Damian Carey
CEO, Schlötter Ireland
Resilient businesses are able to evolve when markets change. This is easier if they have the right resources and capabilities in place to take advantage of new opportunities.
In the high-pressure world of business, it can be challenging for companies to constantly remain relevant and resilient. Times change, trends change, markets change — so you have to be supremely adaptable and agile to keep up with the competition. It’s a problem that chemical manufacturing company Schlötter Ireland has faced — and solved.
Businesses should be ready to adapt and stretch
The business (its parent company was founded in Germany in 1912) was first established in County Kildare 49 years ago to service customers in the metal finishing and printed circuit board industries. However, as these industries began to leave Ireland, Schlötter knew it had to diversify into new technologies and markets. It did so successfully and is now a contract manufacturer specialising in bespoke high-purity chemical solutions for the medical device, semiconductor and electronics industries. It has continued to evolve and recently won an award for Best Organisational Transformation.
Damian Carey, CEO, advises any business that struggles with change: “Keep an eye on what’s happening in the marketplace,” he says. “Look at your resources and capabilities to see if you are a good fit for any new opportunities. Be ready to stretch yourself, but don’t blindly promise the earth without knowing you can deliver.”
Look at your resources and capabilities
to see if you are a good fit for
any new opportunities.
Upskilling staff and constantly moving them forward
It’s also vital to encourage better communication between teams — something Carey ensured was happening across the business — while supporting staff with lifelong learning opportunities. Plus, make sure they are able to move up the promotional ladder. “I started here as trainee lab technician,” reveals Carey. “We’ve always engaged our people by upskilling them and constantly moving them forward. While business transformation never stops, it’s important that people enjoy the journey.”
The company’s transactional customer/supplier relationship has also changed. Now, its customers are advocates for the business. This has been achieved by fostering trust with closer collaboration and a focus on quality control.
No room for complacency in business
Schlötter Ireland is now working closely with industry bodies such as IDA Ireland to implement lean methodologies which provide a roadmap to its digital transformation; and it’s investing in green technologies, such as installing photovoltaic cells which produce 20% of its energy needs. Yet, even with its Best Organisational Transformation award, Carey insists the company won’t rest on its laurels. “There is no room for complacency,” he says. “In business, nothing stands still.”
