Innovation everywhere
Innovation at OJ is happening across all product lines. In floor heating, the focus is on digital integration – connecting systems with smart-home platforms like Apple HomeKit, enabling voice control, and exploring AI for more efficient scheduling.
On the industrial side, innovation shows up in new, more capable drive platforms and HVAC controllers with more flexible user profiles. In both cases, the direction is clear: Products shaped by customer feedback and market insights and accelerated by agile ways of working.
More market driven, faster delivery
Senior director R&D Flemming Bundgaard describes today’s OJ innovation as far more responsive to the outside world than it once was.
“We listen more to the market, to what customers actually want. Technology moves faster, so we must keep up – and get new solutions into customers’ hands more quickly.”
Flemming Bundgaard, Senior director R&D
This mindset is supported by organizational changes in recent years, especially the move towards a more matrix-based structure. Teams now have greater ownership and mandate to make decisions, which in turn means they can talk directly to customers, test new ideas earlier, and learn faster. And this has proven to be popular. “Employees like the ownership. They understand the why behind what they do much better than before. It’s been very positive,” Flemming explains.
Balancing experience and fresh ideas
While technology and markets push innovation forward, people and culture determine how it takes shape day to day. Anderson Barros Rodrigues, who works with controls, emphasizes the balance between youthful creativity and seasoned experience.
“Our teams mix colleagues in their late 20s and early 30s with people who have decades of seniority. The younger ones often bring creative new ideas, while the more experienced colleagues provide the reality check. Sometimes the younger employees even end up teaching the older ones about new technologies. It’s very open, with no friction that I’ve noticed.”, Anderson Barros Rodrigues says.
This openness makes OJ an attractive workplace for young engineers. New employees quickly discover that their ideas are welcome, and that they’ll be working in an environment where exploring new technologies is part of everyday life. “The balance here means that the ideas that do get through have a real chance of being developed,” Anderson explains. “That makes the work meaningful.”
Innovation isn’t the same everywhere
It’s also worth noting that innovation looks different across OJ’s business areas. Preben D. Jessen, who heads OJ’s Drive Products segment, describes Drives as a more conservative market where customers want robust, low-maintenance components above all.
“The drives business is not about being innovative for its own sake.
Our job is to have the right products for our customers.”, Preben D. Jessen says.
Even so, OJ has made unique contributions – such as the first variable frequency drive (VFD) with a color touch user interface. Other developments – like vibration sensors and AutoTune functionality – further improve usability, which is a high priority for customers. While customers in this area don’t typically push for breakthrough innovations, their feedback on features is invaluable, and OJ incorporates this into ongoing product development.
Innovation as teamwork
Across all segments, a consistent theme emerges: OJ’s flat organization enables employees to contribute directly to innovation. Whether in Floor Heating, Drives, or Controls, team members can test ideas, make decisions, and see their impact.
As Flemming puts it:
“You really get to try your ideas out, use your skills, and make a difference.
It’s always about the team – because the team wins.”
This culture extends beyond engineering. Production staff, partners, and suppliers also play a role, especially when challenges arise. Problems are solved collaboratively, reinforcing the sense that innovation is not a one-off event but a daily practice.
Looking ahead
What’s next for innovation at OJ? Employees point to several directions. Artificial intelligence is being closely monitored, both for potential product applications and for its use in software coding and testing. Greater connectivity between OJ products and external systems is another focus, reflecting how customers increasingly expect their devices to “talk” to each other.
Underlying all of this is the reality that technology’s “clock speed” continues to accelerate. For OJ, the challenge is not only to keep up but also to stay ahead in areas where it can make a real difference for customers.
Innovation with – and through – our people
The story of innovation at OJ isn’t just about products; it’s about people. Employees are encouraged to think creatively, take responsibility, and learn from one another. The organizational setup ensures that ideas don’t get lost in bureaucracy but instead move quickly towards real-world application.
For OJ’s Human Resources department, this means that innovation is also a tool for engagement. When employees see their ideas valued and their skills put to use, they find their work more rewarding. That, in turn, strengthens OJ’s ability to attract and retain talent – especially the new generation of engineers who want to shape the future of technology, not just maintain the past.
As Flemming sums it up:
“We’re learning to innovate faster, with more agility, and in closer dialogue with customers. But what makes it really work is that our employees feel ownership. That drives our innovation forward.”
