Kiwi-designed trampoline wins US consumer award

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BIG THING: The Springfree Trampoline is nice and bouncy and said to be safer than the average trampoline.

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A Kiwi-designed trampoline has been voted top children's product by 100,000 American families.

Springfree Trampoline is the brainchild of Christchurch engineering associate professor Keith Alexander, who conceived the idea in 1988 after his wife said "no" to a traditional trampoline because of safety fears.

Winning the "Children's Product of the Year" category, the trampoline topped the list in the largest United States consumer product survey, the Product of the Year Awards.

The competition was initiated in 1989 by former L'Oreal marketing executive Christian Le Bret to champion product innovation in fast-moving consumer goods categories.

The awards are run in 28 countries and finalists pay US$25,000 (NZ$35,000) to continue for the top prize, which costs a further US$90,000 (NZ$127,000) if they win.

The springless trampoline innovation has been commercially available since 2003, but only went into the US in 2007 and sales and marketing manager Josh Hill said it had taken some time to gain traction.

It was now selling through Walmart and global sales of 150,000 trampolines were forecast for this year.

"Now it is not just seen as a gimmicky product."

Mr Hill said the US was a safety-conscious market and insurance companies specifically excluded trampolines from policies but were making amendments to allow the Springfree model.

"For a product like a trampoline, which is seen as being dangerous, to be seen as a top contender is a big thing."

New Zealand companies manufactured the fibreglass and plastic components which comprised 70 per cent of the final product, ultimately assembled in China.

Mr Hill said the award would give the product a boost in the tough US market.

"In America especially, it takes a while to get recognition and penetration so an award like this will open up their eyes and justify our efforts."

Dr Alexander, deputy head of mechanical engineering at Canterbury University, devised the Springfree trampoline, which he said was his second or third attempt.

"The initial prototype, an inflatable thing which you blow up with a vacuum cleaner, wasn't bouncy at all."

- © Fairfax NZ News