Commercial Shading Dealer Focus: Cascadia Shading Design Ltd.
It Was Twenty Years Ago Today
The stunning skyline of Vancouver features some of Canada’s proudest architectural design, and a dynamic market where Cascadia Shading Design, Ltd has spent twenty years building a well-deserved reputation for quality and innovation featured in marquee projects throughout the city. Ask Kevin Maier, Director of Business and Team Development and he’ll likely mention that in Vancouver, “There's certain areas where I can basically look around 360 degrees and say, oh yeah, we did this one, that one, this one, that one, and all of them very different projects.” Cascadia Shading Design sees as its mission to successfully design and install what competitors looking for simpler projects might otherwise avoid, all the while building on valuable connections with an ever-growing network of architects and specifiers.Thanks to a long history with Legrand Commercial Shading, they do both – and celebrate in the process.
CASCADIA ORIGINS
Kevin Maier, Director of Business and Team Development, and Senior Project Manager Joe Uitvlugt are proud of Cascadia’s continued success. “Using Legrand products has helped give us maximum control, start to finish, from design all the way to the final installation. And we hang our hat on that because it's unique to our market.”
Like many shading installation companies their size, Cascadia’s earliest business focused on the sale and service of varied products. In their case, it was architectural products for a variety of commercial and residential projects in and around Vancouver. But everything changed in 2001 with the start of a relationship with Legrand Shading. The company's been growing ever since transitioning over the years from shade installer to playing a larger design and planning role with prospective clients.
In fact, before taking over the business in 2018, Maier started out as an installer himself; in the years since, he and Uitvlugt have been building on their shared shading experiences and partnerships and honing a design sensibility along with it. Together, they’ve overseen a steady growth in Cascadia’s business and scope, and it’s a development they credit to the adaptability and versatility of the Legrand products they have long provided their clients.
Legrand Versatility
Twenty percent of Cascadia’s business involves highly specific, customized shade projects that demand a seamless back and forth between the architects. There’s the design and then there’s finding the right shading product to successfully realize the design, however complicated it might be. For Maier, the right shading product is Legrand Commercial Shades.
“Legrand [shades] are unique in the industry in the way they were engineered from the beginning. Their proprietary design allows all sorts of configurations and customizations without the time or cost of using anything but the basic components. For the custom shades that we make, we can take the actual materials that are already existing and build them into a completely different detail. It allows us to design and deliver outside of the box of cookie-cutter installations and architects really appreciate that.”
Being able to deliver on complicated projects has led to Cascadia earning the trust of its clients. In some cases, the team is asked to provide guidance and details for shading options before they even know a project’s name. “Right off the bat,” says Maier, “we're helping them design for these spaces, with the right type of shade detail that's going to work for them. It allows us to step in and make important recommendations up front.” The Cascadia team can suggest automated or integrated options. They can offer through detailed drawings what products to use and why to use them at the same time. “And for that,” says Maier, “we really impress Legrand shades into everything that we’re doing.”
The Next 20 Years
Maier is excited for what he sees as Cascadia’s business expanding beyond shades to include designing and installing as part of a comprehensive daylight harvesting interior system. “The introduction of integrated systems like DLM is going to help Cascadia get in the project’s conversation even earlier, to extend our services and grow our business. Legrand is integral to that expansion.”
Twenty percent of Cascadia’s business involves highly specific, customized shade projects that demand a seamless back and forth between the architects. There’s the design and then there’s finding the right shading product to successfully realize the design, however complicated it might be. For Maier, the right shading product is Legrand Commercial Shades.
“Legrand [shades] are unique in the industry in the way they were engineered from the beginning. Their proprietary design allows all sorts of configurations and customizations without the time or cost of using anything but the basic components. For the custom shades that we make, we can take the actual materials that are already existing and build them into a completely different detail. It allows us to design and deliver outside of the box of cookie-cutter installations and architects really appreciate that.”
Being able to deliver on complicated projects has led to Cascadia earning the trust of its clients. In some cases, the team is asked to provide guidance and details for shading options before they even know a project’s name. “Right off the bat,” says Maier, “we're helping them design for these spaces, with the right type of shade detail that's going to work for them. It allows us to step in and make important recommendations up front.” The Cascadia team can suggest automated or integrated options. They can offer through detailed drawings what products to use and why to use them at the same time. “And for that,” says Maier, “we really impress Legrand shades into everything that we’re doing.”
The Next 20 Years
Maier is excited for what he sees as Cascadia’s business expanding beyond shades to include designing and installing as part of a comprehensive daylight harvesting interior system. “The introduction of integrated systems like DLM is going to help Cascadia get in the project’s conversation even earlier, to extend our services and grow our business. Legrand is integral to that expansion.”
With precise, programmable controls and clean, eye-catching aesthetics, commercial shading from Legrand allows you to design brilliant spaces that foster productivity, reduce energy costs and meet building sustainability standards. Put your space in its most beautiful light.
