The evolution of a unique joining system is poised to transform industries following a journey that began with a great business plan.
A finalist in UQ Business School’s Enterprize competition in 2003, “EnLock” was an Australian designed and made joining system that removed the need for multiple screws with one simple turn of a screw, making assembly and disassembly simple and cost effective for users.
Inventor-entrepreneur Richard Walker said Enlock could be used for products as diverse as picture framing and table-tops through to preformed walls in the construction industry.
A worldwide search by the Australian Patent Office revealed the EnLock device was the first of its type anywhere in the world.
Mr Walker said participating in the Enterprize business plan competition forced him to focus on the real issues that would determine the success of his product.
“Getting the business plan right helped me to know the product, its markets and its real potential,” he said.
“It was a valuable experience and introduced me to a network of people in the area of commercialisation that I wouldn’t have otherwise met.”
Chosen to proceed to the final round of Enterprize for its strong vision and business plan, the Enlock team was also at the time in talks with German construction firm Hoffman to distribute the product.
“New legislation in Europe proposed buildings have strategies in place for their disassembly at the end of their lifecycle,” Mr Richard Walker, EnLock team leader said.
“The EnLock system makes disassembly quite straightforward, so the Europeans were very interested in its potential.”
Like many others on the road to commercialisation however, Mr Walker faced a number of challenges.
“We showed the product at a number of European trade fairs and had a fantastic response, but in the end it became difficult to compete because EnLock posed a threat to the big companies’ products that were already on the market,” he said.
While Mr Walker said he was sent “back to the drawing board,” he soon developed another version of the patent which has attracted considerable interest from distributors.
The new, shorter version of the EnLock patent utilizes the same expansion principles as the longer joiner, but has more applications for the joining industry, window fitters, and cabinet makers.
Mr Walker is currently negotiating an agreement with Lincoln Sentry to distribute the product through Australia and New Zealand, and also received an excellent response at an Atlanta (US) trade fair, driving him to develop a format for the product to be commercially sold.
“The joining key has now been manufactured and is ready to be warehoused and distributed,” he said.
“While the original, long joiner is still creating interest, the short joiner has immediate potential in the market.”
Media enquiries: Richard Walker, EnLock: 07 3899 2299 or Cathy Stacey, Marketing Development Manager UQ Business School: 07 3365 6179, mobile 0423 606 331
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