Amongst the city’s thriving high-tech community is nestled an internationally recognized company, with grassroots in London. According to Sam Hassan, President of ZTR Control Systems, “London is a great place to build a tech career. We have a lot to offer. There’s enough here to attract the right people to come work and stay here in London. We’ve lived here most of our lives. London is part of where we have always been.
We are London’s best kept secret,” says Hassan. Within the structure of the company are two very distinct divisions, the Railway division and the Industrial Internet of Things division (IoT). The Railway division focuses on delivering engineered railroad solutions globally, including locomotive modernization and environmental technology that reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The Industrial IoT division designs hardware and software solutions that connect fl eets of mobile industrial equipment to the internet. This provides fleet owners spanning the industrial rental industry, oil and gas sector and the associated Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), with 24/7 access and knowledge about their fleets’ location and performance.
As well as producing exemplary graduates in engineering, software and hardware technology development, London’s elite educational institutions offer internships in collaboration with London’s businesses.”
– Sam Hassan, President, ZTR Control Systems
With technology on the rise in London, access to local talent reigns as the most important factor among the many hidden intangibles of doing business here. As well as producing exemplary graduates in engineering, software and hardware technology development, London’s elite educational institutions offer internships in collaboration with London’s businesses.
ZTR has made the most of London’s access to local talent, adding 50 new employees in the past year and was recently named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies.
For Hassan, this presents a great opportunity for ZTR. “Working at ZTR is an opportunity to utilize one’s innovative and creative passions. We continue to develop industry-leading software and hardware technologies. Our efforts tie the virtual world and real world together and present them seamlessly to our customers.” ZTR strengthens its existing talent base by encouraging its employees to participate in continuing education at Western University, Ivey Business School and Fanshawe College, in order to gain insightful leadership training while furthering existing skill sets. ZTR recently added more than fifty new employees. This record growth coincides with the company’s long-range vision to double in size by the year 2020.
Much of this success is accredited to expanding the company’s global reach into new markets. ZTR sells its railroad and industrial IoT solutions globally, including North America, Europe, Africa, and most recently in South America. Within the past twelve months, ZTR has deployed over 100,000 pieces of equipment worldwide, utilizing solutions designed and built right here in London. “With the closing of Caterpillar’s locomotive plant in 2012, in recent years, London has seen a loss in manufacturing.
But, due to our innovative high-tech solutions, our company still continues to grow at a record pace,” says VP of Engineering, Derek Shipley. “You must continue to be innovative in order to survive.” Consequently, Shipley believes the growth of ZTR will contribute to the local economy by offering more opportunities for Londoners. At the centre of the growth and success of ZTR is what the company recognizes as its most valuable asset, its employees. Not only do they contribute to the company’s growth but they create and support a culture that is committed to giving back to the London community. For Hassan, “Community giving is really important. We are committed to giving back to where we live.”
A company is a sum of its parts: Pictured here L to R: General Manager of the Industrial IoT division, Michael Tidy; General Manager of the Railway division, Matthew Scott; President, Sam Hassan; VP of Engineering, Derek Shipley; and Manager of Human Resources, Tracey Paddison.
Published for VC™ Magazine Inc. by The London Economic Development Corporation at www.ledc.com