The Most Polarizing Booth at CEDIA Expo?

Steve Kumetz of Hangman Products admits the first reaction from nearly every integrator who came by his booth at the CEDIA Expo 2011 was not very positive.

“Most of them said, ‘I would never install it,’” he says. “Then, after a few moments of contemplation, nearly every one warmed up to the idea, saying, ‘Now that I think about it, I often run into applications where I can use those products.’”

Hangman’s Simple Mount TV Hanger and Cord Management systems are inexpensive solutions for mounting TVs and cable management on brick, concrete, wood, drywall and plaster surfaces.

For custom integrators, the solution is appropriate for hiding cables and mounting flat panels on concrete basement/garage walls or chimney bricks where drilling and concealing the cables inside the mortar or cement is not feasible due to the homeowner’s desires, budget constraints.

Of course, for integrators the preferred cable management system is to conceal the wires behind the wall. Likewise, more sophisticated mounts that don't rely on toggles and offer features such as articulating swing arms and built-in cable management are the apple's of dealers' collective eyes.

Hangman is not a fly-by-night company. It has been around for 12 years and has already sold 10 million units of its basic two-part “French cleat” hardware solution hanging bar with a built-in level, which is used for hanging cabinets, mirrors, mantles, etc.

The VESA compatible unit is based on the French cleat design, consisting of two interlocking aluminum (black or anodized) brackets. One bracket attaches to the back of the TV and engages the other bracket that is installed on the wall and locks the TV in place 1-inch from the wall. The wall track has mounting holes every inch for hitting wall studs, but the system comes with toggle bolts if no studs are available.



According to Kumetz, the $59 MSRP Simple Mount can support a lighter weight 65-inch LED TV and up to 200 pounds.A derivation of the product, appropriately called the Speaker Hanging Kit, can also be used to mount on-wall loudspeakers.

Meanwhile, the company’s $29 Cord Management system is a paintable on-wall wire track for hiding cables that cannot be concealed behind the wall that comes in 12-, 24- and 36-inch lengths.

Since CEDIA Expo 2011, Hangman, which has its products sold at Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards and other retail stores, is now taking the products to dealers via distribution. Dealers will have built-in margin on the products. So far, Hangman has three distributors in place and is in negotiations with others.