BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT — THE CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT SAFEGUARD CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

On a winter evening in a towering high-rise, the power suddenly fails. Until The utility company responds, the backup generator kicks in, but darkness lingers. This is because the energy supply is determined inside a single electrical panel — a compact yet sophisticated system that decides in real time which source powers each building, factory and each train station.

This is the essence of Amdar Electronics & Control. For over 50 years, the company has designed and manufactured advanced electrical control and monitoring systems in Israel, as well as testing equipment ("TZABAD") for the electrical sector, all of it proudly 'blue-and-white' (Israeli). From its earliest employee to today's management, production and assembly teams, Amdar has delivered tailored solutions for factories, hospitals, residential towers, light rail systems and other organizations. Drawing on decades of expertise, the company constantly innovates while maintaining its technological edge and steadfast commitment to Israeli-made quality.

Flagship Products that became Electricity Market Icons
Amdar Electronics & Control started out in Bnei Brak's industrial area as a family-run company. Today, even as it has grown and succeeded, and now manages development, production and assembly from its plant in Netanya, it retains the same strong family identity. Dov Bar-Sela, its founder and CEO, has led the company since its inception, together with his wife Shoshi, who is its CFO. Their son Tzahi later joined them as Technical Manager.

"We built the company on a simple principle: local, reliable manufacturing, tailored to the evolving needs of Israel's electricity market and, over time, to the global market as well," says Bar-Sela. In its early days, he explains, the company primarily served the defense sector, whereas today, 80 percent of its operations are in the civilian market. Throughout, its commitment to developing and producing 'blue-and-white' products has remained steadfast.

For more than five decades, Amdar has developed products that are familiar names among electrical planners and panel manufacturers. All are crafted under a rigorous quality control system overseen by the Israel Standards Institute and certified to ISO 9001:2015.

Among the company's flagship products is a two-power-source transfer system —switching between the electricity grid and a generator, or between two different transformers — available in models AM528D and AM530D. "This system meets the strict standards of hospitals, operating rooms, recovery rooms and laboratories," says Dov proudly. "We've been manufacturing it since 1993. Technology has evolved, but the principle remains the same: if one power source fails, the system must make the right decision to prevent disconnection that could leave consumers unpowered".

Another key Amdar product is its three-power-source transfer system, model AM630. This, says Dov, has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. "Today, it's no longer just about the electricity grid and a generator," he notes. "These systems must also integrate solar power, local energy production, multiple transformers and generators, and other setups with complex requirements."

A Tailored Solution for Complex Energy Management
Amdar's solution for complex energy management is a dedicated controller capable of managing multiple energy sources, integrating them and routing power according to demand, explains Shoshi. "These systems are deployed across a wide range of projects — high-rise residential towers, train stations (including the light rail's Red, Green and Purple lines), solar energy stations, factories and more. All adhere to the principle of fully in-house development."

"These systems don't exist in this form on the market," adds Tzahi. "Because of this and because of our reliability and familiarity with the field, planners choose us for the most sensitive projects."

Another flagship Amdar product currently gaining traction is the recently developed event controller, model AM94. "This product centralizes and records faults in real time, giving operators precise information about the time, date and location of each issue," explain Dov and Tzahi. "It provides a comprehensive view of the entire electrical system, eliminating the need to track down emergency buttons that are sometimes pressed at random, triggering the shutdown of a factory or medical facility."

Cybersecurity and 24/7 Technical Support
Availability is critical the electricity market, and this principle guides every aspect of Amdar. Their Control and Monitoring products are installed directly within the main electrical panels of buildings, hospitals and other sensitive facilities, ensuring continuous oversight and reliable operation. "This means that when something goes wrong, the result can be complete darkness, the shutdown of an operating room or interruption of critical systems," notes Dov. "We understand the market we serve, and provide 24/7 technical support, including direct access to my phone and those of two of our engineers. If there's a malfunction in the middle of the night or at a critical moment, and the device responsible for transferring power from the electricity company to the generator fails, we guide field personnel to identify the issue. Most problems are resolved over the phone, but, when necessary, the device is sent to our factory and usually repaired within 24 hours."

One of the guiding principles behind the company's next-generation product design, emphasizes Tzahi, is minimizing dependence on external programmers. "Traditional controllers often require freelancers to dig into device code and decipher programs written years ago. We, in contrast, have developed dedicated devices with clear configuration and simple modification capabilities. This way, if a minor adjustment is needed, even years ahead, there's no need to track down the original programmer or specialist. Our products are designed so that changes are minimal and straightforward, allowing a unit to be replaced and work to resume immediately, most of the times without powering down."

As of 2024, cyberattacks have increasingly targeted the healthcare sector, continuing, and even intensifying into 2025, according to a Health-ISAC report on the cybersecurity threat landscape in healthcare. In response to lessons learned from the war against Hamas, from global cyber incidents and other digital threats, Israel's National Cyber Security Strategy 2025-2028 has been expanded and updated. The initiative was led by the National Cyber Directorate in collaboration with security agencies, government ministries, cybersecurity bodies and experts from both academia and the private sector.

This is especially relevant to the electricity market, where nearly every system is now connected to the internet. This creates a major concern for medical centers, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure: cyberattack. Amdar has responded with a strict policy: never connecting the core of their energy-switching systems to remote control.

"We won't allow a situation where someone could flick a switch and stop a factory or hospital operating," explain Dov and Tzahi. "When the electricity company and generators are active, the switches that route energy remain secure, operating within a closed ecosystem built into the device itself."

At the same time, modern hospital systems feature digital displays and communication networks that transmit data and reflect system statuses. "When these systems are connected to the hospital network, we perform thorough cybersecurity checks, which ensure that even if the display layer is compromised, the core functions — such as electric shock protection and energy-source switching — remain unaffected. Maintaining a clear hardware separation between the protection and display layers is fundamental for us.

Human Capital: Three Decades of Experience and a Commitment to Growth
Amdar takes pride not only in its products but also in its people. "Some of our employees have been with us for over 30 years," says Shoshi. "Our organizational culture is built on attentiveness to the needs of each individual. During the Hamas war, for example, when many were called to reserve duty, we adjusted work schedules, redistributed work and managed everyone's engagement — practices we apply routinely. We also organize company events, social initiatives and actively sponsor ideas that come from the field."

"In essence, despite our growth and expansion, we remain a family company, where everyone wears many hats," declares Tzahi. "One day we're developing a sophisticated product, and the next we're handling a simple issue out in the field."

Addressing the Talent Shortage
Like many industries today, Amdar faced a shortage of skilled and professional personnel, but it has found a solution. "We're investing in the next generation," says Dov. "We recruit third- and fourth-year electrical engineering students and train them on our products, accommodating their classes, exams and academic requirements, and thus nurturing long-term growth within the company. We also employ people with disabilities, integrating them into appropriate roles, a practice that we see as both ethically responsible and commercially beneficial. The result is a skilled workforce that is an integral part of the team, providing us with committed, talented individuals.

Growth Potential in International Markets
"Despite Amdar's technological advances, the fundamentals remain the same," says Tzahi. "The laws of electricity laws don't change. What does change is the implementation, the components, human engineering and the ability to integrate multiple energy sources safely and intelligently. The real growth potential lies in expanding to international markets, particularly with products that have already proven themselves in Israel, such as energy-source switching systems, controllers for specialized applications and testing equipment for complex electrical installations."

The greatest challenge of the next decade, believes Shoshi, is to "remain innovative and agile without losing what defines us: reliability, local manufacturing and a personal connection with our customers. Ultimately, when someone flips a switch, they expect light — and our role is to make sure that happens every single time."

In collaboration with Amdar Electronics & Control

To our website