Client
Fellowes Binding & Laminating

Design Consultancy
Shoal Creative & Product Development Technologies
Anthony Anderton
01903 266100
anthony@shoalcreative.co.uk
www.shoal.co.uk

The challenge
Fellowes is a global manufacturer of binding and laminating (B&L) machines, records storage solutions and technology accessories. In 2006, the Fellowes UK team was challenged to transform the fortunes of a China-based business that was recording annual losses in excess of £2.7million, in to a profitable one before it was dropped all together.

To meet this challenge, it was decided that a completely new range of innovative binding and laminating machines needed to be designed and packaged. Design consultants PDT and Shoal Creative were commissioned to work on the project, while a specialist in-house engineering team was assembled in China.

With team members spread across three continents, and against a backdrop of mounting corporate expectation, the project team was given just 12 months to prepare for launch in order to take advantage of favourable market conditions.

The solution
Drawing heavily on consumer research, PDT and Shoal set about producing a stylish and reliable line of B&L machines. The aim was to create a range of products that would combine strong aesthetic appeal with technical innovation. To this end, the new machines included several unique features; ‘open up’ capability, enabling regular cleaning for prolonged machine life; low friction mechanisms to prevent laminating pouches from jamming; HeatGuard technology, to keep external temperatures low.

The packaging designs also incorporated a number of key improvements to help guide people through the purchasing process. These included a clear colour distinction between binding and laminating products, named laminating pouches to denote appropriate applications, and clear, universal iconography to communicate main features and facilitate model distinctions.

The results
Despite the business pressures and tight project timescales, the first product was on the shelf only seven months after the initial design concepts had been produced. The new Fellowes B&L range was greeted with unanimous acclaim by sales-teams, distributors and end-users alike.

The design quality and aesthetic appeal of the machines, combined with highly effective packaging across the whole product range, resulted in a 48% global sales increase in the year to March 2008. A pre-launch year loss of £1.6million has already been turned around, and with new distribution gained on several continents, the Fellowes B&L business is now enjoying consistent profitable trading.

Staff morale has also received a major boost, with sales teams re-energised and sense of pride and purpose returning to the workforce.

Gold International Export Award
Product - Consumer


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