After 15 years in business, Boaz; a VP at Unitronics stops
by to present i4 Automation with an award!
Tell us what your company does.
On a basic level, we import and distribute electrical controllers (Programmable Logic Controllers with integrated screens). But more than that, we build in-depth relationships with our customers so we can really understand how they can get the most from automation. We help them specify cost effective solutions and then support them through the technology integration and complete system build journey from concept to full production.
Why did you decide to start your own business?
I have worked for many different companies over the years and this has given me an in-depth understanding of the automation industry, and as a result, I started to realise that I could offer a better solution than the competition. I absolutely love what I do, so taking control of my own destiny felt like a natural next step.
I recognised an amazing opportunity with Unitronics as I felt they offered a great solution that would benefit from a technical distributor. No one else in the industry was offering this so it seemed like the perfect time to explore the potential a partnership with them had to offer. Other control companies see software and support as revenue streams. I could see that the integrated display and controller Unitronics offered would be a cost-effective solution for many OEMs and machine builders.
When / how did you start your business?
After seeing what felt like such a missed opportunity within the industry, I really felt like it was the right time to take a risk and try and build something great. The business actually started in my garage! So it makes me incredibly proud to see how we’ve grown from fairly humble beginnings.
What do you think was your biggest obstacle when you first started?
Getting people to change! For engineers working on cutting edge technology, you would think that would be pretty easy. Unfortunately, if a project had been recently completed, people seemed to stick with what was familiar, rather than explore something new and take the risk. However, we countered this with free training, support and engineering time to fast track our customers’ applications (effectively holding their hand through the process and reducing the feeling of risk).
What main things do you think contributed to the growth of your business?
Listening. Talking with our customers and taking the time to understand their requirements. Many people just don’t take the time to do this. We want to have lasting relationships with the people we work with so they know they can rely on our expertise and our products. If we don’t have the solution to meet our customers’ needs we tell them so, as Unitronics are always coming out with something new. I truly believe in generating a trusting relationship with my customers and being an extra resource to them.
How do you stay on top of industry trends?
Visiting customers to see what challenges they are facing and how we can be of assistance. We’re not a huge business with a faceless contact centre. We’re people who care and want to get the very best outcome for our customer’s projects. Face-to-face visits and being regularly available to them means we get a much deeper understanding of what they need.
How do you balance life with running a business?
It’s very possible I work too hard and I do find it difficult to switch off… I’m certain that’s what my wife would say anyway. I suppose that’s what comes with owning a business and loving what you do. However, any free time I get I do enjoy getting out on my bicycle and regularly commute into the office by bike across our local bridal ways. I often turn up to work covered in mud… good job we have a shower at the office!
How have you managed to keep the business going over the last 15 years, considering ‘The Great Recession’, Covid and the current financial climate.
Keeping costs to a minimum, adapting and being willing to listen to customers’ ideas. For example, during Covid, one of our customers ask us to help them manufacture ventilators. Medical equipment wasn’t an area we had worked in before, but we focused all our energies into offering a solution that we could supply quickly and efficiently. This meant our customers could get to work on a project that had a positive impact during an awful time. When times change, we have to change with them or we get left behind.
What advice would you give to starting entrepreneurs?
Believe in what you’re doing and people will follow suit. Customers have an amazing ability to see through people who don’t understand what they are selling or supplying, so make sure you’re knowledgeable and passionate and people will respond well to that. Even though you can research anything on the internet these days, it can be an overwhelming amount of information to sift through, so customers still need advice on how to get the most cost-effective and efficient solutions. Especially as things like cost can have several elements to it such as hardware and man hours to implement. For example, sometimes more expensive hardware can save you more in man hours and mean a more cost-effective project and more profit for our customers in the long run. If you have this knowledge to hand, you can guarantee you’ll have the best options for the customer and they’re 100 times more likely to come back to you for further business.
What do you see for the future of i4 Automation?
We have a strong relationship with Unitronics and I’m always impressed with the ideas they come up. Their innovation and cutting edge solutions allow us to increase our market share and offer our customers industry leading and cost-effective solutions, in turn saving them money and making their offers unique. I can only see this leading to many more years of growth and industry breakthroughs… as well as many more happy customers.
