Sensing the Future of Industry: Omega Engineering

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Omega Engineering and its legacy of innovation is leading the new industrial revolution.

In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis drove the world to the brink of nuclear war. John Glenn broke the bonds of Earth as the first man to orbit the planet. And in a Stamford Connecticut kitchen, a young mother of four pushed the limits of what was possible for American women.

At a time when women in industry were unwelcome in the C-suite, largely confined to production lines and clerical jobs, Betty Ruth Hollander’s foresight, drive, and business acumen transformed her husband’s genius for invention into a commercial powerhouse.

After 49 successful years it was time to turn over the reins—in 2011, Betty Ruth Hollander and her husband Milton sold the company to British industrial measurement firm, Spectris Ltd.

Today, Omega Engineering is a world leader in the manufacture and direct distribution of sensing and monitoring equipment and a pioneer in developing accessible continuing education for technical specialists and engineers.

Welcome to the World of Omega

Innovations in aerospace, aviation, automotive, pharmaceutical, and other industries would be virtually impossible without Omega’s cutting-edge process measurement and control technologies. Its sensing products measure and control a full range of environmental influences from temperature and humidity to pressure, strain, force, flow, level, pH, and conductivity.

Researchers and manufacturers trust Omega Engineering for their prowess in creating custom engineered testing equipment, including a broad range of sensors, wireless connectivity, and the know-how to help connect these systems. Omega’s products are making the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) possible with data acquisition and automation equipment.

Ask an engineer, and they’ll tell you how Omega’s commitment to technical education has helped shape the industry.

From the beginning, manufacturers of highly engineered products and systems have included operating literature with their products. Omega Engineering broadened that scope by creating and curating a legendary technical reference library that has supported process equipment engineers for decades. And, like their sensors and components that power progress, that library is as vital now as it was in the beginning.

We think that’s fitting for a company named Omega.

Refining the Digital Experience

Omega’s online presence has long-enabled customers to find products with ease, which is no small feat for a company whose product lines encompass over 100,000 items. Now, the Norwalk, CT-based firm is undergoing a digital transformation that will support its customers’ engineering and purchasing journey.

“This transformation will allow us to better support and engage our customers from an end-to-end perspective regardless of the way they interact with us,” said Joe Vorih, who took the reins as President last year. “A state-of-the-art technology investment will allow our customers to better select and configure product and receive the engineering expertise that they have come to rely upon from Omega, more efficiently over a variety of platforms.”

Omega Engineering’s orientation as a technical partner and advisor is one aspect of its work that has enriched the customer experience from the first interaction.

“Customers have consistently turned to Omega for expertise in sensing and monitoring. Our catalogs, application engineers, and web experience are notable examples of that,” Vorih continued. “That role will continue to progress as Omega enhances the digital delivery of that expertise.”

“Any company can provide product online,” shared Greg Wright, Omega CMO and VP of Sales & Marketing. “However, Omega is in a unique position to provide expertise through a variety of digital and other platforms.”

Omega and the New Industrial Revolution

German academics and industry leaders have termed the radical shift in industrial automation Industry 4.0.

“Industry 4.0 consolidates advances in sensors and communications already underway,” the company shared. “It’s a coordinated program directed towards the development and deployment of ‘smart’ devices.”

Those concepts include the consumer and industrial IoT, machine-to-machine communication, IPv6, RFID, cloud computing, and data mining.

“The industrial world is quickly moving into a connected monitoring space,” Vorih confirmed. “Omega is positioned to serve the ever-growing demand of customers who want sensing data and even prescriptive sensing related analytics at their fingertips wherever they are.”

Said Wright, “Omega has a deep understanding of sensing and is building a power cloud-based service offering in conjunction with Spectris to better service this demand.”

The President emphatically agreed.

“Omega historically has built its value on providing customers sensing expertise in unique ways and through revolutionary channels. Omega is poised to continue to offer this expertise through new and innovative platforms as the market demands,” he stated.

As in every business segment, Omega’s customers are expecting near-instantaneous speed in today’s “faster, cheaper, better” climate. The company reports seeing massive changes in the way its customers interact with the brand in the digital space.

“B2B customers are now doing an average of 12 internet searches before they engage with a brand.  Seventy-two percent of B2B buyers are now watching a video online as part of their purchasing journey,” Wright revealed. “This has dramatically impacted how we are positioning ourselves digitally and the type of customer facing content we create and curate.”

Omega Engineering is working to meet customer demands in the connected world.

“The fast-moving climate is a notable challenge for everyone in the industry, one that presents unique opportunities. The biggest challenge in this area is just keeping up with the pace of change,” said Vorih.

“In strategy, this forces us to think about the future as we make decisions, rather than just today. To remain competitive, we need to keep our vision focused on the horizon.”

Filling the Talent Gap 

As senior workforces everywhere begin to retire, the ensuing talent gap is causing no shortage of concern. We asked Vorih how these changes are reshaping Omega’s workforce.

“This is a huge issue across the board in the United States,” he replied. “Over 10,000 members of the baby boomer generation are retiring each day, and being replaced by the millennial generation.”

“This new generation is much more focused on a collaborative work experience where they can find meaning and mission in their work. Omega is focused on filling its employee funnel with bright new talent and giving them both the career pathing and meaning behind their work.”

A Word from the Founder

Speaking to Industry Week magazine in 1985, Betty Ruth Hollander put a fine point on her feelings about her Omega journey, and we think her words are more relevant today than ever.

“No matter what the size of the company, everyone has to know everything. You have to know the pulse. It's exciting.”