SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/560546
www.stma.org September 2015 | SportsTurf 39 ers that did not need stakes or sandbags for them to remain in place. The weighted cover was born! Today weighted spot cov- ers are standard for baseball, track jump pits and other sports applications. Describe an unsolved problem. Sup- pliers often know other customers with similar issues and may be able to make a recommendation or provide contact in- formation for assistance. Ask about industry trends, new products, upcoming events, etc. Knowl- edgeable salespersons can be a wealth of market and industry information. Determine supplier credibility. Get to know the supplier, so you can feel confident in his ability to perform and/ or stand by you in time of need. In the case of a new supplier, ask for references and check them. Visit the manufacturer; seeing the facility, viewing the manufacturing process and meeting personnel will tell a lot about the product and the supplier. ST: How do you typically research and de- velop new products? Hoge: Our new product process ideally works as follows: Identify a customer need that none of our existing products can meet.) One com- ment by a customer may start the process, and then we ask other customers if they have the same need. Business analysis. Through research we determine if this is a need with worthwhile market potential. If so, we identify competi- tive products and pricing. Then, estimates of potential sales and profitability are developed. Product development. If indicators are positive, we design the product to meet the customer need. Ideally, it would be manu- factured with existing machinery, mini- mizing the need for new capital equipment. Test. Manufacture prototype(s) and test; for our winter turf blanket/growth cover, CoverSports contracted with Penn State University's Valentine Turfgrass Research Center for a credible, independent test. The results proved the product's effectiveness through an authoritative, respected source. Test market. Sell the product on a lim- ited scale. It allows us to obtain customer feedback, modify the product, and identify any issues before full commercialization. Full commercialization. The product is launched with a complete marketing plan. Performance evaluation. After 1 year, we measure sales and profitability vis-a-vis goals. We evaluate the results and develop a marketing plan for the future. It takes a few years from concept to commercialization. ST: Are there any new technologies you are developing that you can share with us, or any new products that will soon be available? Hoge: Digital printing on covers for a variety of athletic surfaces is not new, but it is a trend with enormous momentum. In today's culture, teams, schools, colleges and universities and other organizations want to promote their brand. To support that effort, ad sponsorship is encouraged. The trend to promote brands and gener- ate ad revenue is creating huge business opportunities. CoverSports has invested in digital printing equipment to create images on several products we supply, includ- ing field covers, mesh windscreen/fence covers, banners, wall padding for gymna- siums and stadiums, etc. We print images designed by our in-house graphics team or from customer files to match pantone colors or custom shades. Using this new equipment, large jobs can be printed quickly at very competitive prices. ST: Are there any new markets that you are entering? Hoge: In 2014, our corporation began sell- ing awnings and canopies for residential and commercial applications through Globe Canvas Products, a recent acquisition. This year, retractable awnings were added to the product line. Perhaps there is a stationary and/or retractable shade system for athletic venues somewhere in the company's future. ■ ST Evidence of growth blankets' effectiveness.