Description
Montana – From the Basement to the Lobby
How Design Can Change a Company’s Competitive Position
The call came from Mr. J. H., Montana’s Head of Engineering, a manufacturer of professional ski service equipment. We knew each other from the winter sports industry. Through our work for Marker, we had established a name for ourselves in the field. Montana had been watching as competitor Wintersteiger repositioned itself in the market with a redesigned product range and a more professional design approach.
At Montana, the conclusion was clear: something had to change.
The company’s owner and CEO, G. K., however, was initially not convinced that design could play a decisive role.
Mr. H. saw it differently. From his own experience, he knew that good engineering alone is not always enough to compete successfully.
“I’ll convince him,” he told us.
Then, one day, the decisive call came:
“When can you come to Umkirch?”
A Clear Brief
The initial brief was straightforward. The flagship model of the product range was to receive a new housing and a contemporary, high-quality appearance.
But there was one firm requirement:
“It must not cost more to manufacture.”
At the time, this was our first machine housing project. But of course, it was not the first complex product we had designed. Our experience across numerous projects and industries – from vehicles and sports products to sanitary products – helped us approach the task from a holistic perspective.
We didn’t want to simply make a machine look better.
We wanted to develop a design language that would make technology, precision and quality visible – while remaining economically viable to manufacture.
The Beginning of a New Montana Family
The presentation of our initial concepts became a turning point.
The concept was convincing. And not just on paper.
The new machine was implemented almost exactly as we had presented it in our concept proposal.
But the project didn’t end there. Quite the opposite: this was only the beginning.
The new design language was gradually applied across the entire product range. The design of a single flagship model became the foundation for a new generation of Montana machines.
And at the same time, something even bigger emerged:
a new visual identity for the company as a whole.
The design became part of Montana’s corporate identity.
A Decisive Change in Perspective
The new design changed how the products were perceived.
The machines were no longer simply technical pieces of equipment tucked away in a basement, quietly doing their job. They became visible products with a clear identity.
Sales increased.
But perhaps the most rewarding confirmation of our work came from St. Moritz.
A sports hotel placed Montana’s flagship model in its lobby.
Not in the basement.
In the lobby.
On display for all its guests to see.
Design Changes Perception
What began at Montana with the design of a single machine housing ultimately changed the positioning of the entire company.
Good design makes technical quality visible. It strengthens the brand, creates differentiation and can sustainably improve a company’s position in the market.
At Montana, a new machine became a new visual identity.
And a product that once stood in the basement became a product worthy of the lobby.
