TAWI - Swedish Innovation since 1923

Why Innovation is Crucial to Your Business

It is no exaggeration to say that innovation propels human civilisation forward. It is innovation that led us to cross oceans, take to the skies, and explore space. It led to the creation of life-changing tools and technologies such as the printing press, the Industrial Revolution, and the internet.

Innovation is also a critical component of business success. In today's rapidly changing business landscape, fostering a culture of innovation is indispensable. By embracing innovation, companies can:

• Stay ahead of the competition
• Adapt to evolving market dynamics
• Drive efficiency and growth
• Attract top talent
• Deliver customer-centric solutions

As we navigate the future, innovation will continue to be the driving force that propels companies towards new horizons of success. TAWI’s primary goal is to help companies on that journey.

TAWI – A Century of Innovation

TAWI didn’t start out as a vacuum lifting company. Over the years, the business has changed direction on numerous occasions, keeping pace with the times.TAWI has evolved from a manufacturing company within the Swedish steel industry to our current form, a trusted global partner for innovative and smart material handling solutions. This ability to innovate internally has enabled TAWI to adapt and grow and to help our customers to do the same.

One of the TAWI team that has witnessed TAWI’s innovations firsthand is Mike Lee. Mike joined TAWI fresh out of college in 1992 and he is now TAWI’s Vice President in charge of the North American market. During Mike’s tenure, he has seen the North American market grow dramatically — and TAWI along with it.

Mike explains: “When I came onboard, we had were only two people taking care of the entire North American market. As late as 2016, we were still only five people, but with our acquisition by SEB in 2017, we grew rapidly and are now 41 in the US and 9 in Canada." 

The potential was always there, but market attitudes had to change. "When I started, concern about safety and ergonomics was not as high in US as it was in Europe. That has changed over time. Demands on ergonomics and safety have grown exponentially and these issues are now a fundamental part of almost every business segment." 

Mike also highlights the impact of e-commerce: "Then there’s the rise of e-commerce, of course. The items that must be shifted or moved have become lighter, not heavier, but vastly greater in number. Lifting products must be fast and easy to do because users must be able to get up and running as quickly as possible. All these changes in market conditions and operational challenges have required innovation. And TAWI has responded.”

In his 31 years with the company, Mike has seen firsthand how TAWI has not only adapted to the many changes in the marketplace, but has also led many of the innovations that defined the past decades.

According to Mike, innovation has always been central to TAWI’s identity. “TAWI’s basic approach has always been one of innovation — both peripheral and attitudinal. As our customer’s businesses and needs have changed, we have adapted. Starting with the invention of vacuum lift assist, TAWI has always been at the forefront of innovation. The first stainless steel lifter, the first to pioneer lighter and faster lifters, the first to develop mobile assist… TAWI has always responded to changing market conditions and demands with innovation and refinements. Not to brag, but TAWI has been behind each and every single innovation in our industry. Every competitor has to follow where we lead, to copy what we have done. Innovation,” Mike says, “is about making changes to something that is established, to introduce new methods or ideas. So, in a way, TAWI’s continued growth is the very definition of innovation.”

Innovation = Progress

TAWI’s innovations in vacuum lifting technology have brought significant advancements to a wide range of industries. Key developments include:

• Enhanced suction pads with designs that offer improved grip and stability during lifting operations
• Integration of intelligent control systems that enable precise and automated operations
• Highly customisable systems that meet diverse lifting needs
• The industry’s most ergonomic designs, prioritising worker comfort and safety as well as productivity

These innovations have helped companies maximise efficiency and productivity. They have also enabled customers to:

• Create healthier workplaces
• Build more flexible workforces
• Free up valuable resources
• Reduce sick leave
• Employ people regardless of sex or physical ability

Mike Lee views innovation as central to TAWI’s ongoing evolution. “At TAWI, innovation has always meant making constant, ongoing improvements to our products, always with an eye of increasing productivity and profitability." However, innovation at TAWI is not limited to products. “Innovation isn’t always about products. We have seen a great deal of innovation in attitudes towards hiring practices and workplace safety. TAWI products allow any person – regardless of size or strength — to lift and handle the same loads. Which in turn enables a more diverse workplace and helps companies face an increasingly difficult labor market, allowing fewer workers to lift and move more materials.”

Just as machines and industrial processes once enabled people to produce more in less time, TAWI’s inventions help businesses build more efficient and profitable operations today. TAWI’s inventions have helped businesses create more efficient and profitable operations. By enabling individuals to lift more and do so more safely, our innovations have helped companies streamline production, reduce damage to both humans and products and remain profitable in an ever-changing world. To date,TAWI has helped over 50,000 customers transform their material handling from manual to smart lifting and create a safer and more sustainable way of working.

Mike sees a great future for TAWI – and for a continued focus on innovation. “Logistics and e-commerce continue to grow – and TAWI will be there to make lifting, faster, easier, and safer. The world is becoming more and more automated. We will naturally be following this trend and developing newer and even more efficient products to match market developments. As we have for the past 100 years.”

The Future Depends on Innovation

From the discovery of fire to the modern inventions that shape our present and future, we measure human progress by the amount of innovation that occurs. At TAWI, this has always been understood. Innovation has been the key to the company’s success from the very beginning.

Mike Lee sums it up: “TAWI has always been about innovation. From steel manufacturing to oil trading to vacuum lifters to complete lifting systems. We are not even close to being the same business as we were. Keep in mind that it was only in the 1980s that we shifted to safety and ergonomics. It will be exciting to see what innovations the future has in store!”