By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
BERWICK-BASED entrepreneurs Ron Weinzieri and Tim Bowman may look like an odd couple – one in a dapper suit, the other in the Zuckerberg-style T-shirt and jeans.
The pair were among guest speakers at a Casey Cardinia Region business forum on “21st Century Business – faster, leaner, better”.
Both have prospered in their separate ventures from an innovative, forward-looking approach.
Mr Weinzieri, of APT Advanced Manufacturing, said he disagreed with dire forecasts for Australian manufacturing, especially with the shutdown of the automotive industry.
Against the alleged tide, APT – a small business which has long made automotive components, instruments and assemblies – had just generated its best year in its 24-year-history.
The result was built on large defence-industry, bio-medical and aerospace contracts locally, nationally and globally. The defence opportunities alone surpassed the size of the Australian auto industry, Mr Weinzieri said.
“We tend to find that market is enormous.
“Manufacturing is alive and as strong as it’s ever been.”
It was a matter of not doing manufacturing like it was done in the past.
APT restructured to a 24-7 production model and bought world-class technology, figuring it would give it more flexibility and speed.
It could also better give what its customers wanted, when they wanted it and with “zero defects”, Mr Weinzieri said.
He’s forecasting between 50-100 per cent further growth in the 2016-’17 year.
On the other hand, Mr Bowman took the audience through the “white-knuckle ride” of his 18-month business.
He and his wife, both being teachers, created Class Creator software after seeing first-hand the long-winded “inefficient” process of assigning kids to particular school classes.
Class Creator assigns children to classes, taking into account a host of factors such as each child’s behaviour, special needs, ESL as well as avoiding diabolical pairings of kids.
Or as Mr Bowman puts it, ensuring ‘Molokov’ isn’t put in the same class as ‘Cocktail’.
Despite two rival competitors – one who put a patent on their technology – the software has been sold into 295 schools in 10 countries, including Australia, Iceland, the US and UK.
Another speaker Asyl Haidar of Pitcher Partners presented some of the most innovative ideas in the business world.
Such as BMW investing in a “pay as you use” model in which customers register to drive an electric car without owning one.
Mr Haidar also noted John Deere use of sensors to collect wide-ranging data on farmers’ behaviour on their tractors.
That data is used by John Deere to advise farmers on best cropping practice, and to branch out into providing insurance.
Other speakers included Annemarie Cross on digital podcasts, and Patrick Ramsden on digital loyalty card systems.
