By the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation

Evolution Through Innovation

It’s almost impossible to imagine how businesses operated 10, 20, 30+ years ago without any of the everyday technology we’ve become accustomed to. Imagine the manufacturing industry without automation and computers. The same process that currently takes a few hours probably took a couple days.

Companies that have survived the years and years of evolution all have one major component in common: innovation. They aren’t afraid to alter the way they do business in favor of trying new concepts and adapting to new technology. In fact, Santa Clarita Valley is home to a perfect example of a company that learned to adjust and grow to continue dominating their industry.

Paving the Way – Staying on Top of the Industry

Remo, Inc. is is the world’s leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years and chances are they provide the equipment used by your favorite bands, from Muse’s Dominic Howard to Stewart Copeland of The Police.

So how have they stayed so relevant and dominant in the entertainment industry, notorious for its rapidly changing landscape that can drop a business overnight? It starts with identifying needs and trends before the customers do.

Driving Innovation – Proactively Seeking Change

A major issue in just about any industry is resistance to change, whether that’s on the business/employee side of not wanting to deal with a challenge, or from the customer who is set in their ways. But in a world where upgrades can happen yearly, new technology pops up daily, and an app launch can change workflow overnight, more and more companies are discovering that innovation is the only way to keep from dying out.

In its sixty-plus years of business, Remo has always sought after “a better way” to keep ahead of its competition They were the first to introduce a synthetic replacement for calfskin drumheads back in 1957, which saved countless animals, not to mention resolved the issue of drumhead responsiveness to weather conditions.

Most recently, they patented a technology to print graphics directly onto drumheads which allows them to provide the same quality sound across all drum offerings as those without images, when previously a special process was required to produce a similar sound.

The moral of the story? If you want to reach the top of your industry, be the one driving change, not the one always playing catch up.

Location is Still King

Aside from consistently pushing to new levels of growth, one thing Remo has been open about is their decision to move from North Hollywood to the Santa Clarita Valley. Making the short move about 45 minutes north of Los Angeles allowed them to consolidate their operations under one roof from the seven smaller buildings they previously used. They also saved $1 million annually in production and other associated costs, retaining more than 99% of their employees due in part to the high quality of life SCV is known for.

If you’re ready to take your advanced manufacturing business to the next level and join some of the top companies in the industry, we’ve compiled the top resources for growing here in California. Learn more about:

-5 Top Challenges in Manufacturing (and how they can become opportunities)

-California Resources and Incentives (to help manufacturing companies succeed)

-6 Key Factors to Consider when Selecting the Right Location (that suits your short-term and long-term needs)

Download a free copy of Strategic Methods to Accelerate Your Manufacturing Business in California today.