Part 1: From Need to Idea
The drying cabinet – Built on insight, shaped by experience
The development of a drying cabinet starts long before any drawing is made. Often, the process begins with a clearly defined need – sometimes articulated by a customer or user, sometimes identified internally, or as a result of new external demands. Regardless of origin, every new product idea at NIMO is based on a combination of insight, attentiveness, and long-term responsibility for quality and sustainability.
Identifying the need
The need for a new drying cabinet – or a refinement of an existing model – can come from many directions. It might be driven by new environmental legislation, advances in technology, shifting user behaviours, or feedback from resellers and partners. NIMO’s own brand development and strategic direction also play an important role. There are no limits here – every insight is a potential starting point for innovation.
From insight to structure
The ideation phase is led by NIMO’s Head of Design & Innovation in close collaboration with the Business Development Manager, Product Manager, CFO and CEO – a cross-functional team where market, technology, finance and strategy are all considered from the start. All new proposals are presented to the Product Council. There, the Product Manager presents a structured concept designed to support prioritisation. The goal is to determine, as early as possible, which ideas are worth developing further – and which should be set aside.
Sustainability from the start
Already at this early stage, sustainability is a key factor. Any idea that cannot credibly contribute to a more energy-efficient, resource-smart or circular product offering is unlikely to move forward. Sustainability is not a parallel track – it’s a baseline requirement.
Sketch, Thought, Direction
Ideas that are prioritised often begin as sketches – mainly digital, but sometimes by hand depending on the context. The purpose at this stage is not to fix the solution, but to explore possibilities, visualise function, and test different directions – technically, commercially and from a user perspective.
A balanced process
Some ideas are born from concrete user needs. Others come from within – a desire to improve, streamline, or stay ahead. The balance between reactive and proactive development is not fixed, but shaped by the external environment, market signals, and NIMO’s own insights. What matters is that both perspectives are included. The ideation phase can take anywhere from a few months to several years, depending on the complexity of the idea. But regardless of pace, the direction remains the same: to create something that lasts, performs – and makes a difference.