Shuttle Craft, Part
of Team Canada Pacific Rim Trade Mission, Gains Greater Understanding of
Exploring Asian Market, New Distribution Contacts
Entrepreneurial
Company One of A Handful Invited to Travel With Prime Minister, Top
Canadian Business Leaders
SASKATOON, Canada
- Trevor Hewison, Director of Shuttle Craft Manufacturing and Design,
returned from a major Canadian trade mission January 26 with a better
understanding of Asian business practices and new potential Pacific Rim
distributorships.
Shuttle Craft
International, Inc., was one of a handful of entrepreneurial companies
selected to participate in the "Team Canada" trade mission to Thailand,
South Korea and the Philippines, along with Prime Minister Jean Chretien,
nine provincial premiers, government officials and over 300 Canadian
business leaders.
The trip is the
third such mission developed by the Canadian government to open the
lines of communication and establish working business relationships with
Canadian businesses and businesses in growing and emerging international
markets. Two previous missions traveled to China and Latin America.
This particular
mission, which commenced January 8, was expected to generate $2 billion
in business deals.
"Shuttle Craft was
honored to be a part of such a high-profile initiative of the Canadian
government," said Hewison, 30, one of three founding partners of Shuttle
Craft International.
"We were extremely
fortunate to have this opportunity to experience first hand what's
happening in the Pacific Rim, probably the fastest-growing market for
products over the next 10 years."
Hewison said that
he and other participants were coached by Canadian consulates in each
country regarding the observance of key business and social customs.
A key difference
in Asian and Western business customs is the value placed on developing
a sense of friendship before business is discussed. While North American
businesses customarily may devote only a few minutes to friendly
chatting before pursuing details of an opportunity, this would be
considered abrupt and rude by Asian standards. Multiple friendly
meetings and conversations are expected, where people can learn about
one another's values and personal lives.
Religious beliefs
and practices tend to be more dominant in these countries than in the
West, and mission participants were advised about the importance of
avoiding various physical and conversational gestures which have
specific negative meanings in particular cultures, Hewison noted.
Hewison said his
company was selected for participation in the mission because of its
product's potential for export to Asia.
Hewison returned
to Canada with new contacts for South Korean distribution. The company
already has distributors in the Philippines and Thailand.
Shuttle Craft,
International, Inc. also currently has dealers in the United Kingdom,
Ivory Coast, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia, Egypt, Chile,
Australia, Argentina, Finland, Germany, Kuwait, Mexico, Norway, Sweden,
Turkey, Japan, Honduras Singapore, Peru, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, United
Arab Emirates, Macedonia/Slovenia/Croatia, Korea and Paraguay.
The Shuttle Craft
is an accessory, a semi-V-hull boat, that turns a personal watercraft (PWC)
into a jet boat, capable of transporting five passengers.
During fiscal
1996, Shuttle Craft quadrupled sales (to $6 million). The company
projects 1997 sales of $15 million - more than doubling 1996 sales.
The 1997 Shuttle
Craft retails for about $5p00US, including custom trailer.
Since most PWC
owners are men with young families, the product has been
enthusiastically received by the market. Of an estimated 900,000 owners
in the North American market, approximately 53% are married men
with families. Only eight years old, the PWC market has grown at an
average rate of 28% over the past five years. Shuttle Craft
predicts that 4% of the family market will purchase its product
and that demand could reach 9,000 units annually.
Recent market
research indicates that the Shuttle Craft actually stimulates PWC sales.
Forty percent of dealers report that they sold more PWC because they
carried the Shuttle Craft. Dealers also report that owners who enjoy the
Shuttle Craft will "trade-up" their PWCs, for higher performance models
that will in turn enhance the performance of the Shuttle Craft.
A large part of
the Shuttle Craft's appeal is its perfect fit to any PWC on the market.
This is made possible by custom rail kits that the company has developed
to suit each PWC. Buyers specify the make and model of PWC they own, and
receive the custom kit. With literally dozens of models on the market,
and new models out each year, the company continuously develops new rail
kits to suit new PWC models, since the fit of the rail kit is crucial to
the performance of the product. The company also works to continue to
improve the overall performance of the Shuttle Craft.
The 1997 Shuttle
Craft features structural improvements that provide greater durability
and longevity, new upholstery and a new graphics package.
The Shuttle Craft
was developed by Dan Beaulac, Wayne Washington and Trevor Hewison,
personal watercraft enthusiasts who saw a need for a product that would
provide enthusiasts with the benefits of a jet boat without having to
give up the fun of a PWC.
The Shuttle Craft
is sold with a 4-bunk, 17-foot trailer, produced for Shuttle Craft by
Shorelander, a leading trailer manufacturer.
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