Is Draper changing its corporate Strategy?
Well, the answer to that question is yes … and no. Draper management is going through a “Leadership Evolution.” That doesn’t mean we are changing the way we do business or what products we offer; it relates to Draper becoming a more well-rounded, driven organization that has our employees’ and customers’ needs front and center as we grow. This new emphasis on Leadership, we feel as an Executive Committee, is critical for Draper to become attractive both as an employment destination and for customers who need a strong partner.
Draper started working with an organizational culture specialist, ADVISA, to define our core values and how we should grow our leadership capabilities. When looking at a company that’s 122 years old, the list of values can be pretty long. But the Executive Committee, after a lot of input from our employees, has narrowed the focus down to 4; Solid, Partnership, Growth and Strategy.
Our President, Chris Broome, wrote in his latest letter to our employees, “We realize for Draper to continue to be successful, we need to seek opportunities to drive growth and to develop products that meet our customers’ needs.” In my almost 15 years at Draper, I can honestly say that this sentiment, which is Draper’s core Strategy, is one of the hallmark values that I’ve witnessed on a continuous basis.
But what, you may ask, is Strategy, and how do you witness it? Well, the official definition is “a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim”. I really like that last part – “major or overall aim”. You notice it doesn’t say goal or objective; those are more finite. Aim or maybe blueprint or scheme, if you wish, to me are broader and fit with Draper’s ownership and leadership style. When developing the core value of Strategy, we utilized terms such as “deep expertise,” “growth and innovation,” and “customer needs”. These terms were meant to speak not only to Draper’s evolution in the past but also to its future.
So where do I see the Strategy value play out in my role as Director of Engineering? I could say everywhere, but here are a few specific examples to better highlight that value. When I started at Draper in 2009, our audio visual sales were roughly 65% of the business. Today, shading solutions sales are approximately 70%. It has been a very strategic, business-altering series of decisions that have occurred due in large part to our customers’ needs. Ownership and management have steadily adapted to the competitive, changing business landscape and are willing to invest the time and resources required.
Another strategic aim I’ve witnessed was to broaden Draper’s product offerings and manufacturing abilities. This has been achieved in various ways including creating and launching new departments such as our Custom Solutions group for the development of Audio Video Mounts and Structures (AVMS) and Solar Control Solutions (SCS) products to be tailored and marketed to meet unique individual project requirements. Recently, Draper has expanded into the residential shading business with the development of new product lines such as FlexStyle shades and the Styleline screen family. Draper has also created new products like the Ascend shade and the Ridgefold XL gym divider curtain to fill gaps in our traditional product lines. These strategic aims support 2 of the other core values of Partnership and Growth.
Draper has also expanded its manufacturing footprint and capabilities. Draper recently completed a 100,000 sq. ft. expansion to the manufacturing complex. Ownership and management made the strategic decision that expanding was critical to Draper’s future (our core value of Growth). The extra room will be invaluable as Draper continues to add various manufacturing and assembly equipment and capabilities. Past additions, including fabric cutting, milling, and laser technologies have allowed for more design freedom and shorter lead-times, especially for unique product requirements. This fall, a new automated powder coating line is scheduled to be installed – the latest in a long line of capability and quality growth strategies at Draper.
To me, these all point to a 122-year-old, financially stable, family owned, privately held (our core value of Solid) company strategically planning for a long-term, prosperous future. Going through this “Leadership Evolution” and highlighting core values like Strategy will make Draper a stronger company for years to come. So, if you’re looking for an employer with robust employee engagement, or need a new supplier of audio visual, shading, or gym equipment with a major market share, Draper is ready to be your strategic partner. I’m proud to say that my engineering team and I will do what we can to make sure you have a partner in Draper.
