Global innovation: ICM20
At Bau 2023 in Munich the Dutch company Van Dijk Staircase Solutions presented a world premiere with ICM20. ICM20 (editor’s note: abbreviation for Intelligent Stair Case Marker) is a revolutionary tool, which they have developed themselves, for customised staircase renovation worldwide. This requires some clarifi cation. What does the fully licensed ICM20 concept look like in practice?

‘ICM20 is a real revolution in staircase renovation because it makes staircase renovation accessible for everyone. It simplifi es the complexity of it. Due to its high convenience and easy application, ICM20 supplies tools for the completion of customised staircase renovation. Amongst other things, it off ers a solution to the growing shortage of trained experts, and our clients clearly get greater efficiency at a lower cost thanks to a system which is easily scaleable as regards volume,’ CEO Rick Steyvers explains.

‘Convenience is at the heart of ICM20. You only need a smartphone with our ICM20 app, access to our web portal and a set of markers.’ sales and marketing manager Flip Kitslaar adds. ‘Anyone can use this easily and precisely since the app measures the staircase precisely. The tolerance is less than 1mm. After the measurement and completion of the order, we check the order, manufacture components, make elements exactly the bespoke and ship the installation ready products to our clients. Assembling the staircase is then no problem at all: Anyone can do it!’ (Scan the QR code to see the video.)

‘And so, most of the work is done in the factory, namely checking measurements and photographs, order picking and production. After that, we deliver the perfectly customised parts to the required delivery address. It will be clear that this concept can be applied easily by our clients in a digital setting with various go-to-market models,’ Rick Steyvers says.

‘In the future, we expect to complete up to about 90% of all staircases technically,’ Mr Kitslaar explains. ‘In the meantime, hundreds of staircases have already been completed with ICM20 with no problem at all. After the launch of the concept from the fi rst quarter of 2024, ICM20 will change the European market radically. You can count on it!’

Welcome to the Stair Capitol of the World.
We looked for the source of this unique narrative and we landed in the south of the Netherlands. In 1996, Jan and Trea Steyvers, an entrepreneurial married couple, developed the ‘step-over-step’ system and after that the family business has concentrated solely on staircase renovations since 1999 until now.

This approach is a classic example of how a business operator can have a feel for development in a particular market. The family has worked to refi ne its concept since the beginning, so in the year 2023 their business is the number one point of contact when it comes to staircase renovation.

‘Van Dijk Staircase Solutions is proud to be part of the Stair Campus, a group of family businesses with a 100% focus on staircase renovation. Today, about 160 staircase enthusiasts work on our campus,’ son Rick Steyvers adds. ‘My parents’ company started about 27 years ago with Upstairs, which concentrates on high-quality staircase renovation amongst consumers. We now have everything under one roof, from product development, production and warehousing up to and including assembly and fi nish. Our location makes us a perfect hub for deliveries throughout Europe.’

The group has an unrivalled speciality in the field of staircase renovation. Rick Steyvers comments: ‘Our system (‘cladding’) consists of a step in one piece, including stair nose. It promises the customer a ‘new’ staircase in less than one day.’ Internationally, production company Van Dijk Staircase Solutions represents all the qualities which are united in the family business. Its web site shows its speciality in four different languages.

A clear proposition
Our interviewees then explain how Van Dijk Staircase Solutions offers both its own trademark propositions and propositions for the private label for industrial clients. MexForm includes the premium label, whilst Stairs2Go takes the mainstream range under its wings. Apart from its own production, they also count on a wide stock of their own for specialists, industry and retail. Van Dijk thereby guarantees short delivery times and shows flexibility as a partner for customised work and private label solutions.

‘The core values of our company speak volumes,’ says Flip Kitslaar. But the ambitions, too, are clear.
‘We aim to be the top B2B partner in staircase renovation in Europe. We aim to achieve this on the one hand by putting ourselves in the position of our clients so that we can serve them to the full (customer intimacy). On the other hand we aim to be a leader in development and innovation. Here, amongst other things, we make intensive use of our testing laboratory, that supports our modern production equipment.

Vision for the future
‘Staircase renovation is still in its early stages in Europe. It might already be a well developed market in the Netherlands, but internationally that is much less the case. There is still a huge source of untapped market potential where alternatives like our ICM20 come into the picture. You can be sure the market volume will go up several times due to our simplified technology. Now is the time to get in on stair renovation!’ Kitslaar insists.

‘We see ICM20 as part of our total narrative. Van Dijk continues to improve, innovate, and look for international partners. We’re pleased to be able to talk to some fairly big and leading international players. Meanwhile, the ICM20 concept is already used (inter)nationally under private label concepts by several leading parties. All this fits in with our strategy to be a leading player on the European market!’