Why to work with us
Our people are united in helping restore movement for patients: to restore the eMotion of Motion.
Our Voices
We look for employees who are passionate, willing to develop themselves, and have a customer-oriented mindset. LimaCorporate provides opportunities, but individuals need to be committed to their personal and professional growth.
Meet
Our People
Meet Karl Shim, Country Manager, Lima Korea
Hi Karl, can you introduce yourself? What's your name, where are you from, and what's your job role inside LimaCorporate?
Hi, my name is Karl Shim. Actually, this is my English nickname, my Korean name is Kyu Ho, but this is a little difficult to pronounce for foreigners, so my senior colleague at my first job told me that I needed to use an easy-sounding English name. My Korean name starts with the letter 'K,' so I chose Karl since it sounds like 'car,’ which I like.
What is your current role at LimaCorporate?
I am the country manager of Lima Korea since 2023. Before that, I was the marketing manager of Lima Korea. To be honest, I have been in sales and marketing for about twenty-five years. But, yes, the country manager deals with all aspects: finance, logistics, regulations, and everything else. It's been a few months since I started this job, and every day is a challenge, but I'm very interested in these new challenges. My goal in this position is to make Lima Korea a better place to work.
How many people are working in your team right now?
Lima Korea's team is composed of 13 people, including me. We have two marketing professionals, two financial professionals, four logisticians, and four sales representatives.
You were a marketing manager. Can you talk about your career in LimaCorporate?
I joined Lima Korea in 2019 as a marketing manager. In that role, I was in charge of marketing, medical education, regulatory, and clinical trials. Before that, there was no marketing position in our organization. As a result, a market survey and positioning surveillance were conducted, and long-term strategies were developed.
Can you talk about your educational background? What brought you to work in this industry?
As a high school student, I was interested in new technologies, which led me to biotechnology. After graduating, I tried to join a biotechnology company, but my first job was as a sales representative for a company that was active in the field of medical technology. Over the years, I worked for several medical device companies before joining LimaCorporate. LimaCorporate is not as big as some of its competitors, but it offers innovative products and a different corporate culture, which I find attractive. It is also my first time working for a European company, and there are a lot of cultural differences between European companies and the others.
Can you describe your typical workday?
Every day, I meet with customers, colleagues, and my team. I check my emails and to-do list in the morning. As I need to manage various aspects of my role, my schedule is often filled with meetings. I try to listen to my customers’ voices directly, and I am always willing to meet them every day.
What tasks challenge you the most?
Every day is a challenge, given the fast-moving market and evolving regulations. Adapting to new environments and HQ guidelines can also be challenging. It’s vital to stay updated on regulations and market dynamics.
Is there an interesting project you’re currently working on?
Yes, I’m working on a project related to robot-assisted systems in Korea. High-technology companies are providing these systems, and I’m collaborating with a local Korean company to develop solutions that work with LimaCorporate products.
Do you work with teams from HQ?
Yes, I work with various teams from HQ, including global marketing, clinical affairs, regulatory affairs, and project management teams. Collaboration is essential in my role.
How has your career at LimaCorporate enabled you to grow your skills?
Working at LimaCorporate has allowed me to gain valuable experience and continuously develop my skills. The company provides opportunities for growth, and my role allows me to explore new areas, such as the robot-assisted system project.
How do you feel about LimaCorporate’s heritage and Italian design and engineering experience?
I find it fascinating that LimaCorporate has over 75 years of experience in design, engineering, and manufacturing. This heritage sets us apart from competitors and gives us a strong clinical background. Italian design and engineering add to our product’s appeal, but it’s essential to focus on gaining a more significant market share.
In your area, does being Italian make a significant difference when interacting with customers?
While cultures may differ, people’s minds are generally similar. Customer-oriented thinking is crucial, and the ability to connect with customers and understand their needs is more important than nationality.
You visited the HQ. How was the visit? Did it help you feel more connected to LimaCorporate's history?
Visiting HQ was a great experience. It helped me feel more connected to LimaCorporate’s history and appreciate the company’s culture and values.
What characteristics do you look for in potential employees at LimaCorporate?
We look for employees who are passionate, willing to develop themselves, and have a customer-oriented mindset. LimaCorporate provides opportunities, but individuals need to be committed to their personal and professional growth.
What are you passionate about outside of work? What are your hobbies?
Outside of work, I am passionate about healthcare and the medical device industry. My work is connected to my personal interests and values.
If you could do any other job, what would you do and why?
I believe my path is aligned with the healthcare industry and that it’s where I can make a meaningful impact. Therefore, I don’t see myself in any other field.
Meet Norman Püst, Marketing Manager DACH
Hi Norman, can you introduce yourself? What’s your name, where are you from, and what is your current job?
Hello, everyone. I am Norman Püst, born and raised in Hamburg, located in the north of Germany, where I still live today. Currently, I am the Marketing Manager for the DACH area, and I am therefore responsible for overseeing operations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Can you give us some background on your education? How did your working career develop?
After graduating from high school, I undertook a commercial apprenticeship as a forwarding agent. I worked in this field for a few years before switching to sales. About 15 years ago, I started my career in MedTech as a salesperson, and I quickly realized that I had an obvious talent for sales. I worked successfully in sales for several companies before venturing into marketing to learn that side of the business as well. Here, I harnessed my sales experience to make positive contributions and continued to develop professionally.
What were the main influences on your career choice?
What attracted me to this career was the opportunity to take on the responsibility of providing high-tech products to improve the lives of patients. I was also drawn by the prospects of interacting with customers, colleagues, suppliers and other business partners in the market.
How long have you been working at LimaCorporate? Before your current role, have you held other positions within LimaCorporate?
I joined LimaCorporate in February 2019 as the DACH Senior Product Manager for Extremities. Since January 2023, I have been assigned the role of Marketing Manager responsible for the DACH region.
Can you tell us what a typical day looks like for you?
What I love most about my job is the versatility it entails. It has many facets, such as customer visits, sales and marketing meetings, organizing and conducting trainings (both internally and externally), identifying, building, and managing Key Opinion Leaders (KOL-Management), and keeping abreast of market intelligence. Being responsible for three countries, traveling and meeting different people in different places is part of my daily routine, and I like that a lot.
What challenges have you faced in your role?
The daily challenges in the ever-changing and highly competitive orthopedics market environment are many and varied. The most important thing a manager can learn is the art of deploying the right employees to the right positions at the right time and with the right motivation and mindset. At the same time, it is pivotal to challenge them and allow them to develop their skills.
How has your career at LimaCorporate allowed you to develop your skills?
LimaCorporate has always trusted me and given me the freedom to develop. The people I work with always give valuable feedback and that has been instrumental in the course of my professional development.
Who do you collaborate with outside of LimaCorporate? (ex surgeons, suppliers..)
I maintain close and regular communication with the KOLs, in addition to collaborating with external suppliers and congress organizations. And of course, I also closely engage with prospective colleagues to help them integrate successfully into the LimaCorporate family.
LimaCorporate is committed to continually transforming orthopedics for patients. What does that mean to you?
For me, it means improving patients’ medical outcomes through both proven and innovative products and solutions. Education and training on the use of our established products play a significant role in restoring the eMotion of Motion. My team and I love helping surgeons, users, and, most importantly, patients in achieving better medical results.
What are your proudest achievements at LimaCorporate?
Over the years, I have come to learn that people really make a difference. I am really lucky to work with my colleagues. We stand together and help each other – we are the LimaCorporate family!
What do you see as the main difference between LimaCorporate and its competitors?
Compared to all our competitors in a fiercely competitive market, we´re small. Yet we are smart and agile, and we have the best-in-class products.
What do you love about what you do?
Everything. I’m not even joking.
How does your work contribute to LimaCorporate’s goal of restoring the eMotion of Motion in patients?
We are on the field. This means that we are the ones bringing LimaCorporate’s products to the patients. I am very honored to be part of this.
Can you please describe the LimaCorporate culture in three words?
Passionate, motivated and people-focused.
Is there anything that surprised you when you joined LimaCorporate?
I was surprised by the highly professional yet very familiar working environment I found here in LimaCorporate. It made a lasting impression on me.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I love cycling. The eMotion of Motion never stops.
In an alternative life, what would be your profession?
I don’t like to think about what could have been. I´m happy with my current life.
Which teams do you work with at LimaCorporate?
In my current role, I work closely with individuals from different departments across different countries. The close exchange between sales and marketing is particularly important to me. But the links to clinical research, MedEd and R&D are also crucial. And of course, the close connection and regular exchange with our HQ in San Daniele is of immense importance.
Meet John Oakley, General Manager at Lima Lima Orthopaedics New Zealand
Hi John, can you introduce yourself?
Hello everyone, my name is John Oakley and I am from New Zealand. I started working for LimaCorporate in 2003 as a sales representative for the local distributor when Lima New Zealand wasn't even born. In May 2009 I was appointed General Manager of the newly created Lima Orthopedics New Zealand, a role I still hold today. From 2015 to 2019 I have been appointed GM of Lima Australia. Outside of work, I am happily married with 4 grown up sons.
Can you give us some background on your education and career?
I graduated from Massey University in December 1982. I was working in marketing for a New Zealand company in 1985 when I resigned and got a one-way ticket to London. I met my wife there and we lived in London and played together on the international squash circuit for 7 years until we moved back to New Zealand in 1992.
What were the main influences on your career choice?
I came into orthopaedics by chance. When I came back from London I met someone who offered me a job in New Zealand, I went to Brisbane and met Sam Scott Young who invited me to train in California with a company that specialised in spinal surgery. I liked the business so I got involved. I had a marketing and sales background and all the people I met during the training told me that orthopaedic sales was one of the hardest jobs in the world because you have to deal with orthopaedic surgeons and have a lot of product knowledge. But I relished the challenge and here I am more than 20 years later. I can tell you that I have enjoyed every part of it and I feel very fortunate to be paid to do a job that I love.
Have you had other roles at LimaCorporte?
When I started in 2003, I was a sales representative. In 2009 I became GM for the newly created Lima Orthopedics New Zealand. From 2015 to 2019 I was General Manager of Lima Australia and Lima New Zealand and then in May 2019 I was reappointed as GM of Lima Orthopedics New Zealand. I haven't had any other roles in LimaCorporate, but being a GM means wearing a lot of different hats. I've been an HR manager, a sales and marketing manager, and I oversee the operations department. I haven't had any formal titles within Lima NZ, but I think being a GM requires knowledge of all areas of the business.
Can you tell us what a typical day looks like for you?
This is a really interesting question. Even though I am a GM, I still enjoy being in the OR, so I spend 2/3 days a week in the OR assisting with cases. In New Zealand we probably have 70/80 regular clients who have bought us in for hip and shoulder cases. I know many of these surgeons very well as I was the one who introduced them to LimaCorporate and I still enjoy going into the OR with them. Apart from the 2 or 3 days in the OR, I regularly spend time discussing the P&L with our regional accountant, reviewing the month's sales and EBITDA. In between these two activities, I will be recruiting new staff as we grow, keeping abreast of changes in the industry from a government level, overseeing product pricing, staff training and our QMS. I am involved in HR, product registration and strategic planning. A lot of work goes into understanding what our challenges are, what our competitors are doing, what training we need to organise for surgeons. It is all about keeping our brand top of mind for our customers and staying number one in the shoulder market in New Zealand. What I enjoy most about being a GM is the variety of roles I play in the business. I can go from talking about sales profits to people activities in the blink of an eye. I remember once persuading the Join Registry here in New Zealand to check a graph that showed incorrect data about LimaCorporate. These are all things that go on behind the scenes that nobody sees but are very important to the business.
Can you talk about the growth of Lima New Zealand in the 20 years you have been GM?
When I started in 2003 nobody knew about LimaCorporate, we literally started from zero. We had our first shoulder booking in September 2003 and that was the beginning of it all. When LimaCorporate opened the New Zealand office in 2009 we were barely doing $2 million in revenue, now we're doing over $10,000,000/year.
What challenges have you faced in your role?
I think there are some very big companies in the orthopaedic industry and a lot of surgeons, especially the youngest, are very aware of the biggest competitors but they still don't know about LimaCorporate. So in the early days we had to fight for every bit of brand awareness and I definitely think that getting started was the biggest challenge. In these situations you have to intensify your sales activities, you have to get in front of a lot of surgeons, you have to go to a lot of conferences if you want to make sales and nobody knows who you are. Other than that, I think recruiting is a challenge when people don't know you and sales are very low. It can be difficult to get the good people to come and work for you, but once you get known in the market, you become a company that people want to join. Now we don't have any problems on the recruitment side
What do you think is the recipe for success for Lima Orthopedics New Zealand?
I think you can't hope to do anything in a market if you don't have a fantastic product. I think the engineers are geniuses. I spent a week with Michele Pressacco (Lima Corporate VP of R&D and Innovation) and I know Andrea Fattori very well, they are among the best orthopaedic designers in the world. We are now leading the market in implants like the 360° glenoid, the whole SMR system is quite brilliant, the way it can be converted from anatomical to reverse. So one of the successes has certainly been our product range. I think also the people, I have been lucky to work with a lot of great people over the last 20 years, most of them are still with us today. And you know, if you get your people right, anything is possible. In New Zealand we have a lawyer rotation percentage because people like the company and they stay with us.
Which teams do you work with at LimaCorporate?
I work with a lot of people from the head office. All the VPs, the CEOs and the product managers. They have all been a great help to Lima New Zealand.
How has your career at LimaCorporate allowed you to develop your skills?
I think it's allowed me to become a better salesman because it's a tough industry. I didn't have a lot of sales training but I learned on the job what works and what doesn't. In 2007 I also won an award for the fastest number of new customers. I also think my people management skills are quite good, I run an organisation where everyone helps each other. Working for LimaCorporate has helped me learn how to build a team. If you have the will to improve, anything is possible.
Do you work with people outside of LimaCorporate?
I have a lot of contact with surgeons. I also work directly with a research centre here in New Zealand where we have 3 or 4 trials going on, so I interact with the people who work there and the clinical nurse who runs these projects for us. I also work with the product health insurance companies to try and increase the level of support for patients. I work with a group called the Medical Technology Association of New Zealand, which is the voice of the medical device industry in Parliament. I also work with the joint registries and conference organisers.
Can you talk about your relationship with surgeons?
I probably have the mobile numbers of over a hundred surgeons in New Zealand. They trust me and I think it is important that we as a supplier understand where we fit into the chain. It is important that we respect the surgeons both in and out of the OR and treat them with the utmost respect. I see us as problem solvers when there are problems with the implants and I enjoy solving them and providing them with good implants. The relationship with the surgeons is based on trust and is built up over a long period of time. It's also important to know what you're talking about. I always tell my people, "You don't stay in the operating theatre just to open a box, you have to be ready to answer questions. They expect you to know. I never let my staff into the theatre unless they are fully prepared.
Is there still a surgeon you have worked with since your early years at LimaCorporate?
There are several surgeons I have worked with over the last 15 years, but not from the beginning. I started working with Tim in 2003. But he retired a couple of years ago. We haven't lost many customers. We work hard to keep them on board and once they're on board, we don't give them any reason to leave.
LimaCorporate is committed to continually transforming orthopaedics for patients. What does that mean to you?
It means that we are responsible for developing the implant range to make it better and better for patients and their quality of life. It is important that we, as a company, continue to develop our implant range. Everyone in the industry is looking to improve patient outcomes and for me it is important that we know what our goal should be. Obviously we need to be profitable and provide good jobs for good people, but everyone is working to improve the implants that provide a better quality of life.
How do you and your team drive innovation on a daily basis?
We provide input into the design of the implant, we're the link between the surgeons and the engineers. We have had quite an impact on shoulder surgery.
What do you see as the main difference between LimaCorporate and its competitors?
We are a European company, whereas most of our competitors are American. I think a lot of surgeons love Europe and Italy. When they meet Italian engineers and discuss design, some of them have a preference. I also think it has been a privilege to work for an Italian company for the last 20 years. At first I didn't want to take the job in Australia, but one of the reasons I took it was because the company was good for me. I think Italian design is what makes the difference. New Zealand knows what Italian culture has brought to the world, like fast cars, food and wine, fantastic fashion. The image that New Zealanders have of Italy is amazing and I think that idea is bought into the design of orthopaedic implants. One of our surgeons, when we first started working with him, picked up the shoulder system and said "this is the most elegant humerus stem on the market because of its shape". I also think that some surgeons like to work with small boutique companies as opposed to large companies, they feel that their offering is more meaningful.
What do you like about your job?
I like working with people and surgeons. I love feeling useful. I get excited every day and it is really hard for me to retire. It is always the people you work with that make the difference. I have also had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people around the world thanks to my work at LimaCorporate.
What are your proudest achievements at LimaCorporate?
I think seeing the growth of Lima New Zealand is an achievement I'm very proud of, and to think that the team here will carry on after I retire is amazing. When I look at the joint registry and see that we have the highest shoulder share and also the lowest revision rate, it makes me realise that we have done well over the years.
How does your work contribute to Lima's corporate goal of restoring the patient's sense of motion?
eMotion of Motion is our slogan. I think I have been passionate in this business for 20 years, I like the phrase because I think that is what I am and I think the team here is full of passion. It creates excitement and passion.
Can you please describe the LimaCorporate culture in three words?
Italian, passion and design.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
My passion is my family. I have a wonderful wife who has supported me in many ways over the past 20 years of travelling around New Zealand. I have four sons who I love to spend time with, I love to play golf with them, I love to travel with them, I love to have a beer with them.
What advice would you give to younger colleagues who have just joined LimaCorporate?
I would say congratulations on getting into orthopaedics, I would also say "Work hard and learn as much as you can. Stay in the industry, you can have a fantastic career. But at the end of the day, my advice is: enjoy the ride, it will be a wonderful journey!
Meet Fabio Piccoli, Packaging and Labeling Operator at LimaCorporate
Hi, could you please provide us with some information about yourself? Who are you? Where are you from? What is your position at LimaCorporate?
Hello everyone! My name is Fabio, and I am 35 years old. I have been living in Villanova for about three years now, but I am originally from Treppo Grande, a village located in the hilly region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. I have been working as a packaging and labeling operator for LimaCorporate for five years. I celebrated my anniversary on March 19th.
Can you please share information about your professional career? How did you join LimaCorporate? When? And why?
I hold a diploma in tourism services and have four years of experience working as a receptionist in a hotel. After this initial experience, I entered the manufacturing industry by working as a packing clerk for a pet food company. That is how I developed my passion for this work, which eventually led me to join LimaCorporate a few years later. Let me share an anecdote about my first job interviews at LimaCorporate. At the same time as the call from Lima, I received a call from the hospital regarding an operation. As a result, I had to cancel the scheduled interview. However, my honesty was appreciated, and I received a phone call back from HR.
Have you noticed any changes in your work since you started?
Yes, in these five years, there have been many changes, especially in terms of the expansion and evolution of technologies. For example, when I first arrived, the boxes were assembled completely by hand, while the printing of the labels was done by other operators who, in turn, passed them on to us. Today, some robots are used to build parts of the boxes that contain prostheses. The labels are printed by us, and we use a machine that operates on radio frequency to identify the contents of the various boxes. Our role may seem trivial, but in reality, we are the last people to inspect the implants before they are sent to operating theaters worldwide. It is up to us to perform the final check and ensure that everything is perfect. Since we are Italians and believe that everything should please the eye, we make sure that even the packaging is free of external defects.
You have intrigued us! Tell us about your current position. Could you describe a typical day?
I work three shifts, alternating between mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Each shift always starts with coffee with my colleagues. It is a moment of sharing that is always present and helps us strengthen the bonds within the group. After having coffee, we head to the ward, where we organize the day’s activities based on their respective priorities. Then, we prepare the various boxes by assembling all the necessary components to create a prosthesis. Finally, a second operator takes care of packing the boxes. We work together a lot, and I believe this is very important because, during the occasional challenging times, we understand how to collaborate effectively.
Can you provide an example?
For example, when we work with customized prostheses, occasionally we have to think about extra protection inside the boxes. It can happen that parts are damaged in transit or do not pass the sterilization process. Fortunately, this does not happen very often, but when it does, we have to be ready to find an alternative solution so that the surgeons get a product conform to expectations.
What are the main challenges you have faced since becoming a part of LimaCorporate?
During these five years, we have faced several challenges related to digitizing our company. For example, we learned how to use a new label printing management system. Over the years, we have introduced various machines that have transformed and improved our work processes.
Who are the main people you work with?
During my work, I primarily interact with my colleagues and our manager. As for external personnel, I communicate with couriers to arrange the pickup of shipments.
What do you like about your job? What motivates you in your work?
I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that my daily work is important to patients and will improve their quality of life. The parts I handle every day are intended for use in the human body, and I feel a sense of responsibility to handle them with care. I always do my best because, in life, you never know when your efforts will pay off in the future.
What are you most proud of since you started working at LimaCorporate?
It is a wonderful company where people work very efficiently. Having experienced other work environments, I can confidently state this with full knowledge of the facts. It is a company where teamwork is essential, and I am fortunate to have a fantastic team. It is not easy to find colleagues with whom you work well. For me, working with good colleagues is important and necessary to successfully carry out any project. We confront each other every day, and we also discuss our doubts and provide mutual support. I can say with certainty that my experience at LimaCorporate has been very enriching.
LimaCorporate’s motto is “Restoring the eMotion of Motion.” What does that mean to you?
To give a person joy and well-being.
Can you describe LimaCorporate’s culture in three words?
Employee Well-Being. When an employee is healthy, the company greatly benefits because they are encouraged to come to work and perform at their best every day. Innovation and Challenge.
LimaCorporate is driven by the desire to revolutionize orthopedic care for patients. What does that mean to you?
This objective is crucial because it shows the company’s commitment to delivering top-notch patient care. And it’s evident even in the smallest details, such as the care and attention given to presenting the implants inside the boxes in the best possible way.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy walking, spending time with animals, and reading. I mainly read detective stories or historical novels.
If you could pursue any other profession, what would it be, and why?
A cook. I am good at cooking, and I especially enjoy eating. In the past, I also taught tourist reception at a local hotel institute.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
To have more confidence in myself.
Meet Ingrid Visentini, Software Development Manager at LimaCorporate
What is your name, where are you from, and what do you do?
My name is Ingrid Visentini, and I was born in Udine. As a Software Development Manager, I oversee the software development of the shoulder, hip, and knee planners at LimaCorporate.
What was your undergraduate education, and how did your working career develop?
I attended a classical high school. After receiving my high school diploma, I enrolled in Computer Science, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) course. I am perhaps one of the few girls who graduated from classical high school and then ended up choosing a STEM course, but I am sure there will be more like me in the future! After completing my first degree, I earned a Ph.D., and then pursued a third degree. My course of study also took me abroad, to Spain, England, and Austria. Right after my doctorate, I started working for the University of Udine. Then I moved to La Spezia, in Liguria, where I worked in a NATO maritime research center for two years. When my first child was born, I decided to return to Friuli-Venezia Giulia. I worked in mechanical steel at a large, well-known company in the area for five years. When my second daughter was born, I worked from home as a consultant for a couple of years until I received an offer from LimaCorporate, where I have been working for about two years.
What made you choose computer science?
A propensity for abstract reasoning is the most likely answer. This is something that many computer scientists have in common. We are often introverted and outspoken people who don't like to relate to the general public. The characteristics of this major suited me well.
Did you find similarities between classical high school and computer science?
I had a lot of difficulties at first because I had to start from scratch with the whole math and analysis part. It must be said, though, that high school is a good training ground because it allows you to learn a study method. That is why one should not stop at the idea that "classical high school = humanities." I don't know if attending a scientific high school would have affected my career because I don't think high school is that important. I am an advocate for women in STEM because women have different soft skills than men. My work group has people of both sexes, and in both cases the skill level is very high. There are no differences; therefore, I tell the girls, "We can do it, this is not an unattainable goal, and we should not start off biased." Even though we are underrepresented in STEM fields, and even more so in computer science, I always bring up the story of Ada Lovelace, the first female computer scientist, and programmer, who laid the foundation of modern computer science by devising and describing the first computer algorithm in history. Moreover, things are also often done unknowingly, as Margaret Hamilton, head of on-board software for the Apollo project, said, "Looking back, we were the luckiest people in the world. We had no choice but to be pioneers." That's how pioneers think, and that's how girls should think. They shouldn't build barriers on their own capabilities. A plan B can always be found; the important thing is to start. You must have the courage to step out of your comfort zone and try something different. This is what I teach everyone, regardless of gender. I teach it to my kids and recommend it to my staff. You must experiment.
Why did you choose LimaCorporate?
I chose LimaCorporate because of its beautiful mission. Restoring the eMotion of Motion in patients is satisfying. At first sight, it could be hard to see a direct relationship between software and orthopedics because software is something intangible that does not exist as a physical entity at the end of the day. The impact is visible in the long term when the surgeon confirms that everything went well or when you think about the people who regained movement. Starting to walk again or raising an arm above the head are simple gestures that everyone takes for granted, but they really make life better. It is a strong incentive to give my best at my work.
How long have you been working at LimaCorporate? Was the previous job similar, or were you involved in something different?
I have been working at LimaCorporate for two years. I have always had very different roles in my career. At NATO, I was working in ship tracking. At Danieli, a major engineering company in Friuli, I was in charge of measurement instrumentation based on optical devices (camera-based precision measurement). Now I work in the software part of preoperational planners. These are different fields, but they all share a common thread: software and notions of 3D geometry and mathematics. What changes between these worlds are the context and the scope. The image of the computer scientist is still very malleable (as is the image of the mathematician), which lends itself very well to applications in different fields that do not have much in common with each other. That's why I always say you must have the courage to step outside your comfort zone.
Before your current role, have you held other positions within LimaCorporate?
I joined the company as a Software Development Leader, and my current role is no different. It just involves a larger group of people.
Can you describe your typical day?
My typical workday is divided into two parts: the morning and the afternoon. My work team is half located at the headquarters in San Daniele and half in the United States, in Knoxville, at the Lima Digital Research Center. I dedicate the mornings to organizing things to do and supporting the development phase by helping my Italian team. The afternoon is instead dedicated to the group in the United States. We have several alignment calls to solve any problems that there may be. In the morning, we also focus on any critical cross-departmental issues at headquarters. We support all the Quality, Regulatory teams. This dichotomy between morning and afternoon is mainly due to the time difference.
What challenges do you face in your work?
The main challenge is bringing an IT culture to a manufacturing company that has always had only hardware products. Even when you acquire an already finished product, there is a lot of work to do, work that requires long-term planning. It is a challenge, but this approach is in our nature and does not scare us. We are pioneers in everything, and I am sure we will come out of this challenge with a solution that is once again very innovative. Everyone imagines computer scientists as just "keyboardists" who stand in front of the keyboard and solve lines of code. But in computer science, there is also a preparatory side made up of design, abstraction, modeling, a lot of problem-solving, and a very abstract and creative component. We tackle very varied problems that require different techniques and skills. And this is the hidden part of software development.
Are there any particularly interesting projects you're working on at the moment?
My group is currently focusing on these preoperative planners, and a second group within LimaCorporate is working on the intraoperative part. I see a dual track of applied and theoretical research on the same topic for the first time, and I am excited about it! There is a plan A, which will allow us to be competitive in the market, and a plan B, which I think will allow us to make a difference and be pioneers. It is very cool because we have close relationships with the university, and Digital Transformation is now part of R&D. I have found knowledgeable colleagues at all levels. They are creative people who can do applied research. Together, we are going through an interesting phase with an expansion into AI that would have been unimaginable ten years ago.
Which teams do you work with at LimaCorporate?
Our department is involved in several aspects that precede production, so we collaborate with the Regulatory, Marketing, Quality, and Operations departments. It is impossible to think of software within a company as a bubble. All functions are pervasive and impact others. In these two years, we have had the opportunity to collaborate with many people. Within the company, everyone knows us a little bit, even though no one knows what we do in detail because we are a new and still small group. There is a lot of collaboration, even though the IT culture is still under construction. There is a realization that the market is hungry for software, and this is what drives innovation in our offerings. We are entering uncharted and difficult territory because the medical field is highly regulated and has a narrow and very well-defined perimeter within which we can move. In addition, the "bureaucratic" timelines for certifications are dilated. Sometimes it all seems to be going slowly compared to the outside world. We must never forget, however, that at the end of the whole process, there are always patients, and everything must be controlled and safe primarily for them. That is why safety must come before speed. In medicine, you cannot go the extra mile.
Has your career at LimaCorporate enabled you to grow your skill set?
Absolutely. Not only mine but also those of my team. I see that there is finally a united group, which I am proud of. We are all growing together, helping each other, and becoming a close-knit group. We all come from different fields with different skills, and those with medical experience helped others. This growth is not only professional but also personal and collective. I feel like a figurehead in their development. When we train, we do so as a group. When we need to share information, we do so freely. We tend to help each other because we all want to move forward at the same pace. We don't want to leave anyone behind.
Who do you collaborate with outside of LimaCorporate?
I occasionally had contact with surgeons for SkillsLAB, but they were always minor contacts. I hope that surgeons, as our end users, have a say in developing our software because feedback from the end user is crucial. We also collaborate with outside vendors who help us create the software.
LimaCorporate is driven to continually transform orthopedics for patients. What does this mean for you?
As in all things, there must be evolution to ensure survival. That means everyone must evolve. You must accept change, incorporate it, and benefit from it. It is fair for LimaCorporate to change and develop, and it is also fair for the group to evolve as well. Technologies are not all the same, and it is right to get out of your comfort zone to explore new techniques and approaches.
Can you give examples of technical innovations, products, or services that you and your team have been working on to solve a specific patient need?
We are working on techniques that will allow surgeons to speed up and improve their approach to patient treatment through artificial intelligence. We work primarily on image segmentation and anatomy reconstruction because the hardware also allows us to do things that were impossible ten years ago.
How does this give LimaCorporate the edge over competitors?
We are in a good position now but need to go one step further. We must evolve and find new ways to offer the best care to our patients. Because the end user only sees the graphical interface, it is difficult to perceive changes in the software. Behind that is a whole world of image processing and 3D models, and that is the part that we need to change. You have to provide more efficient services to allow the hardware to be enhanced.
What do you love about what you do?
The creative component. There is so much abstraction and so much creativity in what we do. It is inescapable for an inquisitive mind that craves stimulating work that is always different. There are always problems to solve, challenges to face, and new and different approaches to implement.
What are your proudest achievements at LimaCorporate?
The incredible progress my team is making. They are really good professionals, and I see them grow, both professionally and personally. We are all very motivated because we want to create something useful and functional that is also extremely enjoyable and usable. This requires a combination of soft and hard skills.
How does your work contribute to LimaCorporate's ambition to restore the eMotion of Motion?
It is the technologies that enhance the hardware. The hardware is the big part, which takes the lion's share because it is implanted in the patient. But several services make the surgeon's life—and consequently the patient's life—better. These are enabling technologies that are becoming more and more necessary.
Please describe the LimaCorporate culture in three words.
People. Innovation. Quality. We look for quality in everything we do and want to do it well.
Is there anything that surprised you when you joined LimaCorporate?
The care they put into people and people's educational backgrounds. There is so much desire to grow people. Overall, it is a friendly environment to develop ideas and experiment. And then I marveled at this pursuit of quality, of things done well.
LimaCorporate has offices around the world. Have you visited them or worked with the company's international teams?
I usually travel to Knoxville, in the United States, where part of my team is based.
LimaCorporate has more than 75 years of history. How does our heritage set us apart from our competitors?
Culture makes the difference. As a setting, there is the pursuit of quality and innovation, which makes us culturally inclined to make things functional, beautiful, and reliable. It is a cornerstone of the winning Italian manufacturing culture, of which LimaCorporate is a part, that is appreciated abroad.
How does our heritage influence the products we create today?
One of the first things I learned as I arrived at the company was that LimaCorporate did not start as an orthopedic company but did something else, and I always said to myself, "How brave to innovate!" That was the spark for me that made me like LimaCorporate right away. When there is this mindset, you can do anything. Almost 80 years of history is a long time, but all I see is a clear manifesto for change. One should never be afraid to innovate.
What do you do in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time in nature in silence. My ideal trip would be to spend six months at the North Pole on a scientific expedition. I like nature, and I often go walking in the woods. I even bring it into my house, where I have my bacterial cultures. Nature makes me realize that not everything has to be rationalized. Nature escapes our modern will to find justification for everything and write down all the steps in a program. After spending the day putting things in order, I like to contemplate the randomness of it all.
In an alternative life, what would be your profession?
Pastry chef! It is another job that requires precision and creativity.
Meet Drew Martin, Product Manager for Shoulder and Hip Portfolios for Lima Australia.
What is your name? Where are you from, and what is your current job title?
Hi all, I am Drew Martin. I am from Brisbane, but I live in Sydney. I am the Product Manager for Shoulder and Hip Portfolios for Lima Australia.
Please give us background to your university/education. How did your early career develop?
I graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. I chose this course of study because I always thought I would go into research and development, but I eventually changed my mind. After graduation, I spent a year in New Delhi, India, where I attended a post-grad fellowship program in medical device design at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. At the end of that experience, I realized I no longer wanted to work in research and development. I wanted to have more direct contact with people. I returned to Australia and started working as Clinical Specialist Support for Lima Australia, a very different field from what I went to university for, but one that makes me very happy.
Why did you join LimaCorporate?
I joined LimaCorporate because I wanted to work in the medical devices field. I wanted to be on the front-line helping surgeons treat patients rather than sitting behind the computer designing the devices. I wanted to be there and then, and LimaCorporate is there and then. It's a great company to work for.
How many years have you been at LimaCorporate? Did you join from a similar role elsewhere?
I joined LimaCorporate four and a half years ago. It is my first job in the industry.
Have you held any other roles at LimaCorporate?
When I started in Lima Australia, I started as a Clinical Support Specialist. Then I became a Product Specialist, and after that I became a Product Manager.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I don't have a typical routine because every day is different. Usually, I speak a lot with surgeons. For me, it's important to hear their voices. I also interact a lot with the teams in HQ. For example, I am constantly in contact with the Marketing teams for the updates of the portfolio offering. My work includes a lot of traveling. I can probably say that I am sitting on a plane every second day. So, I can say that every day is different.
What challenges do you face?
The most challenging thing I face at work is not knowing what the next day has in store for me. There is always something new. All of this is challenging but, at the same time, fun.
Which team do you work with at HQ?
I work with the Marketing teams, Supply & Demand team, and ProMade.
Who do you collaborate with outside LimaCorporate?
I work mostly with Australian surgeons and the key opinion leaders in our field. I recently worked with Proxime on a project involving live surgeries. it was a very useful and interesting collaboration especially because it allowed me to understand how other companies work, and how to use this tool to our advantage in the future.
LimaCorporate is driven to continually transform orthopedics for patients. What does this mean for you?
LimaCorporate is constantly growing, not stopping, and adapting to the needs of surgeons and patients. This is shown by the continuous introduction of new products to the market, that addresses the specific needs of the surgeons. Although the arrival of these new products to the Australian market comes later than in Europe, I know that eventually we will have access to great new products.
LimaCorporate is at the forefront of innovation. How does your team drive innovation day-to-day?
In Australia as a subsidiary, we try to innovate how we run our medical education. We want to have different faculty, different topics we really work hand in hand with surgeons to understand what they want from us in medical education. That’s how we innovate.
Can you give an example of technical innovation, products, or services that you have created to meet the needs of a specific surgeon?
We use ProMade to solve many cases where standard products wouldn’t work, we innovate the solution. The collaboration between ProMade engineers and surgeons when standard products don't work is crucial. It is a very rewarding experience to be a part of.
How does this give the company an advantage over your competitors?
ProMade is a service we offer that is very different from any service offered by our competitors. The collaboration between engineers and surgeons is a game changer, and we leverage this relationship with our surgeons much more than our competitors. This is the advantage we have.
What do you love about what you do? What is your drive/passion?
I love working with such a diverse range of people. I love working with my colleagues at headquarters, and I love working with surgeons every day. It is very rewarding to see the products we passionately make in the hands of surgeons, products that will then go on to improve patients' lives.
How does your work contribute to LimaCorporate's ambition to restore the eMotion of Motion?
My job is to ensure that all surgeons in Australia have access to the exact products they need for their patients. This is how I contribute to restoring the eMotion of Motion.
Please, describe the LimaCorporate culture in three words.
Collaborative, Diverse, Unique
Was there anything that surprised you when you joined LimaCorporate?
The thing that surprised me the most was that the HQ of the company is in Villanova di San Daniele. Villanova is such a small town in northeastern Italy, but it has a powerful design and technology in terms of the way plants are produced. When I visited the plant, it was amazing to see how much technology was behind the doors.
LimaCorporate has over 75 years’ experience in design, engineering and manufacturing. How does our heritage set us apart from our competitors? Did you know the company history before joining it?
I didn't know the history before I joined the company and I only completely understood it when I visited the HQ. I think the fact that we have focused on engineering from the very beginning makes us really unique. Our products, our tools, and all the hard work we've done differentiate us, not to mention our 3D printing capability.
How does our heritage influence the products we create today?
I think there is a correlation between the accuracy and precision that everything must have. You can't go wrong in aerospace, flying a helicopter requires precision. The same precision is required in the design of our implants otherwise serious harm can be done to patients.
Explain what LimaCorporate’s policy of 100% precision testing means for you, healthcare professionals and patients. How does it change patients’ lives?
For me it means that every single implant that comes out of our factory is 100% checked and accurate. I know I can confidently tell a surgeon that this is the correct size, and surgeons know when they put it in patients that it is the right size for them. It is a confidence that is transmitted through every part.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I like to go to the beach since in Australia I need to be near the ocean all the time. If I'm not at the beach, I'm at home cooking.
If you weren’t in this career and company, what would you be doing?
I would have liked to be a professional swimmer. But I am very happy with how things have evolved and where they have taken me. I still have time to jump in for a couple of laps.
Meet Alessia Ciriani, HR Business Partner EMEA, LatAm, and Canada
What’s your name? Where are you from?
My name is Alessia Ciriani. I live in Udine, and I am very attached to my territory Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the north-eastern region of Italy. A part of my family comes from Anduins, the town where LimaCorporate was born and which denotes the letter ‘A’ in LIMA (Lualdi Industrie Meccaniche Anduins). I joined LimaCorporate four years ago as an HR generalist. I subsequently became HR Business Partner EMEA, LatAm, and Canada, a role I still hold today.
What is your university education and how has your university career developed?
I have a degree in political science. I chose this discipline because it catered to a range of topics and themes that were very interesting to me, from the economic-legal to the sociological, historical, and cultural and the organizational, managerial, and administrative fields. It was a varied and fascinating course of study that allowed me to better understand the human resources sector. Choosing this university path brought out my passion for what later became my job.
What influenced you in starting this career?
During the Erasmus that I did in London, I attended an international human resources management course that gave me a first overview of the different HR processes: selection, training, development, succession plans, evaluation, performance, potential, contracts, litigation, trade union relations, salary and employment-related aspects, wages and contributions, benefits, etc. The experience in London led me to discover a highly varied sector, which combined organization and interpersonal relationships, two aspects that are crucial to me. There, I realized that I would like to try my hand in this area, and, as soon as I finished my studies, I looked for a work experience in HR.
Why did you choose LimaCorporate?
When I joined LimaCorporate, I already had three years of experience in the field of human resources. I began my professional career in two important regional companies, Stroili Oro, the largest Italian jewelry retailer, and Danieli, a world leader in the production of steel working machines. When I came to LimaCorporate in 2018, I found an HR team that worked very closely with the business and had a modern HR approach, oriented toward people development. Moreover, I discovered a very dynamic and young company, a serene work environment characterized by a strong spirit of collaboration, and a great propensity for innovation, and this immediately attracted my interest.
How does your day develop? Who do you interact with most?
In the role of HR Business Partner EMEA, LatAm, and Canada, I follow 14 countries and work closely with the managers of the branches in my area to tackle the daily challenges related to personnel organization. I carry out several projects over time, interspersed with my daily – sometimes urgent – tasks. At LimaCorporate, the pace of work and expectations are high. We are a passionate group that sets challenging goals, and if this sometimes generates tensions, it is only because we all want to achieve our goals and give our best. My job majorly involves creating a connection between the HQ and the branches and supporting them so that they can have the best organization to achieve their purpose: to win new customers and sell our products in different markets. My working days are different from each other as I follow multiple projects. An example of a project I worked on is the Lima Recruiting Box, a set of tools designed for managers to manage recruitment. There are also some typical themes during specific periods of the year. For instance, at the end of the year, calibration meetings are held. In these meetings, the managers of a function or country discuss the assessments of the area. Another example is the definition of the budget. The first budget definition takes place in September, during which managers must think about their organization and understand, for example, if there is a need to add new resources or if there are developments and training needs. These are all instances in which HR intervenes to help managers better manage their teams and enhance their resources.
Is there a particular project you want to talk about that makes you prouder than others?
In 2022, I have dedicated myself to development plans, but I want to take it further next year. A development plan is a document signed by an employee and their manager that provides a series of actions to achieve a specific purpose related to the growth and development of the employee (the coverage of a new role, the development of specific skills, the acquisition of new skills, etc.). A development plan can include various activities such as training initiatives, coaching paths, mentoring, the assignment of specific initiatives or special projects, greater exposure to management, and coaching. In this context, we have also created synergies between different countries by supporting senior figures to colleagues who have just landed a new role, to give them a point of reference to turn to and get support on practical issues. In my opinion, initiatives like these foster the personal and professional growth of people within our organization.
Did your career at LimaCorporate allow you to develop skills?
Absolutely yes. I am very happy with my career in the company. I believe that this business context was the right environment for me to grow in some professional aspects and also on certain sides of my character. The culture of LimaCorporate is open and collaborative. This environment creates the best conditions to give space to creativity and fearlessly propose new ideas. It is an environment where you work well and where you are less afraid of making mistakes than in other contexts. In my opinion, in LimaCorporate, we work in a fast way without ever giving up on quality. This idea has always encouraged me to give my best and to improve myself a lot. Another aspect in which I think I improved in LimaCorporate was teamwork. It is not easy to work in international or remote working groups, as happened during the pandemic. I learned to understand and appreciate different points of view, to have patience, not to want everything at once but to give time to time, and to manage situations of ambiguity. I also learned a lot about the communicative aspect. At LimaCorporate we pay close attention in what we communicate and how we do it. And this has allowed us to manage complex situations and major changes.
Do you also happen to work with people outside LimaCorporate?
Yes, I work with specialized consultants, such as headhunters, recruitment agencies, and law firms, on different aspects related to my job.
LimaCorporate’s goal is to transform orthopedics for patients. What does this mean to you?
It is a noble business with a truly fascinating goal. I always have in my mind our why: movement is one of the greatest joys that a person can experience, and our goal is to return the emotion of movement to those who, for various reasons, may have lost it. I work a lot with sales colleagues, specialists, and commercials, who have direct contact with surgeons and whose presence is essential in the operating room while our products are implanted in the patient, while the fruit of all our work reaches its greatest expression. For me, this is an honor, and I appreciate the great professionalism and technical competence exhibited my colleagues. I want to make my contribution and do what I can to support them.
Within your work team, what do you do to bring innovation to the company?
We try to interpret the role of HR as a “business partner.” The first thing we do is to be alongside managers and employees to listen to them and be tuned to their daily challenges and needs. We try to be fast but at the same time innovative in proposing effective and quality solutions. We do it in a competent way, with each of us having his own specific know-how that completes us and allows us to be prepared on very different topics. We always strive to propose new ideas that can address to the needs of the company and the business.
What makes you most proud within LimaCorporate?
Our speed in entering a situation. Our way of working together for proposed solutions to the challenges we encounter every day. The level of quality that we achieve in the projects, in the various activities that we follow, down to the smallest detail, with great care and attention. Furthermore, the company is always open to new ideas and proposals. I have developed the conviction that in the company, if one has an idea, and if it is functional to the common goal, they will receive the support they need to realize it.
Describe the culture of LimaCorporate in three words.
Open, dynamic, and innovative
Have you ever visited the subsidiaries?
I have visited the Spanish and English branches and the offices in Milan. I would like to visit others in the future as well.
Is there anything that surprised you when you started working at LimaCorporate?
The spontaneity of the employees, their strong attachment to the company, and their great professionalism and competence were a pleasant surprise. I was also struck by the fact that very different personalities found a place in LimaCorporate, and above all, they were able to work well together, something that is never easy with tight deadlines and challenging objectives. In my opinion, in LimaCorporate, we work well, and there is attention from the company in making sure that people can part and leave. The managers themselves are always open to listening.
LimaCorporate has over 75 years of history and experience. What differentiates it from competitors?
We are different, first, because we are an Italian company, which I am very proud of. The fact that our prostheses are produced and designed exclusively in Italy is synonymous with quality and recalls the value of our engineering and manufacturing tradition. Although our competitors are much bigger than us, the quality of our products leads us to be identified as market leaders in several countries. Our size differentiates us from the others. We are a “pocket multinational corporation,” and this has several advantages: greater agility, speed of decision-making, and a shorter chain of command. The company has an informal work environment where we all know each other and work closely, even with the top management. It is a company in which you are not a number, but you can get to know the person, even the CEO.
How does your work help restore the emotion of motion?
As HR, we take care of all aspects related to the management and enhancement of the company’s employees. People are our main asset: they are irreplaceable. What makes our products and technologies extraordinary are the people who worked on them and the work groups that provided time, energy, and ideas to us. We are dedicated to people and try to make sure that they are able to apply their skills in the best possible way and that their professional and personal aspirations in the company are satisfied.
What do you like outside of work?
I like doing sports. I practice orienteering and running, at a competitive level in the past and now at an amateur level. Like everyone, I dedicate myself to cultivating my network of family relationships and friendships. In addition, I really like following current events and issues related to the territory and the environment. I like listening to in-depth programs on the radio, reading, and continuing to train on aspects related to my work that are also part of my passions: personal development, communication, organization, relationships, psychology, and culture.
What was your dream job as a child?
Until university, I didn’t know what I was going to do “when I grew up.” I never had a dream job before learning about the HR sector. However, as a child, I was very active and curious. I loved creating, inventing, and experimenting. I was very action-oriented, with the desire to challenge myself, make the most of my time, and discover new things.
Meet Ludovic Rouvier, Financial Manager for France at Lima France
What’s your name? Where are you from, and what is your role in LimaCorporate?
My name is Ludovic Rouvier, and I’ve been working with LimaCorporate for the last 4 years as a Financial Manager for France. Although I was officially recruited for the financial department, I now manage all the organizational side of the company as well. I oversee the complete back office structure, including people and processes. Since March 2022, I am responsible for the financial management of Lima Belgium and Lima Switzerland as well.
Can you give us a background of your University education? How did your career develop?
I graduated from EDHEC Business School, an international business school in France that is dedicated to business. After my graduation, I worked for “Ernst & Young,” one of the biggest audit companies, and then traveled around the globe for a year, with the goal to promote “Social Business” models that are growing all around the world. When I returned, I built my own company with my close associates. We built everything from scratch, and now, the company runs on its own with more than 25 employees.
From owning your own company to financial manager is a big jump, why did you join LimaCorporate?
My business was located in Paris, but I live in Lyon. I used to travel to the capital twice a week, but when my third child was born, I decided to look for a job in Lyon so that I could be closer to my family. That’s when I met LimaCorporate. Moreover, the challenge was very exciting: when I met the former General Manager of Lima France, she explained to me her vision for Lima France. It was a challenging period because we had to move Lima France from the south to Lyon and rebuilt everything, even recruit and train a new team for the back office.
What does a typical day for you look like?
My typical day revolves around people who are very important to me. I oversee 10 people, and they were quite hard to find because we were looking for the best. The people that work for Lima France are nice and hardworking. It took a long time to train them in the processes of LimaCorporate, and a lot of changes cannot work in the long term. My job is, therefore, to make these people feel at ease. We have a very low turnover, so I guess that whatever I’m doing is working. I talk a lot with my colleagues. Everyday, there are plenty of subjects to work on, so I try to be quite close to them. It is very important for me and the Lima France team.
Working with people is not always very easy, what are the challenges that you face?
Orthopedics is a tough world. My biggest challenge is to recruit high-level people and keep them.
Are there any projects that you are working on right now?
Giuseppe Faenza, the Warehouse & Distribution Manager at LimaCorporate HQ, is about to launch the new version of an app for the sales force that will manage the orders for surgeries. This new version is still being tested, and France will shortly be the first European subsidiary to introduce it.
Are there any teams from HQ that you work with? Are the relationships tight?
Yes, the relationships are very tight. Besides Giuseppe and the financial Team in HQ, I’m also working with HR for implementing a new app that collects all the essential information about employees.
What does “pioneering vision” mean to you? Did you find ways to apply it in your job?
The HR and finance departments require to be more open to the digital world. The apps that I mentioned above are just examples. Since I am a financial person, I’d love to integrate the digital world more into congresses that are very expensive. I think that we are in a transitional phase. With the pandemic, we understood that nobody wants to go fully digital, but meanwhile, the congresses cannot be as they were prior to Covid. We’ll see what happens.
You’re very passionate, what drives you in your daily job?
I love to see happy people at work. I believe that if you are happy in your job and private life, everything goes quite smoothly. If the professional life interferes with the personal one too much, something is bound to go wrong. I, therefore, try to understand the needs of my colleagues and fit them to the needs of Lima France. For example, when there is a problem, I immediately set a meeting so that everyone can talk with each other and solve the problem right away. I did this thing many times in the past and it worked very well. I also like to be honest with people, and that is why they tend to trust me: that is the most important thing for me.
What is your proudest achievement at LimaCorporate?
When I was recruited at LimaCorporate, Lima France was moving to Lyon. I’m happy and proud that although I was in charge of the shift, I was able to create meaningful relationships with colleagues. My goal was to ensure that all the people who were leaving the company left with a good feeling. Two months after we closed the subsidiary, one of the former employees called to inform me that she had found another job. I was the first one she called to ask for an opinion. We still catch up every now and then. I am also proud of the team that we hired in Lyon.
What does eMotion of Motion mean to you?
I like to work in LimaCorporate because I know that at the end of the day, we’re helping someone be healthy. I am happy to work in a company that has an impact on people and that our sector is useful.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I love to do some DIY. People call me “MacGyver” because I always find a solution! It is the same at work: I am a “Problem Solver” and I never give up!
What was your dream job as a child?
I don’t have a real dream job. However, I am very impressed by a couple, Christian and Marie-France des Pallières, and their decision to change their lives when they retired. The founders of Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (For a Child’s Smile), the couple has lived and worked in Cambodia since the beginning of their action in the country. Each spring for the last 20 years, they have crisscrossed France and the neighboring countries at the wheel of their camping car to communicate the urgency of the situation. Now, more than 6,000 children are looked after: they are fed, provided with healthcare, educated, and given vocational training. With a high-quality qualification, they are able to join the workforce and integrate into the society. For Christmas 2021, all the employees of Lima France have received, as a gift, the book of this incredible and inspiring story!
Meet Piero Mercadante, CNC, Tools, and Finishing Manager at LimaCorporate
Hi Piero, tell us something about yourself! Who are you, what do you do in LimaCorporate, how did you get there?
My name is Piero Mercadante. I am 33 years old, and I come from Palermo. I am the CNC, Tools, and Finishing Manager of the LimaCorporate plant in Segesta.
Essentially, I am the head of the CNC departments (numerically controlled machine tools), finishing, testing, and the washing area. I have been in LimaCorporate since 2018.Prior to this, I worked for a Sicilian company that dealt with precision mechanics for the automotive sector.
What was your university career? And why did you choose it?
I studied mechanical engineering. By nature, I am a very curious person who likes to ask himself the “why” of things. I have a rational mind so engineering seemed like the most logical choice. Mechanics was a discovery, and the first time I set foot in a workshop, I realized I had made the right choice.
Has your role always been that of CNC, Tools, and Finishing manager?
No, I started in the industrialization field. It was a wonderful experience that lasted about six months and then I started in my current role.
What's your typical day?
It is a difficult question because my work is different every day.
Everything I do is linked to the management of the departments to ensure that production proceeds as planned in terms of numbers, times, and quality standards. All this translates into the management of a group of about 40 people and the machine resources of our production departments. This is my activity described in broad terms. at the same time, there is also research for the optimization of processes, production efficiency, and waste reduction.
Is there a particularly interesting project you are working on right now?
Yes, we are working on the automation of a CNC machine that will hopefully relieve the operator of the more repetitive work.
What are the challenges you face every day?
In a production facility, there are here are many ongoing challenges as there can be many unforeseen events, such as lack of resources or lack of operators. The real challenge in my opinion is to keep the synergy high among the different departments. If this synergy exists, and if it's very high, even unexpected goals can be achieved. If it is missing and if people do not work together as a team, it is very difficult to solve even the slightest difficulty. My role as a manager is to ensure that team spirit stays strong and that the group is working towards a common goal.
Do you think you've found what you wanted to find in LimaCorporate?
I would say yes. The differences between the departments and the processes allow me to train in many different fields. Having a close relationship with other company functions, such as logistics or industrialization has allowed me to increase my professional skillset.
Let's talk about pioneering vision, what does it mean for you?
Together with my working group, I try to review some phases of the production process. Challenges like the one I mentioned earlier, that is, wanting more from a resource or modifying a process that may have remained unchanged for years to improve its performance, certainly fit into a pioneering vision.
Do you have any examples?
CNC machines work by removing the material that causes wear on tools for take-out. This entails that the operator is forced to correct this wear on the machine.
The team I manage has implemented a solution for this adjustment to take place automatically.
This is advantageous not only for those who work with the machine but also in economic terms.
What do you like about what you do?
In addition to the technical aspect, I love to nurture the synergy I mentioned earlier. Collaboration and mutual trust are the foundation of any relationship. As a manager, my role is to ensure that this synergy exists and nurture it so that work can be carried out in the best possible way.
Is there anything that makes you particularly proud of your work at LimaCorporate?
It seems trivial but I am proud of the group that has been created. When you arrive in an environment that has already been run in, as happened to me, it is not obvious to receive such a warm welcome. On the working side, I admit I am an ambitious perfectionist and therefore I find it difficult to tell you about my goals because as soon as I reach them, I always find new ones.
Is there something that surprised you when you arrived at LimaCorporate?
I was amazed to discover how structured the company was from an organizational, qualitative, and safety point of view.
With which words would you describe LimaCorporate?
I'm not good at answering these kinds of questions. The word that comes to mind is certainly innovative and pioneering because we have the courage to invest ahead of time in technologies that, at the beginning, no one would have bet on.
You have previously worked in the automotive sector, and LimaCorporate has also operated in that sector. Do you see this legacy in your work?
Being influenced by other sectors has certainly helped us to always be innovative. I still see that legacy on the production side and I think it’s an added value that puts our implants on a different level.
LimaCorporate is very focused on the quality of its facilities. What does this mean to you?
It is something that touches me closely because one of the departments I manage is the Quality one. For me, it is a very important aspect. What we produce is used on people and it is essential that it is of the best possible quality.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I am fascinated by any water sport and for many years I have been playing water polo. I am very fond of cooking.
If you hadn't chosen this career, what would you have liked to do
I definitely would have thrown myself into the kitchen sector, perhaps opening my own restaurant or being a chef.
Meet Carina Kühlmann, Key Account Manager at LimaCorporate
Ciao Carina, tell us something about yourself and your role in LimaCorporate
My name is Carina Kühlmann and I live near Düsseldorf in the western part of Germany. I work for Lima Deutschland as Key Account Manager for northern Germany, focusing on the shoulder portfolio.
What is your background and how did you start this career?
My background is a bit different from others. I didn’t go to university and before joining the company I worked as a scrub nurse. The hospital where I worked used LimaCorporate implants, and I was asked by a former Lima colleague to join the company. This happened seven years ago now.
Why did you decide to change your job?
I need new things to work on every day. I like having new challenges and I wanted to grow professionally, which was not possible in the hospital. Back when I was a scrub nurse, orthopedic surgeries were my favorite. You could say, that I fell in love with LimaCorporate products in the OR, so when I was asked to be part of LimaCorporate I immediately took the opportunity.
What was your career path in LimaCorporate? Were you always a Key Account Manager?
No, I changed role twice. I started as OR support helping sales reps during surgeries, congresses and so on. Then, one year later, I became a Sales Representative myself. One year ago, I changed role again becoming Key Account Manager for the shoulder.
How’s your typical workday?
It’s difficult to say because every day is totally different, especially now as a Key Account manager.
Some days I’m dedicated to new customers and growth potential, some others I work on the relationship with our KOLs. I make sure that they are always happy with our implants, and I try to involve them as much as I can in development projects. I still go to the OR to assist KOLs, to see how they feel with the products, if everything works well, to test new instruments and implants and for difficult surgeries, also with ProMade.
Of course, I also assist new customers by making sure that they get comfortable with our implants. My job is basically 20% based on office work looking for new partnerships and 80% on the field.
What are the challenges you face?
The most challenging aspect of my job is time management. I have to balance well the time I spend with sales reps and new customers and the time I invest in growing the relationship we have with KOLs. I also interact with many people inside and outside the organization so bringing everyone together is another challenge of my job.
Are you working on a particular project right now?
Yes! We have recently started working with new shoulder surgeons that make many surgeries per year, so my focus is on making sure that their experience with LimaCorporate is positive. I’m also working on a new project for 2022 with Dr. Agneskirchner, one of our biggest KOLs in Germany.
LimaCorporate wants to continually transform orthopedics. What does it mean to you?
For me, it means looking at the market to understand what surgeons, and most especially patients, need, bringing everything together to suggest new products. It means figuring out new solutions for every patient. That way of thinking is one of LimaCorporate’s strengths. When I worked as a scrub nurse I saw that with many competitors’ products it was the patient that needs to adapt to the offer, but LimaCorporate’s platforms are so well thought out that we manage to adapt our implants to the patients, even without using the ProMade Design Service.
What do you love about what you do?
I love that I can be on the front line working on the field with surgeons and patients in the OR but also participate in product development projects. I love to work with the whole German team and also with the HQ. I feel like I have expanded my area.
Which are the teams your work with the most?
In Germany, I work with sales reps and the management team. While on an international scale, I work with the global shoulder and the Medical Education teams.
How do you think your work contributes to restoring the eMotion of Motion?
I think I can bring my knowledge of LimaCorporate’s portfolio to the surgeons and really support them in finding the best solutions for the patients.
And how do you think your previous work as a scrub nurse has helped you in your current role?
I think that I know the needs of surgeons and patients. I'm also familiar with the important departments in hospitals and I understand how to satisfy their needs and support them.
In LimaCorporate we always talk about “Passion and People”. How do you bring that into your relationship with surgeons?
LimaCorporate is smaller than many competitors but that works in our favor. Surgeons see how focused we are on their work and on patient outcomes. They feel this connection and they feel that we’re always there for them and that also the management team is not an abstract entity. That relationship is continuous, and it’s nourished over time. I make no differences between new and old customers, and I give them the same kind of attention and support.
What did you love about LimaCorporate when you were a scrub nurse? And what surprised you when you joined the company?
When I was a scrub nurse, I felt that LimaCorporate was different from other companies, but it was only when I joined that I understood why. When we talk about the Lima Family, we mean it. Even if LimaCorporate is an international company we are not a number. Everybody knows everybody and everybody is there for you. You could call anyone in the world and find a kind word and support. When I saw other companies in the OR I noticed how everyone was working for themselves but that is not happening in LimaCorporate.
And what about our Italian design and manufacturing heritage? Is it something that surgeons like?
Only some surgeons are interested in LimaCorporate’s past in the aerospace and automotive industries. What everyone is interested in is the outcome that this kind of past brings. LimaCorporate is a very fast-pacing and agile company, and that is very appreciated. Also, they appreciated that we have a long and stable process around 3D printing. For us, this kind of technology is old news but that’s not the case for the market.
LimaCorporate has a 100% precision testing policy for all implants, what do surgeons say about that?
They’re pleasantly surprised. When they know about our quality policy, they feel safe and protected in the OR.
What are you passionate about outside work?
I like sports, I like running and doing yoga. I’m also passionate about cooking and good food, maybe that’s also one of the reasons why I like working for an Italian company so much. And whenever I can I also like to travel.
If you could change career, what would you like to do?
I’d like to be a coach for personal growth and mindset.
Meet Emanuele Buttazzoni, Laboratory Manager in LimaCorporate
Hi Emanuele, tell us who you are and what you do in LimaCorporate.
My name is Emanuele Buttazzoni I have been the Laboratory Manager at LimaCorporate since 2016. However, my career in the company began in 2008 when I was hired as an engineer in the Regulatory office.
What is your background and why did you choose this career path?
When it came to choosing a university career, I was inspired by the examples I had in my family. My mother and my uncle, who in different ways, cared for people with motor disabilities. Specifically, my mother was a physiotherapist and worked mainly with children, while my uncle was an orthopedic technician.
Thanks also to their experience, I wanted to find a university path that would allow me to help people. That's why I chose the course of study in Biomedical Engineering in Padua.
Immediately after university, I started working in LimaCorporate, finding a company that allowed me to realize my desire to help others by applying what I studied.
How did you come to LimaCorporate?
I was called by LimaCorporate. A college friend of mine worked in the company and mentioned my name. One month after graduation, I was hired in the Regulatory office.
Quite a unique thing in the Italian working landscape.
Yes, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and in Italy it is not uncommon for young people to be forced to leave their local region to find opportunities elsewhere. The opposite happened to me. I was convinced that it would be necessary to move, and I started looking elsewhere, then I found LimaCorporate and I was lucky enough to find the job I was looking for near home.
Would you have been sorry to leave Friuli-Venezia Giulia?
Honestly yes. During university, I lived in Padua and I missed my home area, even though it was very close. Friuli Venezia Giulia is a border area with perhaps fewer opportunities and services than other Italian regions but offers some priceless advantages for me. The large spaces, the greenery, the little traffic, and the quality of life are aspects that many take for granted but which, in my opinion, make the difference compared to other places.
Tell us more about your journey in LimaCorporate
As I mentioned, I started my career in the company in the Regulatory office and it was a great experience. It allowed me to get into all business processes.
I remained in Regulatory for eight years, becoming in the meantime the coordinator of the renewal of the certificates for class III products (all implantable products). At some point, however, I felt that I had learned everything I could in that role and that I had given everything I could give. Also, I missed having a practical component in my work.
When the position of Laboratory Manager opened, I immediately understood that it was an opportunity. I could take advantage of my background in Regulatory and use it to the service of product validation, I could follow the product in a practical way in the testing phase, helping to guarantee and demonstrate its safety.
I have always thought that the implants we create, sooner or later, could be used on people dear to me or even on myself. When I work I think about this. I want to be sure that I have done everything in my power to ensure a safe product, which works well, which can give the patient a good quality of life again. The eMotion of Motion we always talk about.
Even when I was part of the Regulatory Team, I saw the enormous importance of the laboratory for the growth of the company. It was clear that the institutions would have sought the accreditation of the laboratory and so it was.
What is the role of the laboratories within LimaCorporate?
The chemical and mechanical laboratories must provide safety evidence of our materials and products.
In the chemical laboratory, we check upstream the materials we use to produce the prostheses and the processes to which the prostheses are subjected. For example, we can analyze any contamination and give indications on how to resolve the causes that generated the problem. Or we can verify that the powders used for the 3D printing processes meet internal requirements or reference standards.
In the mechanical laboratory, we simulate the conditions that our devices can encounter once implanted in patients. In this way, we verify, in a simulated environment, the resistance of our prostheses, their stability with respect to the patient's bone, their wear performance, in fact, their useful life.
What are the challenges you face every day?
My personal challenge, paradoxically, has nothing to do with testing. My personal challenge is to try to keep my team together, the group of people who represent everything to me. The growth of the laboratory was only possible thanks to the great teamwork.
I try to make the people who work with me feel part of a project and important. Anyone, even those who do a specific job, must feel in a position to be able to propose an idea. My challenge is to motivate these people, dedicate time to them and enhance them. It is a good investment that requires a lot of commitment and perseverance, but the results can be seen in everything we do.
Is there any project you are working on now that makes you particularly proud?
I am certainly proud of the recent ISO 17025 accreditation of ATLAs (our l’Advanced Laboratory for Testing and Analysis) obtained following the audit activity of Accredia, the Italian national accreditation body designated by the government to certify the skills, independence, and impartiality of the laboratories.
But of course, we never stop, and we are already working on other projects. ATLAs was born in 2019 to satisfy the company's growing demand for tests. After just two years, the laboratory is already struggling to keep up with LimaCorporate's exponential growth.
The next easiest step would have been to further expand the fleet, but after a group reasoning, we realized that simply expanding the laboratory was the simplest solution but not the right one for the company. We have therefore conceived a new idea, for now, top-secret, which we have nicknamed Leonardo, which expresses a new culture within the laboratory and a total change in the way of doing things.
We have the ambition to bring our studies and the results of our test method development efforts to associations that are involved in defining the reference standards. We want to be able to have our say and move from a passive role to an active role not only within the company but also outside.
What are the teams you interact with and how do you manage the impartiality of the laboratory?
We work a lot with the Research and Development group: the results of our tests validate the proposed solutions or guide the redesign or optimization of the product from the point of view of its safety. More generally, we are part of the project teams for the development of new products, we interface a lot with Regulatory, Quality, and Production.
The issue of impartiality is something that is deeply felt in our work also because it was one of the evaluation meters of the recent accreditation. We must report to our colleagues both the things that went well in the test phase and those that went wrong. Regardless of the deadlines or delays that any unsatisfactory results may entail. I always remind myself and the people of my team that what we test today, tomorrow could be part of us and of the people we care about. We must be uncompromising.
What does it mean for you to have a pioneering vision and how does it apply to LimaCorporate?
I will say something trivial but, in my opinion, having a pioneering vision means seeing and sensing things long before they happen and doing everything to make them happen before they are a necessity. It is the real discriminating factor between waiting for things to happen and reacting accordingly and anticipating them and being ready. For the laboratory, the accreditation is the result of a pioneering vision.
I began to take an interest in accreditation in 2014, when I was still part of the Regulatory group. I laid the foundations for this project in 2016 when I became the Laboratory Manager. We started working towards this goal in 2017.
At that time, neither internally nor the regulatory authority required the laboratory to be accredited. Today TÛV, our certification body in Europe, requires the accreditation of laboratories to be able to recertify our products according to MDR (the new European Regulation for Medical Devices).
If we hadn't started in 2016 and if we hadn't worked hard for the next 5 years, we would now be late and our tests would not even be considered by the authorities, putting the commercialization of the products at serious risk.
We were ready when needed, thanks to a pioneering vision gained years ago and to a determined and never interrupted work.
Obviously, not everything always runs smoothly. Sometimes projects go well, and others lead to a dead end. However, what matters is the way you think, have a vision, and believe in your intuitions.
What do you like about what you do in LimaCorporate?
I like the fact that working here is a continuous discovery, a continuous challenge. When I arrive at work, I have a rough idea of what I will do but during the day there are always new challenges to face. I have new ideas and new projects to think about. I like being able to have new ideas and be able to put them into practice.
Is there something that makes you proud?
There are so many things that make me proud. Surely having seen the birth of the ATLAs laboratories and having linked my name and that of my group to the first accreditation of LimaCorporate.
It makes me proud to work with people who have something more to give each day. People who look to the future and not to "what has always been done". It is not uncommon that when we leave in the evening with a problem, someone sends me a message that same night or comes to work with the solution the next day. This shows that our work is much more than a means of earning a salary at the end of the month, it is a passion.
Is there something that surprised you in the culture of LimaCorporate?
I have always felt a lot of trust in me. When I was at university, I never expected someone to say to me one day: "We need a new laboratory, do it. We give you the resources and you manage the project. " I had never done something so ambitious and with such huge resources. The fact that the CEO himself supported me and said that he trusted my ideas was beautiful and surprising at the same time. Also, because not only my professional credibility was at risk. If something had gone wrong, it would have been a big problem for the company.
Also in this case, we are faced with a cultural characteristic that distinguishes LimaCorporate compared to what I hear about many other companies.
How much does the history of LimaCorporate affect what the company is today?
If we are relatively sure we can propose new things it is because we are sure of our background, both personal and corporate. We know that everything we do as a company has a strong foundation of innovation and technical challenge, but we trust our work and start from a very solid foundation. This is valid not only for the finished product but also for the process we arrive at it.
Within LimaCorporate there are great skills, perhaps at times, we could be even more confident.
Do you think the territory has influenced LimaCorporate as a company?
I am convinced that LimaCorporate would not be the company it is if it were not in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Today LimaCorporate is an international company, with many international employees but, in my opinion, it maintains a Friulian soul. The people of this land are by nature very tied to work. They are inclined to treat the company they work for as if it were their own, always putting a little of their own in what they do.
LimaCorporate has always been very attached to the territory and has always remained in the area, even though the location is not among the most accessible and well connected. And those who work here and are from Friuli, in my opinion, understand very well the importance of being able to work in for such a company which keeps high the name of Friuli abroad.
There was also the ability to feed the core of LimaCorporate with the arrival of new personalities from other areas of the world. Personally, I am proud to work for LimaCorporate because, in addition to being a multinational, I feel I work for the excellence of Friuli-Venezia Giulia
What are you passionate about outside work?
I like manual activities. I like working with wood and giving shape to things.
I like doing sport. I practiced mountain running until I started working, now I continue to run and ride near home. I like outdoor sports in general, especially now that I'm a dad and I must reconcile hobbies with family needs.
A recent passion, which I especially appreciated during the lockdown, is planting trees. Unfortunately, I ran out of space in the garden to do it but, if I could, I would also do it in other gardens.
If you hadn't followed this career, what would you have done?
If I were living in the world of dreams, where I don't have to earn to live, I would have liked to have been a mountaineer or an explorer.
If, on the other hand, I must think of something more concrete ... I honestly never thought about it because I feel I am in the place where I’m supposed to be. Should I change, I would stick to my resolution to help people who have difficulties or disabilities.
Meet Matej Ferletič, Area Sales Manager for Eastern Europe in LimaCorporate
To dare is not always the most satisfying option but if no one ever did it, we would still be travelling with horse and buggy. I like being part of a company that always tries to bring new solutions.
Hi Matej, tell us a little about yourself. Who are you? Where are you from? What is your role within LimaCorporate?
I live in Doberdò del Lago, a little town in the province of Gorizia, and I am part of the Slovenian minority of Friuli Venezia Giulia. At LimaCorporate, I am Area Sales Manager for Eastern Europe. I manage the Slovenian market and the current distributors and also search for new business partners within my region.
How did you start working for LimaCorporate, what is your background?
It all started by chance. Immediately after high school, I started working as a programmer for a software company where I dealt chips. However, during this first experience I realized that I was not made for the classic 9 to 5 office work and that I felt more comfortable in the commercial area. For a while I worked in sales in the IT sector with products of my design. I was about to move to London when I came across a job advertisement for an orthopedic company that was looking for a bilingual person in the Gorizia area. I didn't know anything about the sector, but I did the interview anyway and somehow, I got the job. The world of orthopedics immediately fascinated me. I studied a lot of anatomy, prostheses, pathologies and I went to ask the surgeons for help to learn.
The distributor I worked for was small, but this allowed me to become familiar with all aspects of the job. After nine years, I made the leap to a multinational, managing Slovenia and Emerging Markets, and after another four years, in 2017, I joined LimaCorporate.
In LimaCorporate I started as Marketing Manager for Eastern Europe and Knee Sales Manager for Slovenia. Then, in 2019, I had the opportunity to combine the sales activity with marketing throughout the Eastern Europe area.
Why did you decide to join LimaCorporate?
At the time my company was undergoing restructuring and I was requested to move to Milan. I absolutely did not want to do that and so I stopped the collaboration.
Of course, there are pros and cons in all experiences. In very large companies, like the one where I worked before, everything was already written and pre-established. The tracks were drawn, and it was not possible to go outside them. In LimaCorporate, on the other hand, the tracks are created, together with the team.
It is a continuous work in progress and what we obtain is the result of teamwork.
When I was about to leave my old company, I had the possibility to choose between two new realities, but it was enough to speak with my manager to understand that LimaCorporate was the right choice for me.
Lima is a pioneering company that innovates. It is rare that it follows paths that are already trodden, and this is very stimulating. It gives you the opportunity to grow as a professional and as a person and, since you never stop learning in life, it is a great opportunity.
Let's talk about your role in the company. You connect LimaCorporate and Eastern Europe countries but not only. This connection also exists within you, given your belonging to the Slovenian minority in Italy. Do you have a typical day?
A fundamental part of my job is looking for new distributors and it's not always easy. In the countries I deal with, LimaCorporate is not yet well known. Even if it might seem like a disadvantage, it works in my favor because when I introduce the company, it is immediately clear what our background is, with decades of experience and excellent products. The hardest part comes when the distributors must address the surgeons and convince them to use LimaCorporate.
On an average workday I answer the many e-mails I receive from distributors and cultivate relationships with them. Obviously, there is also the management of administrative, logistical, and regulatory aspects.
This is what I mean when I say that the tracks are often to be "built". I deal with "unexplored" countries for LimaCorporate which have different laws and procedures, that, of course, must be followed to gain access to the market. This is the phase in which we work as a team with the legal, regulatory, customer service departments to fulfill the requests.
Then of course there are the relationships with established partners with whom the goal is to maintain and increase our market share.
How do you maintain the market share?
I always push on Medical Education. I try to convince distributors to send doctors around the world to attend Focus Sessions or Surgeon to Surgeons. When surgeons participate in a medical education event and can touch the quality of LimaCorporate products, they almost automatically become our partners.
Are you working on any interesting projects?
My focus now is the Gulf countries and South Africa. The Gulf is an interesting market and is the gateway to many more countries in the area.
LimaCorporate's goal is to restore the eMotion of Motion to patients and to continuously improve orthopedics. What does it mean for you?
The world of orthopedics is fascinating, but only those who work in it are able to understand how important it is. In Lima it is even more so because we are a company that innovates and knows how to dare.
To dare is not always the most satisfying option but if no one ever did it, we would still be travelling with horse and buggy. I like being part of a company that always tries to bring new solutions.
Is this what differentiates us from our competitors?
A lot depends on the size of the company. Obviously, even big names have a department dedicated to research but that is not the company's focus.
It is the smaller companies like LimaCorporate that must dare to establish themselves on the market. Of course there are same-size companies that are content by offering the same products.
I am not saying that Lima is the only one to have this kind philosophy but for us to constantly innovate and improve is a mantra, we cannot afford and don't know how to do otherwise.
What are the achievements you are most proud of since you joined LimaCorporate?
It certainly makes me proud to have paved the way to bring LimaCorporate to the Gulf. Having pushed Medical Education in Eastern Europe a lot is bringing important results that make me proud.
At LimaCorporate we always talk about passion and people. Is there an example of particularly successful collaboration?
When I started working in LimaCorporate, the countries of Eastern Europe formed a single area with the countries of Southern Europe.
During that period, I created such collaborative relationships that many Eastern Europe Medical Education events are done in Portugal. The same format is also used in the other countries of the area, Poland, the Czech Republic, etc., but the collaboration with Portugal, however, demonstrates how human relationships are stronger than geographical distance.
How do you relate to the surgeons?
Also in this case, human relationships are fundamental. When I visit distributors, we often organize meetings with surgeons who like to have direct contact with the company. The human side in our work is fundamental and I like it for that very reason.
If you had to describe Lima culture in a few words, what would you say?
Two words are enough: innovation and passion. The second is fundamental. Many in Lima work as if the company were theirs and this makes the difference.
Do you think that being Italian is a plus in your area?
Stereotypes exist everywhere and even towards Italy there are some. But if one analyzes what Italy has produced in terms of design and engineering, the Italian genius is undeniable. When we start a collaboration, everyone realizes the trustworthiness of LimaCorporate and therefore only the positive part of the stereotype remains.
Those who deal with Lima understand that the future of the company is to become one of the most important players in orthopedics.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I like art and sport. I draw, read, photograph, sometimes I write. I used to play soccer, surf, basketball, tennis. I understand well what the eMotion of Motion is.
With two small children though, I don't have much time for my hobbies.
If you could completely change your job, what would you do?
What do I want to do when I grow up? Still do not know. I would certainly not make a job out of my hobbies because I'd be afraid of missing out on the fun part.
On a professional level, I have had the opportunity to change sector, but I feel that I still have too much to learn to give up orthopedics.
In your opinion, being part of a minority has helped you in the workplace?
The Italian and Slovenian cultures are very different, and I consider myself very lucky to carry them both within me. Living on the border means having many opportunities, and a greater open mind in general. I am also lucky enough to have two mother tongues, and it certainly helped me at work.
Meet Our engineers, our four engineers working in ProMade POC Center
Ciao Guys, it’s time to introduce yourselves! What’s your name, what do you do in LimaCorporate and where are you from?
DJ: My name is Doug Jones, and I am a Manufacturing Engineer for the ProMade PoC Center. I now live in New York City but I’m originally from California.
AB: I’m Alessio Barone, I'm from Palermo, Sicily. I work as Process Engineer in LimaCorporate’s Sicilian plant, but now I’m temporarily relocated to the ProMade PoC Center.
GC: I’m Giovanni Caccamo. I was born in Sicily, but I’ve been living in Friuli Venezia Giulia, where LimaCorporate’s headquarters are, for the past seventeen years.
JM: Hi, I am Juan Morales and I work here in the ProMade PoC Center. I’ve been a New Yorker for the past 31 years.
For how long have you been working for LimaCorporate?
DJ: I joined LimaCorporate in February 2021.
JM: I also joined LimaCorporate in early 2021. I guess we’re the newbies.
AB: I started working in LimaCorporate in 2009. It’s already been twelve years.
GC: I beat you all. I joined almost 17 years ago.
Why did you join LimaCorporate?
DJ: I was pretty excited about the ProMade Point of Care Center. I thought it was a very innovative opportunity to open up a brand-new manufacturing site inside a hospital. I thought about the diverse opportunities that I would have in LimaCorporate and about the impact and the help I could give to people.
AB: I think I was at the right place at the right time. The plant in Sicily was growing and I saw a unique opportunity for me. New technologies, a good work environment, and a great team.
GC: For me, it was my first job. I was just eighteen years old, but I had a good feeling about the environment. I was right!
JM: I worked on medical devices before, but only a little. Then I also worked in R&D but wanted to know more about both worlds. That was when I found LimaCorporate.
What are the challenges that you face every day in your work?
DJ: For me, the biggest challenge is adapting to this new industry since I come from the aerospace industry. I’m starting to learn more about medical devices and I'm learning a lot. It’s a very interesting industry but also very regulated which makes it even more challenging and interesting.
AB: Thanks to this experience in the ProMade PoC Center I had the chance to face the many challenges that come from the set-up of a new production facility from the ground up. It was a great professional and personal experience.
GC: In this experience, you need to have a 360 vision of what it takes to build up a production facility. The ProMade PoC Center may be little, but it needs the same things as a big one. We are overseeing everything, from logistics to process validation, to new suppliers and new employees. We never get bored around here.
JM: The main challenge is being a Jack of all trades and knowing a little bit of everything. But I feel like I’m getting better at it and growing professionally
LimaCorporate’s mission is to restore the eMotion of Motion in patients, to make their life healthier and easier. For that reason, we continuously try to transform orthopedics, what does this mean to you?
DJ: I always want to keep the patient in mind in whatever I do. Whether is creating the actual solution or building up a new process to create the implant, we always think about the patient and try to do the best thing. Every day, when I come to work, I think: how I can make the product better? what can I do to make the patient experience better?
AB: What we’re building today, here in the ProMade PoC Center, is driven by technological improvements. For me, it means improving my personal skills. I think that if we all try to improve ourselves, we can also improve processes and products.
GC: It means that LimaCorporate is already one step into the future. I’ve seen many things change since my arrival here and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
JM: I think that everyone I met in LimaCorporate was thinking about the future and how we can create better solutions. What I must do is bringing in new ideas. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish at the ProMade PoC Center, we can really can make a difference in people’s lives by producing custom solutions.
What was the thing that surprised you the most when you first entered the ProMade PoC Center and, of course, LimaCorporate?
DJ: That’s a good question. The thing that really stood out to me when I was in the HQ for training, was how passionate everyone was. It really seemed like everyone was extremely happy to come to work, do their job as best they can and push themselves so they can push the company forward. It seemed like everyone embodied that pioneering vision and it was really cool to see it live on a day-to-day. It was very inspiring. And then, coming to the ProMade PoC Center in New York, it was cool to have such a technological opportunity in the heart of New York City. It’s a first-of-its-kind facility. We're exploring the unknown, and it’s very exciting to be here.
AB: I’ve always managed advanced technology. We are a great team and it’s great to see so many people pushing towards the same goal. That’s what stood out to me and I’m very proud to be part of all of this.
GC: LimaCorporate has been my home for the past 17 years and the ProMade PoC Center is like my child. You can all imagine how happy I was when I saw it come to life. I hope it grows more and more.
JM: One thing that really impressed me when I joined LimaCorporate is that everyone has a passion for engineering and good products but also, I noticed that everyone wants the product to look good. Everyone is focused on good engineering but they also want to maintain a clear Italian design.
This brings us to the next questions which revolve around our Italian design and engineering heritage. How do you think that heritage sets us apart from competitors? Do you feel the “Italian design” living there in New York City?
DJ: You can feel the experience that LimaCorporate has on a day-to-day basis. During the training process, I was able to ask questions to Giovanni and the people in the HQ. I was given very thoughtful answers which was such a huge breath of experience. I would say that in NYC that Italian heritage is still very present and visible.
AB: Our heritage plays a pivotal role. Every new product, every new idea is filtered through our heritage and that makes a huge difference.
GC: I think our heritage is our power. It is what makes our implants unique.
JM: I come from general manufacturing and slowly but surely, I started taking classes in medical additive manufacturing. When US companies were barely starting to use AM, LimaCorporate already had years of experience. That’s the real game-changer for the US but Europe too.
Now that the ProMade PoC Center is open, how do you imagine the future of the center and of orthopedics in general?
DJ: I think that the ProMade PoC Center represents a huge opportunity for the industry. We can only imagine what new technologies will come out of such close collaboration between surgeons and engineers. It’s always very difficult to get everybody in the same room to discuss new ideas and technology, but here, that’s possible. I’m really excited to see what can come out of that. I’m still new to the industry but I think we’ll see fast innovation on solutions and processes that will bring great improvements.
AB: I See two major opportunities from the ProMade PoC Center: the possibility to work in close connection with surgeons but also the possibility to show how we work and how much quality we bring into our implants.
GC: in addition to what Alessio said, I think there’s also the speed of service on the plate.
JM: The point of care is really about lean manufacturing. Everyone is here and that’s important. Quick turnaround, quick design changes, quick success for the patient.
If you had three words to describe LimaCorporate, what would you choose?
DJ: I think that the word that best describes LimaCorporate is passionate. Everyone is passionate in Lima, and everyone works as if the company was their own, which makes the environment very friendly, which is the second word I’d use to describe LimaCorporate. LimaCorporate is also innovative and focused on the transformation of orthopedics.
AB: I agree with Doug. The passion of LimaCorporate employees is evident to everyone who comes and visits us. We’re also innovative, true pioneers in our industry. Moreover, we are committed to precision and quality, so as a third word I’d use quality-focused.
GC: I also agree with both. I would only add international. The fact that me and Alessio are here says a lot about how global and enthusiastic we are.
JM: I agree with my colleagues, we truly are passionate, innovative, and quality-focused.
What do you love about what you do? What drives you?
DJ: Work is very diverse here. Every day I work on something different and that is very exciting. I also work with some great people.
AB: For someone who loves technology and advanced manufacturing this is the right place to be. If you’re an engineer here, you’ll be able to explore everything there is to explore. In the end, also, I love what I do, and that love helps me face every challenge!
GC: For me, it’s the opportunity to start from an idea or a drawing and transform it into something you can touch.
JM: For me, it’s the opportunity to help someone and the technology.
What are you passionate about outside work?
DJ: I spend a lot of time with my family. I recently married and moved to NY. We just like staying outside and explore our new surroundings.
AB: I’m also passionate about my family. They’re the reason I’m here.
GC: I love playing drums and riding my motorcycle. Of course, I love my family too.
JM: I’m also passionate about my family. In general, I love summer and everything that’s related to it.
Meet Chiara Gorasso, Quality Management System (QMS) Coordinator.
Ciao Chiara, please introduce yourself. What has influenced your career today, and what led you to a career at LimaCorporate?
I've always been interested in maths and science. My mother is a maths teacher, and my father is an engineer, so love for sciences runs through my family! At the end of high school, a friend who was a biomedical engineer inspired me to pursue this particular career path, and it was love at first sight. Biomedical engineering is a fusion between engineering, medicine, and anatomy, and I was fascinated to learn about the various technologies and how they are applied to medicine and science
Having completed my bachelor’s degree in Padova, Northern Italy, I moved to Milan to complete my master’s in biomedical engineering. Whilst I didn’t originally specialize in orthopedics, the field has always interested me. LimaCorporate is the biggest medical device company in Friuli, so it was only natural I applied to work here.
I joined LimaCorporate almost four and a half years ago, as a process validation engineer in the company’s Quality Department. After a few months, I had the opportunity to join QMS so transitioned to my current role, which I love.
Tell us about your role at LimaCorporate?
As the QMS Coordinator, I ensure LimaCorporate’s products are compliant with good manufacturing practices, are of the highest quality standards, and satisfy all quality and applicable regulatory requirements. No two days are the same. Whether its organizing internal audits, or contributing to new operating procedures applicable for medical devices processes, my job is always exciting, with different challenges constantly around the corner.
I deal with a range of different business units and their requirements – our work is critical in ensuring all ways of working and procedure updates, that could impact quality, are guaranteed. Whilst my role is internal, I am in constant communication with our external subsidiaries, Authorities, and Notified Bodies (organizations that assess the conformity of certain products before they enter the market), to guarantee all quality requirements are met. I also train manufacturing, design, and development teams to ensure they follow all the applicable requirements defined in the LimaCorporate Quality Management System.
What do you enjoy about your job?
Knowing that the products we create are of the highest quality possible is a great thing to be part of. Quality is always present in LimaCorporate, from the factory floor to the operating table. As a quality engineer, I help our teams provide the best solutions, that not only improve patients’ lives, but change them. I’m curious by nature, and with regulation changing so rapidly that directly impacts companies like ours, I’m driven to help our teams perform.
How does your team drive innovation?
All the quality department is involved in the design and development processes for different activities, working with teams to produce new technologies and solutions. It’s up to us to have our ‘finger on the pulse’ and remain one step ahead of potential regulation. It’s important that our products and procedures are compliant in their respective markets’ requirements around the world. Behind every innovation, and market-leading technology and materials, are quality and applicable regulatory requirements. Without quality in production or processes, we cannot provide the world-class solutions for patients we are renowned for.
What are some of the challenges you face?
Understanding different departments’ needs and managing relationships to ensure they are met is an important part of my job. We work with some of the brightest minds at LimaCorporate, often collaborating with people who have expert technical knowledge and skills. It’s crucial we understand their specific needs and then translate them into a procedure, documents, or operational elements. Managing timeframes and expectations is a challenge, as we’re often tasked with short deadlines. That being said, being polite, calm and kind goes a long way! We are part of a great team and really try to support each other across the business to achieve our shared goal.
What are you proud of in your career?
Most recently, I participated in an external course run by our Notified Body to become an auditor. The training was intense. However, I’m proud to say I’m now qualified as an internal and external auditor.
If you weren’t in this career and company, what would your dream job be?
Funnily enough, when I was seven years old, I was interviewed by my swimming team's newspaper. They asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said an engineer because my father is one! Now I am one, I love what I do. I love the medical device field, but if I had to choose again, given my passion for sports - swimming, running, hiking - I could see myself coaching. I want to help people, especially children, to develop their hidden talents. Everyone deserves to feel like a champion and know their strengths.
If you feel inspired by Chiara’s story and are interested in joining the LimaCorporate family, please visit our careers page to find the latest roles available. We would love to hear from you.
Meet Federico Leandrin, ProMade Product Development Coordinator for the USA.
Ciao Federico, please introduce yourself. When and how did you start your career in LimaCorporate? What is your background?
Hi! My name is Federico Leandrin, I’m 29 years old and I’m the ProMade Product Development Coordinator for the USA. I’m now based in the beating heart of NYC at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where I’m responsible for overseeing all custom implants designed and produced for the US market. I joined LimaCorporate in June 2016, after graduating in material engineering with a focus on biomaterials and biomedical technologies. I started my career within the outstanding ProMade team as a Jr Product Development Engineer (back then there were only four of us!). During the past few years, the whole team has gone through an unprecedented evolution and great opportunities arose as a result.
You’re the first ProMade engineer working and collaborating actively with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, in LimaCorporate's new facility. What are your feelings about it?
It is an unbelievable experience and I’m proud to be the pioneer of such a game-changing collaboration between LimaCorporate and HSS. Sitting inside the first-ranked hospital in the world for orthopedics, working closely with internationally renowned surgeons to learn how to recognize and address the challenges they’re facing in the most complex cases, are among the high-value aspects that make this cooperation something unique. We’re now working on several projects in HSS and all around the USA and we start seeing the impact our service has in both patient’s life and surgeon practice.
What are the challenges of working in such an innovative environment? Is there something you miss from HQ life?
This experience has been, without a doubt, a radical change for me, professionally and personally. There are so many inputs and stimuli that all this new environment offers every day, that dealing with all of them is probably the most challenging aspect to handle so far. I believe this is part of the innovative nature of what LimaCorporate is building here in HSS and, of course, without the usual “Km 0” support of HQ, everything requires particular attention. This sort of self-management can easily push you towards your limits and, when it occurs, I like to keep in mind that “life begins at the end of your comfort zone”!
In your opinion, what is the impact that the new facility will have on LimaCorporate in a global perspective?
Let’s face it, we have the chance to completely change the way people think about orthopedics and the personalized solution for challenging patients. We’re bringing the technology into surgeon’s hands, where clinical and engineering expertise perfectly match. And I feel like we’re just at the beginning of our journey.
What makes you proudest of your job?
It may sound obvious, but being part of an energetic and dynamic team that recognizes everyone’s contribution, is key. Together we learn from our mistakes and, together, we celebrate success.
Beside this, the opportunity to see my creation evolving from the concept to the final application is something extremely rewarding. Everytime I walk in the OR and I experience the benefit that these unique and personalized creations have on patients, it fills me with pride. Hardware, knowhow, passion and great relationships are the ingredients of these results.
What are the required characteristics to work for LimaCorporate, according to you?
I’ll be honest, I believe I’m still in the stage of defining and finishing of my own skills (and I’m not sure I’ll ever stop doing it!), but what I’ve learned so far, from my experience in LimaCorporate, is that everything can happen very quickly, no matter the entity of the project. You need to be ready to thing outside of the box, be fast in making decisions without being afraid to take the wrong road. Risks and mistakes are part of the business and you, along with your team, should know how to make the most from every experience.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
If I go back a few years, I’d probably be looking at some nice mountains in Trento, where I attended my master courses and I’d say: keep studying, stay with your passions, don’t be afraid to go abroad and see how the rest of the world works, build relationships. I think everyone’s life is marked by choices, sometimes we voluntarily make the right one, sometimes we do it unwittingly. In any case, I like the idea that, if you keep doing the right thing, good things will happen to you.
Dream away, if you could do any other job what would you do and why?
Honestly speaking, I feel like I have a lot more to learn from what I’m doing now and from the people I work with.
Going forward, I hope I’ll be in the condition to grow new interests and set new personal targets. Surely it would be enriching to extend my knowledge on the functioning of an organization as a whole, not only from the technical and engineering point of view, but also from the business perspective.
I’m usually intrigued by things I don’t know, and I often wonder whether if it’s too late or it takes too long to deepen the knowledge of new topics. I guess I’ll find the answer by trying.