From the first Sidijk special-shape air trampoline in Europe, to a new PVC solution for loading and unloading facilities. Sidijk focuses fully on innovation. Our innovation team has been working on large and small innovations since last year. Our innovation manager, Hedser Tijtsma, talks about this in this interview.
Drawers, designers, tailors. The Sidijk innovation team brings various disciplines together. Hedser Tijtsma leads our innovation team: ‘You help each other progress. By discussing ideas together, you discover that things that seemed impossible at first, can actually be made reality after all. This is how we have achieved a number of minor and major innovations and improvements in a short period of time. Sometimes, the customers challenge us. And sometimes we initiate them ourselves.’
Sidijk special shape air trampoline
One of these innovations is the Sidijk special shape air trampoline. Hedser: ‘An idea of the sales department. While air trampolines are usually round or rectangular, we wanted to see if we could create organic shapes. This allowed for way more creative shapes, more customisation, and gives air trampolines more entertainment value.’
Wedges of cake
This challenge strained the minds of the innovation team. Hedser: ‘You must get away from the regular processes. For example, organic shapes require a different approach to processing PVC. While you usually weld similar wedges together to create a symmetrical shape, we now use uneven pieces. The underlying structure also required a unique solution.’
The first in Europe
After a period of brainstorming and testing, the first Sidijk special-shape air trampoline in Europe has been completed. The very first one can be found in the Duinen Zathe playground in Appelscha. Hedser: ‘And we are already receiving a lot of positive responses. Of course, it is super cool to work together to create a product which makes a difference. We are very proud of it.’
Industrial applications
This is not the only innovation of the team. Hedser: ‘We created a new PVC cover for a loading facility with silos for Hoogland in Leeuwarden, where we combined stitched seams with welds. This enabled us to use PVC cloth to waterproof and airproof a large surface. We discovered this technology while creating a new type of padding for a luxury yacht.’
There are more interesting product innovations scheduled for the coming period. One of these focuses on trampoline parks. Hedser: ‘I cannot give away what we are working on precisely. But I can tell you that we will be launching a unique product again…’
Do you have a challenge for which PVC may be the answer? Ask our innovation team, and they would be happy to tink along! Email your question to sales@sidijk.com or call us on 0031 566 -625 700.
