(SPICELAND, INDIANA)-Draper, Inc. has received three ADEX Awards—including a top-level Platinum Award—for its products. The ADEX Awards (Awards for Design Excellence) are selected by a panel of independent judges, and are sponsored by Design Journal.

Draper received a Platinum Award for the Video Conferencing Camera Lift—Ceiling. The Video Conferencing Camera Lift-Ceiling allows the placement of a video conferencing camera directly behind a motorized projection screen; the camera raises and lowers with the screen.

Draper received a Gold Award for the company’s groundbreaking Ecomatt XT700E front projection viewing surface. Draper’s Ecomatt XT700E is the first viewing surface to be Cradle to Cradle (cm) Silver certified. The Cradle to Cradle Certified® program is a third party, multi-attribute eco-label administered by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute that assesses a product’s safety to humans and the environment and design for future life cycles. Ecomatt XT700E is PVC free, fully recyclable, and GREENGUARD Children and Schools(SM) certified, with a peak gain of 0.7.

Draper received a Silver ADEX for the Video Conferencing Printed Backgrounds. Custom printed backgrounds convey a brand message, give your telepresence an air of professionalism, or even communicate more clearly between different branch offices. Printed backgrounds can contain custom artwork, photographs, corporate logos and more.

For more information on Draper products, visit www.draperinc.com.

About Draper
Draper, Inc., is a Spiceland, Ind.-based manufacturer of projection screens, lifts for projectors and flat panel displays, video conferencing solutions, window shades and gymnasium equipment. In addition to its Spiceland facilities, Draper has manufacturing or sales operations in California, the United Kingdom and Sweden. Draper products are shipped to dealers throughout the United States and to more than 100 countries.

For effective video conferencing in today’s multi-use conference rooms and other venues, you need the required technology precisely where you need it, when you need it—but out of sight when you don’t. Draper has introduced several new products designed to do just that.

Draper’s Video Conferencing Camera Lift-Ceiling allows the placement of a video conferencing camera directly behind a motorized projection screen; the camera raises and lowers with the screen.

The Video Conferencing Camera Lift–Credenza hides your camera in virtually any conference room furnishing, ready to be raised at any time by simple remote operation.

Draper’s Video Conferencing Camera Adapter Bracket allows a video conferencing camera to be mounted in a Draper ceiling recessed projector lift. The bracket is available with three Draper lift models; choose the lift based on how far down out of the ceiling the camera needs to travel.

Draper also offers three unique types of backgrounds to bring your video conferencing to life, help you communicate more effectively and set your content apart. Draper’s neutral backgrounds come in six muted earth tones, and eliminate distractions, help prevent unwanted interference, control room lighting and ensure a consistent corporate image. Custom printed backgrounds can contain custom artwork, photographs, corporate logos and more. Chroma Key Backgrounds, typically referred to as “blue screen� or “green screen� technology, make it easy to change background images or show live action video footage.

For more information on Draper’s new telepresence line, visit www.draperinc.com/VideoConferencing/index.asp.

Draper, Inc. has renewed its qualification as an InfoComm International Emerald Certified AudioVisual Solutions Provider (CAVSP). The Emerald designation recognizes that a percentage of the company’s sales, customer service and technical staff are certified as InfoComm Communication Technology Specialists and have completed relevant coursework from the InfoComm Academy.

“Retaining the Emerald CASVP designation is something we’re very proud of,� according to Draper Field Sales Manager Lee Denhart, LEED® AP. “Along with our high number of LEED® APs, this shows our dedication to maintaining a sales team that is one of the most knowledgeable and technically proficient in the industry.�

InfoComm awards individual certification to audiovisual professionals who have demonstrated knowledge and comprehension of the science and technology used in communications including audio, video, display and systems. Technicians, engineers, designers, salespeople, customer service personnel, managers and executives are eligible to take the Communication Technology Specialist certification test.

In addition to confirming that a percentage of Draper’s employees are InfoComm CTS-certified, the Emerald CAVSP designation means that Draper has agreed to comply with 10 Standards of Excellence developed in collaboration with industry experts to emphasize the best practices of audiovisual businesses.

Overall, 18 Draper employees are CTS-certified. In addition, Draper boasts 13 LEED® APs, and two who are certified by the Imaging Science Foundation.

For more information on Draper, visit www.draperinc.com.

(Spiceland, Ind.) – When selecting a projection screen surface, there are many variables to consider, including screen gain, surface color and screen material. Matching up screen surface capabilities with room conditions can get complicated very quickly, but Draper Inc. has simplified the process with a powerful new Web tool.

Draper’s new screen surface selector takes into account variables such as projector brightness, light on the screen, projector location and specs and more to narrow screen surface choices to “good,� “better� and “best.�

“This new tool is unique to Draper and was entirely designed and developed in house. Our Quality Lab team performed numerous performance tests on each surface for gain, ambient light rejection, contrast, and more, all of which support the logic behind the tool,� according to Draper Advertising Manager Penny Sitler. “Members of our field sales staff provided real world input on the performance of these surfaces in a variety of settings, and our web development team spent many hours integrating the results into an easy-to-use and reliable selector.�

The new screen surface selector was developed using InfoComm standards as a basis for screen selection, and designed to be easy to use by people with basic or advanced AV knowledge.

You can check out Draper’s new screen surface selector at www.draperinc.com/ProjectionScreens/SurfaceSelector.asp.

(Spiceland, Ind.) – Draper, Inc., has announced the hiring of a new National AV Consultant Manager.

Industry veteran Steve Cook will work with Draper to support AV Design consultants and projection manufacturers.

Cook comes to Draper after 30 years in the AV industry, mostly with projector manufacturers AmPro and NEC. Cook started in 1982 as an engineering technician with Kloss Video Corporation. Kloss worked closely with Draper to introduce video projectors and projection screens into the residential market.

“I’ve partnered closely with Draper throughout most of my career working for projector manufacturers,� Cook says. “For me, joining Draper has been less like working for a new boss and more like coming home to work with old friends.�

“We have had a great relationship with Steve for many years and have always been impressed with his abilities and expertise in AV industry,� according to Lee Denhart (LEED®AP), Field Sales Manager for Draper. “We are very excited to have him on board and look forward to utilizing his many talents to grow Draper sales and brand awareness.�

For more on Draper, visit www.draperinc.com/AboutDraper/History.asp.

(Spiceland, Ind.) – Draper Inc. has announced a reimagining of the company’s projection screen surfaces, creating a collection of viewing surfaces unparalleled in the projection screen industry. The announcement means not only new viewing surface options for Draper projection screens, but also improvements and refined naming for the company’s existing surfaces.

“At the beginning of this process of reimagining the concept of what makes a good projection screen, I was asked to do nothing less than explore the frontiers of projection surfaces,� according to Fabric Coordinator Brian Hocker, who was charged with leading Draper’s efforts. “We had a long list of needs, and a goal to launch a new viewing surface in 2012 to meet each of those needs.�

The introduction includes several new products, including Ecomatt XT700E, the first projection surface to be Cradle to Cradle Certified(cm) Silver by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), and a reworking of the company’s surface names to include key performance measurements in the name of each surface.

Draper Reimagines Viewing Surfaces.

As part of the process, Hocker traveled to view projection surface manufacturing processes around the world. He and his team tested hundreds of surfaces for dozens of qualities, and developed and staffed a high tech viewing surface testing laboratory at Draper’s Spiceland, Indiana, headquarters, where current and prospective viewing surfaces can be tested for performance and consistency. He also oversaw the addition of a major surface manufacturing area in Draper’s Spiceland facility.

With the May 7, 2012 price list introduction, Draper now offers over 20 new and refined viewing surfaces grouped into four families: OptiView self-supporting front projection surfaces, OptiFlex tensioned front projection screens, ClearSound acoustically transparent front projection screens and CineFlex flexible/tensioned screens for rear projection.

For more information on Draper’s reimagining of viewing surfaces, go to www.draperinc.com/ProjectionScreens/Surfaces.asp. Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM is a certification mark licensed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

(Spiceland, Ind.)– Draper, Inc., has been recognized for the company’s efforts to improve tensioning for motorized projection screens. Draper’s tab-tensioning system improvement was named “Most Innovative Projection Screen� in the 2012 Systems Contractor News InfoComm Installation Product Awards.

Every Draper tab tensioned screen surface (including the tabs) is CNC cut as a single piece, and the tabs are then folded and RF welded. The result is a much stronger tab with no possibility of separation.

Draper's new tab-tensioning system.

“Making a tab tensioned surface in this manner eliminates the puckering that has characterized the edges of tab tensioned screens made by Draper and other manufacturers for years,� according to Draper, Inc. President John Pidgeon in a letter announcing the improvement to Draper dealers. “Prior to making this decision, we cycled a tab tensioned screen made in this manner over 30,000 times with no tab failure.�

With the change comes an upgraded warranty. Draper now warrants all its tab tensioned screens against tab separation for five years from date of manufacture.

For more information, and photos comparing the tensioning systems, visit the Draper company blog at www.draperinc.com/tabtensionedemail/NewTabTensionTabs.asp.

Draper, Inc. has announced a new mobile tool kit of Web tools for smartphone users.
Draper’s mobile toolkit includes searchable document libraries for Draper projection screens, projector lifts and window shades for quick reference on the go.
Also available for smartphones are assembly map tools for Draper’s StageScreen and FocalPoint projection screens. The assembly map tools allow you to figure out which pieces go where to build any size of Draper’s popular modular screens—even when you’re on site and don’t have access to a PC or laptop.
Draper’s mobile toolkit works on all smartphones and can be found at www.draperinc.com/drapermobile.

Draper, Inc., has announced a significant improvement in the company’s tab tensioned motorized projection screens.

Every Draper tab tensioned screen surface (including the tabs) is now CNC cut as a single piece, and the tabs are then folded and RF welded. The result is a much stronger tab with no possibility of separation.

“Making a tab tensioned surface in this manner eliminates the puckering that has characterized the edges of tab tensioned screens made by Draper and other manufacturers for years,� according to Draper, Inc. President John Pidgeon in a letter announcing the improvement to Draper dealers. “Prior to making this decision, we cycled a tab tensioned screen made in this manner over 30,000 times with no tab failure.�

With the change comes an upgraded warranty. Draper now warrants all its tab tensioned screens against tab separation for five years from date of manufacture.

For more information, and photos comparing the tensioning systems, visit the Draper company blog at http://blog.draperinc.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Terry Coffey
Phone: 765-856-1230
FAX: 765-987-7142
E-mail: tcoffey@draperinc.com
Web site: www.draperinc.com

(Spiceland, Ind.)–Draper, Inc. has introduced the first blog in company history, with a post by company President John Pidgeon.
“My career here dates from the summer of 1957 when I began mowing the company lawn,� says Pidgeon in introducing himself on the blog . “The pay was good – $3.00 for four hours work. My job description and compensation have improved moderately since then.�
In addition to posts by Pidgeon—not all of them with tongue in cheek—on general company topics, various Draper experts will share posts on AV integration, industry trends, green building, sustainability, and other subjects relating to the company’s product lines. Tips and “how-to� articles will also get lots of attention on the blog.
Unlike some corporate blogs, Draper’s online offering will be much more than a collection of press releases. It more