Barkan's History | Barkan Mounts

Barkan's History

2020 – Turning the Coronavirus crisis into success

Due to our work with Chinese factories, we became aware of the Coronavirus pandemic in its early stages. We updated our crisis-coping strategy in our yearly strategic plan created in January/February, which helped us react quickly and successfully to the changing reality. All of our team in the Israeli HQ, as well as in the office and warehouse in the US, were defined as essential workers.

Since the beginning of March, we have been working in accordance with the Israeli Government’s instructions: wearing masks while practicing social distancing and good hygiene.

Due to the infrastructures we developed in the past few years and improved since the beginning of this crisis, all of our employees have the option to work from home efficiently, without compromising their productivity. Except for two employees who were put on a 1-month furlough, our team continued working from the office or from home, and no one was infected with the virus.

We were worried that the pandemic would cause a decline in sales, but actually, sales in months April-June were the highest they have been in the last decade. The infrastructures we developed for online sales in the US have proven themselves useful and have allowed us to handle the massive increase in demand.

We are currently working with the biggest online retailers in the US: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com.

Thanks to the Modular Design Strategy we are able to develop new TV mounts very quickly. Within a month and a half, we were able to develop a TV mount for screens up to 80” that stretches 40”/ 1m from the wall, as well as several other models with unique functionality and high demand.

The antenna integrated TV mount we invented and developed for the US market was chosen to be presented by HSN on their channel.

We finished developing new antenna integrated TV mounts for the rest of the world and started selling them successfully. At the beginning of 2021, our patent for antenna integrated TV mounts was approved in the US, after it was approved in China in 2020.

During 2020 sales kept rising and we ended the year very well. Our brand strategy proved itself, online sales in the US spiked to 330% from the previous year.

At the beginning of 2021, we launched new tablet mounts with a unique clamp we developed, which holds or locks tablets in any size within the range of 7"-14".

2015 to 2018 – Building infrastructures for success

In 2019, sales in US online stores almost tripled compared to the previous year. We began selling the antenna integrated TV mount we developed at Walmart.com, where they are still sold successfully.

To respond to the increasing online demand quickly and efficiently, we established new infrastructures and technological tools.

The modular design strategy has continued to evolve, allowing us to develop various types of high-quality TV mounts extremely quickly and with low costs. Towards the end of the year, TV mounts developed with this method arrived at our warehouses around the world and were being sold.

In 2018 we developed a modular product line and neutral packaging without model numbers. These two innovations allow us to offer a customized solution to our customers and create an exclusive product line for MOQ of 1,000 pieces or a unique SKU for an existing model for smaller MOQ.

The patents we developed in 2015 and 2016 were registered in USA.
For our new antenna mount development, we created a testing lab were we developed the new products to suit the American market and are still developing in order to suit the rest of the world. Meanwhile, we registered the patent in China and USA.
Our website includes 360 degrees animation and marketing videos for almost all of our products, as well as assembly instructions and high-quality images. These marketing materials are also included in the online stores selling our products.

In 2017 we developed a unique patent for a TV mount integrated with an HDTV indoor antenna.

Online sales gradually increase.
We launched a new, state of the art website, compatible for desktop as well as all mobile devices.
The patents we developed in 2015 and 2016 were registered in China.

In mid-2016 we developed another patent that was pending in China and USA. It is an Auto-Lock mechanism that prevents unwanted disengagement of the screen from the wall. Watch the patents here.

We also started selling our products in some of the largest online retailers in North America: Walmart.com, Amazon, Homedepot.com, etc.

In mid-2015 we developed a patent that was pending in China, USA, South Africa and Israel. The patent is for mounts suitable for both flat and curved TVs in very competitive prices. This development and others keep opening many doors for us around the world. Watch the patents here.

2012-2014

We gradually recovered. In a long, systematic process we built 2 parallel production lines for each
product to ensure high quality, reliable supply and competitive prices.
We own 100% of the production lines. We set up a QC system outside of the production sites
that checks 100% of the shipments and makes sure our products comply with the demands
of the US and european quality standards (safety factors 4 and 2 accordingly).

The high quality of our products and owning our production lines enable us to provide lifetime
warranty for all of our TV mounts.

2008-2011

We finished expanding our factory. The global economic crisis hurt us as well, our competitors
in China reduced prices and even though we invested a lot of money in automation and efficiency
we could not be competitive. At the end of 2011 we had to shut down the factory in Israel
and move the production line to China.

Our headquarters stayed in Israel including: R&D, marketing, graphics, account management,
logistics, finance and general management. The quality control teams are located in China
and insure our products' high-quality standard.

In 2011 we have started developing and marketing stands and mounts for tablets and designing
our products in the most advanced three-dimensional software, using our sophisticated
measurement laboratory, modern graphic studio, all manufactured with the latest computerized
automated manufacturing equipment and technologies.

2007-2010

Barkan exports to over 50 countries worldwide and the Barkan brand has become a leading brand
in many countries.
Knowledge merging from global markets, parallel to experienced marketing, development
and research teams in Israel and China, has enabled us to develop innovative and competitive
products at three price levels (Premium, Standard and Economy) for LED, LCD and Plasma screens,
which are now leading in our field.

2004-2006

Formation of a new brand identity and growth.
After years of experience in branding, as well as professional advise with organized strategic steps
lasting 9 months, we have established a brand identity symbolizing prosperity, lifestyle,
on our recognized white and red background. Since the changeover was long the interim color
was red and blue for about a year. In September 2005 at the IFA exhibition in Berlin, we invested
in various display boards, new packaging, new catalog, with all our products with the new red
and white brand identity. At this time, we already had about 10 new mounting solutions for LCD
and Plasma screens. Also, a new concept of product identification using just 2 digits for each
product which represent the screen size as well as the number of mount movements. In January
2006, we participated as in past years, at the CES exhibition in Las Vegas, and there we won
the CES award for innovation and design for 2 of our mounting products.

1997-2003

Continuation of growth while searching for a marketing identity.
at the beginning of 1997, we produced color consumer brochures and packaging. We continued
to develop new mounting products until the end of 1998, under the line of Super and Popular.
At the end of 1999, we began building the new factory, with over 5,000 sq meter in space.
We increased our development team and established our own graphic studio, as well as cystalized
specific rules of conduct which we call our 10 Commandments.
By 2002 we started to consolidate our organizational identity visually to Barkan and we chose
the red ellipse on yellow background. After about a year, we improved it to the red arc
on blue background.
After planning for about a year and half we developed line of TV (CRT) mounts. The needs
to focus on mounts was realized and we decided to abandon the line of metal furniture that
we produced even though it was about 40% from our sales. At the end this year we broke
our records in the production of mounts. 130,000 mounts per month.

1993-1996

Growth, Economic crisis and Recovery.
At the beginning of 1993, we moved to a new facility in the Barkan Industrial Zone. In the new
factory we continued to develop, sales grew, developed new products, tried to diversify the basket
of our products and started to produce furniture based on metal.
But, then the crises arrived. We passed in three years, three recovery programs. The main good
thing that came of them is that they were the basis for the development of the method
of management system called "brain organization". Until today we work using the same
management system. We learned that we need working methods, control and cooperation.
In 96 we obtained the highest quality that is ISO 9001.

1988-1992

The first years.
The work started in January 1988 in Holon. The first mounts produced were made completely
of full steel and were very expensive. We searched for ways to reduce costs and developed
a mount made from hollow material.
By '90 due to the requests of customers, we worked on the improvement of the design
and on amplifying of the safety of the products. In March 1990, we participated for the first time
at the CEBIT exhibition in Germany. On account of being unorganized in preparation we did not
achieve any business, not even one customer.
In 1992, we received compliance to ISO 9003.