Idea takes storage to new heights

How many times has it been said that necessity is the mother of invention?

When Summerlin resident Dwayne Dunseath had so many Christmas decorations he considered renting storage space, the idea to maximize space in his garage hit him. He invented a ceiling-mounted rack that allowed him to store items in the area above his roll-up garage doors.

He called his idea HyLoft. Now that idea has gone global.

It's sold in retail giants like Home Depot, Lowe's, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart. It's also sold on the Internet, but it took a while to get there.

"We've come a long way in seven years, and we'll continue to lead this industry as we move forward," Dunseath said. "It's been a hard road. But then again, the rewards would not be as sweet absent the hardships we endured."

The HyLoft was invented in 1999. The original design consisted of a 4-foot-by-8-foot platform with support posts that secured it to the ceiling. It could handle up to 250 pounds.

It worked great. But shipping it cost Dunseath an arm and a leg, and the company's ledgers began looking considerably more red than was healthy.

Within a year, Dunseath secured a partner, Tim Matthias, as the company's chief marketing officer. Matthias had left his job when he needed open heart surgery. While recuperating, he had plenty of time to devote to the new company.

Two others came into the picture a little further down the road -- Mark Torosian, vice president of dealer sales, and Mike Mikich, vice president and chief financial officer. They maintained their day jobs, but were an integral part of the company.

The four partners say they work well together, with each of them contributing ways to expand the business. That's resulted in eight patents and eight more in the works.

"We sit around a room and brainstorm ideas," Mikich said. "It just flows."

One of those sessions resulted in a simple design change with a major improvement. It allowed buyers the option of how far HyLoft hung from the ceiling. Another change broke down the platform into more manageable pieces, ones that could be shipped at reasonable rates.

"That's what allowed us to take it to retail," Matthias said.

Early in 2001, the company got a contract with Home Depot. The partners thought they had it made, but ran into problems when the home improvement store kept making personnel changes for their contact person.

"We went through 10 or 11 people. Each time, we'd have to begin at square one," Mikich said.

Two years later, they got the HyLoft product into Lowe's stores. After one year, they had to undergo a line review to ensure they were following the store's specifications.

HyLoft Inc. saw it as a challenge -- and an opportunity to show new products. They got busy designing storage units that were free standing and wall mounted.

"We had 33 new products and all of it done within three months -- from concept to prototype to packages -- all of it," Matthias said. "They couldn't believe we had the drive and the capabilities to do that."

Testimonials on the Web site reveal that the invention is appreciated.

"I bought a HyLoft Jr. a few months ago and want to tell you what a great product you have. The shelf is very well engineered, and it was very easy to assemble. I have never worked with a pre-engineered product with instruction so easy to read and follow. Something as an architect I really appreciate. Also, I liked the way you packaged the fasteners, sorted and enclosed in trays. I will be buying more of your products in the near future. I only wished you made everything." -- Rick Sahadi

"Hi, I purchased one of your overhead units from Fred Meyers here in Wasilla, Alaska, and of all the items requiring product assembly that I have purchased over the years, I have never been so satisfied as I am with yours. The way you package the parts and not in little bags, the way you identify the tool needs and the instructions are so clear that one doesn't need to be a MIT grad to do the assembly. So, I returned and purchased another unit. I am very happy with them and your packaging." -- H.D. Scougal.

While the company is privately held and would not disclose its earnings, it did say sales were seeing 12 percent to 15 percent growth each year. It opened its first retail center at 5175 W. Diablo Drive, Suite 108, on Sept. 22.

For more information, call (800) 990-6003 or visit www.hyloft.com.