THE BUSINESS OF FURNITURE JUNE 29, 2015

MMQB
THE BUSINESS OF FURNITURE
JUNE 29, 2015
on
the
Scene
Makers:
Tayco
By ROB KIRKBRIDE
Tayco’s sweet spot is serving aligned
and non-aligned dealers with panel
products that are less expensive
without sacrificing quality or service.
L
ike an up-and-coming actor ready to
make it big on the silver screen, Tayco is
ready to steal the spotlight; make it big.
Excuse the movie cliche’s, but Tayco is
on the scene with its new Scene product line, one of the most important the
Toronto-based company has launched
in some time.
In many ways, it is a transformative
product for the company as well as it moves to a new
“urban inspired,” comprehensive office product that is
made from a small kit of parts, but can do incredibly big
things. Scene is a versatile actor in the office as well, able
to pull off roles as diverse as the private office and the
open environment with the same collection of components.
For Tayco, it is a giant step — like going from community theater to Hollywood — a bit like an opening night
party for a brand that has always been well regarded,
but may have lost sight of the importance of creating
new, innovative products in recent years. Those days are
over, promises President Kevin Philips, who described
the company’s recent past as a band that hasn’t put out
a new album in the last five years. “That mindset has
changed,” he said.
Scene is a good example of how Tayco’s product development is being driven by its customers. The development of Scene was driven by two primary questions:
What does Tayco need to round out its product offering?
What do Tayco’s customers really want?
Scene is a product that has a more “refreshing” look,
yet one that can do more, said Carman Mak, product design engineer. “It’s open office with a cooler look,” she
said. “We are targeting a different set of customers as
well — hipper, cooler, funkier.”
With the scale of many environments becoming more
compact, Scene is designed to maximize all usable space
with aesthetics such as contrasting edge details on cabinet door fronts that gives Scene a very personalized and
striking look. In a private office application, the Kick30 The Monday Morning Quarterback | SUBSCRIBE | June 29, 2015
stand leg is a clever twist to supporting work surfaces.
Designed at 15 degree angle, it complements the cabinet
foot and the bevel on the grommet.
Scene open office benching is simple, clean and structurally sound. Work surfaces are supported by 1.5 inch
steel under structures and can be specified in multiple
configurations. New to Scene, flag storage delivers lateral privacy that is often lacking in other benching products. “Flag storage delivers a balance between lateral
storage division, personal storage, and a light aesthetic,”
said Philips.
Additional design and architectural details of Scene
include quilted felt screens, metal dividers with laser cut
details and paper sorters.
The Scene product line also includes a dual motor
Phil Philips (left), and Kevin Philips (right)
height adjustable table available in all Tayco laminates.
“Standing and changing your posture throughout your
workday is no longer just for early adopters, it’s mainstream, healthy and smart,” Philips said. “It can integrate
seamlessly into open office benching, workstations, or
private office applications.”
Scene height adjustable table has a height range of 26
inches to 52 inches, programmable four memory pre-set
control and has a foot that was exclusively designed for
Tayco. Tayco will accept orders for Scene beginning in
July.
Scene can be specified in some really unique color
combinations — especially on the reveal. The color and
trim details give designers a lot of freedom when designing a space, Philips said. At the same time, Scene is a
very affordable option. Expect it to fall in about the same
price category as the HON Voi system.
32 The Monday Morning Quarterback | SUBSCRIBE | June 29, 2015
While Scene creates a great private office product, it
also works well in a benching configuration. It uses a
picture frame gable at the end and support through the
middle, with a post system and shared storage that acts
as a low divider. Designers can also create a different
look by placing the accessories off to the side or use a
metal screen to create a more industrial, funky look.
Before getting into furniture design with Tayco, Mak
spent time in space planning, so she has intimate knowledge of what designers need and how to create products
that are simpler to specify. That shows through with
Scene. The use of storage is a good example. Storage
comes in building blocks, which makes Scene very easy
to install on site. Storage cube and paper shelf accessories can sit in any storage unit on Scene or stand alone
on top of the desk. The accessories can be specified in
contrasting colors to add some pop to the space.
Although Tayco was not in the Merchandise Mart during NeoCon, it has a strong presence in Chicago with its
Hubbard Street location bustling during the show. As
the company invests in its design, it is also working hard
to train its employees on the new products through its
Tayco University program.
In fact, much at Tayco has changed over the past few
years, most notably the company’s management. After
years working in a variety of roles at Tayco, progressively
more important, Kevin Philips is president, taking over
day-to-day management from his father and the company’s founder, Phil Philips. Phil Philips continues to guide
his son in the business, but there has been a definite shift
in recent years.
For several years, Kevin Philips has worked to restructure the management team, bringing in new, talented
people like Kim Martin, who directs Tayco’s North
American sales and Stella Pischedda to lead marketing
efforts. He still leans on his father for help and advice as
well. Phil Philips comes in a few days a week and is there
to help.
The changes have help infuse the company with a new
vigor, which is showing up in stronger sales. The company grew 12 percent last year and Kevin Philips has plans
to build it 10 percent each year over the next five, fueled
by at least one major product release a year.
Phil Philips built quite a business, beginning his career with Stanley Tool. The company had a freestanding panel room divider product that they wanted to get
rid of as they moved into automatic garage door openers. Phil Philips, who wanted to start his own business
(first thinking about electronics or a shoe store, asked to
buy the product line and with a few investors, started the
company.
June 29, 2015 | SUBSCRIBE | The Monday Morning Quarterback 33
Making panel systems and connects was the next logical step. The company grew, added products and the rest
is history. It is a history that continues to evolve. Kevin
Philips said Tayco is working on the right product mix
for the company and its customers; tightening the scope
to create cooler, younger, hipper products. Another goal
was to surround himself with the right people, which he
feels he has done. Finally, he wants the company to become more efficient.
Tayco’s sweet spot is serving aligned and non-aligned
dealers with panel products that are less expensive without sacrificing quality or service. It also does specials
well with about 13 percent of the factory’s throughput
coming from special orders. The company also has its
own design and installation teams, which helps smaller
34 The Monday Morning Quarterback | SUBSCRIBE | June 29, 2015
dealers who might not have the resources to have those
services in-house.
About 58 percent of the company’s business is in Canada and 42 percent in the U.S. Kevin Philips said he sees
most of Tayco’s growth opportunities in the U.S. While
many have announced the death of the panel system and
post and beam, Tayco believes there are still many companies buying them. Panels will remain a part of Tayco’s
strategy going forward, but not all of it. Tayco continues
to evolve.
The company has 170 employees who are counting on
Kevin Philips to keep the company on a solid trajectory.
With products like Scene, he is definitely on the right
track.
That’s a take. Q
Kevin Philips