Innovating in a technical, international market requires more than strong ideas alone. It demands structure, clear decision-making, and the right combination of capabilities. At Zehnder, a leading manufacturer of ventilation and climate systems, product innovation is therefore not a standalone initiative but a continuous, strategic process. In its collaboration with Verhaert Nederland, the company found exactly the support it needed to make innovation both manageable and scalable.
Zehnder is widely recognized in the market for Swiss quality and precision; and not by coincidence. The Ventilation business unit is the company’s growth engine and invests consistently in technology development. “We cannot and do not want to compete on price,” says Denis van Bezu, Director Group Product Management Ventilation. “Our strategy is to develop best-in-class products that lead technologically and meet increasingly stringent market and regulatory requirements.”
Innovation as a structured process
Within Zehnder, international R&D teams work on a broad portfolio, ranging from balanced ventilation to systems that not only refresh air but also cool, heat and condition it. “We deliberately separate innovation from day-to-day product development,” Van Bezu explains. “In addition to a product roadmap, we work with a technology roadmap that explores future technological building blocks. New technologies are first investigated in small technology innovation projects before finding their way into concrete products.”
From agile chaos to predictable progress
When Van Bezu joined Zehnder, product development followed Agile Scrum principles. “That can work well for software, but for complex physical products it proved to be a recipe for delays and misalignment,” he says. Projects ran over schedule, and outcomes did not sufficiently align with the original objectives.
BEACON (part of Verhaert Nederland) supported Zehnder in redesigning and re-implementing its Stage-Gate process and provided experienced project managers who brought structure, transparency, and momentum. This approach not only laid the foundation for successful projects but also enabled Zehnder to build its own international project management organization.
How the BEACON-Verhaert approach secures Zehnder’s innovation path
In a later phase, the strength of the BEACON and Verhaert combination became particularly evident. Zehnder requested an independent analysis of an existing product that was not meeting commercial expectations. While BEACON ensured structured project management, clear scope, and well-defined deliverables, Verhaert contributed deep technical expertise across electronics, mechanics, and system architecture.
The result was a thorough, multidisciplinary analysis with well-founded recommendations. “We didn’t get any ‘low-hanging fruit,’ which I may have secretly hoped for,” Van Bezu reflects. “But it did deliver strategic insights that confirmed we are already making the right technological choices at Zehnder. Validation from an expert partner with experience across multiple industries is incredibly valuable. It shows that our decisions are sound and highlights where future opportunities lie, for example, in the further development of a new electronics platform. I expect we will evaluate our designs this way more often in the future together with Verhaert.”
One point of contact, maximum impact
A key advantage for Zehnder was the BEACON project manager’s bridging role. This provided a single point of contact, clear deliverables, speed, and, at the same time, access to a broad team of Verhaert specialists. As a result, the collaboration remained transparent and effective, even in an international setting with numerous stakeholders involved.
Future-proof innovation
Zehnder operates in a market undergoing rapid change. European sustainability ambitions, evolving indoor climate requirements, and the growing demand for energy-efficient cooling make innovation more urgent than ever. The ambition is clear: to solidify their position as an industry leader, with products that customers, installers and architects genuinely enjoy working with.
The collaboration with Verhaert Nederland aligns seamlessly with that ambition. By working with a partner in a supportive role, helping Zehnder can organize, validate and accelerate innovation more effectively. While BEACON provides control, structure, and clarity in decision-making, Verhaert delivers technical depth and an innovative, cross-sector perspective.
For Zehnder and any forward-thinking organization, this partnership provides the strategic foundation to turn complex challenges into long-term market leadership. It is a proven model in which structured management meets deep technical insight, ensuring innovation isn’t just a goal but a sustained competitive advantage.