Vanguard Magazine

44 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 www.vanguardcanada.com GAmE chaNGeR See the full interview online Q What was your "aha" moment or epiphany that you think will resonate most with our reader? The realization that simple things are the best solution. In 2017, Promation completed the first phase of our Accel- erated Growth Plan, doubling our size in less than three years and reaching our record employment of 125 highly skilled personnel. I was thinking of the best op- portunities to double it again. I knew that doubling the company revenues would pose two serious challenges. The first challenge is the size of current mar- kets, and the second one is the current capacity of Promation, including our of- fice and manufacturing space, IT system upgrades, etc. I concluded that there is one simple solution for both challenges. The solution is to improve the produc- tivity of Promation by introducing lean practices so the company can beat the competition by delivering its products faster from the existing facilities. This ap- proach is required for growth and further strengthens Promation as a viable, long- term supplier of custom equipment and tooling. Q What is the one thing that has you most fired up today? Hiring, hiring, hiring. At Promation we rely heavily on our Human Resources, our people, to deliver complex products. Hiring a talented, experienced work- force is the proof of the business viability – the ultimate proof that Promation is an attractive company in the competitive HR market. Q What is the best advice you received? Get it done to deliver the job on time. Sometimes innovation or complex manufacturing needs can challenge the delivery and cost of a project. Difficul- ties can pile up quickly. Promation is al- ways more than ready to commit all the resources required to finish the job as committed. Promation thanks returning customers like Honda, Toyota, Ontario Power Generation, and Bruce Power, some of whom have been with us for decades. Q What people or organizations do you believe best embody the innova- tion mindset? People who demonstrate their passion, they are able to change their ways, they always try new things, and they are not afraid to fail. Organizations which invest in human resources, they have satisfied employees; they attract, develop and promote talent. People in such orga- nizations create a rewarding culture of innovation, success and satisfaction for themselves and for the company. Q What are some of the biggest impediments to innovation in your industry sector? Scarcity of, or insufficient, long-term in- vestment. Q How has innovation become en- grained in your organization's culture and how is it being optimized? I tried to set the course at the outset for the engineering business by offering only innovative tooling solutions to our first customers. Innovation has been core of Promation business since day one. I selected engineering and technical staff based on their innovation and creativ- ity skills. Innovation has been in Proma- tion's roots, and it became a large part of proposed solutions. Promation growth and market diversification has been based on solid engineering and, always, on the innovation embedded in our products. Innovation at Promation has been opti- mized by restructuring to form separate business units focused on market-focused innovation. Profit and loss responsibility is effectively used to align goals. Q What technologies, business models, and trends will drive the biggest changes in your industry over the next two years? Technologies with the highest IT content will win. Even in robotics and automa- tion, the IT content can be increased. Businesses that are agile and diverse, that can rely increasingly on data, and that can deal with small volumes of high value cus- tom products, will yield most profits in manufacturing. A good example of the beginning of the potential for product customization is purchasing a pair of shoes. First comes the selection of a style, then the choice color, then the size and fit of the shoes, and fi- nally there is a unique pair of shoes for each customer. These can actually be 3D printed in real time at purchase. The 3D printed pair is based on a digital model of the customer's foot, scanned and emailed from an iPhone. Welcome to the 4th gen- eration of manufacturing! Q What is your parting piece of advice? Never give up, set your long-term goals, and work your way through it. Change your tracks but keep your direction. Make something a passion in your life. Mark ZiMNy FOundEr & CEO ProMation aeroSPace & defence, a diviSion of ProMation enGineerinG ltd.

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