Swinging into a wider range of services
1961
Series of strikes by electrical installers leads to site payments being made in excess of the national agreement.

1962
Telstar satellite launched, first live TV broadcasts between Europe and USA. Russian scientist revives 250 million year old fossil algae.

1963
Friction welding and tape cassette invented. First lung and liver transplants. President John F Kennedy assassinated.

1964
CEGB promotes the use of nuclear power.

1965
Britain abolishes death penalty for murder. First US troops land in Vietnam.

1966
ECA organises first management training courses. Frank Chapple becomes general secretary of the ETU. Development of the high pressure sodium lamp.

1967
Joint Industry Board (JIB) is set up by the ECA and the ETU. Formation of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). First human heart transplant.

1968
ETU combines with telecomms and plumbing unions to form the EETPU.

1969
First Concorde flight and the Boeing 747 jumbo jet enters service. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin make the first lunar landing. The ECA reduces its three constituent bodies to two.

1970
ECA adopts its new logo, based on a three-core cable, which remains today. The Association rents some space on a commercial computer and sets up the ECA Bureau to offer the membership a computerised estimating service. The 1965 Apprenticeship Agreement is replaced by the JIB Training Scheme.

1971
British currency is decimalised. Astronomers discover two new galaxies next to the Milky Way.

1972
Formation of ECA instrumentation division. First body scanner in use. Philips demonstrates video disc system.

1973
Discovery of narrow band phosphors paves the way for much higher light outputs per watt, combined with greatly improved colour characteristics. World energy crisis as OPEC restricts oil supplies. The UK enters the EEC.

1974
Richard Nixon resigns after Watergate scandal.

1975
Mufaxgram electronic letter machine introduced. Introduction of new heat-resistant nylon resin.

1976
ECA and HVCA move into ESCA House. The Guarantee of Completion, now known as the ECA Bond, is introduced and underwritten by the newly formed Electrical Contractors' Insurance Company. First passenger flight for Concorde.

1977
Modern lighting controls are installed at BP's Britannic House to celebrate the Silver Jubilee. First image of a living person produced by nuclear magnetic resonance scanning, a non-X-ray technique.

1978
Introduction of the T8 linear fluorescent lamp and the first high frequency ballasts. First commercially available cellular phone. First test tube baby born in Oldham.

1979
Private medical scheme set up for all JIB graded operatives. Ayotollah Khomeini returns to Iran.

1980
Development of the first compact fluorescent lamp. Voyager spacecraft flies past Saturn.