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COMINFO turnstiles in Chicago serve as an example for other manufacturers

COMINFO, a company from Zlin, Czech Republic that makes turnstiles and gates, made news in July 2017 with their installation of twelve swinging speed gates in the Michigan Plaza building, a 30-floor office space that is also the home of the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago.

Already a successful company in the United States, COMINFO has great potential for more opportunities in Chicago, because of both the recent boom of new high-rises and the expected renovation of turnstile systems in older buildings.

The company's success in the United States is remarkable, especially considering the high competition among turnstile manufacturers in the country. Developers of large residential and office buildings in the United States invest large amounts of money into the design of entrance halls and lobby areas, both for new buildings or renovated ones, which was the case for the Michigan Plaza project. Sophisticated turnstiles and gates are a necessary component of these designs.

There is a concentrated effort to reverse the trend of previous decades by bringing large and prestigious companies from the northern suburbs back to the downtown area of Chicago. A modern design and the functionality of residential and office buildings are some of the factors that affect the decision of companies and individuals regarding a potential move. In the Loop area and its surroundings alone, there are more than 50 new projects for high-rise residential and/or administrative buildings, all of which serve as opportunities for Czech companies such as COMINFO. At the moment, Chicago has the most planned new high-rise residential buildings in the whole country. Moreover, many older residential and/or office buildings seek to replace their turnstile systems, most of which were installed shortly after the 9/11 attacks.

The successfully completed project gives COMINFO an edge in case it decides to compete for contracts for these new high-rise buildings. The new gates in the Michigan Plaza building also serve as a platform for testing the optimal timing, resistance, and other parameters of the system, and they are being watched by administrators from buildings that are thinking about renovating their old turnstiles and gates.

The case of Michigan Plaza is not unique for COMINFO, as the company is very successful in getting projects outside of the Czech Republic. According to a statement from the CEO of the company, Karel Zvolsky, from 2015, the most important markets are in the United States and Canada. "We won two quite big tenders and more are coming. These markets are interesting for us because of their size and the fact that we can apply the most interesting and sophisticated systems that we make there." COMINFO's export is responsible for 65-70% of its profits.