After laying off dozens of workers from its Ottawa operations last year, design services firm Syntronic says it’s back in growth mode. Taimoor Nawab, the Kanata-based head of Syntronic Canada’s R&D division, said the company plans to hire more than 60 software developers this year, with 95 per cent of the new jobs expected to […]
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After laying off dozens of workers from its Ottawa operations last year, design services firm Syntronic says it’s back in growth mode.
Taimoor Nawab, the Kanata-based head of Syntronic Canada’s R&D division, said the company plans to hire more than 60 software developers this year, with 95 per cent of the new jobs expected to be in the National Capital Region.
Nawab said about 80 per cent of the new hires will focus on designing software and other products such as cutting-edge sensors for original equipment manufacturers that cater to the automotive industry.
As next-generation technology aimed at assisting drivers with parking and other tasks gets more sophisticated, OEMs require more outside expertise, Nawab explained.
That’s where Syntronic comes in. Headquartered in Sweden, the firm designs and manufactures software and other technology for customers in the automotive, telecommunications, medical technology, industrial and robotics sectors.
While telecom customers still generate more than half of the company’s revenue, Syntronic’s sales to clients in the auto industry are accelerating.
Automotive OEMs currently account for about 20 per cent of the firm’s overall revenues, and Nawab expects car-related software to make up an even bigger part of its income in the future.
“Some of it is very niche,” he said of the technology that powers driver-assisted parking, lane-departure warnings and other features of modern vehicles.
“It’s not always easy for (equipment manufacturers) to scale up as quickly as they need. They look for partners like us that can bring the expertise today.”
Syntronic established its first Canadian R&D hub in Kanata a decade ago. As cars and other devices have become more connected to the Internet of Things, demand for its services has grown.
The firm now has five offices in the Ottawa area, including three in Kanata and two in Stittsville, where its manufacturing facility is located.
Still, Syntronic has not been immune to the effects of the economic downturn that has led to tens of thousands of layoffs throughout the tech industry in the past couple of years.
