PM Blog

In business, goals and objectives need to be reached. Often, it is the leader who sets the vision of those goals and the manager who leads the team to accomplish the tasks required to attain those goals. Ideally in small to mid-sized businesses, there is one leader and one manager. These roles are embodied by the CEO (visionary) and the COO (integrator).

However, rarely is business ideal; most of us when we are starting out have to wear the leader hat one moment and the manager hat the next moment.

As co-founder of Harmonic Machine Inc., which began almost 20 years ago, Nathan Neels has demonstrated natural leadership skills through successive years when the company doubled in size. His unique knack for investing in the growth of his more than 50 employees creates a workplace made up of people who feel empowered, cared for and respected. According to his nominator, who calls Nathan an outstanding leader, he motivates and encourages his team members to give their best and is using modern technology to enable them to excel by maximizing efficiency. He knows how to get the most out of his employees, giving them a lot of responsibility and creating an atmosphere where everyone feels ownership over their workspace.

Planning the purchase of a machine tool requires careful consideration. For instance, will a three-, four- or five-axis machining center be required? Will a conventional two-axis turning machine suffice, or will a multi-axis turning center with driven tools be necessary? Perhaps a combination of both, in the form of a multitasking or mill-turn machine, will provide the solution? Support is often necessary for a new investment to be a success, in the form of defining current needs, identifying new opportunities or exploring promising paths. Consequently, when buying a machine, all parties should be involved in the process, right from the start.

When it comes to flexibility in gripping tools, experts still regard the human hand as the benchmark. Humanoid manipulators that enable the widest variety of gripping variants will be more and more in demand in the future, particularly when it comes to service and assistance robotics. However, the factor of economic viability is also increasingly important.