Industrial Design is an Investment

12th of February, 2026

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Industrial design is often thought of as an expense, but in reality, it’s an investment that can pay off in a big way. At Katapult Design, time and time again we’ve seen firsthand how a well-designed product can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. But don’t take our word for it, here is some unbiased support in this discussion.

By investing in industrial design, companies can:

Increase in sales: According to a study by the Design Management Institute, design-driven companies outperformed the S&P Index by 228% over the course of 10 years. link

Reduction in costs: A case study by the UK Design Council found that every £1 invested in design returned over £20 in net turnover. This was achieved by reducing production costs, improving product performance, and increasing sales – link

Building brand equity: A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies with strong design outperformed their peers in revenue growth, shareholder returns, and other financial metrics – link

Driving innovation: A report by the World Economic Forum found that design thinking and innovation were becoming increasingly important for businesses to stay competitive – link

"At Katapult Design, we believe that industrial design is a smart investment that can yield a high ROI. If you’re interested in learning more about how industrial design can benefit your business, we’d love to chat."

At Katapult Design, we believe that industrial design is a smart investment that can yield a high ROI. If you’re interested in learning more about how industrial design can benefit your business, we’d love to chat.

We’ve included a cool exploded image below of N-Connex, a modular underground mining communications system developed by NLT Digital Solutions. We were delighted to help realise their vision for a new technology platform that improves underground safety and communications. This design driven solution has created a competitive advantage for NLT and provided the backbone platform for a range of future products. Read more here

Industrial Design is an Investment