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Industry Profile
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From simple to sophisticated Techniku offers automated window covering
solutions to customers around the world.
D&WC: Please give a detailed
description of your company and its history.
Tim Bates, CEO and President:
Techniku, a market-oriented leader in the design and development
of automation solutions for interior window coverings, has a storied
history beginning as a successful original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) in the automotive industry. Decades ago, Techniku used its
core engineering and development capabilities as an international
manufacturer for automated car mirrors and shock absorbers. As the
company continued to grow, Techniku entered an emerging market that
had immediate benefits using our significant experience in small,
strong electro-mechanical motors and integrated controls . . . automated
window coverings.
In 1998, Techniku Europe, a Holland-based company focused on battery-operated
tilt automation, purchased Daylighting, a U.S.-based company with
a focus on high-end, niche automation applications (see D&WC,
September 1998). The marriage of the companies brought together
the best of both cultures, resulting in state-of-the-art engineering
and product design experience.
Today, while both locations (Woerden, Netherlands, and Broomfield,
CO) have functioning Engineering, Operations and Sales departments,
Techniku USA maintains the strategic company headquarters. Growing
our global leadership position through strong cooperation with partners
in the building industry, home automation market and window covering
OEM and fabrication channels, we work together in market and product
research and design. Our unique structure broadens our scope resulting
in significant market insight unmatched in the industry.
While technology and product design are our core assets, we have
an equally talented operations staff to leverage international vendors
to produce the highest quality motors and controls, as well as dedicated
sales and marketing teams that work globally to understand and listen
to our customers, responding with innovative products and programs.
While we only have 50 international employees, at Techniku you will
find unsurpassed dedication and motivation to grow the market for
automated window coverings through innovative designs, robust solutions,
and a commitment to work with and for our customers. It is because
of these talented individuals that Techniku is committed to becoming
the ultimate solution provider for your automated window covering
systems and controls.
D&WC: What window coverings products did you handle
initially? What products do you handle today?
Bates: Initially, Techniku offered
a variety of tilt systems for horizontal and vertical blinds, combined
with a high-end automation solution for cellular/pleated shades
in a skylight application. In the past several years, we have used
our experience to create state-of-the-art, cutting-edge solutions
to meet the demands of the window coverings industry.
Today, Techniku focuses on simple, yet sophisticated, battery and
low-voltage automation systems and controls, resulting in a variety
of solutions for horizontal and vertical blinds, cellular and pleated
shades, roller shades and designer shadings and draperies. Combined
with a wide range of controls, including IR, RF and TouchControl,
we are committed to providing the industry with robust, cost-effective
and easy to fabricate and install systems that are designed for
specific applications. And with an extensive product road map for
the coming years, Techniku expects to be the one-stop supplier offering
a wide array of programs and user-friendly automation solutions
for both residential and commercial applications.
D&WC: Who are your customers?
What parts of the country do you service?
Bates: Techniku serves customers all over the globe.
As a leader in the industry, we are more than a motor vendor; we
are a partner in designing and developing specific automation solutions
to meet the requirements of the market.
With our strategic business direction to sell to OEMs and window
coverings fabricators, we recognize the importance of all levels
within the window coverings industry including dealers, designers
and installers. For automation to be successful, we count on all
levels of the channel to understand and be comfortable with offering,
selling and installing these systems. That is why we are committed
to creating strong partnerships with our customers, providing extensive
training and support at all levels of their organizations and customer
bases.
D&WC: Where do you see yourself and your company
five years from now? Are there additional areas within the industry
that you would like to get involved in?
Bates: Since becoming involved in the industry, significant
strides have been made resulting in greater awareness of automation.
Consumers are now more comfortable than ever with home automation.
Most consumers are becoming well versed on their options to control
their living spaces from lighting controls, to sophisticated A/V
systems, to automated window coverings. With the maturing and mainstreaming
of smart home technology in the residential market, window covering
automation has reached a point where costs are continuing to stabilize
while features are increasing.
We are convinced this market will only continue to grow at exponential
rates in the coming years. And this is where we plan to be—designing
and developing state-of-the-art, automation solutions and controls
for DC and AC motors with IR and RF controls.
D&WC: What are some of the key factors
involved in your growth and success?
Bates: While there are many reasons
behind our success, there are two significant factors that stand
out. First is our focus on creating simple, quality products that
fulfill market demands. By listening to our international customer
base, we leverage the best option and deliver solutions in a timely
manner.
It is our engineering team’s job to create systems that can
be an easy addition to a fabricator’s standard process. We
use the analogy of making hamburgers. When someone orders a cheeseburger,
the cheese is added during the process . . . the hamburger doesn’t
have to be taken to a different station, taken apart and re-built
with cheese! We want this to be the process for automation. If someone
orders a window covering automated, it is a simple addition to the
fabrication process. The blind/shade does not need to be taken to
another station, disassembled and re-fabricated to include automation!
Over the years, automation has been sold as a complicated (which
has translated to “intimidating”) issue. And while there
are some systems and controls that require significant knowledge,
at Techniku we focus on simplifying automation so the multiple professionals
in the channel can be successful marketing and selling the systems
to their customers. Our automation solutions are a simple upgrade
for the fabricator, a value-added sale for the dealer and a new
level of convenient control for the consumer.
The second factor behind our success is the partnership approach
we take with our customers. Our dedicated sales team works with
our customers to understand what they need or want to be successful
in their markets. It is our job to work with our OEM and fabricator
customers to provide hands-on direction and to alleviate the longstanding
fear surrounding automation and to promote a change within the industry.
As we complete a new multi-layer training and Web-based education
program, we work with and through our customers, supporting them
as they educate their forward-thinking design and installation professionals.
D&WC: What are your strengths in
the marketplace?
Bates: Above all, Techniku is committed to the success
of the window coverings professional as you venture into offering
automation solutions for the window coverings you sell or install.
This commitment means we are here to support all levels of our customers.
And while there are multiple automation companies to choose from
today, we realize one thing: if we continue to compete, we will
create better products that will create better solutions for our
customers. And if we grow the market, aren’t we all winning?
In addition, as a relatively small organization, we can move quickly
to respond to market situations. Combining our tooling and machining
center, Techniku can quickly design, prototype and prepare final
molds for the highest quality products.
D&WC: What advice would you give
to other window coverings professionals?
Bates: As Techniku supports our
customers and the industry in various educational programs, we provide
three simple rules for success to the window covering professional:
1. Find an automation system that fits your comfort level. There
are a variety of automation solutions available in the market, from
simple, battery-operated systems, to low-voltage DC systems, to
line voltage AC systems, to extensive facility integration systems.
And while all of these systems are important for specific applications,
it is important to find the automation systems that you are comfortable
offering. Partner with your favorite fabricator that can support
your level of automation. Once you are comfortable, try the next
level and so on.
2. Change the language. As mentioned, automation has traditionally
been addressed with a stigma of fear. Today’s automation can
be simple to add to most products you already sell or install with
little to no additional installation requirements. So, change the
language from “Do you want your controls left or right?”
to “Do you want your controls left, right or remote?”
Just try it and we think the consumer will listen!
3. Look for opportunities. Anytime you have to walk around something,
reach around something or use a ladder to measure a window covering,
automation should be considered. After all, if you have to go through
this just to measure, think of what your consumer will have to go
through every time she wants to operate that window covering!
Techniku Inc.
325 Interlocken Parkway, Suite B-200
Broomfield, CO 80021
(303) 355-9347
Fax: (303) 355-1471
e-mail: info@techniku.com
www.techniku.com
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