Young entrepreneur Javier Ruiz has been lucky enough to fulfil many dreams already; he has married the love of his life, studied aviation and got licensed as a Commercial Pilot by the FAA, and enjoyed a successful career as an Industrial Engineer. He has experienced life in the US, Ireland, and Mexico.
Javier now lives in Adelaide and brings his creative mind to the South Australian success story Minelab. The South Australian Business Chamber member and a division of Codan Limited, Minelab is an undisputed leader in metal and mine detectors sold across the globe. Minelab products can be found in Australia, but also available in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and are sold in over 150 countries.
As a process engineer and the South Australian Business Chamber South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme (SAYES) participant, Javier understands that product development starts with carefully identifying the problem and then creating an innovative solution to solve it.
“Ideally, your solution will be so good that once your clients experience it, they won’t want to be without it,” says Javier.
Minelab Procurement and Manufacturing Engineering Manager Lilian Choo says that Javier’s creative mind set him apart from the other applicants for his role.
“Javier is very passionate about his work. Although he is very technical, he is also very aware of the entire engineering process. I believe this is his entrepreneurial mind at work. He thinks about the cost and makes it easy for the manufacturing operators.
“He’s already surprised us with his incredible insight, during his interview he suggested alterations to one particular fixture that would enable it to support a second process in the manufacturing operations. He thinks more holistically about the processes from the front to the end to ensure it is as seamless as possible.”
Upon arriving in Australia in 2019, Javier’s natural curiosity as an entrepreneur led him to question the gap between the in-store service provided by tech retailers and the manufacturer’s guarantee, which only kicks in when/if a device malfunctions.
“In consumer electronics, there is a huge gap in service. There is no one to help the client after the purchase, to help install or set up the device, perform troubleshooting tasks, or even provide assistance if the customer doesn’t know how to use the product to begin with.
“That is why our tech support service business, TechPals Australia, was born alongside my friend and business partner Ross Pascale. TechPals provides affordable tech support services to anyone, anywhere in Adelaide, and as our business grows, anywhere in Australia.
Javier sought to strengthen his entrepreneurial spirit through the South Australian Business Chamber’s SAYES program because of “its consistent track record of providing the right tools for creating successful, high growth, high performing businesses.”
“SAYES has taught me what a great business needs, and I will have that mindset for life.
“When the opportunity to join Minelab came up, I didn’t want to miss the chance to be part of such a great business. In business and life, opportunities are only lost if you let them slip away. It’s all up to you.
“I am proud to be part of a group of companies that has grown from three Uni friends working together in an Adelaide workshop. Codan Group is now a leader in state-of-the-art communication and metal detection technology across the world. This job is a life-changing experience, since the people working in it are as professional and intelligent as they come.
“I know that my new role as a Manufacturing Process Engineer at Minelab is a welcome new challenge. Being part of the team at Minelab and founding TechPals are two more things I’ll always carry with me, no matter what comes next. ”
