Core77

"Ask American manufacturing companies today, and they will probably say 70 percent of profits comes from products they didn't have three years ago," says Cooper Woodring, interim executive director of the IDSA. The quote is from an AP article on Nottingham-Spirk Design Associates, a 35-year-old design firm whose specialty is coming up with new tricks for old dogs.

"What we have found is that by being outside of the bureaucracy of the average corporation, we're free to do anything we want," says CEO John Nottingham. You may have heard the anecdote about the spinning-lollipop invention that was adapted to a power toothbrush; that was Nottingham-Spirk. Ditto the Swiffer SweeperVac, and paint cans for Sherwin-Williams that come with pour spouts, which seems to be a no-brainer but is still not the standard delivery device for paint companies. "We couldn't think of another consumer product that you need a screwdriver to open and a hammer to close," says NS designer Craig Saunders.

With 70 employees, over 500 patents and an estimated $30 billion they've contributed to their clients' bottom lines, the Cleveland-based company is inspiration for all of us. Read the article here.

via associated press