Klartext 54 - heidenhain - DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH

20
Report from the Field
Creativity Meets Precision –
How the iTNC gave a Start-Up
Greater Productivity
The material itself is already unusual:
wood, with a figure that is as unique as
each human fingerprint. This results in
glasses frames that radiate individuality.
But success can also be quite demanding:
basic prerequisites are excellent design
and quality without compromise.
The top models must rise above the
other eyewear, mostly produced in Asia,
through their combination of low weight,
no screws, unusual surfaces and perfect
functionality.
The courage for a new start
Roland Wolf, his partner Marija Iljazovic,
and her brother Martin Iljazovic proved
their courage in 2008 when they founded
their own brand, “Rolf Spectacles.” Driven
by the idea of authentic wooden glasses,
they began their R&D in the basement of
their parents’ house. Producing precisely
manufactured wooden glasses required
equipment that was either financially
far beyond these young entrepreneurs’
means or that was not even available at
all. However, they were able to rely on
unconditional self-confidence and friends
with expert knowledge. New production
equipment, with at least as much individuality
as the glasses they produced was
conjured with components from used machines
and “misused” machines.
Success “Made in Tyrol”
And then the time had come! Their ambitious
goal of individuality and quality without
compromise, “Made in Tyrol,” was
ready for the market. “When you hold the
glasses in your hand, and open and close
the temple arms, you then know all you
need to know,” Wolf laughs today. “Everything
has to come together in this frame
...” he adds, and could enthusiastically expound
for hours about all the innovations.
Would you dare to present a
new product on a market filled
with many established brands?
You would need a good idea,
lots of courage, and no compromises
in your demands.
This particularly applies if the
object—in the middle of your
face—strongly emphasizes your
individuality: we’re talking about
eyeglasses here. An everyday
product with the potential to
become something exotic!
So the team headed for Paris in 2009,
together with plenty of enthusiasm.
They presented their new product to the
market at SILMO, an international optics
trade show. In the competition for innovative
design, they spontaneously won the
SILMO d’or, the equivalent of an Oscar
trophy for opticians. In 2010 they received
a Red Dot Design Award, a coveted award
for outstanding design. The product became
famous practically overnight, and so
economic success soon came their way.