Board Bog boost a big deal

AUGUST 2010

Innovative start-up Board Bog has sealed a deal with OC Imports that will see its products sold in 32 BCF stores Australia-wide and a further 50 surf outlets with a target of 500 before Christmas.

Chief financial officer Andrew McMaster, sales and marketing director Joe Shepherd and inventor Ryan Miller will also push the product into international markets including New Zealand, Japan, France, the Americas and Hawaii – anywhere there’s waves. Several pallets at around $100,000 each will be shipped into Japan later in the year.

“Last month we were doing this in my garage, now it’s taking off and we have had to move into a factory to meet demand,” says McMaster.

“There is nothing else like it in the market, there’s no other temporary surfboard repair product out there.”

In true entrepreneurial fashion the trio sold off assets and invested life savings in order to commercialise the product and last month secured a world-wide patent.

Shepherd says application is simple and can be done with bare hands. But the real clincher is the fact that it can be transported on airlines, making it a hit with travelling surfers and professionals.

“The idea for the product came about when Ryan was on a surf trip and when he arrived at his destination, he pulled his brand new board out of the bag to find that the zip had cracked his rail,” says Shepherd.

“He then had the decision to either miss out on the perfect surf or sacrifice his new board. The need for a product that could be stored in a board bag, applied in seconds, and has the ability to be removed later for a professional repair was then identified.

“He spent two years researching ingredients and refining the product until it was the ideal solution to the problem faced my many surfers. Once finalised, Andrew and I came on board so that by working together, every aspect of running a business was covered.”

The product is expected to rouse interest among multinational retailers and as a prospective takeover target.