Making a mark across multiple business segments

ITW manufactures products that affect every part of our lives. Whether you are in a restaurant, on a suspension bridge, in an aircraft or using a cell phone, you are never more than a few steps from an ITW solution.

Client

Industry

Commercial

Capabilities

Research
Product Design
Engineering
User Experience

Background

In the midst of the economic recession of the 2000’s, Hobart came to Design Central with the goal of improving their commercial mixer features. Positive feedback garnered referrals to additional ITW commercial food equipment brands and other ITW businesses, building a relationship that has continued for 10 years.

Results

What began as a simple design program with Hobart has developed into a decade long relationship between Design Central and ITW, involving several entities within the parent corporation. We have engaged in all aspects of the development process, including research, engineering, UX/UI design, business justification of technology and product activities and more with the Hobart, Traulsen, Berkel, Bonnet and Vulcan-Hart commercial food equipment brands.

Research

Design Central and ITW conducted domestic and international research studies including ethnographic research and deep dive interviews in universities and K-12 schools, commercial quick serve and dining restaurants as well as grocery stores for many products across ITW commercial cooking brands.

Design

Design Central has worked with ITW to develop high-end product personalities to elevate the user’s perception of a product by creating identifiable product architectures and signature elements for its brands.

Engineering

Design Central has worked with ITW to engineer products from proof-of-concept through production engineering.