Topcon: Technology for Today and the Future

In the boom-and-bust economy that has characterized the marketplace for the past several years, one thing has remained constant. Companies that invested in around-the-corner technologies when times were tough, put themselves in a position to charge full-speed ahead to capture a larger share of the market opportunities today and in the future, according to Ray O'Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS) headquartered in Livermore.

Topcon Positioning Systems is a global company that designs and manufactures precise positioning products and solutions for surveying, construction, agriculture, civil engineering, mapping and GIS (geographic information systems), asset management and mobile control markets. TPS is one of Livermore's largest employers with more than 350 employees based in the city and more than 900 employees worldwide. Topcon Corporation has more than 4,000 employees.

Even during the deepest trough of the recession, the economic mantra from TPS' CEO never changed: Invest in technology! Now!

O'Connor believes that firms adopting a "digital job site" philosophy - tying in all phases of a job with specialized software and automation systems - designed to take a project from the planning stage, to the field, to "finish" - are "taking an important step in protecting and growing their businesses for the future," he says.

"This is what we do here in Livermore, with some of the best engineers in the country, we design new ways for construction companies, surveyors, civil engineers, mapping companies, public utility companies, small farm operators, large agricultural companies, and other professionals, to use technology to do their jobs more effectively.

"Topcon was among the first companies pushing the use of GPS for surveying applications and machine control in both the construction and agriculture industries. This 3D approach has truly revolutionized the way companies operate."

Topcon is pushing the same revolution for mapping - 3D mobile mapping systems - so roads can be mapped and data collected at speeds up to 60 mph collecting 1.5 million measured points per second at accuracies of less than a couple of inches. "That was unheard of just a short time ago," O'Connor said. 

"Topcon technology - conceptualized and designed in Technology Centers in Livermore, Columbus, Ohio, Moscow and in Australia and Italy, is evident in all the fields we serve, around the world," he said. "Speed and precision, used effectively in jobs worldwide, increases productivity and puts more money to a company's bottom line and that's our focus."

Interview with Ray O'Connor

O'Connor was recently interviewed by C. Jason Smith, Ph.D., co-founder of Discipline and Publish, a New York technical writing cooperative, on his belief in what makes a company competitive, especially given recent economic changes.

Smith: "We last visited several years ago at a time when you were very vocal about the state of the economy. You were adamant then that construction firms needed to research technological advances and that it was essential for companies to purchase advanced machine control and asset management tools to remain competitive. Has that message changed?"

O'Connor: "No, and it won't today, or in the future. Companies not feeling an overwhelming competitive rush and a need to invest in new technology that transforms every project into a digital job site are putting their future in jeopardy. Is that a harsh and non-compromising statement? Absolutely. But, that doesn't make it any less true.At Topcon, the first design priority of every instrument we design and manufacture is to enable our customers to save time while providing vital and accurate information that's critical on the digital job site.

"There are many successful companies in this world that took a chance on machine control technology when it was in its infancy and have been very successful because of that investment."

Smith: "Sounds like you're on a mission."

O'Connor: I am certainly passionate about this subject, not just because this is the business we are in, but because I know it's true. To be truly successful, to grow, a company must have a fighting chance to win every single job for which they submit a bid. To effectively compete for every possible job, companies have to invest in the best technology available."

Smith: "Competitive. That's a word you use frequently."

O'Connor: "It's the difference in winners and losers. I believe if you are not growing, you are in decline or stagnating. A great many companies have been declining or, at best, stagnating over the past several years. But those companies that invested in technology to save time created opportunities to be more productive and many actually saw their bottom line increase.

"In any business, dropping more money to the bottom line is a good sign of a progressive, forward-thinking company. Effective management of time and resources produces optimum results. Manage time by saving it, use technology to your advantage, be more productive, make more money. That is the formula for a successful business regardless of the business you are in."

Smith: "Aside from technology, what growing trends do you see that will affect Topcon and the industries you serve?"

O'Connor: "The greatest trend is the push toward sustainability in developing more 'green' products, and instilling environmentally friendly business practices and manufacturing processes. But this is not a new focus for Topcon. That's what precise positioning technology is about - efficiency - less waste in all areas of a specific job, greater productivity. With our precision agriculture tools, there is better management of water, seed applications and less chemical waste. In construction, paving companies build smoother, longer lasting roads with less material waste with our machine control technology. These are just examples.

"We give professionals worldwide the tools to build better, more sustainable processes. Topcon Corporation is committed to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the areas of environmentally sound production methods and good corporate citizenship. It's not just one product, or one manufacturing process; it's a company-wide focus for us in all of our business units, every day."