It was the 80’s. A time when telephones were still attached to the wall, MTV was making music history, and the cubicle with its tackable panels was all the rage at the office. Byrne was busy selling power to companies like Stow & Davis and American Seating, and with each new panel project came different challenges. Different pieces. Different parts. Month after month, the Byrne crew worked to supply customers with a string of different power fixes, until finally Norm and his brainstorming buddy, Bob Knapp, decided to make a change. The two bet the farm that they could solve the problem in a new – and better – way. They were looking for an innovative power solution Byrne could finally call its own. A way to disrupt the status quo and turn the pieces and parts contract furniture industry on its ear. Enter 8-Trac. Like nothing else on the market, 8-Trac proved one heck of a disruptor in a number of ways. Where there used to be a bushel of components to order, there was now simply one power harness making it a whole lot easier to specify. This new solution deftly addressed issues like panel creep with adjustability that made it a lot more accommodating. The power box could be reconfigured for added
flexibility too. And unlike old panel power that had to be installed in the factory, this new harness could be installed in the field, making it more end-user friendly. It was finally putting people at the center of the solution. It was, in fact, Human Centered Design before anyone even knew to call it that. They just told us it was “totally radical!” And it was. The best part? It still is. Even after those paneled cubicles fell out of fashion, 8-Trac’s power has lived on and on in all sorts of modern workspaces where people need power and plenty of it. With one of the longest lifecycles in the industry, this durable beauty was built to last from the very start – and proved a giant leap forward in helping define Byrne as a groundbreaking power partner.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker