1 00:00:08,254 --> 00:00:12,556 Who is Olympus Scientific Solutions Americas? 2 00:00:12,558 --> 00:00:16,776 We are a technology company. 3 00:00:16,778 --> 00:00:20,145 We make advanced measuring devices 4 00:00:20,146 --> 00:00:24,013 if we take that from a very 30,000 feet high view. 5 00:00:24,014 --> 00:00:27,565 We have, I think, a very important role in society 6 00:00:27,566 --> 00:00:30,706 and I think all of our employees should be very proud 7 00:00:30,708 --> 00:00:33,625 of the fact that in some ways, shape, and form 8 00:00:33,626 --> 00:00:36,784 we contribute to making the world a better place. 9 00:00:36,786 --> 00:00:40,388 Olympus is not any one person or one thing 10 00:00:40,389 --> 00:00:44,021 so the “Who Is” is there are a lot of different answers to that. 11 00:00:44,023 --> 00:00:47,298 Definitely a continuous improvement culture, 12 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:51,136 very customer service driven in my opinion. 13 00:00:51,138 --> 00:00:52,753 You never know what you’re going to get 14 00:00:52,754 --> 00:00:53,906 when you come to work. 15 00:00:53,908 --> 00:00:56,859 It’s such a wide variety of applications, 16 00:00:56,861 --> 00:00:58,979 such a wide variety of technology. 17 00:00:58,981 --> 00:01:01,078 We have a lot of employees that have been here 18 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,359 15, 20, 30 years 19 00:01:03,361 --> 00:01:05,631 and that obviously reflects greatly on the company. 20 00:01:05,633 --> 00:01:08,799 I like the company because they challenge you 21 00:01:08,801 --> 00:01:11,560 to, like I said, be at your best. 22 00:01:11,561 --> 00:01:14,156 They are always striving for perfection, 23 00:01:14,158 --> 00:01:18,313 they care about the customers. 24 00:01:18,315 --> 00:01:20,758 We do non-destructive testing. 25 00:01:20,759 --> 00:01:24,463 There are not a lot of companies that do that 26 00:01:24,464 --> 00:01:29,646 and it really makes our job different and interesting. 27 00:01:29,648 --> 00:01:32,816 I think you get so many different perspectives 28 00:01:32,818 --> 00:01:37,391 when you have such a cross-cultural group. 29 00:01:37,393 --> 00:01:38,894 The culture and diversity 30 00:01:38,896 --> 00:01:43,951 that brings a lot of flavors and different perspectives 31 00:01:43,953 --> 00:01:45,721 to the same problem 32 00:01:45,723 --> 00:01:47,640 how do they look at the problem, 33 00:01:47,641 --> 00:01:49,158 what are their viewpoints. 34 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,901 For me, Olympus, it’s a great place to work. 35 00:01:52,903 --> 00:01:58,383 Since the beginning I always felt that I have 36 00:01:58,384 --> 00:02:00,774 power to change things. 37 00:02:00,776 --> 00:02:03,150 The question “Who is Olympus?” 38 00:02:03,151 --> 00:02:06,844 kind of assumes a monolith but it’s not. 39 00:02:06,846 --> 00:02:10,681 It’s made up kind of like the Olympic torch this year 40 00:02:10,683 --> 00:02:12,374 it’s not made up of a single cauldron 41 00:02:12,376 --> 00:02:15,996 but of all the flowers coming together to make one torch. 42 00:02:15,998 --> 00:02:17,919 It’s that sort of thing where 43 00:02:17,921 --> 00:02:20,099 all the different technologies complement each other 44 00:02:20,101 --> 00:02:20,961 and come together. 45 00:02:20,963 --> 00:02:23,625 Basically our goal is to create a culture 46 00:02:23,626 --> 00:02:29,153 where teamwork, employee involvement, discipline, 47 00:02:29,155 --> 00:02:33,093 and mutual respect enables continuous improvement. 48 00:02:33,094 --> 00:02:36,708 Technology & Locations 49 00:02:36,709 --> 00:02:40,671 Olympus is one company 50 00:02:40,673 --> 00:02:43,926 created out of a lot of small companies. 51 00:02:43,928 --> 00:02:47,743 We have facilities in the US and Canada. 52 00:02:47,744 --> 00:02:50,214 There’s Houston, there’s Kennewick, 53 00:02:50,216 --> 00:02:53,749 there’s State College, Waltham, 54 00:02:53,751 --> 00:02:55,620 and there’s Quebec for sure. 55 00:02:55,621 --> 00:02:57,974 We have multiple facilities because 56 00:02:57,976 --> 00:03:01,918 we have a long history in this business 57 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,924 and it’s very important – 58 00:03:03,926 --> 00:03:05,598 that gives us strength for the future. 59 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,499 Olympus has different groups. 60 00:03:08,501 --> 00:03:11,198 There’s the advanced product here in Quebec. 61 00:03:11,199 --> 00:03:13,306 In Quebec also there’s the systems group. 62 00:03:13,308 --> 00:03:15,718 In Waltham it’s more the portable units 63 00:03:15,719 --> 00:03:18,024 and also the XRF now. 64 00:03:18,026 --> 00:03:21,673 State College is a site that was started 65 00:03:21,674 --> 00:03:27,011 by R/D Tech years ago to be able to 66 00:03:27,013 --> 00:03:31,783 develop and manufacture our own phased array probes. 67 00:03:31,784 --> 00:03:34,411 Most of the probes we make are, 68 00:03:34,413 --> 00:03:36,974 probably 75% of them are angle beam 69 00:03:36,976 --> 00:03:39,824 so they are typically used for weld inspection. 70 00:03:39,826 --> 00:03:42,618 And then the Kennewick Washington site 71 00:03:42,620 --> 00:03:47,164 is manufacturing a certain type of portable products. 72 00:03:47,166 --> 00:03:51,273 We do the Eddy Current instruments and probes, 73 00:03:51,275 --> 00:03:53,838 at least the ones that Quebec doesn’t do. 74 00:03:53,839 --> 00:03:59,876 We’re also the facility that does 95% of the military contracts. 75 00:03:59,878 --> 00:04:04,714 The Houston office is a sales office and a service office. 76 00:04:04,716 --> 00:04:08,043 It started with a very tiny group of people 77 00:04:08,044 --> 00:04:17,016 and is becoming a bigger office day after day. 78 00:04:17,018 --> 00:04:20,738 We are a high-end type of company, 79 00:04:20,739 --> 00:04:22,306 we don’t make entry-level products, 80 00:04:22,308 --> 00:04:24,758 we make sophisticated, powerful products. 81 00:04:24,759 --> 00:04:27,611 I think we have the world’s best products for our technologies. 82 00:04:27,613 --> 00:04:29,859 We’ve been very innovative. 83 00:04:29,861 --> 00:04:32,928 We have a whole bunch of patent work going on. 84 00:04:32,929 --> 00:04:36,399 We’re sharing technology between design centers, 85 00:04:36,401 --> 00:04:39,540 giving the customer more value, more bang for the buck. 86 00:04:39,541 --> 00:04:42,679 We don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. 87 00:04:42,681 --> 00:04:45,958 We’re using the knowledge already inside the company 88 00:04:45,959 --> 00:04:48,838 even if it’s in a different site. 89 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,934 We can share the best ideas across all the factories. 90 00:04:51,936 --> 00:04:54,023 That’s something that I think is very enjoyable 91 00:04:54,024 --> 00:04:55,873 because I can’t think of everything. 92 00:04:55,874 --> 00:04:59,029 So when they buy a modern product from us 93 00:04:59,031 --> 00:05:02,326 it works better, it does more of their applications. 94 00:05:02,328 --> 00:05:08,108 The equipment we build is used sometime for safety reasons. 95 00:05:08,109 --> 00:05:10,194 It is not safety equipment in terms of 96 00:05:10,196 --> 00:05:12,065 the same as a fire extinguisher 97 00:05:12,066 --> 00:05:15,966 but it can be used to save lives. 98 00:05:15,968 --> 00:05:17,464 When you work for a company that makes a product 99 00:05:17,466 --> 00:05:20,913 that can keep people safe coming through the borders 100 00:05:20,914 --> 00:05:22,499 the military uses these instruments 101 00:05:22,501 --> 00:05:25,156 you can take pride in your work and pride in one’s company. 102 00:05:25,158 --> 00:05:29,295 It’s an industry that, it’s not very well known 103 00:05:29,296 --> 00:05:31,118 but it’s fundamental. 104 00:05:31,119 --> 00:05:34,503 Testing the mechanical integrity 105 00:05:34,504 --> 00:05:38,919 of parts is essential in our world. 106 00:05:38,921 --> 00:05:42,716 In a world where everything is supposed to be virtual, 107 00:05:42,718 --> 00:05:43,913 well, not quite. 108 00:05:43,914 --> 00:05:45,809 There are a number of things that are made 109 00:05:45,811 --> 00:05:47,928 and that need to be solid and need to be reliable 110 00:05:47,929 --> 00:05:48,846 and we are part of that. 111 00:05:48,848 --> 00:05:53,879 Our products are used for such a wide variety of applications 112 00:05:53,881 --> 00:05:57,953 that I’m always amazed at what the customers will come up with. 113 00:05:57,954 --> 00:06:02,096 Measuring the skin of airplanes, or the welds on bridges, 114 00:06:02,098 --> 00:06:04,556 to making sure your golf balls go straight. 115 00:06:04,558 --> 00:06:08,273 Global Presence 116 00:06:08,275 --> 00:06:10,224 Because of the work that we do 117 00:06:10,226 --> 00:06:14,859 we have to travel outside the country 118 00:06:14,861 --> 00:06:17,753 and its very nice to meet other cultures. 119 00:06:17,754 --> 00:06:23,596 We are a global company and a global company is not an American company 120 00:06:23,598 --> 00:06:26,236 that operates in the same way everywhere around the world. 121 00:06:26,238 --> 00:06:28,796 A global company is a company that understands 122 00:06:28,798 --> 00:06:32,089 the different cultures from the customers everywhere around the world 123 00:06:32,091 --> 00:06:34,618 and adapts to the customer’s requirements. 124 00:06:34,620 --> 00:06:37,001 So we’re not trying to push our technology 125 00:06:37,003 --> 00:06:39,523 or our way of doing things everywhere, we adapt. 126 00:06:39,525 --> 00:06:42,181 We have a lot of systems in Europe. 127 00:06:42,183 --> 00:06:45,954 We’re starting to do business with new customers 128 00:06:45,956 --> 00:06:48,241 in new countries every day. 129 00:06:48,243 --> 00:06:52,241 It’s not easy to ship the item to India 130 00:06:52,243 --> 00:06:55,814 so we need to understand the philosophy of the country. 131 00:06:55,816 --> 00:06:58,184 We might have a customer in Taiwan 132 00:06:58,186 --> 00:07:00,553 who doesn’t necessarily need to send something 133 00:07:00,555 --> 00:07:02,679 to the United States to be repaired, 134 00:07:02,681 --> 00:07:05,991 we have a repair center owned by a private company in Taiwan 135 00:07:05,993 --> 00:07:07,234 that will help service that. 136 00:07:07,236 --> 00:07:10,001 We have now an office in China 137 00:07:10,003 --> 00:07:11,826 which helps for the support there 138 00:07:11,828 --> 00:07:13,503 because it’s not always easy to send people 139 00:07:13,504 --> 00:07:15,488 in China for the support group. 140 00:07:15,489 --> 00:07:18,321 I think it’s very important to listen to customers globally. 141 00:07:18,323 --> 00:07:21,053 People have different requirements 142 00:07:21,054 --> 00:07:24,648 or different ways to interact with the instruments 143 00:07:24,649 --> 00:07:28,894 or different expected outcomes from the measures they are making 144 00:07:28,896 --> 00:07:30,526 in different parts of the world. 145 00:07:30,528 --> 00:07:33,029 And I believe the more, we call that the voice of the customer 146 00:07:33,031 --> 00:07:37,006 the more customer input we have, the better the product is going to be. 147 00:07:37,008 --> 00:07:38,541 We just happen to speak English here 148 00:07:38,543 --> 00:07:42,654 but other people speak different languages and we should respect that. 149 00:07:42,656 --> 00:07:46,623 And yes, it adds some complexity to the business 150 00:07:46,625 --> 00:07:49,233 but nobody said it would ever be simple. 151 00:07:49,234 --> 00:07:52,498 It may be complicated but we’re going to be good at it anyway. 152 00:07:52,499 --> 00:07:57,974 Work & Life Balance 153 00:07:57,976 --> 00:07:59,476 I like to get the fresh air. 154 00:07:59,478 --> 00:08:02,456 So I go out, even if it snows or something 155 00:08:02,458 --> 00:08:05,296 I will go out and then get some fresh air. 156 00:08:05,298 --> 00:08:09,413 For me it’s a very good balance between the work and life. 157 00:08:09,414 --> 00:08:13,689 I think that’s most important and critical for me. 158 00:08:13,691 --> 00:08:16,986 I actually worked here for seven years and then I left 159 00:08:16,988 --> 00:08:18,630 and then I came back. 160 00:08:18,631 --> 00:08:20,393 And I came back because I missed it. 161 00:08:20,394 --> 00:08:22,523 I left the company to go to another company 162 00:08:22,525 --> 00:08:25,286 to work in the fiber optic industry 163 00:08:25,288 --> 00:08:31,926 and after a few months I realized I was missing the travels 164 00:08:31,928 --> 00:08:33,418 and the challenge that we have here. 165 00:08:33,419 --> 00:08:35,508 Yeah like I’ve been working so many places before 166 00:08:35,509 --> 00:08:39,413 and this is the best place, Olympus is the best place people can work. 167 00:08:39,414 --> 00:08:42,049 I like it because I do different things. 168 00:08:42,051 --> 00:08:44,816 The company allows me to be who I am 169 00:08:44,818 --> 00:08:47,648 and it inspires me to be at my best. 170 00:08:47,649 --> 00:08:49,723 We have a great team here so it’s a lot of fun 171 00:08:49,724 --> 00:08:52,040 to work with the people that are here with me. 172 00:08:52,041 --> 00:08:55,518 I come in happy, I go home happy. 173 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,111 We’re all together and work as a team. 174 00:08:59,113 --> 00:09:05,268 So we stick together and they listen to me – 175 00:09:05,270 --> 00:09:06,546 good thing. 176 00:09:06,548 --> 00:09:08,918 I’ve enjoyed working for Olympus. 177 00:09:08,919 --> 00:09:10,736 I’ve seen it evolve. 178 00:09:10,738 --> 00:09:12,778 I’ve been here about 13 years 179 00:09:12,779 --> 00:09:15,088 and I’ve seen the company grow. 180 00:09:15,089 --> 00:09:17,526 We have a team of people that is incredible 181 00:09:17,528 --> 00:09:21,636 also both on the R&D side and the marketing product management side. 182 00:09:21,638 --> 00:09:25,088 It’s a great feeling to work for a great team as Olympus 183 00:09:25,089 --> 00:09:26,839 I’m quite proud. 184 00:09:26,841 --> 00:09:29,261 It works out really well for younger people to come in 185 00:09:29,263 --> 00:09:31,276 and learn from the talent that we have there. 186 00:09:31,278 --> 00:09:34,714 What keeps engineers engaged and interested 187 00:09:34,716 --> 00:09:37,161 is having some place to go to work 188 00:09:37,163 --> 00:09:40,603 where they’re going to be intrigued 189 00:09:40,605 --> 00:09:43,176 and have something new to work on everyday. 190 00:09:43,178 --> 00:09:49,296 If you want to improve your quality of life at Olympus 191 00:09:49,298 --> 00:09:53,759 you always have the opportunity because when you have a good idea 192 00:09:53,761 --> 00:09:56,561 you just go to your immediate superior 193 00:09:56,563 --> 00:10:00,683 and the answer I received was always "Go for it." 194 00:10:00,684 --> 00:10:03,364 The feedback of working with the management 195 00:10:03,366 --> 00:10:07,486 and working with the people is an environment 196 00:10:07,488 --> 00:10:11,136 that is very friendly and cooperative. 197 00:10:11,138 --> 00:10:16,484 If you improve your skills and believe in the projects 198 00:10:16,486 --> 00:10:18,303 and believe in the company 199 00:10:18,305 --> 00:10:20,649 Olympus will believe in you 200 00:10:20,651 --> 00:10:22,979 and give you challenge and opportunities. 201 00:10:22,981 --> 00:10:24,489 Doesn’t matter what you do, 202 00:10:24,491 --> 00:10:26,893 as long as you take pride in what you do, 203 00:10:26,894 --> 00:10:29,123 you’re going to be just fine. 204 00:10:29,124 --> 00:10:31,206 The company and the environment, 205 00:10:31,208 --> 00:10:35,623 and that coupled with it being a fun place to work, 206 00:10:35,625 --> 00:10:39,699 has made me not want to leave!