Our Company

It was 1977 when CEO Tom Irions co-founded ASA Electronics. Irions and his business partner, Kelly Rose, were Midwest regional distributors of mobile audio/visual products for Audiovox when they set up shop in the heart of Elkhart, Indiana. In a market teeming with adventure seekers and entrepreneurs, Irions discovered a demand for more custom-tailored electronics. Customers craved systems that could play their music and withstand cross-country journeys, mudding, boon-docking, construction sites, and other wilderness explorations.
Frustrated by the major electronics companies’ lax approach toward developing products for the mobile market, Irions took matters into his own hands. In 1981, the ASA Fabrication Division was born, allowing the new company to make the adjustments customers were begging for — the first step forward in creating unique solutions for unique applications. Five years later, the ASA Electronics team grew again with the addition of an in-house engineering department and contracts with manufacturers internationally. Irions established meticulous control processes for each product designed at ASA to ensure every component met the most rigorous development standards possible for its application.

Shortly after the expansion, ASA spread its reach beyond entertainment and started developing safety solutions, especially for those with large vehicles and limited visibility of surroundings. ASA developed its first wired camera system in 1987, well over a decade before automotive manufacturers made observation technology widely available.

In 1991, ASA built the first-ever 13-inch DC-powered TV for mobile use, an answer to customers’ demand for a TV that could be installed without additional modifications or adapters. Throughout the early 90s, ASA Electronics continued developing groundbreaking products, securing numerous patents and their trademarked brand names.

Audiovox and ASA Electronics partnered as a joint venture in 1996, diversifying their business with ASA and acquiring the Heavy-Duty Trucking, Agriculture, and Construction customer divisions. In 1998, ASA solidified its commitment to building quality products and prioritizing customer needs with its first ISO:9001 certification.

Now, ASA upholds the seven ISO principles of quality: customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvements, evidence-based decision-making, and relationship status. The company has worked hard to maintain these certifications and commitment to best practices ever since.

Indeed, their reputation for producing electronics for specialized applications quickly spread outside the original target industries, reaching the marine, power sport, and utility trailer markets. They caught the attention of key players in these industries, such as Nissan, UPS, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Keystone RV Company, Mastercraft, and General Motors.

The collaboration with their customers and other industry suppliers has led to some of ASA’s most ground-breaking products. This laser focus and attention to detail has been and will continue to be a core tenant of ASA’s business model for years to come as they help these industries grow and embrace evolving technology.