{"id":21027,"date":"2016-11-03T16:22:53","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T23:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=21027"},"modified":"2016-11-14T15:16:04","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T23:16:04","slug":"difference-maker-spotlight-cartridge-worlds-steve-weedon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/2016\/11\/difference-maker-spotlight-cartridge-worlds-steve-weedon\/","title":{"rendered":"Difference Maker Spotlight: Cartridge World\u2019s Steve Weedon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"steve-weedon\"

Steve Weedon<\/p><\/div>\n

Cartridge World\u2019s Global CEO, Steve Weedon, says that he began pursuing a career in emerging industries after a four-year electrical engineering apprenticeship. He was living in the United Kingdom at the time, and he notes that by the early 1970s Xerox patents on xerography were fast running out and many Japanese companies were preparing new technologies to enter the copier business. \u201cI joined Nashua Copycat who had a range of zinc oxide-coated paper machines and who had partnered with Ricoh to launch their first plain paper copier,\u201d he recalls. \u201cThese analogue-based machines were full of cams and switches and were only ever as good as the engineer fixing them. Nashua\u2019s progress was slow and another German-backed OEM, Kalle Infotec, approached me to join them in their technical operations unit.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds wryly: \u201cI have never figured out if I was in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time, but I enjoyed the rapid rise of Kalle Infotec over a 10-year period.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the last 30 years, the majority of Weedon\u2019s positions have involved extensive global travel. He says it might seem glamorous, but it really isn\u2019t. \u201cI\u2019m usually collected by taxi in the early hours to head for the Charlotte airport to a connecting flight and then usually a long haul flight for 12 hours or more,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s good reading and thinking time. Some of my best decisions were made thinking things through on long haul flights.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds: \u201cThe Static Control acquisition idea is a good example. But airlines don\u2019t get any better. Delays have become part of the norm, security lines keep getting longer, and the jet lag never gets any easier to overcome when you get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he actually does manage to spend time in the office, Weedon\u2019s days include catching up with his colleagues via video conferencing. He says this begins around 8 a.m. with his Asian colleagues, and then moves to Europe, the USA and culminates with Australia. He notes that the latter is 14 and a half hours ahead, so as they start their new day, he closes his with a glass of cabernet sauvignon. \u201cThere are calls and emails in between and a review of the daily reports and metrics,\u201d he adds. \u201c\u2018Did I make something happen today?\u2019 is usually my last thought on closing the office door. Sometimes I smile because I did and sometimes I kick myself, cursing that I had to do better tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weedon\u2019s self-critical nature is evident when discussing personal salutations as well. When asked what it felt like to be recognized by his peers as an ENX Magazine<\/em> Difference Maker, he replied that it was a tough question to answer because he never really thought about it before. He maintains that he does not come to work every day expecting to win accolades or awards. \u201cI am far more interested in developing the brand and building success one inch at a time, but when accolades or recognition come along, then I grab hold with both hands and accept with some humility remembering that I alone could not have achieved that much,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the people you surround yourself with, the talent, the passion, and the relentless drive to always improve. I have had some great people around me over the years. So my feelings to be offered peer recognition as a Difference Maker, is one of pride and humility, mixed.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for colleagues who made a difference in his professional life, Weedon gives credit to Sedge Thomas, the Director of Technology at Kalle Infotec, who saw something in him and took him under his wing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you are young and starting out and are in that unconscious incompetent stage we all need someone to put us on the right path,\u201d he says. \u201cHe was a great mentor and I will always be grateful for that.\u201d Weedon also credits Ed Swartz, the late owner of Static Control Components. \u201cHe was a larger than life figure-head of Static Control who never suffered fools very easily, but who had the passion to succeed like no one else I have met,\u201d he says. \u201cI learned a great deal from him over 18 years. Sadly, both are no longer with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the subject turns to the best advice he ever received, Weedon\u2019s self-deprecating humor is on full display. He recalls that many years ago, he was asked to give a keynote speech at the Diamond conference, where he was introduced as an expert. \u201cI puffed out my chest, maybe a bit too much, gave an OK speech and as I was stepping down from the podium to generous applause, an older guy got up from his chair to shake my hand, saying, \u2018Steve, you do know what an \u2018expert\u2019 is don\u2019t ya?\u2019 I had a blank look on my face, and he said, \u2018An ex is a has-been, and a spurt is a drip under pressure.\u2019 To me his words spoke volumes and I have always since tried not to get too big for my britches.\u201d<\/p>\n

2016 has been a busy year for Weedon, traveling the globe to meet as many Cartridge World franchisees as he can. He explains that these are small business owners who grapple with the changing technologies and industry dynamics every day. \u201cSomewhat lost and disillusioned and demoralized, the global Cartridge World franchise network needed leadership to explain the vision, new direction and new initiatives like PrintWorld,\u201d he says. \u201cThey also needed to see the new branded, higher quality products landed to their door at far lower costs, in order for them to become more profitable. I am happy to say that now we have an energized franchise network ready to expand and attract new franchise investors. This has been a major accomplishment in 2016.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weedon maintains that the work must continue through 2017. He says that there is always room for improvement, but notes that the focus will be the launch of PrintWorld\u2122 mobile printing stations in free Wi-Fi locations. \u201cThis concept will attract mobile workers who need and want mobile printing and scanning convenience,\u201d he explains. \u201cPrintWorld\u2122 will be placed in coffee shops, airports, shopping malls, hotels, exhibition centers, restaurants, Regus offices, libraries, and many other similar sites.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the state of the aftermarket supplies market, Weedon notes that there used to be OEMs and what were called pirates. He recalls that the aftermarket was once referred to as \u201copportunistic pirates\u201d or parasites that fed off the OEM\u2019s installed MIF base. \u201cAftermarket parts and supplies, provided first by Katun Corp and then many others, opened up chances for copier dealers to make more profits,\u201d he points out. \u201cSingle-line OEM dealers quickly became dual OEM dealers to offset the pressure and inter-dependence. Cost per copy programs, three months in advance lease terms, and minimum billing became the norm. Analogue machines needed copier engineers and the \u201cout of service\u201d signs placed on top of the copier became the butt of office jokes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weedon also notes that when the financial crisis of 2008-2009 hit, boardrooms began emphasizing cost savings over expansion. MPS was an answer for many companies and OEMs reacted quickly to protect their machine base from MPS predators. \u201cOEMs needed the pirates for all-in-one cartridges to support MPS contracted machines that were not their own,\u201d he says. \u201cPirates became big pirates. OEMs split to survive and prosper. Lexmark agreed to sell to a \u201cpirate\u201d who is now legitimate, successful, global, and stock market listed. HP took out Samsung\u2019s print division. More pirates went public and were ready to make acquisitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adds Weedon: \u201cThe demarcation lines between OEM and aftermarket has now faded as it melds into one huge industry. Hard copy print is here to stay. The technology used will continue to change and will continue to present challenges to the industry. OEMs always underestimate the talent and the investment dollars that aftermarket companies have. It\u2019s a mistake. The future means more change and more challenges but it is full of opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

As busy as he is, Weedon still manages to find time for the favorite person in his life. \u201cDate nights out with my beautiful wife to a good restaurant with good wine is the best,\u201d He says. Then he adds: \u201cTo relax, I paint in oils. They\u2019re not that good but my wife says she likes them, hangs them up for a while and then they disappear into the attic. I pretend not to notice and chuckle inside.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cartridge World\u2019s Global CEO, Steve Weedon, says that he began pursuing a career in emerging industries after a four-year electrical engineering apprenticeship. He was living in the United Kingdom at the time, and he notes that by the early 1970s Xerox patents on xerography were fast running out and many Japanese companies were preparing new technologies to enter the copier business. \u201cI joined Nashua Copycat who had a range of zinc oxide-coated paper machines and who had partnered with Ricoh to launch their first plain paper copier,\u201d he recalls. \u201cThese analogue-based machines were full of cams and switches and were only ever as good as the engineer fixing them. Nashua\u2019s progress was slow and another German-backed OEM, Kalle Infotec, approached me to join them in their technical operations unit.\u201d He adds wryly: \u201cI have never figured out if I was in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time, but I enjoyed the rapid rise of Kalle Infotec over a 10-year period.\u201d For the last 30 years, the majority of Weedon\u2019s positions have involved extensive global travel. He says it might seem glamorous, but it really isn\u2019t. \u201cI\u2019m usually collected by taxi in the early hours to head for the Charlotte airport to a connecting flight and then usually a long haul flight for 12 hours or more,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s good reading and thinking time. Some of my best decisions were made thinking things through on long haul flights.\u201d He adds: \u201cThe Static Control acquisition idea is a good example. But airlines don\u2019t get any better. Delays have become part of the norm, security lines keep getting longer, and the jet lag never gets any easier to overcome when you get back.\u201d When he actually does manage to spend time in the office, Weedon\u2019s days include catching up with his colleagues via video conferencing. He says this begins around 8 a.m. with his Asian colleagues, and then moves to Europe, the USA and culminates with Australia. He notes that the latter is 14 and a half hours ahead, so as they start their new day, he closes his with a glass of cabernet sauvignon. \u201cThere are calls and emails in between and a review of the daily reports and metrics,\u201d he adds. \u201c\u2018Did I make something happen today?\u2019 is usually my last thought on closing the office door. Sometimes I smile because I did and sometimes I kick myself, cursing that I had to do better tomorrow.\u201d Weedon\u2019s self-critical nature is evident when discussing personal salutations as well. When asked what it felt like to be recognized by his peers as an ENX Magazine Difference Maker, he replied that it was a tough question to answer because he never really thought about it before. He maintains that he does not come to work every day expecting to win accolades or awards. \u201cI am far more interested in developing the brand and building success one inch at a time, but when accolades or recognition come along, then I grab hold with both hands and accept with some humility remembering that I alone could not have achieved that much,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the people you surround yourself with, the talent, the passion, and the relentless drive to always improve. I have had some great people around me over the years. So my feelings to be offered peer recognition as a Difference Maker, is one of pride and humility, mixed.\u201d As for colleagues who made a difference in his professional life, Weedon gives credit to Sedge Thomas, the Director of Technology at Kalle Infotec, who saw something in him and took him under his wing. \u201cWhen you are young and starting out and are in that unconscious incompetent stage we all need someone to put us on the right path,\u201d he says. \u201cHe was a great mentor and I will always be grateful for that.\u201d Weedon also credits Ed Swartz, the late owner of Static Control Components. \u201cHe was a larger than life figure-head of Static Control who never suffered fools very easily, but who had the passion to succeed like no one else I have met,\u201d he says. \u201cI learned a great deal from him over 18 years. Sadly, both are no longer with us.\u201d When the subject turns to the best advice he ever received, Weedon\u2019s self-deprecating humor is on full display. He recalls that many years ago, he was asked to give a keynote speech at the Diamond conference, where he was introduced as an expert. \u201cI puffed out my chest, maybe a bit too much, gave an OK speech and as I was stepping down from the podium to generous applause, an older guy got up from his chair to shake my hand, saying, \u2018Steve, you do know what an \u2018expert\u2019 is don\u2019t ya?\u2019 I had a blank look on my face, and he said, \u2018An ex is a has-been, and a spurt is a drip under pressure.\u2019 To me his words spoke volumes and I have always since tried not to get too big for my britches.\u201d 2016 has been a busy year for Weedon, traveling the globe to meet as many Cartridge World franchisees as he can. He explains that these are small business owners who grapple with the changing technologies and industry dynamics every day. \u201cSomewhat lost and disillusioned and demoralized, the global Cartridge World franchise network needed leadership to explain the vision, new direction and new initiatives like PrintWorld,\u201d he says. \u201cThey also needed to see the new branded, higher quality products landed to their door at far lower costs, in order for them to become more profitable. I am happy to say that now we have an energized franchise network ready to expand and attract new franchise investors. This has been a major accomplishment in 2016.\u201d Weedon maintains that the work must continue through 2017. He says that there is always room for improvement, but notes that the focus will be the launch of PrintWorld\u2122 mobile […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":18069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1649,1638],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21027"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21027"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21096,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21027\/revisions\/21096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}