A lot of companies talk about creating a fun and welcoming work pace, but Just Add Power (J+P) shows it really practices what it preaches while inviting a group of journalists to tour their new expanded facility located in Seminole, FL, near Tampa.
Related: Just Add Power Now Supports tp-link TL-SG3428XMP Switch
The company purchased the 30,000 square foot building (which had been used to manufacture contact lenses) in the spring of 2019, and essentially gutted the building to remodel for its needs. They planned to host a welcome event for their 30th Anniversary in 2022, but ongoing Covid-19 concerns made that impossible.
Expanding from its previous 5,000 square foot space, this new facility currently houses 20 employees and is used for tech support, engineering, and shipping, as well as a place to hold dealer and partner training, community engagements, and industry events. Three-day installer trainings are held quarterly.
Just Add Power founder, Ed Qualls, was an 11-year IBM employee, and he developed the first HDMI over IP system in 2008, which he debuted at CEDIA in Atlanta in 2009, and the company has focused solely on AV over IP products ever since, with its new MaxColor series of product supporting full 4K60 4:4:4, 36-bit color, with “worst case” latency of 16ms (about one video frame).
Qualls says he coined the name “Just Add Power” while at IBM as a response to the company’s “that’s not supported” mentality, and that sustainability – with products supported and continuing to work over their lifespan and into the future – a big part of his philosophy.
“It’s not only good for the end user, it is good for the environment by keeping outdated gear out of landfills,” Qualls said. In line with that, J+P is about to bring a massive solar system on line that will make the entire building net zero power.
Qualls repeatedly stressed that he wants Just Add Power to be a fun place to work where employees are taken care of, and that he hires people expecting them to stay on forever. Following IBM’s example, J+P pays off student loan debt and covers continued education expenses.
The new building has a really cool and fun vibe throughout, housing some of the of the nicest perks I’ve seen from an AV manufacturer. These include a full gym open to employees throughout the work day, shower and locker rooms, desks/work areas throughout are height adjustable, every employee gets the poster from their favorite movie hung down some of the building’s massive hallways, a cigar lounge/bar used from group hangouts, the massive Sony 4K laser projector in the break room is used for movie nights, and the dog-friendly work space includes a massive outdoor yard area for dog runs and picnics.
You can further see Qualls’ personality in other cool touches scattered around the Just Add Power building, like a secret room in his office that is accessed by tilting back of bust of Shakespeare and pressing a hidden button a la access to the Batcave, or a Disney Fast Pass reader in the lounge that illuminates a sign when you touch it with a Magic Band, or the large garage where he houses and tinkers on some of his car collection, including an Aston Martin DB7.
But, it’s not all about fun, and the company takes its products and dealers very seriously.
“Our number one priority is our installer’s number one priority,” Quall stressed, “and that’s to get the customer’s system back up and running as quickly as possible.”
To that end, telephone tech support is available out of the building from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. eastern, including times on Saturday, or scheduled appointments 24/7, and all Just Add Power products have a five-year warranty with advanced replacement. They also stressed that no Chinese parts are used in any of their products, helping to ensure performance, reliability, and security.
This is crucial because besides residential installations, the company’s products can be found in some mission critical commercial environments like Disney World, Universal Parks, Lucasfilm, Microsoft, NASA, Lamborghini, MGM Grand, the Cincinnati Reds, and more.
Just Add Power will be demonstrating new products at CEDIA in Denver, including a device that combines its Warp Engine and Tiler into one component, as well as products including AVoIP and Dante in one port to eliminate installer VLAN headaches.
