MACH IN ERY
The business philosophy for the
good times and the tough ones
Elumatec’s Neil Parton says that, despite the distruption from Covid-19, the
company's core philosophy remains – 'whatever the task, be number one at it.'
Just a few months ago, before the world was
turned on its head, Elumatec’s CEO talked
about the organisation’s current and
future status, saying, “We are and will always be
number one”.
Although that might sound brash to some ears –
and even over simplistic given what has transpired
since – Frank R. Keller wasn’t boasting. He was
making a statement which encapsulates Elumatec’s
philosophy. By making that market-leading position
non-negotiable and an absolute priority in all future
plans, every decision and action can be evaluated.
Does the move strengthen our position? If it
doesn’t, it’s because it’s not right for our customers
and it’s not happening. End of.
Our head of worldwide operations was, of
course, speaking before the COVID-‡ˆ pandemic
began to bite in Europe. We’re now facing a very
different business landscape than the one we
envisaged at the start of the year. Ambitious plans
we had for ‰Š‰Š will be impacted. We have to
be pragmatic about the current situation and the
effects on manufacturing but, despite that, the
underlying principles remain the same. Serving the
needs of our customers is our number-one task. It
always will be.
To meet customer needs, our understanding
of those needs has to be spot on and that’s why
building relationships is a key part of our approach.
And yes, despite operations in lockdown and social
distancing, it’s still feasible to develop relationships.
We can’t and won’t give up on the basics that have
driven our success and contributed to the growth
of our customers. We’ve earned our position
and respect by creating partnerships built on a
foundation of trust. When our customers tell us
about their challenges, we don’t brush them aside
in the rush to close a deal. We’re ready to listen,
and even now in these uncertain times, actively
seek solutions.
We know that customers feel a connection
with our brand, but we don’t use our reputation
or dominance to muscle through. As an example,
eluSoft and eluCad software have already given
us a strong position in the market. They are great,
user-friendly digital platforms that add value but,
increasingly, customers are seeking to capitalise on
all potential gains. While some machinery suppliers
would have ignored this desire, our aim is to satisfy
it. Our software experts have developed eluCloud,
the next-generation software which will help users
optimise the efficiency of their Elumatec machines.
This new digital technology permits more
precision in planning. Tighter deadlines can
be more easily met. Changes can be more
readily accommodated and there’s improved
troubleshooting and error analysis. It’s a tool
that gives its users more measurement and more
control, both essential in the drive for the best
possible production efficiency.
EluCloud is exceptional software, but it’s not
exceptional in terms of Elumatec’s strategy. It’s
typical. Ever since the earliest days of the company
– and we’ve been around for more than ˆŠ years –
we’ve had a consistently future-focused approach.
What’s the next thing? What innovations are
happening in other fields that we can learn from?
How can we make this even better? What are the
possibilities? While we know that we are in a strong
position, we still crave to do more, deliver more,
inspire more. This hunger for progress has become
part of the organisation’s DNA. Now, when
manufacturing the world over has had one of the
biggest ever shocks to its system, this is the positive
attitude that will drive recovery.
Frank R. Keller has been vocal about Elumatec’s
future as a global leader in the industry, and
COVID-‡ˆ hasn’t changed that. Our CEO has
delivered a clear message about new technologies
and new markets, but he has also re-iterated our
proud tradition of excellence. Whether that’s seen
in the build quality of our machinery, the skills of
our engineers, the responsiveness of our spares
department or the dogged persistence of a team
member wanting to solve a customer’s long-term
problem, it’s the standard to which we hold
ourselves. This global pandemic is unprecedented,
but it cannot overturn our basic business
philosophy – whatever the task, be number one
at it.
June www.ggpmag.com
/www.ggpmag.com
