Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Hello, hello, hello everybody and welcome back to the Ctrl Alt Manufacturing podcast, Resetting and Rethinking Manufacturing. If you haven't been here before, welcome. This podcast is helping explore some of the people, technologies and strategies that are driving the digital transformation of manufacturing. I am here on a solo mission today. I am one of the hosts, Gary Cohen. The other host, Stephanie Neal is actually in the room. I can't prove it, but she's right over there. I swear as being our videographer today, since we are on site because we are coming at you live from the CSIA conference in Baltimore, which is kind of fun, doing our first live podcast and I am very excited to have a guest with us sitting in the room with me. He's over there, but he's in the same room which is Daniel Gomez, CEO of Omnicon, a global system integrator specializing industrial automation, digital transformation and data management. He began his career as a hands on controls engineer working directly in industrial plants and has since helped scale Omnicon into an international organization serving manufacturers worldwide. Today Daniel focuses on building scalable engineering organizations and accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies across the industrial sector, reinforcing the role of system integrators in shaping the future of manufacturing and. Well, first, Daniel, hello. Thank you for being here.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: Hey Gary, Happy to be here.
That's a very good introduction. I mean, yeah, very kind from your side. I'm really happy to be here. Also really happy for the award that we received from Controls Engineering. I'm very, very proud.
Yeah, we're here in Baltimore. CSA event is very excited to be here. Regardless.
[00:01:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I would be remiss and I'm glad you brought it up. If I did not mention that Omnihan was also one of Control Engineering's plant engineering system integrators of the year this year we will be recognizing Daniel and his team on stage later tonight at the conference. So that's, I assume kind of a proud moment. But let's start. We'll talk about that in a moment. But let's start with you.
You started as a hands on controls engineer in industrial plants.
You now are leading a global system integrator. How has that journey shaped the way you think about leadership and growth?
[00:02:24] Speaker B: Yes, awesome journey. Started out more than 15 years ago as a controls engineer, as you mentioned.
Yeah. Different roles, different industries in the manufacturing space, transitioning to project management in some portion of my career and then moved to the sales portion.
Yeah. Been leading different teams in different locations.
Yeah. Now as a CEO of the organization, trying to lead the way to a different world where we need more technology, different type of setups. So that's our main focus.
I can.
Yeah, for a personal note, not just from the engineering side, I love motorsports, like Formula One. So because of it, there's a lot of data in the middle, but also people involved.
I'm also kind of a geek, so, yeah, very excited about technology, passionate about technology in any shape and form.
And that's a little bit about what Omnicon about. So I'm really happy to be here. And yeah, that's myself, like, went through the technology side execution, but also now more into how we can drive and help other people and team members to push their point of view and also have different perspective and share with different customers all around the world.
[00:03:47] Speaker A: I cannot say that I'm a big Formula one guy, but I have people in my life who are. Who's your. Who's your person?
Who's your team?
[00:03:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I don't want to say specific team because it really depends on the season. I'm not bending to a specific team. I really have shifted from different things.
You know, really enjoy what's going on with the Red Bull team the last few years, but also Ferrari is always in our hearts. Yeah, different teams. Mercedes as well, for several years, they did a very great job. So, yeah, it's more about the sp. What's going behind that, that. That I really enjoy.
[00:04:24] Speaker A: Yeah, we.
I went to the Ferrari headquarters in Italy a couple of years ago, and there was an opportunity that you could actually drive a car around a track. And I didn't do it, and I regret not doing it.
[00:04:37] Speaker B: My choice.
[00:04:38] Speaker A: Yeah, I know.
So we mentioned earlier, really big moment for you guys. You guys were recognized as a 2026 System Integrator of the year by control Engineering and Plant engineering. What did that recognition mean to you and Omnicon and what do you think it says about where your company is right now?
[00:04:54] Speaker B: I mean, for us, very unexpected.
We are in a very transformational journey where we're growing the organization, moving for a single car country delivery hub to multiple sites where we are now delivering projects from the U.S. mexico and Europe.
But that timing to have that recognition for us always controls engineer and that award is like the dream. So we really like, once you get involved in this SI world and controls world, it's like this is the stage where you want to really be. So for us, it means like the Oscars of this industry. So we're really excited and proud for us and now for our team, not just for myself. For our engineers and all the team, it's been a very, very important recognition because it's not just about what we are doing right now, it's what we have done through the 34 years that we have been in the business. So there's several people that influenced and stepped in and shaping what's Omnicom today. So that's a recognition not just for us, but also for all the team that has been involved in this journey for so long time. I'm very, very excited to be happy and honored to be there.
[00:06:15] Speaker A: A lot of integrators I think can execute projects, but not all of them can really scale into a truly global organization.
What have been the hardest lessons in building Omnicon into a company that can serve manufacturers across so many regions?
[00:06:29] Speaker B: Yeah, I would say there are three things that we decided the first one will be focused, highly focused, and where we can really add value to those customers with a specific niche and really have the people and the processes that support that.
And not just the specific project, but also how you can deliver across different sites. So that's our main thing is like working with a large customer that they have multiple sites and working a specific solution that help them with their challenges. And we have been able to be very specialized on that portion. So I would say it's a combination between focus but also defining well processes, well defined process where we can be able to scale.
[00:07:21] Speaker A: When we talk to system integrators, which we talked to quite a few of them on the podcast. One thing that comes up a lot is that customers don't really want isolated automation projects anymore. They want things that are integrated, scalable business outcomes. So how has that changed the way you guys approach projects today?
[00:07:39] Speaker B: Yeah, last few years we started out doing a lot of mes mom projects like 14, 15 years ago.
And we shaped it from the beginning from more a consultative approach. It's more understanding the pain points, what the real challenge is based on that we frame the solution.
That's the way that we have worked in the last few years, but now with with all the changes that we have in technology, it's more about, hey, with that specific problem, how can we solve that issue? But also at the same time that that solution could scale to solve other issues in this specific site, but also in other sites. So it's not just any more about I will implement a specific solution like this one will be the ones that solve everything. It's more about can it enable you with this architecture you to solve those potential problems. So it's More like handing over the potential beneficials, the potential things for them so they can build whatever is needed versus try to solve all the challenges out of the box. So we have, yeah, we have a very structured process where we understand the challenges and based on that, a design and architecture, a solution that can scale in different sites.
[00:09:04] Speaker A: And you guys work in diverse industries. So from chocolate to chocolate manufacturing to oil and gas, what does it take to build an organization that can bring both kind of the technical depth that you need and adaptability across very different environments?
[00:09:20] Speaker B: Yes, that's true. I mean, on that data mes thing, we have been very, very successful in the food industry.
You can cover chocolate there, but also corn and different industries, big, big players on that specific space, but also in the industrial automation, like a traditional lsi. We're really good at process industries. So we have both capabilities.
That's the way that we have been able to deliver projects. There are different industries, but also at the end we're solving problems that affect so many people in the world.
That's the beauty of working in manufacturing. Even it's from the oil and gas perspective, energy perspective, or food and meth perspective. At the end, what you are trying is to bring solution that will have an impact to so many people over the world. So that's the main thing.
[00:10:15] Speaker A: You were in a session yesterday and you talked about combining discipline methods with kind of a human adaptable service culture.
How do you keep process rigor from becoming rigidity, especially in complex industrial transformation work?
[00:10:32] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, people is everything in this industry and probably have heard that from other sides.
Yes, I mean flexibility is key, but also it's a combination between you need a process, but also having the right people to do their thing is very important.
So for us, the definition is like we have a framework and the people will have the ability and with the innovation to shape it in the way that really solve an issue for a customer. So in this industry it's all about having a good framework and best practices in place, but also having the right people with the innovation that could deliver real solutions for our customers.
[00:11:18] Speaker A: Yeah, as much as we talk about technology in this space, especially when we're talking to system integrators, that human element always comes up. It is like you said, it's a very human business.
[00:11:28] Speaker B: Correct. I mean, for us it's more about a knowledge business which is all human.
[00:11:35] Speaker A: Right? Right.
As digital transformation continues to mature, where do you think system integrators create the most value now? Is that implementation cybersecurity, long term Optimization,
[00:11:47] Speaker B: it really depends on the niche of each si. I mean this is like a niche community, but each side they have their own set of capabilities and it really depends on that. But as a whole in the industry, customers in the industrial world, they still need people with the knowledge from the outside versus what's going on in the facility. So what we can bring as a size is we understand what's going on in the manufacturing world, but also we understand what's the new technology that is available. So understand what's happening in the facility, but also transform that into what is the right set of solutions that will help to solve that pain point is very important.
So we are a community that is fully dedicated to understand what's the need of the manufacturing world and transform that through technology.
So I mean that's our main thing. So we all the time we're innovating and learning what's going on on the IT side, cybersecurity side, OT side. And with all that set of capabilities, we bring that to solve specific manufacturers pain points.
So that will continue even though this technological transformation for that's happening now.
[00:13:07] Speaker A: We were talking to the CEO of the csia, Adrienne Meyer, and she was mentioning, you know, part of this conference, they really just want help sis understand how to run their businesses better and more efficiently. Obviously you guys are doing something right at Omnicon. You're a system integrator, the year winner.
I was looking at some of your stuff and you tend to emphasize long term relationships and this idea of being kind of a partner for life in a market that can often reward short term wins. How do you build that trust that can last over years or even decades in this industry?
[00:13:41] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean our main focus is about long term. Why is that? I mean we're really focused how can we transform that industry and really help solve issues versus a transaction.
So that's the way our customer feel us. It's like we are not just here for a project for that specific transaction. We're here to help you transform and be part of your team if it's needed.
That's the way the approach that we have followed and that's why we have customers that had worked with us for the last 30 years.
So it's because of that our approach is we are building a relationship that at the beginning will need to put both sides will need to be involved in that relationship building.
But at the beginning it's more about what we can bring to the table. But as soon as you start building that relationship, it's all about trust.
They rely that you are the guys that will help them. And they will and we will bring the right solution. Not just a transaction that will help the business. Specific financial points. Today it's more about how can we build trust in the long term.
[00:14:53] Speaker A: So you and Omnicon are focused on building scalable engineering organizations and accelerating the adoption of technologies. We've talked about people, but advanced technologies are also a big part of this.
What separates the integrators that are ready for this next phase of industrial transformation from the ones that may end up getting left behind?
Wow.
[00:15:12] Speaker B: That's probably the question that everybody here in this conference.
In my point of view, data is the right point and the one that will make the transition is how can SI start building capabilities around the data management and help those companies make better decisions with the information they already have?
That's one side. And the other side is traditional process controls will continue to be in place on those manufacturing facilities.
So maybe it's like how can we elevate the value proposition that we have on size with those technologies? How can new technologies help us to have better documentation, better deliveries, short term deliveries, even a better cost deliveries on those applications. But at the same time, how can the data that is out of those systems can be applied to make better decisions and with the knowledge that we have from the process controls, from the manufacturing side and use that information as a trigger for the decision making is key for this industry.
[00:16:27] Speaker A: At a conference like csia, when the industry is thinking about change and growth and resilience, these big long term goals or factors, what conversation do you think system integrators need to be having right now that they're still not having enough?
[00:16:42] Speaker B: Wow. I mean, there is everything about in this industry where the knowledge and the people is very, very important.
What's the next step of that? I mean, do you have the right people for the next five years? How technology will AI will transform that if it's happened? Do you have a plan in place for those?
I think that discussion about the industry will continue to be the same for the next five years. If AI came in and have different approach, I think that conversation is very, very important and also how, how this industry will grow with that technology in place. So yeah, absolutely.
[00:17:33] Speaker A: Daniel, goodness, great stuff. Thank you so much for joining us here in Baltimore at the CSIA conference and coming on the podcast.
[00:17:39] Speaker B: Oh, thank you.
[00:17:40] Speaker A: It was a pleasure having you. Really good stuff. And I'm excited for tonight for the awards dinner where we get to actually recognize you and Omnicon as being a System of the Year Award Winner. System Integrator of the Year Award Winner.
[00:17:52] Speaker B: Thank you, Gary.
[00:17:53] Speaker A: It's a pleasure as always.
Thank you for coming to the podcast with Control Alt Manufacturing. We love having you on board. If you want more great engineering content, check out our whole WTWH media suite of engineering brands. But you know, stop by Control Engineering. Plant Engineering. We like those too.
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Sam.
