The recently appointed President of Mitutoyo Europe, Ray Penny, is the first non-Japanese person to hold this position in the 57-year history of Mitutoyo in Europe. He assumes office at a time that marks a new market strategy for Mitutoyo. This strategy involves looking at potential growth areas for demanding industrial measurement technology from a different perspective than before.
Building on a long and successful tradition, Mitutoyo Corporation has established itself as a market leader - globally and also in Europe. Here, the company has built a strong and comprehensive network of subsidiaries, sales offices, and service centers that comprehensively support customers in various areas of industry.
The new President of Mitutoyo Europe, Briton Ray Penny, began his career in the company - in 1986 as a service technician. Further roles in field service and technical sales with increasing responsibility led to his appointment as UK Export Sales Manager. In 2017, he was appointed Managing Director of Mitutoyo UK, thereby also becoming a board member of Mitutoyo Europe. Now, as President of Mitutoyo Europe, he is responsible for the development of Mitutoyo across the entire EMEA region. This career path is certainly extraordinary, but also indicative of the professional development opportunities that Mitutoyo offers its employees.
New Management Plan: Keeping the 'Vision 100' in Mind
One of Ray Penny's tasks will be to implement the current medium-term management plan of Mitutoyo Europe, which is valid from 2024 to 2029. This plan is already working towards the global corporate vision 'Vision 100' in 2034: By then, Mitutoyo will be 100 years old and already has a clear goal in mind to shape the future of measurement technology.
Ray Penny says: 'A key reason for the first appointment of a European as President of Mitutoyo Europe is a change in Mitutoyo's marketing and sales strategy. We are now looking at the market now and in the future from the perspective of a regionally oriented representation. Fundamentally, we remain as we are, as we are very successful in Europe. But our headquarters in Japan desires a strong local organization in Europe that can respond quickly and agilely to the constantly changing market conditions and also act proactively.'
Market Wishes Decide
How this wish will be implemented is already outlined according to Ray Penny: 'We will develop Mitutoyo Europe into a more market-driven organization. This means: We are also working here with the goal of gaining a clear understanding of the needs of the market - today and tomorrow. We pass this information on to our R&D in Japan. This ensures that ideas for new products also come from the market. We will be supported by a newly established marketing department in Europe.'
Automation as a Future Market
In the company's orientation, Ray Penny sees automation as a growth market in Europe. 'Of course, we are already active here, but we expect disproportionate growth. We offer this sector a wide portfolio of solutions, ranging from compact handheld measuring devices to sophisticated tactile, optical, and image processing measurement systems. However, there is strong competition in the individual product areas. Therefore, we need to think about how we can expand our market differentiation, especially in automation. We are also focusing on inline measurement.'
As another growth market for Europe, Mitutoyo has identified the OEM business. Here, the company provides its measuring devices for seamless integration into products from other manufacturers - for example, lenses and sensors. This allows Mitutoyo's partners to shorten time-to-market and minimize the costs and risks associated with in-house production. And they use world-class components. Mitutoyo has significantly expanded this area in the last two years and can already report good successes.
How will Ray Penny ensure that his European team achieves the management goals - how does he describe his leadership style? 'Everyone in the team knows their position and the goals expected of them. I trust that they will deliver. I am a friend of openness and can listen well. Part of my job is also to promote employee motivation, which I take very seriously. Given the shortage of skilled workers, employee retention is a crucial success factor for any company.'
Ray Penny describes Mitutoyo's position as follows: 'He adds: 'The entire metrology industry associates our name with precision measurement. We rely on fundamental Japanese virtues and strengths such as organization, efficiency, and innovation. With this, we have established a very good market position in the 91 years since the company's founding.' For the current fiscal year, Mitutoyo Europe reports revenue at a balanced level, which is considered positive given the challenging framework conditions.
As Europe already contributes significantly to Mitutoyo's global revenue, Ray Penny is confident that further growth in the EMEA region is possible. 'For the coming years, we have set ambitious goals. This means: We must and will be innovative and creative.'
The Mitutoyo Corporation
Founded in 1934, headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan, is a leading global provider of precision measurement technology. It is represented in 40 countries and offers a comprehensive range of measurement products and solutions for industry and laboratories. The product portfolio includes calipers, dial gauges, coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), image processing systems, tactile measuring devices, and innovative software for measurement technology.
Mitutoyo is committed to accuracy, quality, and innovation and serves a variety of industries: automotive, aerospace, electronics manufacturing, medical technology, and general manufacturing industry. With a network of accredited calibration laboratories, training centers, and comprehensive technical support, Mitutoyo assists its customers in maintaining the highest standards in quality assurance.
According to the Mitutoyo philosophy 'Good Environment, Good People, Good Technology', the company sees itself committed to supporting the industry worldwide through precise and demanding measurement technology.
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