 10 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110810061158/http://urgentcomm.com/mag/radio_power_cooperative_upgrades/. live.
6. Web site: CANZ Tait Communications Ltd.. https://web.archive.org/web/20100524010055/http://www.victoria.ac.nz/canz/research/docs/tait.pdf . 24 May 2010.
7. Web site: Tait opens new Vienna office | PressReleasePoint. 28 March 2011. 9 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101109223431/http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/tait-opens-new-vienna-office. live.
8. Web site: Global technology company Tait Radio expands its operations in Victoria - News - Invest Victoria, Melbourne, Australia . 2011-03-28 . 2011-03-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110326221131/http://www.invest.vic.gov.au/20110211-global-technology-company-tait-radio-expands-its-operations-in-victoria . dead .
9. Web site: Tait expands in China with new facility . 2011-08-08 . 2012-09-06 . https://archive.today/20120906114836/http://www.nzte.govt.nz/features-commentary/In-Brief/Pages/Tait-expands-in-China-with-new-facility.aspx . dead .
10. Web site: Contact our Europe, Middle East and Africa Team- Tait Communications. 9 November 2011. 24 June 2015. 25 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150625034050/http://www.taitradio.com/contact/europe-middle-east-and-africa. live.
11. Web site: Tait Communications Ltd. . 18 December 2022 . 18 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221218215605/https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429040354699/ . live .
12. http://nz.linkedin.com/pub/frank-owen/6/835/3b6
13. Web site: Our structure - Tait Communications. 9 November 2011. 12 June 2015. 13 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150613183928/http://www.taitradio.com/about-us/our-structure. live.
14. https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrydiack
15. Web site: New Chief Exec for Tait Communications . 24 January 2022 . 24 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220124032905/https://www.landmobile.co.uk/news/new-chief-exec-for-tait-communications/ . live .
16. Web site: NZi3 Partnerships . 28 March 2011 . 26 January 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110126123839/http://www.nzi3.com/partners.shtml . live .
17. Web site: Digital Mobile Radio Association | Supporting over 15 Million users worldwide. 28 March 2011. 14 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110814194903/http://dmrassociation.org/?page_id=16. live.
18. Web site: UITP - International Association of Public Transport . 2011-03-28 . 2011-10-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111002214241/http://www.uitp.org/about/Our_members.cfm . dead .