When Hamza Saqib joined his family-run business six years ago, the Surrey-based earmould manufacturing company was on the verge of being sold. At the time, the then 18-year-old had some innovative ideas on how to transform Oto Hearing Products into a modern, high-impact enterprise.
The Health Canada licensed lab, dedicated to reducing hearing loss risks through custom earmoulds, had high material and labour costs—and lags in shipping. This prompted Saqib, who serves as Oto’s vice-president, to look into solutions. “I had a team develop a software that allows you to scan the impression, send it directly into the system for processing, and, within a minute or two, the earmould design is generated.”
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According to Saqib, Oto was one of the first in Canada to implement 3D printing for custom earmoulds. These changes slashed production time and cut costs by over 34 percent. “We finally launched 3D printing two years ago after two-and-a-half-years of trial and error,” he says. Under Saqib’s leadership, Oto has been able to secure over 900 national partnerships with mobile clinics like Ears To You, major retailers like Costco, both BC Children’s Hospital and Alberta Children’s Hospital, Ontario Health Services and the RCMP.
Oto aims to launch a new flagship product within three years: custom in-ear monitors for musicians and audiophiles. Saqib’s end goal is to “take the company public in the stock exchange and become a one-stop shop for all audiology equipment in Canada.” Oto will continue to expand nationally and plans to enter the U.S. market.
“When you focus on your own path instead of comparing yourself to others, success follows.”
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