IKEA #1 – MAKING MORE FOR LESS
When Tel-dan first started producing for IKEA they gave us a basic “knife-edge” pillow program in 17 plain colors. The rest of their pillows were produced in Denmark.
When we learned they were looking for new pillow designs, that had greater added value added we decided to approach them with a few design propositions.
Leveraging Manufacturing Experience
Building on our deep and intimate knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials and costs we proposed pillow designs with ornamental features we knew we could deliver with very little impact on price.
A better pillow for less $$$
To make the design even more economically appealing to IKEA, we further developed our proposed designs so that the ornamental feature cut into the pillow’s surface, thus reducing the amount of filling needed to stuff each unit.
Presenting to IKEA
Armed with our design proposals we traveled to IKEA’s headquarters in Almhult, in Southern Sweden. When the IKEA team realized that not only were the new designs more interesting than their existing program, but cheaper as well, they handed over the entire production program to us, pretty much on the spot.
Conclusion
The trip to Sweden had a big impact on our evolution as a company. IKEA’s manufacturing volume with us rose to roughly a million pillows per year, and the relationship with them lasted for over 12 years.
Perhaps more important was gaining the insight that sometimes all it takes to generate a win for a customer is the ability and willingness to put a little more attention into what are “normally” considered trivial and mundane details. Hello!