Issue 5 2024

Corporate Vision Since early 2019, Caitlin (Piddington) Murphy has been at the helm of this operation, taking over from her mother, Laurie, who in turn, took her over from Caitlin’s grandfather, Fredrick. In the six years since taking the reins, Caitlin’s primary mission has been to steer the business in somewhat of a different direction from its trade show roots, instead doubling down on its retail clients to craft bespoke fixtures for them that connote the essence of what a brand is all about. This approach has clearly paid off, as under Caitlin’s leadership, the business has built retail stands and cabinets for such world-famous brands as Gucci and Dior. Before we explore the business further, it is important to understand the importance of Caitlin’s role in this award-winning enterprise. Although she may be the granddaughter of the business’ founder, she has more than earned her place at the head of the company table, having ascended through the ranks since joining the company in the role of a purchase specialist in June 2012. In September that same year, Caitlin became an industrial designer, a position she held until she briefly left the company in 2014. Upon returning in 2017, Caitlin was creative director, a position she held until her promotion in February 2019. Piddi Design Associates Limited has been a pioneering force in Ontario’s design space for 65 years this year, with its custom millwork shop having opened all the way back in 1959. Now in its third generation of family ownership, this business has spent decades successfully traversing changes across this industry, working with numerous high-profile clients such as leading brands and renowned architects to craft retail environments of unmatched quality. Bolstered by a shared family legacy, the solutions delivered by this trendsetting company are client focused and of exceptional value. Best Bespoke Retail Store Fixtures Company 2024 - Ontario Caitlin has been known to describe her role within Piddi Design as being all about providing excellent client service, particularly in the areas of sales and marketing. Leveraging this hands-on approach to client interactions, all who work with this company are instilled with a sense of confidence right from the off, laying the groundwork for the exceptional things that happen further down the line. This is aided further by what can only be described as a rigorous process combined with a custom approach, affording every project a premium, custom-built solution without breaking the bank. Until the pandemic caused the world to grind to a halt in early 2020, Piddi Design focused primarily on trade shows, including collaborating with Mercedes-Benz in a stint that lasted more than 50 years. Working with a huge company such as this meant undertaking custom jobs that were incredibly insightful and rewarding, something that set the company in good stead when it endeavoured to conquer the retail space several years back. Quite early on in this journey, Piddi Design secured contracts with the likes of LVMH and Givenchy, solidifying the quality of both its designs and finished products. Going back to the impacts of Covid-19, Caitlin refused to sit by and do nothing as industries around the world withered, so she spent this period fortifying her business empire by expanding its client portfolio and investing heavily in fleshing out new departments. A few years removed, the company now has more than 80 employees and a number of effective systems in place to streamline its services. While Piddi Design has certainly embraced the technological means at its disposal, millwork is still an innately human and artful process, and the business’ long-tenured cabinet makers excel in crafting masterpieces by hand. Looking ahead to the future, Caitlin is seeking out further expansion for her brand, taking inspiration from the excellent craftsmanship present in countries such as Mexico, where a more traditionalist approach to creating beautiful pieces is favoured. Even as these expansion plans come to fruition under the surface, Piddi Design still remains steadfast in its ongoing commitment to providing its clients with pop-ups and retail store fixtures that are exactly what they had envisioned, both in terms of aesthetics and a robust build quality that will keep them looking like new for as long as they stand. With a number of high-profile clients, a portfolio of work that includes items that have been displayed by some of the biggest retailers in the world, and a faultless track record for delivering quality solutions, Piddi Design Associates Limited is continuing to build on a 65-year legacy defined by sustained excellence. Contact: Caitlin Murphy Company: Piddi Design Associates Limited Web Address: https://www.linkedin.com/company/piddidesign/

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