Presented by Sandy Gray.

When COVID-19 hit, and the local medical community looked to Gekko to design ventilators as a back-up plan, the design and projects team realised that their core competencies and capabilities, developed over 25 years in the mining supply sector, were ideally suited to this challenge.

Technologically Gekko’s world class capability in hydraulics, pneumatics and control systems meant it could design a unit from first principles both using a very limited supply chain and creating new components where necessary.

But rapid innovation requires much more than design. Other cultural, relational, and reputational factors played a key role. These included a cultural focus on teamwork, resilience and proactive collaboration using the company’s manifesto of “smarter together”. Deep learning and experience in design thinking assisted with a focus on agility, flexibility, client focus and rapid minimum viable product prototyping. All these capabilities had been forged in the fires of innovation success and failures in the mining supply sector.

Pivoting, to become the first Australian company to successfully develop and receive permission to manufacture an invasive ventilator for COVID-19 by the TGA, has enhanced and strengthened the culture, generated pride inside Gekko and the community, strengthened and grown their networks and reputation and taught the team what it is capable of.

Gekko’s mission of “transforming mining and the environment” continues to drive innovation with a focus on energy efficiency and digital instrumentation and analytics in mining as well as diversification into bioenergy through the company’s Gaia division. Maintaining a focus on competencies such as proactive collaboration and using design thinking methodologies continues to be at the core of the innovation program.