Posted to News on 14th Nov 2007, 20:41
Sight Systems reports successes since buy-out
In July 2007 Craig Blackman led a management buyout of Sight Systems, which designs and supplies industrial computers. Now, with renewed focus, the company is projecting a 25 per cent increase in turnover in its first year under new ownership.
Sight Systems was established in 1988 and quickly generated a diverse client base covering defence, aerospace, industrial control and broadcast industries. Employing a young and dynamic team, the company built a reputation for creating high-quality products.
Craig Blackman joined Sight Systems in June 1998 as a Junior Systems Engineer after obtaining his GNVQ in IT. In 2005 he was appointed General Manager and in 2007 he rose to Operations Director. His insight into the running of the business and client requirements stood him in good stead for negotiating the buyout and the board approved his proposal with confidence.
Blackman now has ambitious plans for growing the business that include new manufacturing, marketing and communication strategies while remaining true to the company's core values: efficiency, quality and service. He states: "There have been instances in the past when we have had to pass up on opportunities for business purely because we believed that we did not have the capability to fulfil the order. I have no doubt that, at the time, this was the right decision; after all, we have a duty to our clients to deliver quality products on time. But these problems were generally created by the 'peak and trough' nature of the business in the past. Now we are concentrating on smoothing out this trading pattern in order to allow us to invest in greater manufacturing capability.
"By managing the manufacturing process more closely we have been able to increase our production at peak times and, by developing our marketing strategy, we have been able to generate orders for times when we are less busy. In the medium term, this will generate enough retained profit for us to invest in a larger manufacturing plant."
Customers and partners
The company's investment in marketing has mainly concentrated on the development of an effective database and reviewing the communications strategy. Blackman says: "I have been amazed at the effectiveness of database marketing. And it is quite a simple process too. My first focus was to re-open communication with previous clients. Many of these had simply fallen by the wayside because we had completed a project and had not kept in touch. By re-establishing contact with these companies we have been able to develop more repeat business. And because of our smoother trading pattern we are able to cope effectively."
Blackman is also exploring a number of partnerships that will enable the company to develop its bespoke designs into turnkey systems. He believes that this is a manageable growth area that could positively affect the company's future: "There is no doubt that Sight Systems will always continue to create bespoke solutions for industry, but we should not ignore new directions, especially when we have the skills and capabilities to deliver.
"We are currently talking to a number of companies, including wiring specialist Time 24, in order to develop turnkey solutions for industry."
Off-the-shelf server
The decision to explore turnkey systems has been based upon the success of Sight Systems first off-the-shelf product, OctoBlade, which has been well received by the aerospace industry. OctoBlade contains eight Intel Core2 Duo processors in an innovative 500mm deep 4U modular system, and Blackman believes that the ingenuity of its design and success of its sales are testament to the skills and expertise of his team. Having found homes with jet engine manufacturers in Spain, France and the UK, Sight Systems is now anticipating a USA launch for the innovative blade server.
He states: "The key to OctoBlade was to make an exceptionally compact and powerful blade server that remains quiet [typical noise level of less than 60dB(A)] and cool to touch, even if it is left on permanently. I am exceptionally proud of the product and my team for developing it."
In just four months, Blackman has implemented change that is delivering tangible results. With his sights firmly set on a bright future, and with a talented team to support him, he believes that there are no limits for the future success of the company.
He concludes: "We have certainly made a good start, but there is no time to rest on our laurels; we have to keep going, pushing the boundaries and delivering excellent solutions for our clients."
