Jann Yei Builds Global Reputation for Tackers and Staple Guns

Contract manufacturer succeeds by going upmarket

A single-minded dedication to the development and improvement of tackers and staple guns for more than two decades has helped the Jann Yei Industry Co. build a solid reputation in the global market.

Founded in 1894 in central Taiwan's Taichung County (now Taichung City), Jann Yei began life as a contract manufacturer of low-end products but ran into problems when its customers began shifting their orders to lower-cost emerging countries. The company responded by going upmarket, emphasizing the improvement of quality and functionality, and the strategy paid off. Today the firm has left its low-cost rivals behind and competes in the middle-to-high-end market.

R&D Focus
Constant R&D efforts have contributed to the company's rise, stated chairman Chen Ton-yi, explaining that Jann Yei cooperates with design companies and the government-funded Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in an effort to acquire the latest state-of-the-art technologies and apply them to its products.

One result of this emphasis on R&D is the company's electronic staple gun family, upgraded from its hot-selling JY series tackers with additional innovative functions. The model N688, for example, allows the setting of four different specifications for nails to affix cables and wires of different shapes and sizes. A retractable metal blade on the front of the tool provides added safety.

All of the company's staple guns feature compact design, prolonged life, and plastic-coated bodies that can withstand a wide range of temperature and are resistant to corrosion. These products are perfect for industrial use.

The JY 667 and 669 multifunctional cable tackers are also among Jann Yei's star products. Both models can be used to attach round cables and flat wires to surfaces with specially designed staples that are protected by patents in several different countries. These tackers allow users to handle electrical wiring easily without the need for other tools.

Another innovative cable tacker can attach cables to surfaces with a plastic ring for safety. According to Chen, this product was developed mainly for the decorating of Christmas trees by home users.

Packaging design is developed in accordance with the characteristics of different products to enhance value-added. Compact blister cards are used to package the JY 667 cable tacker, for instance, so as to accentuate the product's streamlined exterior design and outstanding utility; for the JY 669, colored blow-mold cases attract the attention of buyers to the product's ability to handle cables and wires with large diameters.

Commitment to Quality
Years of cooperation with ITRI and other organizations has not only boosted Jann Yei's R&D capability but has also deepened its commitment to continuous quality improvement. According to the company, its low-end conventional tackers have been improved so much that they are now good for 40,000 repetitions, which is 20 times better than competing models from China. In view of the low profit margin on these products, many companies would not consider the upgrading effort worthwhile.

Chen says that all of his products are certified by international standards such as CAS, UL, GS/TUV, and CE. In response to growing ecological concerns worldwide, the products also meet RoHS (Restrictions on Hazardous Substances) specifications and are tested by SGS.

The company especially stresses the adoption of eco-friendly electroplating methods and has completely phased out processes that use toxic materials such as lead and trivalent chrome. “Our clients are welcome to ask for related analysis reports on our finished products,” Chen emphasizes. “In other words, we want to keep our products safe and friendly to the environment. We believe that as long as Jann Yei continues to sharpen its competitive edge in regard to quality and R&D, our clients will be willing to outsource to us.”

Jann Yei's current product line covers low- to high-end electric tackers, staple gun tackers, hammer tackers, and cable tackers. Both original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and original design manufacturing (ODM) orders are welcome, as are orders for customized models. Sales are divided about equally between Europe and North America, but in recent years the company has also come up with economical models aimed at Russia and emerging countries in Eastern Europe.