Draper, Inc.

Jan. 20, 2021 - There’s no way to get around it: 2020 was a very challenging year, not just for Draper but for all of us. The rise of a global pandemic, job losses, business closures, and project delays or cancellations hit many industries hard.

While 2020 was certainly challenging, there were some bright spots for Draper, including innovative product launches and improvements, and growth in some areas of the company.

Our depth and stability helped us weather this storm better than many of our competitors. We did not furlough or lay off our employees in 2020, and we have no plans to do so. We continue to manufacture at full capacity and are maintaining our high standards for on-time shipping.

With 2020 now firmly in the rear-view mirror, here are some things you can expect from Draper in 2021.

Continuing partnerships.

The past couple of years have shown us the importance of working closely with industry partners when developing solutions, whatever the product area. Partnerships provide better communication and allow us to focus our resources in the right areas. This has played a key role in our ability to innovate and will continue to be a focus for us.

Installation assistance.

Draper has always provided our solutions through a network of dealers and distributors. That will not change. We realize, however, that there are times when additional assistance would be helpful, especially on complex or tailored projects. This year we will begin offering more installation assistance services for AV mounts and structures. But more on that later in the year!

More educational opportunities.

In 2020, we added several new classes for both AIA and CTS credits. We will continue our focus on education in 2021 with additional courses. One will focus on planning and use of control systems to gain the most flexibility in athletic facility construction. We are also planning a course focusing on shading and its relevance in outdoor living and commercial shared spaces. Meanwhile, to explore our current educational offerings, click here for AIA classes and here for CTS classes.

Customer-centric solutions.

Draper has been innovating in more than just product development. We will double down on our work to provide on-time delivery, keep projects on time, and keep our customers’ businesses running smoothly. We understand that value isn’t just about the actual monetary cost of a product. We will continue our internal efforts to create that additional value.

We have a few other things up our sleeve, but we’ll save those for later. For now, let’s just say we will continue striving to merge the technology you want and the functionality you expect with the design you desire.

by Terry Coffey