With the new space, with over 15,000 m2 and 32 million invested, plus 2 million in photovoltaic panels, Olympus wants to double its repairs of medical devices in two years.
Olympus Portugal has one goal. “To become one of the largest repair centres for medical equipment in Europe.” To achieve this, the multinational has just invested €34 million in the company’s new facilities in Coimbra, increasing its production capacity and number of employees. By 2024 the company wants to increase the number of workers from the current 210 to over 300.
“The construction of these new facilities is integrated with an exponential growth strategy that Olympus is implementing in Portugal to become one of Europe’s largest repair centres for medical equipment,” Joaquim Nunes, general manager of Olympus Portugal, tells ECO.
With the new space, with over 15,000 m2 and 32 million invested, plus 2 million in photovoltaic panels, Olympus wants to double its repairs of medical devices in two years.
And the number of employees will accompany this estimated growth. “Since June we have already hired around 40 new employees. At the moment, Olympus in Coimbra employs 210 people, but this number is growing daily. We expect to add 100 more employees to the current number within one year. Therefore, in 2024, Olympus Medical Products Portugal should have more than 300 employees. However, these numbers will always be adjusted according to market growth,” he guarantees.
The company have invested €32 million in new facilities in Coimbra. What production capacity do you gain with this investment?
The construction of these new facilities is integrated with an exponential growth strategy that Olympus is implementing in Portugal to become one of Europe’s largest repair centres for medical equipment. When, in 2017, Olympus started repairing medical devices in Portugal, it carried out 5,000 repairs annually. Currently, the figures are around 15,000 repairs per year. With the business growth strategy at the European level, the expectation is that the repairs in Portugal will reach 30,000 in the next two years.
Are there plans for further expansion, for new centres in other parts of the country?
This project will naturally follow the sector’s trends, and we are not yet at full capacity. Proof of this is our strategy of growth in terms of recruitment. Taking into account the growth in the number of users of health services and the increase in the life expectancy of populations worldwide, it is expected that the demand for health products and services will continue to grow. We are therefore monitoring market developments, and our expansion plans will be determined by market growth.
Since June we have already hired around 40 new employees. At the moment, Olympus in Coimbra employs 210 people, but this number is growing daily. We expect to add 100 more employees to the current number within one year. Therefore, in 2024, Olympus Medical Products Portugal should have more than 300 employees
And new business units? Or is the focus now only on the medical equipment area?
When Olympus started its operation in Portugal in 2002, its business focused on the repair of Olympus’ optical-digital equipment (cameras). But in April 2017, the company started a new business phase by implementing the endoscope repair service and, at the end of 2020, Olympus stopped working in the cameras sector and started to dedicate itself exclusively to the healthcare area. With this change, the subsidiary in Portugal also began to focus its repair activity on the medical sector in 2021.
What needs in terms of recruiting talent does this investment demand? What are the objectives until the end of the year?
As part of the expansion strategy, we are implementing an ambitious recruitment plan. Since June we have already hired around 40 new employees. At the moment, Olympus in Coimbra employs 210 people, but this number is growing daily. We expect to add 100 more employees to the current number within one year. Therefore, in 2024, Olympus Medical Products Portugal should have more than 300 employees. However, these numbers will always be adjusted according to market growth.
What profiles are you looking for?
We look for profiles with the potential to grow with the company, empowering the team and investing in the project. In this context, we have many opportunities for operational profiles, namely repair technicians, engineering and logistics, while support sectors such as Finance, Quality and Human Resources are also growing their teams. All opportunities are available on our website in the recruitment sector.
There is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to hiring in 2023. Over a third of companies admitted that they had not yet decided whether to change their headcount, a Mercer survey shows. In your case, is the hiring pace to be maintained, slowed down or frozen…
Olympus in Portugal is in a phase of growth and business expansion, aiming to become one of the most prestige repair centres at the European level. The forecast is for business growth and, consequently, an increase in the number of employees in the coming months. However, these numbers will always be dependent on market growth.
The biggest challenge is the learning time that each new employee needs to start full production. As we repair medical equipment, we need to be very sensitive to the importance of the “zero faults” strategy, so our people have a training period ranging from two weeks to three months. We have an internal team dedicated to the reception and training of new employees.
The talent shortage is a complaint that cuts across several sectors. Have you experienced this difficulty in recruiting? What strategies are you developing to circumvent this issue?
In the case of Olympus, the biggest challenge is the learning time that each new employee needs to start full production. As we repair medical equipment, we need to be very sensitive to the importance of the “zero faults” strategy, so our people have a training period ranging from two weeks to three months. We have an internal team dedicated to the reception and training of new employees, and we try to streamline, as much as possible, the training needs with the operational needs.
Regarding recruitment, the difficulties are similar to those of other companies, but we strongly believe in our brand and the value proposition we present to our employees.
Does being in the Central region work as an added value, or does it create difficulties recruiting people? Do you have any support for people who want to relocate?
The previous Olympus facilities were already established in the region and, taking into account that it is a strategic location in the centre region of Portugal, we chose to stay here and build the new facilities at Coimbra iParque, which is a Science and Technology park.
This region is also an important centre for medical research and health services. It hosts around 20,000 students a year and has a diverse range of universities and institutes of higher education that provide skilled talent in different fields. This is undoubtedly an asset for Olympus and one of the reasons that led us to choose this location.
As for relocation support, we have a policy of analysing with the prospective employee or candidate the best solution for their case.
Olympus offers a hybrid working model to all employees whose duties’ nature allows them to work from home.
After the pandemic, flexibility in terms of the working model has been a requirement for talent. Given Olympus’ activity, how are you working on this issue at the level of work organisation models?
In the current post-pandemic context, the importance of flexibility in the working model and the added value it represents in terms of productivity and team motivation is undeniable. Therefore, Olympus offers a hybrid working model to all employees whose duties’ nature allows them to work from home, thus allowing a better balance between personal and professional life.
Retaining people is another difficulty faced by companies. More than half, says Mercer, have this challenge. What about Olympus?
Olympus is a global leader in medical technology and one of the main employers in Europe, with the distinction of Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute, which recognises good practices in people management and compliance with high ethical standards.
In Coimbra, Olympus offers excellent conditions to its employees, with new facilities of over 15,000 m2. The architectural concept of the building was designed to provide a work environment of interaction and communication, which promotes creativity, cooperation and innovation and, at the same time, offers social areas for employees to recover energy.
The focus on employee development is also a priority. We have designed an initial and continuous training programme in line with individual objectives and a performance evaluation process that allows us to identify real possibilities for career progression locally or internationally.