Innovation as a driver of success - An interview with Simeon Ruck

How is a product created that not only meets current market requirements, but also helps shape the future of podiatry and foot care?
In this interview, Managing Director Simeon Ruck talks about the vision and challenges behind the Nova Pro - a Podiatry Drill that can do more than just perform: it binds innovation, design and digital networking at a new level.

The latest award for RUCK with the prestigious Red Dot Award ‘Product Design 2025’ is proof of this innovative strength. The prize was awarded to the Nova Pro Podiatry Drill, which won over the jury thanks to its pioneering design, technical precision and intuitive usability - developed to meet the slightly higher demands of professional users in the field of podiatry and medical foot care.

Discover Nova Pro now!

Innovation is deeply rooted in RUCK's DNA. As a family business, we have set ourselves the goal of being an innovation leader in the field of podiatry and foot care. If you take this claim seriously, you have to consistently invest in new solutions - and that's exactly what inspires me.

With the Nova Pro, we have succeeded in developing a Podiatry Drill that truly fulfils this vision. I can say with full confidence that it is the most innovative drill of its kind in the world. And this is not just based on a gut feeling, but can be proven by a detailed market analysis. What drives and inspires me is the core of our innovative strength: questioning what is included, making it better and setting new standards - for the practice, for the users and ultimately for the entire industry.

A very large one. Our history in this area proceeded in the early 1990s, when we moved from being a simple wholesaler to developing our own drills. The trigger? The Podiatry Drills available on the market did not fulfil our quality requirements - especially from the user's point of view. So we proceeded to develop better solutions ourselves.

This is how our first large innovation was formed: all-round suction. Podiatry Drills such as Mikro, Maxi and Mezzo were the first of their kind with this technology and a real alternative to the wet technique commonly used at the time. This innovation not only changed the market, but also shaped our self-image as a company.

With the formation of the podiatry profession, the topic of ‘medical devices’ came into focus. We had already launched the first Nova drill as a medical device in 2003. The ‘master of soft sounds’, as we called it, set new standards in terms of volume, performance and weight. This early commitment to medical device development has had a lasting impact on our position in the market. We learnt early on what it means not only to develop medical devices, but also to get them approved - including all the regulatory changes, for example thanks to the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Today, the PODOLOG Nova 3s is probably one of the best-selling medical devices in its class - a result of our head start and our experience.

The development of high-quality Podiatry Drills with suction is therefore a key chapter in our success story - and we are continuing this tradition with the Nova Pro.

The launch of Nova Pro is a real milestone for RUCK - not only technologically, but also strategically. Together with the Nova SE, it stands for maximum innovative strength. But the Nova Pro goes one step further: it defines new standards, especially when it comes to hygiene factors. These include suction level, volume, speed and memory functions - in other words, everything that a modern Podiatry Drill must naturally offer today.

With the Nova Pro, we're not just talking about performing well, but about absolute top values! The suction volume alone is 343 litres per minute - with HEPA filter. Without a filter, it would even be 420 litres - a significant improvement on the Nova 3s.

However, the real innovative leap is located in the overall concept of the Nova Pro. It is networked, intuitive to operate and extremely easy to maintain. With NovaConnect, we create a direct connection between the drill, the practice and us as the manufacturer. For example, a practice with several Podiatry Drills can create individual user profiles - just as you would with modern digital tools. If a drill is sent in for servicing, the practice receives a replacement device with all the preconfigured settings. As the manufacturer, we can also monitor the condition of individual components remotely. This enables predictive, proactive servicing - even before breakdowns occur.

The Nova Pro brings together entirely our expertise from decades of product development - and shows where podiatry and foot care is heading in the future.

It's entirely clear: we see the Nova Pro as a central part of all treatments. We are therefore putting the foundations in place for complete digital networking in the podiatry practice. The Nova Pro can yet be connected to a treatment chair/couch, for example. A key control panel is then formed that can be used to control several components. One interface for everything.

Together with pododesk, our solution for digital practice management, an intelligent overall system is being formed: while pododesk digitises the administrative area, the Nova Pro takes over the technical control. In the long term, we see all practice-relevant drills - from the light source to the suction technology - as controllable units via the Nova Pro.

Anyone who knows me knows that a user-orientated design is particularly important to me. With the Nova Pro, we have succeeded in creating a user interface that not only looks good, but is also intuitive to use - well thought out down to the last detail. The automatic start/stop function is a good example of this.

Steve Jobs once said: "Design is not just how something looks or feels. Design is how it works." I find that we have incorporated exactly that with the Nova Pro. Winning the Red Dot Design Award 2025 also confirms this philosophy and shows that we are setting standards with our approach, not only in terms of function but also in terms of design.

Of course, many people think of podiatrists first when we are talking about medical devices - and yes, the Nova Pro has been developed for this professional sector. But our target group is much broader. We have analysed different areas of application during development - from podiatry and foot care to professional nail design. In these areas in particular, the demands on performance and functionality have risen sharply in recent years. Two key points have crystallised time and again: a high suction level and a generous filter bag volume. The Nova Pro fulfils both of these requirements with top marks.

In a highly competitive market such as the Podiatry Drill market, it is crucial to develop a product that best meets the needs of users in their everyday practice. The Nova Pro fulfils these requirements - for diverse target groups who expect professionalism in all sections.

Anyone who knows RUCK knows that we don't develop products at a desk - we develop them in dialogue with those who work with them every day. Our own experience is an important building block, but the intensive dialogue with our customers is just as crucial.

One key issue was the question: Is our historically grown self-image - namely not offering wet techniques - still correct today? In order to check this, we have entirely consciously focussed on wet techniques in the early development phase. We wanted to understand: What problems does it actually solve - and where are its limits? The result was clear: the supposed benefits of the wet technique, such as a cooling effect, can also be achieved with suitable preparations or the correct handling of the rotating instruments. Yet it has hygienic disadvantages that we found unacceptable from the users' point of view. The slightly higher speeds often mentioned are also simply not necessary for podiatry and foot care practices. The materials that are processed in podiatry and foot care - primarily callus material - can be processed at optimum speeds of up to 40,000 RPM.

Wet technique or dry technique?

We went even further and experimented with different concepts - including a battery-powered handpiece without a hose connection. We have also tested this with real practitioners. The feedback was clear: too playful, too complex. What is needed is a robust, ergonomic handpiece that is suitable for as many different hand sizes as possible and fits comfortably in the hand. In the end, this is exactly what we decided on instead - a classic, balanced shape that is best for daily use.

All of this shows that the Nova Pro would not be what it is today without the close consultation with our customers. Their feedback was an essential part of our development process.

Sustainability played a key role in the development of the Nova Pro. The modular design of the Podiatry Drill is a good example of this: each component can be removed quickly and easily and replaced if necessary. This is possible thanks to a specially processed foam inside into which the individual components are inserted. Only four screws need to be loosened to open the housing! This also made it possible to extend the maintenance servicing interval to up to three years.

Thanks to the modular components and easy handling, the Nova Pro is not only especially durable, but also extremely service-friendly. A sustainable solution that saves resources. But we are also setting standards in terms of quality: the Nova Pro is a medical device that - like the Nova SE - is manufactured in our own production facility in Neuenbürg. This means we can guarantee the highest quality standards and ensure long-term production.

Another highlight is our new sales concept: the Nova Pro will not only be available exclusively from RUCK, but also from other wholsalers on the market. We are doing this because we would like to make it possible other wholesalers without their own product development department to include a high-quality Podiatry Drill in their product range - and yet expand our market presence in a targeted manner.

Yes, when I held a fully functioning Nova Pro drill in my hands for the first time after almost four years of development. This moment usually comes quite late in the development process, but is all the more meaningful.

There were also key moments earlier on. Especially the decisions at the beginning of the project about how the Podiatry Drill should look and feel. These decisions about product and interface design were of large emotional importance to me, as they shaped the character of the entire product.

‘Small, lightweight and full of innovation.’ These characteristics perfectly summarise the Nova Pro. With its compact design, low weight and innovative operation - which is based on the intuitive user experience of smartphones - the Nova Pro sets new standards.

Another highlight is the removable chuck head, which can be changed quickly and easily by the users themselves. This combination of intelligent design and convenient functionality makes the Nova Pro a true innovation leader in the podiatry and foot care sector.