R&D firms that can take research and turn it into profitable business models are much more sustainable than those that rely on one-off research grants. So says CEO Gerald Schatz. It is difficult not to be impressed as he explains his pragmatic approach to the industry.
“LCM focuses on research subjects that benefit the companies,” he says. Under Mr. Schatz’s leadership, emerging technologies are immediately placed on a roadmap towards practical applications and clients are invited to advise on the needs of their business.
“One of the things about our R&D operations is the business culture we emphasize here,” Mr. Schatz explains. “Our clients know our research will produce commercially viable results.”
The digital environment is a large part of product development at LCM, in particular the Hermes Creative Award-nominated SyMSpace, which Mr. Schatz describes. “We build a digital twin or model of a system using SyMSpace. Without touching the original system, we can optimize the designs. If it works in SyMSpace’s digital environment, we can confidently implement it into the real product.”
“Our business itself is a process of R&D,” Mr. Schatz remarks. “LCM began in mechanical engineering, but today the majority of our activities take place on computers. Big data is something that is now so important for our work.”
For Mr. Schatz, the SyMSpace platform ensures the technical progress of the product, and data analysis determines commercial viability. “Especially for smaller clients without the computing power,” Mr. Schatz explains, “trends can be missed. We work with our clients to develop products which fit perfectly into their commercial situations, when we reach the end of the product process, we know it will be successful on the market.”
Utilizing big data and digital twinning means we are always confident that the products we develop will be successful on the market. Gerald SchatzCEO
LCM are keen to take this method to the top 500 European companies. For Gerald Schatz, this would be the best return on his last 17 years building up the firm. “Our track record of success in our methods, and our ability to operate on a global level makes us a great partner for the biggest users of mechatronic systems.”
It is exciting, and inspiring to see a company make cutting edge research commercially viable, producing that precious business commodity: innovation. In an age where emerging technology is changing the way we do business, LCM have found a way to harness the commercial opportunities such changes will inevitably bring.