InterviewTitle
Interview
Neil MacRaild—
Ovation Products
Ovation Products’ new president Neil MacRaild has ambitious plans for the in-
ventive company that pioneered Grid-Lok board support technology. But do not be
fooled: Ovation certainly is not a ‘one-trick pony,’ and there is much more
to the company than its well-known Grid-Lok portfolio. We recently
sat down with Neil to discuss his vision for Ovation and what’s
next for the nimble little firm with the big ideas.
You’ve been president of Ovation for a few every major region
months now, so you’ve had time to get the of the world—and
lay of the land. What are your immedi- we’re well on our
ate priorities, and how do you think your way to doing
expertise can benefit the company? that. Addition-
ally, we are
When I took over the leadership role at enhancing some
Ovation, the company already had a well- fundamental
proven product (Grid-Lok) with a large tools to enable
installed base. But there were a lot of other easy data
product concepts and prototypes in the access for our
hopper—all backed by a team of great people customers,
and very creative technologists. Now we’ve which are
taken these very credible ideas and framed manufac-
them with some clear business focus and turers and
Ovation Products president Neil MacRaild’s near-term priorities have included quickly
a strategic, deliberate launch plan to get OEM part-
expanding current sales channels, broadening the company’s global reach and speeding
them to market in a smart and effective way. ners alike.
time-to-market for new products.
And that’s the strength the new team can For example,
bring. I’ve done this successfully at other we are in the
companies I’ve been involved with, and with process of
mit yet! It’s true that Grid-Lok is the Ova-
the people and the ingenuity that exist at completely redesigning the Ovation website, tion product most industry professionals are
Ovation, I know we can achieve some very both from a visual and a functional point of familiar with, and that’s a testament to the
immediate and long-lasting positive results. view, so that customers can easily find what product’s success. But there is a lot more in
they need, when they need it. To enhance
store for Grid-Lok. The natural progression
What is that business focus? What types of the level of service offered by Ovation,
of this reconfigurable board support tech-
initiatives are you implementing to achieve there were also necessary expansions of our
nology was to begin with the part of the pro-
your market goals? core team in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, that
cess that required the most robust support—
needed to occur. In recent months, we have
the screen printer. We have perfected that
Definitely at the top of the list is growing
added to our design and product manage-
with both our traditional and high-density
our product offering, which includes prod-
ment staff significantly.
Grid-Lok systems. But these technologies
uct development initiatives underpinned
by a strong sales and distribution channel.
also have proven to be very effective stabiliz-
Can you comment on what is arguably
This, of course, is an ongoing process,
ing tools for the placement process, as well
Ovation’s best-known product, Grid-Lok?
but we already have an excellent base of
as others. There are already hundreds, if
Have you reached a plateau with the tech-
distributors in all regions and are cur-
not thousands, of Grid-Lok units installed
nology, and if not, what’s next?
rently strengthening this network to deliver
globally on pick-and-place machines, and we
even greater coverage. Our plan is to have
are working hard to expand our kit offerings
extremely strong technical sales support in
Well, we certainly haven’t reached the sum-
to integrate with numerous pick-and-place
## – Global SMT & Packaging – September 2008 www.globalsmt.net
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