Headlines
Global Design Team Czechs In To Lira
24 June 2019
Larson-Juhl’s global design team, which is based in Atlanta, regularly visits our factory in Lira in the Czech Republic as part of its new product development remit. During the most recent visit, team director Kiva Connor was interviewed about the collaboration across the sites.
What was the reason behind your latest visit to Lira?
Our product team went to Lira for two main reasons. The first was to review progress of a specific new range that is in the pipeline. It’s vital that we don’t miss the chance to adjust the final appearance on the back of feedback from the sales and marketing team. These products comprise hand-finished mouldings, so a big emphasis is placed on personal inspection of the first batch off the manufacturing line in order to achieve the optimum result for all production to follow.
Another reason was to talk about totally new projects. We have design suggestions for 2019 and 2020 and we wanted to discuss our ideas and give the team in Lira some insight about new trends which we have gathered from the global marketplace. The team in Lira also comes up with great ideas, and sharing all this creativity is very important if we want to deliver the very best portfolio.
Could you briefly introduce us to your team?
The new product team in the US is made up of relatively new employees and also has a different structure than it had in the past. The department is made up of diverse skill sets such as product management, product development and pricing. The marketing department also works very closely with us, to ensure we deliver the best launches and sales tools, and support the implementation of new products to our best ability. Product Development is comprised of our two product development managers and myself. The three of us work very closely with the Product Management team, led by Sonia Stow.
In which direction do you want to take new product development for the European market?
It’s imperative that we work as closely as possible with the European team, so that we can provide the best solutions for the European market in terms of design and product specification. That will obviously require closer contact with the customer, as well as full cooperation with our Larson-Juhl European market specialists. We need to validate market needs before launching new designs to maximise efforts and investments.
Would you say that European taste differs from American taste?
I think that the European style is generally more modern and simpler than ours in North America – although it is difficult to talk in general terms. Tastes in North America have followed the trend toward simplicity of late. Larson-Juhl caters to diverse sets of customers in the different countries we serve.
Overall, I believe the tastes of the world are becoming more 'globalised', though there will always be cultural nuances to address in each market that we must take into consideration.
What is special about Lira?
Lira is a unique asset for Larson-Juhl, where both products and people are concerned. There is a vertically-integrated production facility at Lira, which I see as a huge advantage. That’s great, but the team members at Lira are talented and determined and, in my view, they are an equally important asset to our group. The NPD team at Lira is continually looking to push the boundaries. Working together, we will move our thinking forward and create new ways of manufacturing the best mouldings in the world.
How long does it take to develop a new collection and launch it on the global market?
There isn’t a simple answer to this question. There are planned projects with standard development times, as well as projects that develop unexpectedly and have to be resolved immediately. In a standard, ground-up, development scenario, it might take 8-12 months from start to finish. This time span allows us to test and adjust the product’s final form, so that we can launch it to the market with total confidence. During this period, we carry out a number of important stages such as market research and analysis, meetings with customers, embracing their feedback, and performance testing. Of course, not every product is born under ideal conditions, but it is often the case that the most successful products are developed this way.
Could you tell us a little about what you are currently working on?
At the moment, our team is concentrating on a design which is going to sell worldwide.
We have a whole range of projects which are developed and waiting for the right moment to launch. We are also creating new product concepts for 2020 and beyond.
Our product team went to Lira for two main reasons. The first was to review progress of a specific new range that is in the pipeline. It’s vital that we don’t miss the chance to adjust the final appearance on the back of feedback from the sales and marketing team. These products comprise hand-finished mouldings, so a big emphasis is placed on personal inspection of the first batch off the manufacturing line in order to achieve the optimum result for all production to follow.
Another reason was to talk about totally new projects. We have design suggestions for 2019 and 2020 and we wanted to discuss our ideas and give the team in Lira some insight about new trends which we have gathered from the global marketplace. The team in Lira also comes up with great ideas, and sharing all this creativity is very important if we want to deliver the very best portfolio.
Could you briefly introduce us to your team?
The new product team in the US is made up of relatively new employees and also has a different structure than it had in the past. The department is made up of diverse skill sets such as product management, product development and pricing. The marketing department also works very closely with us, to ensure we deliver the best launches and sales tools, and support the implementation of new products to our best ability. Product Development is comprised of our two product development managers and myself. The three of us work very closely with the Product Management team, led by Sonia Stow.
In which direction do you want to take new product development for the European market?
It’s imperative that we work as closely as possible with the European team, so that we can provide the best solutions for the European market in terms of design and product specification. That will obviously require closer contact with the customer, as well as full cooperation with our Larson-Juhl European market specialists. We need to validate market needs before launching new designs to maximise efforts and investments.
Would you say that European taste differs from American taste?
I think that the European style is generally more modern and simpler than ours in North America – although it is difficult to talk in general terms. Tastes in North America have followed the trend toward simplicity of late. Larson-Juhl caters to diverse sets of customers in the different countries we serve.
Overall, I believe the tastes of the world are becoming more 'globalised', though there will always be cultural nuances to address in each market that we must take into consideration.
What is special about Lira?
Lira is a unique asset for Larson-Juhl, where both products and people are concerned. There is a vertically-integrated production facility at Lira, which I see as a huge advantage. That’s great, but the team members at Lira are talented and determined and, in my view, they are an equally important asset to our group. The NPD team at Lira is continually looking to push the boundaries. Working together, we will move our thinking forward and create new ways of manufacturing the best mouldings in the world.
How long does it take to develop a new collection and launch it on the global market?
There isn’t a simple answer to this question. There are planned projects with standard development times, as well as projects that develop unexpectedly and have to be resolved immediately. In a standard, ground-up, development scenario, it might take 8-12 months from start to finish. This time span allows us to test and adjust the product’s final form, so that we can launch it to the market with total confidence. During this period, we carry out a number of important stages such as market research and analysis, meetings with customers, embracing their feedback, and performance testing. Of course, not every product is born under ideal conditions, but it is often the case that the most successful products are developed this way.
Could you tell us a little about what you are currently working on?
At the moment, our team is concentrating on a design which is going to sell worldwide.
We have a whole range of projects which are developed and waiting for the right moment to launch. We are also creating new product concepts for 2020 and beyond.
