Draper FlexShades in a conference room at 7 World Trade Center, New York.
People often wonder about the logic, or lack thereof, behind Draper’s three seemingly disparate product lines – projection screens, window shades and gymnasium equipment. As is often the case, there is more to this story than meets the eye.
Window shades and projection screens, although used for entirely different purposes, are fairly similar in terms of their required manufacturing skills. Both require cutting fabric and metal components, with careful attention to dimensions. As you may know, we have been manufacturing window shades since 1902. We got into projection screens in 1957 as the result of doing repair work on screens for several local school systems and universities. Many of our employees are cross-trained and can assemble either shades or screens as needed.
Draper Paragon/Series V at the Phoenician
Gym equipment is the outlier in terms of manufacturing skills, and basketball backstops differ entirely from any other products we manufacture. Gym dividers and wall pads do require the dimensioning of textiles.
Basketball backstops and gym dividers at Hartland High School, Michigan
Our three product lines share several common threads –
All are entirely, or at least partially custom in nature in terms of dimensions, choice of fabric and options.
All require a significant engineering component and high level customer service / project management support.
All are specified routinely by architects and/or consultants on new construction and renovation projects for schools, churches, hospitals and commercial buildings.
