Daniella Toledo HelboeCalibration laboratory managercompeting products. This cloud system has so far been adopted only in environmental monitoring, but there are plans to expand its use to other products. Mr. Nordby comments that applying cloud technologies will be of “the utmost impor-tance in the foreseeable future.” The company is also contemplating the use of AI (artificial intelli-gence) functions to supplement the cloud system.Svein Arne NordbyHe began his career at Norsonic as an R&D engineer in 1980 before becoming the marketing manager in 1982. He was appointed a member of the Board of Di-rectors in 1989, then the CEO of Norsonic in 1991. Since 2005 as Board of Directors chairman he has promoted the production and sales of various types of acoustic in-struments that are trusted around the world.Norsonic engineers performing calibrationOne factor that allows Norsonic to create such appealing products and set it apart from other companies is its dealer relationships. In general, dealers distribute products provided by the manufacturer to the users. However, Norsonic leverages its dealerships to obtain feedback from users, and according to Mr. Nordby, the compa-ny holds group interviews with dealers in each region every 18 months. At these meetings the company solicits remarks on needs and issues from end-users in order to plan future products and new functions in existing products. “His-torically, our company developed products in a manner similar to custom-made ones,” explains Mr. Nordby. “We would get hints and ideas from customer requests. If we thought something had the potential to become a great feature, we studied it to make it into a product.” Flexibility in product development that truly responds to user needs—that’s the backbone to Norsonic’s unique products.The enduring partnership between Rion and Norsonic dates back to the late 1980s. The goal of the first joint effort was to combine Rion’s acoustic measurement equipment and Norsonic’s acoustic measurement and analysis equipment as a single solution for the US market. This strategy proved successful, and strengthened the bond between Norsonic and Rion. The two companies have also cooperated in targeting the European market in OEM and product customization. “We never regarded Rion as a competitor,” says Mr. Nordby. “Rion has always been a friendly partner. We really trust them.” Since 2015, the relationship between the two companies has deepened further with Rion marketing Norson-ic’s tapping machines and Norsonic selling Rion’s acoustic measuring instruments. Gradually their partnership evolved from product-by-product to a market-by-market basis. Norsonic becoming a mem-ber of the Rion Group is the outcome of this steadily deepening collaboration over more than 30 years.One of the synergistic effects anticipated by Norsonic on joining the Rion Group is gaining ac-cess to the Asian market, where Rion has a proven track record. The company hopes to expand its sales channels by drawing on those over which Rion already has influence. They also expect to expand their product lineup by adding low-end and mid-market sound and vibration meters, Rion’s area of specialty, thereby attracting new customers. Karl Henrik Ejdfors R&D software engineerOslo, Norway’s capital. It’s 1 a.m., but it’s summer, and light remains in the sky.The third anticipated effect is enhanced product development efficiency. Norsonic’s Henrik Krist-offer Berg mentions that he found the process of new product development at Rion inspiring and professional. At Norsonic, product specifications aren’t fullyset at the beginning of the develop-ment process; they’re determined along the way. This means significant time is required from the beginning of product development to actual com-mercialization. In contrast, at Rion, designs and specifications are determined at the inception of product development, after which methods for mass producing the product become the focus of development. Thus, product development at Rion takes the shortest path to the goal. “Rion has an excellent structure for new product development, which they handle in discrete stages,” says Dan-iella Toledo Helboe. “That’s something we can learn from.” Personnel exchange programs have already been initiated between the two compa-nies, involving both management and employees, to learn about each other’s strengths. The goal is to become the No. 1 supplier (in Mr. Nordby’s words) by combining the strengths of the two companies in terms of the markets, products, and research and development.While the corporate cultures of Norsonic and Rion may vary to a certain extent; if their capabilities could be united to further strengthen the Rion Group, this could give the Group the impetus needed to take another giant leap in the global market.Henrik Kristoffer BergR&D software engineerThe sky remains lit well into the night during summer. Everyone is enjoying a hike in the mountains behind the company after work on Friday.Noteworthy relationships with dealersWhat chemistry will result through the integration of Rion and Norsonic?15
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