Has a Clear Vision of the Future

By Matthew St. Amand

It was twenty years ago this year that Dean Scarlett and Michael Sirizzotti got into the machine vision business.

“In 2003, this technology was very primitive, under-developed, compared to where it’s at today,” says Mike. “We had some experience in other businesses and thought there was an interesting opportunity in machine vision development and its integration. We didn’t want to build a product. We wanted to create a technology services business with expertise in that field.”

And they did.

“One of the things we liked about our idea for Vista was, coming from Windsor, the general perspective is that it’s an auto manufacturing universe,” Dean recalls. “For us, that would be a piece of it. Machine vision was slowly being adopted, but we felt there were opportunities for diversity into various other industry segments, such as medical devices, food, and beverage. The principles of imaging are transferable. It was our goal to do things outside of the automotive sphere.”

In 2006, Vista Solutions developed a best-in-class 3D inspection solution for the metal casting industry. This exposure to 3D imaging proved to be a pivotal moment.

Weathering the vicissitudes that affect the automotive industry— including the calamitous downturn of 2008—Vista Solutions not only survived, but it also thrived.

“Between 2009-11, we experienced a critical moment that gave us some success,” Mike continues. “We got heavy into the food and beverage sector, doing work for General Mills, developing a custom 3D inspection for them, that in many ways, laid the groundwork for what we’re doing today. The project went very well. It allowed us to move from our first location to where we are now located on Kew Drive.”

Vista Solutions’ total footprint is now more than 20,000 square feet— between its Windsor location and offices in Detroit and Queretaro, Mexico. Its state-of-the-art vision laboratories enables the company to test and prove-out all prospective applications. Complete with the most current 2D and 3D machine vision technologies, high speed line scan systems and custom developmental tools (software and hardware). Vista can evaluate projects and conduct complete feasibility testing. Moreover, Vista Solutions owns a complete compliment of robotics, automation, and material handling devices to allow for simulation of production conditions.

Just when it appeared that Vista Solutions had reached its zenith, the company evolved in ways that surprised even Dean and Mike.

“We always ran the company as a smaller footprint organization,” Dean says. “By 2018-19, we knew that we wanted to scale and become more process driven. This new thinking has introduced new markets and opportunities, and ways to execute business.”

Vista Solutions now has a built-out organizational structure, which is primarily data driven. If data does not support a business idea, the company does not go with it. A leadership team has been established, that consists of VPs within both Engineering and Finance, as well as a Director of Sales to steer all business development. This leadership team drives cross-functional engagement between all departments.

“Our Machine Vision Engineers, the heart of our business, are truly world class,” says Mike. “This world class talent, combined with our new structure, has propelled our headcount from approximately thirty employees to over fifty, in only three years.”

Dean says he and Mike have never been more excited about the future of Vista Solutions than they are today. And just in time for their twentieth anniversary in business.

To learn more about the cutting-edge work going on a Vista Solutions, visit them online at vistasolutions.ca. W.E.