MACEDON, N.Y. -- Hidden in the rolling hills of Macedon is one of the Rochester area’s best kept secrets... at least from its locals.
From removable wall panels, to rotating bulletin towers and sliding calendars, Magnatag Visible Systems custom makes thousands of task-specific whiteboards and magnets to go with them. Every part of the products are also made in-house. Since 1967, the company has had customers such as Nestle, Kohls, every branch of the military, Google, Bill Gates, professional sports teams, auto manufactures, teachers, schools and hospitals.
These boards have helped the Los Angeles Fire Department map out its resources for the 30th L.A. Marathon, the state of Montana fight wildfires, and the White House chart its schedule of the day, just to name a few.
“That’s our core competency, is taking complex things and putting it on a wall in a simplistic manner which people can understand and see the big picture,” said Christian Krapf, Magnatag Visible Systems Managing Partner and COO.
Going from a blank canvas to helping other businesses solve their problems, Krapf said he never imagined learning so many tidbits about other industries.
“Every day is a new adventure,” Krapf said. “We get all kinds of different people from all over the country, specialists in all different areas. We talk to them about what they do and we have to learn about what they do. So, one day I can come in and I learn about how O.R. schedules are organized, then the next I learn how different mining companies schedule their drilling. It’s a really interesting place to work.”
Whether or not he stays one of the region’s best kept secrets, Krapf said he will continue revolutionizing the way others think about white boards.