Committing to the Home

The Inspiration Behind Draper's Renewed Residential Focus

- Jeremy Glowacki

In September 2021, Draper, the motorized shades and projection screens manufacturer, unveiled its Draper@Home line of products, signaling a renewed focus on the residential custom integration business after decades of success in the commercial market.

That unintended “soft launch” of Draper@ Home at a lightly attended CEDIA Expo 2021 (due to the Delta variant of COVID-19) might have been a blessing in disguise for the company from tiny Spiceland, Indiana. It essentially allowed Draper to test the waters a bit more in the resi channel, learning what other business support elements and product features were needed to properly service residential dealers.

As the company gained valuable insights and feedback, they joined the HTSA buying group, promoted 20-year company veteran Clint Childress to director of residential markets, and began hiring regional sales managers to help bolster its focus on the custom channel even further. The company also has 10 different rep firms covering the residential market.

During a recent visit to Draper headquarters, I learned more about what motivated the modest, midwestern manufacturer to broaden its focus after so many years of commercial success.

Before taking a tour of the factory with Childress and Director of Marketing Penny Sitler, I met with Childress and Sitler, President Chris Broome, Vice President of Sales Lee Denhart, Director of Audio Visual Sales and Marketing Randy Reece, and External Communications Specialist, Terry Coffey. We discussed the company’s ongoing success in commercial markets, unique manufacturing capabilities, overly humble approach to selfpromotion, and most importantly, what drove the decision to target the residential market so much more aggressively.