CASE STUDY: Gecko Head Gear


Gecko realised it could sell its lightweight headgear to many markets, but made sure the detail on each product was just right.

Best practice in: Business process improvement, Business relationship management
Sector:           Extreme sports equipment manufacturing
Size of firm:     6 employees
Location:         Cornwall
Website:  www.geckoheadgear.com



Objectives

Jeff Sacreé turned his small, struggling, surfboard business into one of Europe's leading specialist helmet manufacturers on the basis of a casual conversation. His business was extremely seasonal and so he was looking to find a way of diversifying his products. Speaking to a lifeboatman, he found the RNLI needed a lighter, more suitable helmet for use on the seas. It happened that he had been working on a helmet for surfers and so was well placed to supply the RNLI. After eventually securing the contract with RNLI, the question for Sacreé was where to take the business next.


Solution

Some potential markets sprang to mind immediately: specialist helmets could be usefully worn by river police, coastguard and customs officers - and a recent model has been designed specifically for helicopter winchmen. But, as the craze for new, extreme sports blossomed throughout the 1990s, a much wider market suddenly presented itself. Skateboarders, snowboarders, mountain bikers and powerboat racers all needed protection. 

Prototype headgear was produced, tested and modified for each discipline, and users were encouraged to respond with comments and suggested improvements. 

Gecko soon discovered that producing low-volume, handmade products was a distinct advantage when it comes to satisfying the niche markets of extreme sports. It involved less financial risk and allowed for the continual, minor improvements that customers wanted. 

"We decided not to go down the automated production route,' says Sacree 'and it seems to have paid off. Making everything by hand gives us the crucial advantage of flexibility, so we can add altimeters and video cameras, torches and two-way radio systems - pretty well anything a customer asks for."














Results

Today, the Gecko trademark can be found in 15 European countries, stamped on between five and six thousand helmets a year. The basic models retail at £60-£100 a time, with heavily customised versions going for two or three times that price. 

The RNLI helmet won a Design Council Millennium Product award and now the orders flow in year round, removing the company's dependence on the summer trade.


Challenges

Dean Bunker recalls an early image problem: "At the outset, it wasn't regarded as cool for daredevil sportsmen to wear helmets. We had to make young people feel good wearing them - and that involved a bit of a culture change." 

Radically re-designed brochures and marketing helped bring about that change, and Gecko created positive associations by sponsoring local powerboat and surfing champions. 


The last word

Jeff Sacreé is pleased with the business's progress, but he doesn't get complacent. "We keep looking at designs to see if we can improve them. We never stop exploring new avenues to create the ultimate product."