Internet of Things offers opportunity for companies big and small Posted on : Dec 01 - 2015

A recent survey by Tata Consulting Services indicates that Internet of Things investments are predominately made by very large enterprises. But earlier this year, the 2015 Brother Small Business Survey found that a third of small businesses surveyed would like to deploy technology to take advantage of IoT.

 Does that mean that companies in the mid-to-large tier are going to be left sitting on the sidelines? Count Kevin Rusin among those who think IoT provides smaller businesses with the opportunity to compete with Fortune 500 giants.

 As CFO of two separate but related companies, he’s pursuing IoT in both consumer and business markets. One, McKinley Equipment Corp., distributes and services material handling, industrial lift, commercial door and loading dock equipment in California, Nevada and Arizona.  The other, McKinley Elevator Corp., does the same for residential home elevators and accessibility products for commercial and residential applications.

 “The barriers have come down between the small guy and the big guy,” Rusin says. “I can compete at a GE level; at any level I want to if I push the technology. Everybody is playing on the same playing field.”

 From shipping ports to retailer’s loading docks, he says, “Every product that you buy has gone over or under a product that we can sell, install or service.”

 His journey to IoT began with a simple customer service issue. A few years back, the elevator company had installed residential elevators for several movie stars. “One very well known customer’s elevator was not working one day and I saw by chance his service ticket going through the system. I said to myself ‘why is this elevator not working and how do we keep this up and running for him while he’s away. View More