{"id":5476,"date":"2025-11-03T11:56:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T11:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ojelectronics.com\/career\/?p=5476"},"modified":"2025-11-03T14:20:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T14:20:20","slug":"innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ojelectronics.com\/career\/innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovation and what it means for OJ employees"},"content":{"rendered":"At OJ Electronics, innovation has always been part of who we are. But if you ask our employees, the way we innovate today looks quite different from how we did it ten \u2013 or even five \u2013 years ago. The pace is faster, the tools more advanced, and the responsibility more widely shared.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, the people driving this change are not just a few specialists in R&D. They are teams across the company, working closer than ever with customers, technology and one another.\r\n\r\n 

Innovation everywhere<\/h2>\n

Innovation at OJ is happening across all product lines. In floor heating, the focus is on digital integration \u2013 connecting systems with smart-home platforms like Apple HomeKit, enabling voice control, and exploring AI for more efficient scheduling.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

More market driven, faster delivery<\/h2>\n

Senior director R&D Flemming Bundgaard describes today\u2019s OJ innovation as far more responsive to the outside world than it once was.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe listen more to the market, to what customers actually want. Technology moves faster, so we must keep up \u2013 and get new solutions into customers\u2019 hands more quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Flemming<\/p>\n

Flemming Bundgaard, Senior director R&D<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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. \u201cEmployees like the ownership. They understand the why behind what they do much better than before. It\u2019s been very positive,\u201d Flemming explains.<\/p>\n

Balancing experience and fresh ideas<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur 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\u2019s very open, with no friction that I\u2019ve noticed.\u201d, Anderson Barros Rodrigues says.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This openness makes OJ an attractive workplace for young engineers. New employees quickly discover that their ideas are welcome, and that they\u2019ll be working in an environment where exploring new technologies is part of everyday life. \u201cThe balance here means that the ideas that do get through have a real chance of being developed,\u201d Anderson explains. \u201cThat makes the work meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Innovation isn\u2019t the same everywhere<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s also worth noting that innovation looks different across OJ\u2019s business areas. Preben D. Jessen, who heads OJ\u2019s Drive Products segment, describes Drives as a more conservative market where customers want robust, low-maintenance components above all.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe drives business is not about being innovative for its own sake.
\nOur job is to have the right products for our customers.\u201d, Preben D. Jessen says.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Even so, OJ has made unique contributions \u2013 such as the first variable frequency drive (VFD) with a color touch user interface. Other developments \u2013 like vibration sensors and AutoTune functionality \u2013 further improve usability, which is a high priority for customers. While customers in this area don\u2019t typically push for breakthrough innovations, their feedback on features is invaluable, and OJ incorporates this into ongoing product development.<\/p>\n

Innovation as teamwork<\/h2>\n

Across all segments, a consistent theme emerges: OJ\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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As Flemming puts it:
\n\u201cYou really get to try your ideas out, use your skills, and make a difference.
\nIt\u2019s always about the team \u2013 because the team wins.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Looking ahead<\/h2>\n

What\u2019s next for innovation at OJ?<\/strong> 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 \u201ctalk\u201d to each other.<\/p>\n

Underlying all of this is the reality that technology\u2019s \u201cclock speed\u201d 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Innovation with \u2013 and through \u2013 our people<\/h2>\n

The story of innovation at OJ isn\u2019t just about products; it\u2019s about people. Employees are encouraged to think creatively, take responsibility, and learn from one another. The organizational setup ensures that ideas don\u2019t get lost in bureaucracy but instead move quickly towards real-world application.<\/p>\n