The same swat team that drove development of Maytag's new-age Jenn-Air blenders and mixers also identified a market for a beverage dispenser for use in home entertainment centers. Their criteria were that the machine be in a smaller format, but still look, sound and perform like a full-size vending machine. Their questions were "can it be done?" and "can it be done affordably."

They turned to NPI for turnkey implementation, and work on the SkyBox began. When we were through we had created workings comparable to those in commercial machines but made from different materials and incorporating safety features for home use. We added childproof lockouts, accommodations for both bottles and cans, and a unique sling delivery technology to keep carbonated beverages from spraying.

The SkyBox Personal Beverage Vendor was not only created well and affordably, it was also sped to market, going from idea to reality in the space of 11 months.