When recently appointed managing director Simon McDonald talks about SMC Australia New Zealand (ANZ), four key words continuously surface: success, growth, investment and improvement.
Maintaining SMC’s world leader status is an effort underpinned by the company’s commitment to the Japanese concept of Kaizen (continuous improvement).
“The business has incredible foundations and strengths, but also opportunities, and I wanted to be a part of the continuation of SMC’s success and growth,” says McDonald.
McDonald’s journey with SMC began in 2018 when he was appointed as the chief financial officer, where he worked closely with then-MD, Wayne Driver.
“SMC has a history of strong leaders and during my tenure as CFO, Wayne empowered me to take on several broader business responsibilities. Moving into the role of MD has been an extension of these responsibilities,” McDonald explained.
“A highlight to date has been how we’ve been able to achieve a high level of internal transparency and strategic direction, creating alignment and driving a strong workplace culture.”
McDonald closely aligns to SMC’s customer-centric focus, detailing plans to further prioritise customer support.
“For us, it’s all about the customer experience and moving beyond specifying products to providing carefully thought-out solutions,” McDonald said.
Describing himself as an energetic and action-orientated leader, McDonald believes in mobilising and empowering staff.
“We invest in our people, and they invest in SMC which strengthens and supports everything that we do – from customer service and technical support to product innovation and the development of genuine solutions,” he continued.
SMC’s products need to be readily available to customers, to meet the high demand for quality automation solutions in the market.
As a result, McDonald adds that the team has ambitions to increase the volume of product in the market and believes that it has all the support required to achieve this realistic goal.
“There is a clear and achievable path ahead. We have the people, resources, skills and experience to deliver without question,” said McDonald.
A futurist by nature, McDonald says that what excites him most about the automation industry is that it's forever evolving.
“The continuous innovation within our range and the industries that we service helps to create new opportunities. It's incredibly exciting,” McDonald concludes.
This article was first published in the November-December 2023 print issue of Machinery Matters, p4.
