When the provincially funded Ontario Centre for Microelectronics shut down, Michel Jullian seized his own fate and launched OCM Manufacturing in 1988. Since then, the company has grown into a provider of electronics manufacturing and related services to small and mid-size companies in North America and Europe, surviving downturns and the inevitable swings in technology. The 54-year-old remains president and CEO, dividing his time between work, family, and his keen interest in racing. Mr. Jullian drives a Van Diemen RF 85 in the Formula Ford regional championships and races a two-seater Sports 2000. He is also a keen cyclist and do-it-yourselfer. His family includes wife Gillian, son Philippe, 23, and daughter Madeline, 19. Mr. Jullian completed his bachelor's degree in Paris and holds a master's degree and a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Manitoba. Before founding OCM, he served as product development manager at the Ontario Centre for Microelectronics, which the government of Ontario created to foster chip-manufacturing capabilities, and held various positions in design engineering at the Industrial Applications of Microelectronics Centre in Winnipeg, Man. and in France. He also taught software engineering and microprocessing in Canada and the Philippines. His professional work also includes seats on the board of advisors of the Ottawa Manufacturers' Network, the board of directors of the Innovators' Alliance and a membership with the Canadian Electronics Association. Responsibilities As CEO and president, I oversee all marketing, business development and finance functions. I am becoming less and less involved in the operations aspect of the company as our vice-president of manufacturing, George Henning, takes on more of these responsibilities. Major clients "Essentially, we sell to small and mid-size companies. We specialize in low-to-medium volume high-mix electronic manufacturing. We have a couple of customers in Europe, but most of our business is in Canada and the U.S. We have clients in all sectors, including consumer products, automotive, medical, transportation, instrumentation and oil and gas. Most recent major achievement We created a successful business model in China with a partner in July. We transitioned some of our higher volume clients' products to the Chinese operation. We are giving small and mid-size companies access to low-cost Chinese labour, but we oversee the quality to North American standards. We are a full-service manufacturer with a partner in China. Biggest success Surviving 20 years in business through several recessions. I'm a survivor. Biggest mistake Early in my career, I pinned my hopes on a contract before it was signed. It was a costly mistake because we hired several people ahead of the contract. But I learned from that not to get too excited about something before it has actually happened. Mentor Karl Mayer, my boss at the Ontario Centre for Microelectronics. He encouraged me to build a private business when the centre was closing. Favourite saying If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well. Favourite website OCM Manufacturing. Our website has grown over the last two or three years through our communications experts. We see a lot of traffic and more and more business going to it. Favourite book The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken (Harper Collins, 1993) I'm a closet environmentalist. Paul Hawken is the guy who says that what is important in business is what you make, what you take and what you waste. I am becoming more and more sensitized to greening business in general. There are many things that businesses can do to reduce their carbon footprint. Even in electronic manufacturing, where it is not very large, it can be reduced. We are actively pursuing this in my company. We have been paperless for several years now and try to look at every aspect of the business operation to do better. What do you like about Ottawa? It's a peaceful, mid-size city. I can do a lot of cycling here. I live in Aylmer and like the ties between Ottawa and Gatineau. From a business perspective, Ottawa is a shop full of innovative products, and products need strong manufacturing to reach the market successfully, so, from that standpoint, we are well positioned. What do you dislike about Ottawa? Very often, it thinks it is smaller than it is. If you include Gatineau, the National Capital Region includes almost a million people. The transit, light-rail issue should have been settled years ago. Of course we need mass transit. We are one million people. What is your business philosophy? Work hard, stay frugal, have fun. What is your life philosophy? Life is a journey. Enjoy the trip. There is no terminal station. What is the state of your industry? It's difficult to brush the industry in one stroke. I can say that OCM is growing. As we're growing, we know that there is business out there. More and more people see outsourcing as a trust-strategy decision and that's good for us. We see more and more that vertically structured businesses are outmoded today. Among the companies we deal with, many of their investors are pressuring them to outsource. What is the state of the local economy? I see the small and mid-size sector in Ottawa growing. After the high-tech bomb, the local economy has transferred from large players to more small and mid-size businesses. All levels of government should recognize this and support small, mid-size and emerging businesses. What is your advice to young business people? If you want to start a business, you have to be in it for the long haul. Success rarely happens overnight. True entrepreneurship is rewarding, but it's hard work and not always glamorous. You have to watch your spending, motivate others to care about the business, work hard and be frugal.
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