SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
APRIL 2017
Sure, the part where the French mechanical
engineer met his Canadian wife on a Parisian subway in 1991 was pretty romantic. And
the part where they moved to Nova Scotia in 1994 was pretty exciting. Oh,
and how he opened up his own business in 1998 was pretty brave. But I have to admit, it wasn’t Paul Ragot’s experiences or character or passion that captivated me. He had me at “Robots.”
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • APRIL 2017
By David MacDonald P aul is a computer-aided design and computer-aid- ed manufacturing (CAD/CAM), coordinate measur- ing machine (CMM) and direct numerical control (DNC) hardware and software specialist based in Nova Scotia. In fact, Ragot CAD/CAM Services (RCCS) is the only company in Atlantic Canada that specializes in CAD/CAM/ CMM software. “Being the only show in town, as they say, has its ups and downs,” Paul explained. “On the downside, many companies just assume there is
no local supplier when they don’t find a whole page in the Yellow Pages full of a particular service – so they look to Ontario, Quebec, or the United States. On the upside,
this degree of anonymity leaves me free to pursue new customers at a steady pace throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland – and I’ve been doing just that for over eighteen years now.”
His perspective is admirable. For Paul, there is positive pos- sibility in every situation. Remember, this a guy who had a part in turning a trip on the Métro de Paris into a fairy tale. “Ever since I discovered it, I’ve liked this type of software and what it allows you to do, so it’s more or less a natural progression to be where I am now,” Paul said. “My five-year education was done entirely in France. I studied mechan- ical engineering with a focus on CAD/CAM software. My first job – the job I had when I met my wife – was in techni- cal support for a CAD/CAM software retailer. I worked for that company until we moved to Canada. I started RCCS in November 1998 but operations didn’t get under way until February 1999,” he recalled. “The company I was working for in Debert, Nova Scotia had been purchased by a company fromQuebec and it just felt like it was the right time to leave and start my own business. Initially, I began doing design work for some of my previous employer’s former customers but quickly got more work from other companies. I did this by asking my customers and suppliers for leads. “Ever since I discovered it, I’ve liked this type of software and what it allows you to do.” I’d cold call the company and ask what I could do for them. Eventually, I began selling the very software I was using for designing parts to manufacturers – mainly CNC [Computer Numerical Control] machine shops – and companies in all four Atlantic provinces who make their own products in-house. Now I’ve added contract measuring, CNC pro- gramming and contract design, as well as software training
“Collaborative robots – or cobots, as they’re called – are fairly new to North America. They’ve been widely used in Europe for nearly ten years now and their influence is still growing.”
and technical support to the menu here. It’s a matter of rec- ognizing that you already have firm footing ahead of you.”
Firm footing may be understating things. You’ll find some of the biggest names in advanced manufacturing hardware and software at Ragotcadcam.com. “We sell Mastercam, the leading CNC programming software, and we carry Verisurf, Cimco, Romer, and Universal Robots,” he said. “It allows us to make manufacturing more competitive.” Since 2008, the latter-mentioned collaborative robots have been used by manufacturers around the globe. According to Ragotcadcam.com, affordable and user-friendly Univer- sal Robots have “revolutionized the robotic market with their innovative robotic arms UR5 and UR10, which can handle payloads of up to 5 and 10 kilos respectively as well as the newly released UR3 model, which handles payloads up to 3 kilos and has a small footprint for smaller production environments with a lower cost.”
Paul explained that “collaborative robots – or cobots, as they’re called – are fairly new to North America. They’ve been widely
used in Europe for nearly ten years now and their influence is still growing. It’s starting to catch on here, but old habits die hard. Manufacturers big and small need to know that many traditional industrial robots are plagued with problems and safety hazards. They also require two expensive things: a lot of space and specialized technicians to setup and trouble shoot. Collaborative robots are designed to remove all these barriers. They’re easy and cheap to install, not to mention simple to use. They require little floor space and they’re safe to work around. They’re typically used to assist workers in repetitive and tedious tasks such as picking and placing parts in machines, moving parts around, working with small parts, gluing, and painting – that sort of thing. Cobots work well in hazardous conditions where, for example, noise and fumes may be an issue. Typical- ly customers install these cobots themselves after only a few days of training – which is rarely possible with industrial robots. These cobots typically have a ROI [return on investment] of less than a year if used often.” “These cobots typically have a ROI [return on investment] of less than a year if used often.” On the software side of things, Mastercam’s dynamic tool- paths helps reduce cycle time upwards to 75%, extends tool life, and reduces machine wear.
For a guy who represents an industry that strives to make things as hands-off as possible, Paul certainly is hands-on. “I handle the whole sales cycle, from initial contact, demon- stration, sale, training and technical support,” he explained. “The sales cycle in this business can vary from three months to over three years. Things rarely happen fast.” A holistic approach to CAD/CAM is also used in commu- nity college classrooms throughout Atlantic Canada where many of the hardware and software products RCCS offers are an integral part of the curriculum. “I look at it like this: technology in this sense is a powerful and positive enabler – and it’s the future. It allows us to make man- ufacturing more competitive. CAD/CAM software costs the same globally. So being able to make parts here rather than overseas is better for all of us in the Maritimes. However, there is the fear of change and even pushback at times. People worry that technology will steal local jobs and they make decisions accordingly. I want those people to know that technology will ultimately save these jobs, especially in manufacturing. Com- panies need to invest in hardware and software that helps them do more with their business model or overseas and cross-bor- der machine shops will inevitably take their place. Curiosity and initiative go hand-in- hand with successful manufacturing.”
Paul works alongside his son in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.
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as spotlighted in the APRIL 2017 issue of SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
www.spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com
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