With the appointment of highly experienced Sales, Application and Technology Manager Karl Corry, Okuma is pushing its advanced leading technology to an even stronger competitive advantage.
Karl originated from Co.Donegal, Ireland where he served an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner. Such were the skills he developed during his apprenticeship he was recognised by his TAFE teachers and asked to compete in the National Skills competition in CNC machining. He subsequently won the event and went on to represent his home country at the world skills competition in Helsinki in 2005 where he recorded a top ten place.
Seeking further career opportunities Karl immigrated to Australia arriving in Sydney in 2010 joining the NSW branch of Okuma Australia in March 2012 as an Application Engineer. This role continued until September 2019 when he was appointed National Technology Manager which later evolved into a move to Okuma’s national headquarters in Melbourne.
Seeking further career opportunities Karl immigrated to Australia arriving in Sydney in 2010 joining the NSW branch of Okuma Australia in March 2012 as an Application Engineer. This role continued until September 2019 when he was appointed National Technology Manager which later evolved into a move to Okuma’s national headquarters in Melbourne.
As National Technology Manager, Karl was responsible for automation projects promoting the latest advances in technology for Okuma while looking after the company’s application engineers and assisting the sales engineers.
In a strategic move to further advance its strong technology advantage, Okuma has now appointed Karl to his most recent role as Sales, Application and Technology Manager which encompasses all his previous responsibilities plus nationally working on the ground with sales engineers in all states, staff training, motivation and leadership in technology within sales.
Working closely with Okuma Japan’s resident engineer in Australia and working with skilled applications engineers, Karl adds a new dimension reviewing the scope of works for the client, looking at options in suitable equipment to ensure that Okuma customers take full advantage of future market opportunities.
Constantly looking at future trends in technology Karl travels to the parent company in Japan several times a year. During these visits, he supports customer visits and attends the annual Okuma Global Marketing Meeting to present the technology needs of the Australian and New Zealand markets and learn about world-wide technology advancements. Recently, he also led a group of ten of the company’s application engineers to Japan for high level training in service and applications.
In a strategic move to further advance its strong technology advantage, Okuma has now appointed Karl to his most recent role as Sales, Application and Technology Manager which encompasses all his previous responsibilities plus nationally working on the ground with sales engineers in all states, staff training, motivation and leadership in technology within sales.
Working closely with Okuma Japan’s resident engineer in Australia and working with skilled applications engineers, Karl adds a new dimension reviewing the scope of works for the client, looking at options in suitable equipment to ensure that Okuma customers take full advantage of future market opportunities.
Constantly looking at future trends in technology Karl travels to the parent company in Japan several times a year. During these visits, he supports customer visits and attends the annual Okuma Global Marketing Meeting to present the technology needs of the Australian and New Zealand markets and learn about world-wide technology advancements. Recently, he also led a group of ten of the company’s application engineers to Japan for high level training in service and applications.
“With high speed CNC machines of today we see smarter use of AI, better use of computers, constantly evolving tooling improvements, further use of automation and advanced robotics so we need to become more robust with younger people with high engineering skills and training,” said Karl. “This is all part of Okuma’s Monozukuri philosophy in ‘The Art of Making Things Better’ particularly with our customers front and centre of all our efforts,” he said.
The worldwide company of Okuma has a strong presence in the United States of America with a close working relationship to universities and the Rowan Technical Centre which provides advancing technology and training in CNC machine support. Such is Okuma Australia and New Zealand’s commitment to training, this year there will be several mechanical Service Engineers sent to the USA for training at this facility.
“As a market leader, the strategic moves we are putting in place will create great opportunities for young people in our industry and assist our customers in so many ways to ensure that they are well placed with the knowledge, skills and technology to be world competitive,” said Okuma Managing Director Dean McCarroll. “Keeping abreast of the advances in technology will help us all and ensure that Australian manufacturing is strong and robust going into the future,” he said.
