Supply Side
By Heike Dieckmann
60+ YEARS OF INNOVATION
– AND COUNTING
Simply put, Deflecto is a company that is dedicated to inventing smart solutions for everyday problems. The Indianapolis-based vendor’s 60-year history is steeped in innovation and its product portfolio is wide and varied, ranging from bicycle reflectors, air distribution products and literature and sign holders to chair mats, office workspace accessories, point of purchase and branded displays, and personal safety items. As an essential business, Deflecto was in a good position when COVID-19 struck to contribute to keeping Americans safe and healthy during the pandemic. It has remained open throughout, with its teams across all corners of the globe working collectively to identify market needs and pivot manufacturing and sourcing to support its entire distribution network in a short period of time. Maggie Waples, Deflecto’s global vice president of product management and marketing, comments: “It turns out that extruding plastics have played a critical role in protecting our customers from this virus. Just think about that next time you’re at the grocery staring at the cashier behind a polycarbonate or acrylic shield. We make those items that keep you and the workers who serve you safe.” Deflecto’s general manager and vice president of consumer products, Ken Smith, was able to identify key distribution partners to help expedite entry into the market. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
Specifically relating to the PPE/safety categories, which obviously have been catapulted to the top of the agenda, demand for these products is divided between industrial, medical/healthcare and consumer settings. As a general rule, industrial PPE has been down, due to many manufacturing closures; while the medical and healthcare sector has seen a phenomenal uptick. Another huge growth surge has come from the consumer side: PPE and safety started from practically zero in this vertical, but have expanded exponentially over the past nine months or so.
Turning challenge into opportunity
Deflecto has certainly managed to use its considerable strengths to meet the needs of this crisis. The manufacturer launched over 100 new products in Q2/Q3 2020. Speed during this challenging period has been crucial, as Waples explains: “We were able to go from idea to design to costing to prototype in under three weeks. Not always ideal, but we were able to do it. For months, no one stopped. But urgent times call for urgent action. This kind of speed without the normal gates or guardrails can be risky business, but every member of the senior team understood the risks and chose to keep going anyway. We believe alignment at the top is absolutely essential and our CEO, Bob Flynn, was instrumental in leading the effort” (see box-out on “Five lessons on speed to market”).
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