Research, Product Development, Commercialisation
Encircle was born out of the Locus driven Transform Initiative. Working with Levana and its parent Company TMC (Based in Australia) Locus have developed the basis for a new business 'Encircle Medical Devices' (EMD).
EMD's first product to market is the revolutionary compression therapy that treats venous insufficiency. It has 5 key factors which differentiate it from global competitors, including a highly innovative bi-component fabric construction.
Locus has led a cross-functional development team which includes textile science, specialist medicine, clinical, product design, service design, brand and marketing. The online collaboration tools locus uses have diminished the geographic barriers for a team which is in 5 locations.
Design leader Blythe Rees-Jones has directed and project managed the development providing a single point of contact Levana and TMC management. This has included providing Levana with project level accounting and reporting functions. Leveraging our portfolio project management tools to ensure that there are the correct project controls in place to accurately report on all project aspects as per corporate requirements.
Locus have also managed the relationship with the Foundation for Research Science and Technology (FRST) ensuring Levana has a good standing with the lead co-funder of R&D in New Zealand.
Locus Research will continue to lead the R&D through the commercialization phase.
Team: Timothy Allan, Blythe Rees-Jones, Rogier Simons, Andy Wynne, Kate Maiava, Marie Snell, Eduardo Izurieta, Richard Beasley,
Contact: Blythe Rees-Jones - Senior Designer; Timothy Allan - Principal
Product Development, Commercialisation
The Cortex timber cladding system is the first 'end' product for the vertically integrated forestry client. The exterior cladding area was selected due to the volume of (cubic) sales in key markets where they have distribution (NZ, AU, US).
A core goal of the project was to create:
"an international class range of products capable of generating significant export sales and increased margins from a wide variety of resource grades."
Research conducted by the design team in both the New Zealand and US markets (on both east and west coast) determined that consumers and builders were very concerned about low maintenance, extended durability and greater perceived value (as an investment). In addition research isolated that in the US 87% of decisions relating to exterior cladding products were made by the builder or specifier rather than the end consumer (given there are a range of options to achieve different looks).
Stability was an area of ongoing concern for builders and contractors with timber cladding. This was considered a result of poor materials processing, handling and installation detailing. Often poor quality documentation of the products further aggravated the situation and non-systemized detailing made installation time consuming.
The team chose to focus on developing a 100% Factory Finished weatherboard product (the first to market). This addressed the issue of maintenance by providing a consistent 120 micron coating in production, which dramatically reduced the volume of paint required over its life span.
A concealed fixing system enabled assembly without the penetration of the exposed face, increasing both strength and durability (and providing a patented point of difference).
A series of proprietary extrusions provided systemized detailing for all key interfaces improving weather-tightness and ease of installation.
Sustainable design underpinned the product development, complementing the clients existing commitment to sustainability through Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC) of its own forest estate and chain of custody.
.Team: Timothy Allan, Blythe Rees-Jones, Karoline Jonsson, Rick Williams
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Product Development, Commercialisation
One of many projects Locus Research has undertaken with Hawkes Bay based timber company, Pacific Wood Products (PWP); Clearboard™ is a finished panel and board product that is ideal for DIY applications and furniture manufacture. Defect free and available in lengths of up to 1.8 metres, making Clearboard™ the longest clear length of its kind in the market, the products are sold as ready-to-use sections for home improvement.
The team at Locus have been working with PWP for some time on the development of a range of products that the vertically integrated mill can produce, brand and sell as their own. For this project, Locus developed the collateral to introduce Clearboard™ to the booming Japanese DIY market; generating marketing documentation in the form of packaging and brochures, along with the production of a platter made from the product that was presented to the potential distributors as a gift. The benefits of the product and its origins were touted to give Clearboard™ the best footing in the market. The brand message references the original PWP story, "From our Forests to your Home", offering the integrity of FSC Mixed Sources and Chain of Custody Certification alongside their clear appearance grade product.
Team: Timothy Allan, Vicky Teinaki, Kylie Baker, Ailie Rundle
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Product Development, Commercialisation
Cayo is just one of the projects that Locus Research has been concurrently working on with Coast New Zealand (Coast) over the past 18 months. Based in Auckland NZ, Coast are specialists in their field, producing a variety of furniture, furnishings and luggage designed to reside and endure in the outdoors. Locus was approached by company director, Alex Webster, at the beginning of 2008 to discuss options for the revamp of the Cayo Collection, a range of solid timber outdoor furniture.
The initial design of the Cayo furniture was found to be unsuitable during prolonged use in the outdoor context for which it was originally intended. Inappropriate use of Tasmanian oak along with intense UV exposure and high salt and humidity levels had caused the products to warp and split over time. These issues were discussed and outlined at the outset of the project, with Locus undertaking a period of material and process analysis to establish the most feasible options for producing a range of long lasting outdoor furniture that retains a purchase quality in the products.
Development of the collection has seen it successfully installed in the VIP lounge of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series and stylishly re-launched both at Urbis Design Day in Auckland and at DesignEx in Melbourne in April of this year. For additional information on the Coast collections, visit www.coastnewzealand.co.nz
Team: Timothy Allan, Kylie Baker, Rogier Simons
Contact: Rogier Simons - Senior Designer
Exhibition Design
Adding a bit of variety to the mix, the VIP lounge fit out for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series (LVPS) provided the team at Locus with a different avenue for their creative skills. The LVPS, held in February of 2009, brought the world's best sailors to our doorstep and with them, the opportunity to showcase a range of NZ design, in particular the aptly themed products from Coast New Zealand.
In November 2008, Coast New Zealand founder Alex Webster informed the team at Locus of his intention to put forward a VIP lounge proposal for the new sailing challenge. The brief for the project required the creation of two interior spaces for the world renowned sponsors, one to function as an exclusive VIP lounge and the other a relaxation area for the sailor’s and their families to use during the series.
The team at Locus worked with Alex to create a compelling design proposal that excited the LV team. The concept sought to create a coastal environment that aligned with the 'Simple Elegance' that embodies the Louis Vuitton brand and necessitated the early production of Coast's revamped Cayo collection which was installed as the centrepiece in both lounges during the series. An additional area was also proposed to form an outdoor deck or patio on the waterfront to make the most of the summer weather and to allow the sailors to interact with the many spectators who were to visit the viaduct during the series.
The success of both lounges was apparent in their frequent use throughout the series by both guests of Louis Vuitton and the sailors themselves, with positive responses garnered from many different sources:
"We are excited about the series and being back in Auckland racing. The event will bring fun and glamour to the city in a time of lackluster news. As a keen supporter and admirer of New Zealand design I am particularly delighted to be able to provide guests and sailors with such a stunning hospitality area". Bruno Troublé, Louis Vuitton spokesperson.
Team: Timothy Allan, Blythe Rees-Jones, Kylie Baker, Vicky Teinaki
Contact: Rogier Simons - Senior Designer
Product Development, Commercialisation
Littl' Juey is the brainchild of local entrepreneur Frank Walker; a rapidly growing new brand in the international outdoor power tool and lawn care market. The brand was established with the development of the Littl' Juey cutting technology and has now grown into a family of simple, easy to use, and efficient line trimming products engineered to take the hassle out of lawn maintenance.
Locus Research have been working with Frank's company, Jafsco Ltd, since 2005 when he approached the company with a request to develop the Littl' Juey cutting head for production and marketing. Generation of packaging and branding for peripherals related to the Littl' Juey cutting head was closely followed by the development and branding of the new Littl' Juey Electric line trimmer machine. Now a full product range, Locus is continuing to assist Jafsco in progressing and developing their online presence to include e-commerce and service features.
Team: Blythe Rees-Jones, Timothy Allan, Kylie Baker, Ailie Rundle
Contact: Blythe Rees-Jones - Senior Designer
Research
There is strong interest in the government sector around the concept of 'Eco-Verification’, which is, in broad terms, the enabling, quantifying and substantiating of improved environmental performance by industries.
The Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology commissioned this publication from authors Locus Research in 2008 to learn more about the activities of New Zealand Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) practitioners, the LCI approaches and methods in common use, and their key parameters.
This report investigates the application of LCI in the New Zealand context to provide evidence about current activities, and to isolate potentially significant issues and opportunities, so that all parties can advance Eco Verification activity more effectively.
Team: Timothy Allan, Andrew Huddart, Barbara Nebel
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Research, Public Programme Development
The Life Cycle Thinking series of workshops are a project initiated by Locus Research in conjunction with The Hothouse, a faction of Unitec in Auckland, to deliver easily understandable information and applicable tools designed to encourage the uptake of sustainable design and development within New Zealand.
The series is a programme of three professional development workshops focussed on lifecycle design, covering the topics of Life Cycle Thinking, Life Cycle Management, and Life Cycle Tools & Approaches. Course content is structured to move beyond general discussion and into specific ideas, tools, methods, and approaches to ensure that participants are able to apply these skills within their own organisations.
Although originally delivered in a succession of one day workshops, the three topics have now been restructured into a two day format for re-release in 2009. Starting in July, the 2009 series, which is to be rolled out in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, will include content that is structured progressively as before so the second and third topics can build on the previous sessions to enable a more detailed investigation of the Life Cycle Thinking methodology. Each topic also has a strong interactive learning component which is designed to apply and reinforce key learning’s from the session.
The new series has been made more accessible, with continued backing by DINZ and fresh support from design-in-business advocates Better by Design, and hopes to educate more of the design and business community the second time round.
Team: Timothy Allan, Blythe Rees-Jones, Kylie Baker, Vicky Teinaki, Jake McLaren, Cris de Groot, Karoline Jonsson, Ailie Rundle
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Research, Public Programme Development
The Recircle project was an ambitious attempt to build a greater understanding of sustainable product development within New Zealand. The project hinged on the presence of young NZ designer Josh Astill based in Holland. A project was hatched where Josh would seek to spend 5-6 months at TU Delft, the recognised leader in the field of SPD internationally and 5-6 months back in NZ looking at the NZ context.
This research provided a clear picture of the academic, political and industrial history and position of eco-design and sustainable product design within the EU. It illustrated that rather than re-inventing the wheel in NZ we should learn from the successes and mistakes of other countries and then synthesize our own direction.
The D4S faculty within Delft kindly donated their time and desk space for Josh to do the background research. Without this it would not have been possible and it was a real enabler. Big thanks to Dr. J.C Diehl and Professor Han Brezet for their time and support over the course of the project. Another key supporter was John Gifford at Scion, who provided funding to support Josh during his time in Europe.
The research report was commissioned from our research for the Ministry for the Environment and is available for research and interest in New Zealand and further abroad.
Team: Josh Astill, Timothy Allan
Supporters & Sponsors: Dr. J.C. Diehl (TU Delft), Professor Han Brezet (TU Delft), Josh Gluckman (MFE), John Gifford (Scion).
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Product Oriented Research
This was a 'Product Oriented Research' project looking at the exterior cladding context in New Zealand. The project was funded by the Scion Sustainable Consumer Products Group and was a collaboration that included design research, design engineering, engineering, environmental science and chemistry.
It looked holistically at the New Zealand exterior cladding context and has subsequently gone on to form the basis for a major R&D project which will be launched commercially in 2008.
Another output of this project was an experimental method called the 'Holistic Framework' which investigated a quantitative research approach to looking at social, economic and environmental factors in the same context. This formed a presentation delivered by Barbara Nebel at the annual SETAC conference in 2006.
Team: Timothy Allan, John Gifford (Scion),Marcus Warren, Barbara Nebel (Scion), Jonathan Harrington (Scion), Bernard Dawson (Scion)
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Product Oriented Research
The Compass Project sought to create a more detailed understanding of the market for exterior cladding, fascia and trim in North America. This was a 'Product Oriented Research' (POR) project. In a typical POR project we investigate a wider range of factors including consumer, competing product, standards and compliance, policy, environmental, supply chain and other factors. These factors are then related back to the product so that the information can be structured into effective targets for product development.
This approach involves both quantitative and qualitative research methods to provide a really balanced picture. The project involved the development, coordination, management and delivery of on the ground research in the US.
This project included a detailed analysis of the environmental impact of the supply chain from New Zealand to the US looking at different transport scenarios.
The research output was a developed summary document, in-depth referenced research document and a DVD including all raw research data and data summaries in digital form for each companie's use.
Team: Timothy Allan, John Gifford (Scion), Karoline Jonsson, Barbara Nebel (Scion), Tony Clifford (PWP), Wayne Miller (Tenon)
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Undergraduate, Product Service System
This project was created by graduate Kylie Baker who has joined the team. This project was so thought provoking, we felt it should go up.
This product responded to the issue of increasing public transport. Rather than tackle the superficial symptoms, Kylie attacked the cause. Parents are preferring to drop their children off at school themselves due to increased concerns over their security. It is this security concern that this project seeks to address through a 'product service system' approach.
Having seen many under-graduate projects over the years, this is the first genuine product service system that I have seen at a graduate level and sets a precedent for a more systemic life cycle thinking approach at undergraduate level.
Team: Kylie Baker
Institution: Victoria University School of Architecture & Design (SoAD)
Contact: Kylie Baker - Design Research
Public Programme Development, Research & Development, Project Development Specification, Product Oriented Research
The Transform Initiative was prompted by former Textiles NZ Chief Executive, Sean McElroy. The conundrum was that Textiles New Zealand had about $810,000 in research and development funding from MED which it had not allocated and a deadline was rapidly approaching.
Our response was to present a structured approach with four simple steps that would allocate the funds to progressive companies and interesting projects. These steps involved:
- Identification - of a wide variety of technologies and companies
- Selection - of the best candidates
- Validation - of each selected project using the PDS process
- Action - the actual R&D project against plans developed during the PDS process and monitored by FRST.
A critical part of the project was also to 'build capability' within the industry, this was achieved by using processes established at Locus Research for developing new projects through to the implementation phase.
A key step in the process was the use of our 'Project Development Specification' PDS process during the validation phase. Each of the final projects was put through the PDS process which enabled companies to develop a broader and more accurate understanding of the project they were about to undertake.
The PDS process investigates technical, consumer, economic, and environmental factors to form accurate scoping and planning documents along with an effective risk assessment. It considers the implications of the commercial development as a whole rather than just the research and development component.
The validation phase was designed by Locus Research to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the projects selected. Verne Atmore from Levana Textiles outlines that:
"the Transform Initiative has been an excellent enabling catalyst for Levana Textiles, assisting with the development of a new global business stream for the company, fostering the development of collaborative technical partnerships with relevant industry players, and providing the impetus to drive a more innovative culture across the company"
Locus Research Principal Timothy Allan states:
"The notion of a full research phase with a detailed 'Project Development Specification' was a new concept for some companies. It also introduced the concept of life cycle thinking to the companies, giving them a more systemic view of the technical, market, economic, and environmental factors and risks associated with their project".
The developed documents provided both Textiles New Zealand and the Foundation of Research Science and Technology a clear and developed commercial case to make a final funding decision.
The companies selected are:
- Levana Textiles - 'Encircle' - Non-invasive compression technology
- Jaedon Enterprises & Manukau Knitting Mills - 'Protex' - Technical chainsaw protective wear.
- Zephyr Technology - 'Bioharness' - Fabric sensing technology
- Designer Textiles - 'Modus' - Sustainable merino shrink resistance
- Maxwell Rodgers - 'Lave' - Machine washable bed throws
- South Canterbury Textiles - 'Repose' - Easy care sleepwear
Team: Blythe Rees-Jones, Timothy Allan, Kylie Baker, Patricia Vernooij
Contact: Blythe Rees-Jones - Senior Designer
Project Development Specification, Product Development, Product Manufacturing Documentation
The Curve Surf product represents a full product research and development project for Locus Research. We were involved from the initial idea through to production.
We were involved with the initial research and definition of a 'Project Development Specification' (PDS) which contributed to the procurement of industry development funding.
Some interesting socio-cultural research enabled us to get a clear view of where surfing is going and what Simon and Al were trying to achieve. This led to innovative and structurally different ideas. The prototyping and testing phases lasted for months with the designs being put through a work out with Simon and Al's surfing friends.
The end result? A point of difference over other board bags, and an extended system of products which Curve have increased and refined since their launch. Simon continues to build credibility and sales with clever marketing and effective sales. The product has received awards in New Zealand and has been selected for international fairs in the United States and Europe.
Team: Blythe Rees-Jones, Timothy Allan, Ryder Meggitt, Jared Mankelow
Contact: Blythe Rees-Jones - Senior Designer
Brand Development, Commercialisation
Contour Exterior is one of the first commercial outputs of our collaboration with vertically integrated forestry company; Pan Pac Forest Products. A key to this launch has been leveraging the brand narrative effectively to US consumers. The Compass Research Project has enabled a detailed understanding of the market and the consumer.
This has been leveraged in the launch with a simple but clear story of 'we grow it'. This key selling point and the FSC accredited resource carry real merit for the US consumer and a point of advantage over other resources such as Vinyl or Fibre Cement which lack the 'renewable' nature of the forest resource.
Team: Timothy Allan, Ailie Rundle
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
Forecasting, Research
This was a pure research project investigating the changing trends within the global sporting and equipment community and how this related to the New Zealand context. Critically this research picked up on something noticed at Locus that there was an increase in the use of plastic and moulded components in soft fabric products.
This independent research project helped us build a better understanding of some of the technological and philosophical changes within the industry and has enabled us to provide a better overview and input into product development projects.
It demonstrated the potential of the NZ outdoor industry whilst evaluating some of the key impediments to it. We have an industry with a huge amount of heritage that is currently not being leveraged effectively on the international stage.
Team: Blythe Rees-Jones, Timothy Allan
Contact: Blythe Rees-Jones - Senior Designer
Product Development, Commercialisation
This Product development project re-invented the existing Design Mobel sleep system. With a very high bar of 87% referral rates of the existing system the task was to redefine and establish the mainstream sleep system whilst incorporating some new ideas bought through from the 'Circadian' project.
Our response was to select a new material (Hytrel TEE) which had been trialled in earlier experiments. It enabled a 50% reduction in weight and a 25% reduction in unit cost. In addition to this it expanded the suppport offerings by introducing the 3-zone system philosophy that was unearthed during research.
The system was rigorously tested over an equivalent 10 year period and outperformed the existing support system without damaging the 'feel'.
This project reduced the environmental footprint of the product through more advanced energy efficient multi-cavity tooling, reduced part weight, and more effective product stocking by the provision of a removable support.
Team: Timothy Allan, Paul Buckley (Buckley Design)
Tooling: Alto Plastics
Testing: Doug Gaunt (Scion)
Contact: Timothy Allan - Principal
