In the U.S. we have a few manufacturers that most integrators and consultants spec and install. Here at ISE 2015 I have noticed the European AV market has players that many of us may never run into. Draper is here at ISE as is Stewart Filmscreen; both of which have a huge U.S. presence. In hall 7 I came across Kauber. Kauber is a projection screen manufacturer from Poland.
Kauber manufactures their own screens in house. This is important as they are able to maintain the quality of the product. They have gain ratios up to 1.5. That’s not the greatest gain nor is it horrible. The one thing Kauber does not have when compared to Draper or other U.S. companies is that you will most likely not see them export to the American market because of taxes and tariffs.
So, why write about it? One of my main goals was to talk with companies who do not have a presence in the U.S. market and find out how they do business. Kauber does not have a rep firm nor manufacturer rep employees. They do marketing through publications as well as trade shows. That is how they get their message out. Where the U.S. AV companies have developed a relationship currency with the representative model, this European company tends to be a bit more passive aggressive. “Hey, here’s our product if you want it… or not.” It seems to be working for them and their customers.
In addition, the fact that they have total control over the quality of their product is huge, in my opinion. There are some manufacturers because of expediency that have outsourced, or OEMed, certain products they sell. It is great for their bottom line, for ease and convenience to the customer, and it expands their offerings. However, sometimes this creates a less-than-great customer service experience once there is an issue with a product you “don’t make”. Just some food for thought for our manufacturer friends.
About Author
Tim Albright
Tim Albright is the founder of AVNation and is the driving force behind the AVNation network. He carries the InfoComm CTS, a B.S. from Greenville College and is pursuing an M.S. in Mass Communications from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. When not steering the AVNation ship, Tim has spent his career designing systems for churches both large and small, Fortune 500 companies, and education facilities.
