Group Dekko Proving Inspiration and Innovation with Design and Utility Patents

An emphasis toward accelerating innovation has become a company-wide effort as part of Group Dekko’s goal deployment process, an annual strategic planning initiative, with a matrix system that involves every department and every employee, not just engineers, and has led to a recent appreciation dinner recognizing seven Group Dekko engineers who were issued 34 utility and design patents within the past four years.

“Patents differentiate us and are essential to increase our competitiveness in the markets we serve,” said Jon Jensen, president and chief executive officer. “Companies that are inventing and commercializing products continue to grow, which builds momentum with their customers and the customers they serve. Differentiated products assist our customers to do what they do best.”

During a recognition dinner held March 10, 2011, in Auburn, Indiana, seven Group Dekko engineers were honored for 18 utility patents and 16 design patents granted from March 2006 through July 2010.

“Group Dekko understands the importance of protecting intellectual property, designs and ideas,” said Dan Hayes, director of global advanced development. “Patents that solve problems help to protect innovation and ensure a competitive advantage for our customers. That’s why we’re known for inspiration, innovation and realization.”

“As a direct result of a recent electrical design patent, Group Dekko has seen tremendous sales growth in the office furniture market,” said Mike Maggio, executive vice president, sales. “Our new Perimeter line was recently added to a customer’s catalog, and within a week, they received a major order from their customer. Perimeter was an enabler to that sale, while other patents can be directly attributed to several other growth initiatives.”

Group Dekko is also in the process of launching a company-wide innovation development program to help extract ideas at all levels, executive management staff to plant employees, as a vehicle to submit innovative ideas regarding people, product and processes that help solve problems for customers. This open forum is designed to allow any employee an opportunity to suggest inspiring ideas that could eventually lead to company growth.

Group Dekko is a supplier of electrical and fluid distribution products and engineered solutions across multiple locations in the United States and Mexico with strategic partnerships in China. Group Dekko’s integrated resources include electrical products, engineered plastics products, metal fabrications, architectural and decorative lighting, heating solutions, and fluid controls, with UL testing and certification serving the furniture, transportation, industrial, lighting, appliance, medical device, and consumer products markets.