Brand Profile : Beyond Snow

16 May 2008

Product Category:
Strap-in Binding
Company Name:
Beyondsnow
Owner:
Peter Van Riet
Int’l HQ Address:
Verbondstrast 76
2000 Antwerp
Tel:
032 379 653
Web:
www.beyondsnow.com
E-mail:
Ine@beyondsnow.com
Number of Employees:
4 this month, 5 next
month and so on, and
so on...

Give us the low-down on Beyondsnow... what’s the inside story?
I (Peter Van Riet) had the idea 10 years ago because I didn’t like the new step-in bindings that were coming onto the market so I decided to develop a product that was better than the others. We started the company in 2005, and officially launched at Ispo last year.

I have a background in product design; I studied in Antwerp, did a snowboard season then became a freelance designer for many different companies in different fields from furniture to office lighting. I have some investors too, my ‘business angels’, have many different backgrounds which is very useful to call on. They have experience in entrepreneurship and marketing in various European markets.

You launched at the last Ispo, how have things moved on since then?
Last year was pretty last minute, we received the bindings two days before Ispo and arrived with only 14 samples, but by the end we had sellers in six countries. Things are growing steadily... It’s not been easy of course. We are a new company so everything is new from invoicing to shipping. Infact two weeks ago there was still only two of us, myself and Ine, in the company. People’s responses have been very positive.

What was the company philosophy when you started?
When I started I wanted to make a better binding and our mission today is to develop progressive products for snowboarding and riders. We are adding helmets to our range and other products will follow.

Beyondsnow is a leader in binding technology, can you tell us more about this and what changes you have made?
I didn’t like the step-in bindings on the market and as a product designer I knew there was something to improve. We looked at all the other bindings on the market and tried to combine all their advantages in one binding. The biggest difference is that our binding uses two straps, so there are no more pressure points on the top of the foot preventing cold feet or numbness in
the toes.

You were awarded 2nd prize from EuroSIMA in their Innovations Competition in 2006 and you were short listed for the Henry van de Velde Award this year, was that a help and a motivator?
It’s great, it’s always nice to get recognition and it’s good marketing too. After EuroSIMA everybody knew who we were and what we’re about. The Henry van de Velde Award was cool too although it’s not very well-known outside Belgium. It also helps by letting us know what others think of our products.

Nobody was too stoked with the 06/07 season, it must have been twice as tough for you as it was your first after the launch?
Of course, it was probably the worst year to start. But the retailers told us they liked the product - it had a story and potential. But most shops started out with only 10 bindings so it wasn’t a huge investment for them.

What’s different about your company, both in product and the way the company works?
We’re a very small company, we only have four people! It’s quite easy as we are small but now we are growing. The challenge will be to keep the same attention to detail and grow together.

Why should retailers sell Beyondsnow?
The binding has advantages over other bindings on the market. If we want snowboarding to grow we have to stop panicking first and start doing something. It’s a new vision on snowboard bindings and a good template to develop many more products in the future.

We are organising lots of tests. We give retailers test product so they can give them to customers to go and try on the mountain. That is the crucial point at this time - so everyone knows how they work and how they are different. We encourage the retailers to test the bindings themselves.

How does your company support athletes and boardsports in general?
Last year we started with some rookies but now we are building a team - we have Carlos (Monkey) Hernandez in Spain and David Livet in France plus a handful of riders. We know it’s important to have some bindings on snow so we will send a few bindings to instructors because they are crucial in telling people which products to use.

What other marketing are you running?
We are doing some advertising in various magazines and also focusing a lot on the Internet. Our target market is very active on the Internet so we produced a viral movie a few months ago on a small budget and it reached 25,000 people.

What are the biggest hurdles for the industry today? How do you think they should be overcome?
We need snow, snow, snow! That’s the biggest one but not too many companies have a future vision on where they, and the industry, will be in five to ten years. You have to have a clear view on where you want to be.

What do you foresee for the future of the industry?
I personally think there is still room for growth despite all the panic about global warming, that is a serious issue, but there are many new markets opening so snowboarding will grow.

Where can we check out your products, videos and other stuff?
www.beyondsnow.com and we will be at many different shows and events in the future.