Certify Before You Buy—How To Deal With New Machinery

Derek DeGeest, President of DeGeest Corporation and LestaUSA, knows when the industry comes together to help each other, successful integration of robotics and automation into operations follows. After being on both sides of the coin of installing a large finishing system and shepherding in new self-learning robotic technology to North America, it’s important to share the combined experiences of DeGeest Corp and LestaUSA to help manufacturing grow.

DeGeest wants to encourage other general industry manufacturers to bring new machinery into their operations. But, there is also a cautionary tale to be told. DeGeest shared his company’s ulcer-inducing experience and learnings when, as a contract job shop, they installed a large finishing system. A new state regulatory interpretation on machinery vs equipment almost shut down the entire system.

Without certification, the machinery was useless. “We had to find a way to learn the regulatory system and work with every group to find a solution,” DeGeest said. “And we did. Fast forward, three years later, we now have the largest robotic painting system in the contract job shop world in North America.”

DeGeest also walks through the process of getting Lesta’s robot technology NRTL certified and the importance of having this certification in North America. Launching Lesta’s proven robotic system’s in North America proved to need a different set of classifications than European standards that required multiple system changes.

DeGeest recognized when dealing with new machinery and equipment in the marketplace; regulators have an impossible task. “Changing technology in manufacturing is so fast that it doesn’t keep up with the code, and it is hard for them (the regulators) to interpret how they’re supposed to apply that to the new machinery that’s coming out,” DeGeest said. “That’s what happened to us. Our machinery was newly interpreted as equipment according to the codebook, so they didn’t know what to do.” DeGeest worked with the regulators to hammer out a solution, rewrite the code, and create a path forward for other industry companies. Why? Because at DeGeest Corporation and Lesta USA, they believe a rising tide lifts all boats.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

AI Infrastructure
Execution at Scale: The Real Challenge of Building AI Infrastructure
July 17, 2025

AI infrastructure is evolving at breakneck speed, and the real challenge is no longer just designing next-generation data centers—it’s executing them at scale. As demand for AI-ready facilities grows, operators must adapt to immense increases in power density, new cooling technologies, and unconventional deployment locations. Power density requirements for AI workloads are pushing the…

Read More
workplace visibility
Workplace Visibility Builds Careers and Communities Through Trust, Recognition, and Shared Growth
July 17, 2025

What if the most powerful way to grow your career isn’t by perfecting your pitch, but by telling your story? In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham welcomes Hunter Lopatin, the Director of MarketScale, to explore the real value of visibility and voice in the workplace. The discussion…

Read More
Marketplace Inclusion
How TEKsystems Uses Marketplace Inclusion to Drive Equitable AI Adoption
July 16, 2025

As organizations race to integrate AI into every corner of business, an equally urgent conversation is emerging: How do we ensure this adoption doesn’t widen existing equity gaps? AI is both a disruptive force and an opportunity engine, as recent data shows that AI adoption among HR professionals jumped to 72 percent in 2025, up…

Read More
storytelling
The Secret to Brand Loyalty: Why Storytelling Is the Best Way to Be Heard in a Crowded Market
July 16, 2025

In today’s fast-evolving digital marketplace, attention is scarce, and trust even more so. In an era of remote work, AI-driven marketing, and constant digital noise, storytelling has emerged as one of the most powerful tools to cut through the clutter. In fact, research shows that people who used storytelling techniques to remember information recalled seven…

Read More