Communication - Case Study
Based in Fiskars, Finland, Nikari is a manufacturer of high-quality furniture and interiors made of Finnish wood. The company was founded in 1967 by cabinetmaker Kari Virtanen.. Nikari works in close collaboration with architects, interior designers and other professionals, creating unique bespoke products and furnishings for its customers. As well s bespoke pieces, Nikari manufactures and stocks its own line of furniture. In addition, it is actively engaged in various furnishing projects in Finland and overseas.
Although experienced in Innovative produce design, development and production Nikari faced problems due to the lack of IT systems and structured Innovation process; this meant long prototype development lead times for customers, and that great design and efficiency Idea's weren't recorded and communicated between individuals and teams thus affecting their competitiveness and ability to quickly meet customer demands.
Nikari knew that if they wanted to grow the business they needed a new system to bring structure and communication to their Innovation process, and so they implemented the internet based ExtremeFactories Solution as well as specially appointed staff receiving Innovation training from an ExtremeFactories consultant.
The positive results were obvious and quickly felt, Idea generation and communication between employees improved significantly and the number of idea's placed into prototype development and production increased dramatically. This means that Nikari can design its bespoke furniture for its clients far quicker, providing better value for money, thus giving a clear boost to their competitiveness.
Having the ExtremeFactories 4 stage Innovation process to follow means our employees know how to engage with the company, because of this we have increased Idea generation and ensured a great Idea is never forgotten - our prototype and product development teams are busier than ever.