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Meet Anderson Dick of FuelTech

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anderson Dick.

Anderson, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a Brazilian who is passionate about automotive racing electronics. When I was starting Electronic Engineer college in South Brazil, at UFRGS (Federal University of the RS state of Brazil) in 1999, I started to design an electronic module intended to control fuel injection on modified vehicles, it was at the beginning just a hobby, especially because Brazil is not a country where technology companies are born usually.

Then in 2001 I met racers who started to ask for some specific products and features that could not be achieved with products locally available and then I started to develop the first prototype of what in 2003 would become the first FuelTech Electronic Fuel Injection controller.

Then in 2003 FuelTech was founded officially and we started the company that in about 4 years grew as the South American number one Performance Engine management system company and got over 70% of market share on all South America.

Then in 2007 I started to travel to the US drag racing events firstly learning and specializing ourselves on this very competitive sport. Then in 2009, having already a solid company running in Brazil at the time, with over 25 employees and selling for different countries around the world, we started to establish FuelTech in the US to get into the market.

It took 4 years with many unsuccessful tentative and a lot of work on research and development to have a product and a partnership to really break into this highly competitive niche market of aftermarket performance engine management systems.

Sales in US market started from zero in 2009 to represent in 2013 about 10% of the FuelTech brazil manufactured products and then we established a local headquarter in Ball Ground, GA to be in charge of distribution, tech support and marketing the products for the US market.

We chose Ball Ground GA because the company who we are now business partners with is located in here and it is a strategic geographic position for the East Coast and at the ATL airport hub.

The Brazilian headquarters now has about 58 employees and the US headquarters became to grow quicker than expected, sales over the US were growing over 100% per year and I was already dedicating most of my time to manage this grow, flying 8 times per year to the US and then I decided with my wife, Diane Agnes, 36-year-old, to move to Canton, GA with our sons Pedro (6) and Eduardo (2) to establish family and grow the business.

FuelTech USA division now has 9 employees and we are assuming a great part of the research for innovation and new products, which is my main task.

FuelTech is considered one of the top 5 companies in the world on this market, brand is globally recognized. We won many of the most important championships including NHRA championship which was one of the highest steps we could reach.

Now we are focused on innovation and be the leader in electronic management for performance vehicles!

Has it been a smooth road?
Sometimes people think that who succeed are “lucky.”Definitely was not a smooth road, to have a startup company in a country like Brazil, build a strong and solid company who can be now in position of compete with the top companies in the world, and never been supported by investors is definitely a challenge.

From 2009 to 2012 we had tried many times to get into the market and attempted the most recognized trade show, the PRI (Performance Racing Industry) Show with a small 10×10 foot booth trying to demonstrate our product, but there were years that not a single business was created by the show, then we tried for 3 times to establish local offices in California (2009), then in New Jersey (2010) and Florida (2011) with local partners but were almost a complete failure.

But all these problems helped us to grow, learn and never give up about finding the way, which we finally found in 2012 when met the right local partner to grow together.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are the most innovative company in the aftermarket performance racing electronics. We try to create products that will make racing vehicles quicker, faster, more reliable and safe.

Our main clients are racers who are looking for new technology to control their engines and cars, but also, we have probably the most intelligent and at same time user friendly integrated interface for enthusiasts who want to make their vehicles up to date with latest technology, sometimes switching from a carburetor engine to electronic fuel injected, or sometimes replacing a limited OEM system to ours.

We have developed and been constantly updating our products and software with all the new technology.

Let me share some videos that can help understand what we do:

First of the series of 5 videos showing our DNA: https://youtu.be/Z_JXL_kaeY0

FT600 EFI overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbSN9w05b30

30 sec live feed commercial: https://youtu.be/z89Cfn-qk0c

Product installation on Motorhead garage TV show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJWAPFXNxy0

FuelTech down under in Australia last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g5rN5Rdcow&t=1s

Some racers interviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqKEhH1ot_E&t=17s

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I have been trying to start business in many different parts of the US and I definitely choose Atlanta over every other possibility because of many advantages:

Perfect geographic position
ATL airport hub
Logistics are great
Weather is perfect
Cost of life and cost of operation are lower
High quality and availability of employees

Contact Info:

  • Address: 455 Wilbanks Dr.,
    Ball Ground, GA 30107
  • Website: www.fueltech.net
  • Phone: 678 493 3835
  • Email: info@fueltech.net


Image Credit:
Jonathas Ribeiro
Nathalia de Leon
Bud Hodge

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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