Today we speak to David Flemming, Sales Account Manager within the Microscopy Business Unit Europe, about his responsibilities and his expertise on the NEXIV Video Measuring Systems.
- Could you please tell us your responsibilities within Nikon Metrology?
I’m responsible for direct sales of our NEXIV video measurement systems in the northern half of Germany, UK and Ireland. My responsibilities include a mix of different tasks: establishing, maintaining, and expanding customer relationships, identifying new business opportunities, and acquiring new customers. This also occasionally includes providing customer service and for larger projects, project management.
- What are the best parts of your job?
I enjoy the complexity and variety of my work and the direct contact with people. Every customer and every project are different. Since I cover a relatively large sales territory, I also deal with many different local peculiarities and customs, which gives my work a special dimension that I greatly appreciate. This is further rounded off positively by the fact that I really appreciate Nikon and its products and can therefore identify well with my work.
- Any anecdote that you would like to share with our readers?
We often experience customer demos where the customer expects the measurements to take several minutes, only to be completely surprised when the measurements are completed in just a few seconds. They then often essentially respond: “What, that’s it?! Have all the measurements really been completed already?” Recently, a customer visited us for a demo. Using his current measurement method, it took him about 10 minutes to measure his component, and he was almost in disbelief when the NEXIV did it in less than 30 seconds.
- You travel to many customer sites. What are the main benefits customers experience from using the NEXIV?
Nikon is a strong brand with over 100 years of tradition and is known throughout the market for its high-quality workmanship. Most of the components of the NEXIV systems are engineered and manufactured in-house at Nikon. The system is therefore seamlessly integrated, optimally coordinated, and a long-term supply of spare parts is guaranteed. To this day, Nikon is one of the few companies that still develops and manufactures its own lenses, encoders, and glass scales in-house. The exceptional longevity of our systems underscores and reflects our commitment to quality.
We meet our customers on an equal footing and usually develop solutions for their application together with them, not just for them. This way, the customer can be confident they’re making the right decision. I always emphasise that Nikon’s commitment doesn’t end with the sale of a system but extends far beyond that. Our customers greatly appreciate this and repeatedly confirm our commitment. It fills me with pride and satisfaction every time a customer is impressed by our results and the solution we’ve developed.
- What sectors & industries can benefit from using it?
The spectrum is fortunately broad, ranging from electronics and semiconductor industries to medical technology, aerospace, automotive and EV battery manufacturing, to consumer goods and supplier industries. This is what makes this job so interesting for me.
- As a Nikon Metrology Sales Account Manager, what is your favourite system feature of NEXIV & why?
Each NEXIV system has unique features and advantages that allow us to optimally meet customer requirements. However, the most versatile system is probably our VMZ-S series, which probably solves 7 out of 10 applications. However, the Confocal NEXIV has impressed me the most with its exceptional optical design and the Nipkow disk. This system enables simultaneous 2D and 3D height measurements of multiple objects within the field of view in one shot, with each pixel receiving precise, individual XY and height (Z) information, which allows overwhelming measurement throughout.
