We are thrilled to be on this side of the world in Malaysia for the first time – personally and professionally. Being here has allowed us to further expand our manufacturing footprint in Southeast Asia. Chris and George are spending time in Malaysia to oversee the production of new orders for their international clients. Their partnerships established here are very promising. After spending time here and setting up Ideoli’s assembly lines, we are very confident in the long-term potential. When it comes to specific product categories in the interiors space, Malaysia is a leader. We have successfully executed large-scale production runs with partner factories in Kuala Lumpur and are extremely pleased with the results. Ideoli is working with Yong – a veteran in the furniture manufacturing game in Malaysia for the last 4 decades. Malaysia is a major exporter of furniture throughout the word. It is a relatively a small country of some 20 odd million people but it stands at top 5 exporters in the world of furniture. We have a very good supply chain, the infrastructure is good, we have a good set of laws that brings the standard of living for all people involved in this industry. Malaysia has proven to be a strategic manufacturing market for Ideoli and its expanding operations. The future looks bright for Ideoli’s Malaysian operations. Ideoli is always looking for new markets and being in Malaysia is an example of its dedication to doing so.
Ideoli is on the other side of the world. George and Chris are working in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – looking for the strongest partners to work with and the latest products to consider for their clients. Thomas is a Danish-native, working in the Vietnamese manufacturing industry and helping Ideoli better integrate into the local business climate. “We see Vietnam is in a strong position now with the TPP – Trans Pacific Partnership. Including the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia – and about 40% of the world economy. Vietnam is the production base for these countries. For it’s 90 million people, that means a labor force of 1 – 2 million young adults ready to get into the job market every year.” After inspecting several factories in Vietnam, Ideoli appreciates the attention to detail and advanced manufacturing capabilities these companies have. The quality of the products coming out of Vietnam continues to increase and, over the last 20 years, there has been a strong development in the wood furniture business in Vietnam. Vietnam has, with the help of foreign investments, developed strongly in new designs and innovation for the furniture industry. Ideoli will benefit by being in Vietnam, as this dynamic growth environment has been expanding for more than 20 years. Ideoli is always looking for new markets – and being in Vietnam is an example of our dedication to doing so.
Today we had a successful meeting with a very important client and we impressed the BLEEP out of them. We displayed over 7 different prototypes for this New York-based client, and the feedback is fantastic. All the planning and building up to this 45 minute meeting was well worth it. Chris Hartswick, Ideoli’s Co-Founder and CPO, elaborates, “I think it was great. You know a lot of times we spend so much effort on – obviously the product – but the details of: how are we going to package it, what are we going to show them, what is the room going to be like, there’s is a lot of guessing we have to do. But when it all comes together and we’re able to have such a successful meeting like that, it feels good. It’s exciting.” Being able to get in front of the client and discuss the details with them in person gives us a chance to understand them better, and vice versa. We understand their needs, their construction needs, their schedules and what their plans will be for the next 6-12 months. This puts it all into perspective, it shows us what we’re all trying to do. So, what are the next steps? George Stroumboulis, Co-Founder and CEO, explains, “Next steps are essentially rolling into full production on several of these projects which is always the goal. So from start to finish, we’re looking at 65-days when we were first engaged on this portfolio of products. This just shows our capabilities and how quickly we can turn things around from concept to installation.” Chris also notes just getting the meeting together is as important as anything else. Being able to get everyone on the same page, from us to the design team to the client, everything is now straightforward. He says, “…we all know what’s to be done and what’s coming up. There is a weight off everyone’s shoulders. That is important.” Following these meetings, the customer is now extremely confident in our capabilities, the quality of our product, and the timing of our production. This is how Ideoli continues to impress and make it’s mark on the industry. Gotta love a successful meeting, and just like that, we’re off to our next!
Singapore is such a vibrant city state with so much to see and do. It is home to some of the most iconic buildings and monuments. On a recent trip, we couldn’t help but take it all in. There are over 8,500 high-rises, most of them located in the downtown core. The Tanjong Pagar Center is the tallest building in Singapore at 290 meters tall. Put Singapore on your must-visit list and tell them Ideoli sent you!
At Ideoli, we understand the importance of reaching and invigorating our community. The Ideoli team volunteered at Encore Community Services in Times Square in New York City. Encore Community Services provides seniors with a range of caring and quality services to help them live independent and dignified lives. Today we are packing 1,200 meals and serving lunches for the seniors and doing it as a team. Invigorating your community is something we started that embodies us being able to appreciate what we’re doing as a company and be able to give back to the community. There’s nothing better than giving back and bonding as a team. Stay tuned as we invigorate this community.
And the winner is…IDEOLI! Ideoli was selected from an international group of amazing lighting design products and projects for the BEST CHANDELIER design by the esteemed LIT Lighting Design Awards. We are honored to be recognized in such a talented group of innovative lighting product designers. The LIT Design Awards believe that lighting is both an art and a science, and it is one of the most important elements of design. And we agree! Thank you to our partners for giving us the opportunity to design and manufacture for them. Let’s continue the creativity and celebration…Cheers!
Horiatiki. Kleftiko. Bougatsa. What does these foods have in common? They’re all Greek! Recently the Ideoli team took a “Greek Feast” gourmet cooking class and learned how to cook up some delicious dishes. Let’s take a closer look at this four course meal… First, we started with a Horiatiki salad. This is a traditional Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives and Greek feta. Fun Fact – Greek salad is not made with lettuce. Next the team made zucchini and halloumi fritters with garlic, cumin and lemon yogurt sauce. It’s as delicious as it sounds! That looks tasty. And that was just the beginning! For the main course, we made Greek lamb kleftiko with potatoes and seasonal vegetables. ‘Kleftiko’ means Greek lamb wrapped in parchment paper which keeps in all the flavors. Is anyone else getting hungry? The class ended with Bougatsa – a delightful Greek style custard pastry with cinnamon. The perfect way to complete the meal. Good food. Great company. Fun times!
“Ideoli is on the road again and this time in beautiful Guam,” says Chris Hartswick, Ideoli CPO and Co-Founder. We have been working with a large California-based restaurant chain to furnish their locations internationally. From the Middle East, to Asia…and now into Guam, we are creating custom furniture for their vibrant restaurants. “We now have two restaurant chains we’re working with here and the locations are absolutely stunning,” says Chris Hartswick, Ideoli CPO and Co-Founder. Guam is an island we never dreamed of working on, but it is incredible how business relationships evolve and develop – bringing us here. We worked with the team to design, prototype and fabricate custom service stations, chairs, stools and tables that are featured throughout the restaurant. Until next time, see you later Guam.
We are back on the road again, this time in the far-out destination of Jakarta, Indonesia. It doesn’t matter how many countries you visit around the world, you can always learn about its culture, its people and its manufacturing industry. That’s why we are here in Indonesia. With a population of over 250 million, Indonesia is a vibrant country that is quickly becoming a player in the global manufacturing market. Jakarta is known in the manufacturing world for having a skilled labor force, quality factories and a positive outlook. Having done extensive research into new markets, we are very excited to expand our discussions with new partners and suppliers here. Indonesia is centrally located in Southeast Asia and a major hub for commerce and finance in the region. We have toured several partner factories around the country and have established significant agreements needed to expand our product offerings. Ideoli is always looking for new international markets and being in Indonesia is an example of its dedication to doing so.
With clients and projects based in every part of the world, Ideoli ships its products via air, ocean and train. We need to work with the best in the freight industry to succeed. The freight industry is adjusting and we want to know how it has changed over the last few years. Lauren, a Freight Expert, says, “Beginning with the collapse of Hanjin in the summer of 2016, we’ve seen a wave of mergers and acquisitions among global carriers. Just a short 5 years ago, we had about 20 major players, whereas this year, we’re working with 14. We also saw in 2018, the merger of 3 major Japanese carriers into ONE (Ocean Network Express).” That’s important to know. How are the new and proposed tariffs changing the way freight is being handled from Asia to the USA? She says, “The immediate impact that we’ve seen has definitely been an extended peak season. Shippers are trying to get their goods out of China before newer tariffs hit or the current tariffs are increased. In the long term, I think we’re going to see people really starting to try and diversify their sourcing. Although not plausible right now to eliminate China altogether, as other origin countries don’t really have the infrastructure or people resources. I think shippers are really going to start to try and source from different places to avoid these tariffs.” That’s some helpful advice from the freight experts we deal with on a daily basis.
Ideoli is only as good as the people supporting it. With that being said, we’d like to introduce you to Armando Vargas – Ideoli’s Applications Engineer: “I work directly with everyone from assembly line workers all the way up to general managers to make sure everything leaves here 100% to specification.” Armando travels the world to oversee Ideoli’s production lines, while being on site to help facilitate installation projects. He’s responsible from reviewing anything from incoming components to final product assembly. Armando has made a tremendous impact on the overall operations of Ideoli, “With operations and clients around the world, it is important to have people that embody the overall brand and what it represents. Ideoli does things differently, it’s a brand that I am proud to be a part of.”
Ideoli is working on a new project in the heart of Hollywood. A luxurious condo complex is being built off Hollywood Boulevard and Ideoli is helping light the 500 plus units in this state-of-the-art space. This is still a construction zone, but we wanted to give you a little sneak peak before it opens in a couple months. We designed and developed a custom LED light fixture with the latest LED technology, highest glass finishes and aesthetics needed to enhance the living spaces. We are excited to be a part of this and will show you the finished project upon completion.