Syscon Instrumentation

Syscon Automation’s founder and CEO, Bob Bruce, started the RC Bruce Company in 2002 as a freelance controls engineer with the intention of plying his talents to solve manufacturing problems for local industries. He was educated at the University of Wisconsin in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a specialty in controls and steeped in the field with several related internships. Bruce cut his teeth as an electrical engineer at Kimberly-Clark by designing high-speed paper converting machines. Materials flying through the machinery in a blur and the loud “ka-CHUNK” that marked the end of a product run fascinated him. Bruce made sure each movement was precisely controlled and orchestrated with the others to turn raw materials on one end of the factory floor into consumer-ready products at the other end. It wasn’t long before he had more work than he could handle on his own. By 2007, Bruce recruited several like-minded engineers to join him and changed the company name to Syscon Automation Group. At that point in time, Syscon Automation was made up of a small band of intrepid experts who each had their specialties and loyal customers. Over the next five years, Syscon added more engineers and grew a natural division of labor to tackle larger and more complex projects. This is also when Syscon brought on its first full-time administrator - a controller - to do the increasingly complex accounting and HR functions. Three of the top-level engineers, a controller, and a manager formed a foundational core who earned company ownership through blood, sweat, and tears.