THE inventors of a sliding car parking system hope to see their gadget sold in 20 countries European countries after signing a new distribution agreement.
Ken Riley and David Carr set up Park and Slide in Blaydon, Gateshead, after inventing a range of slides and turntables which allow motorists to fit two large vehicles into a standard residential garage.
The product is seen as a solution to the lack of inner-city parking spaces in the UK and the pair have invested around £100,000 of their own money in getting the business off the ground.
The firm has now secured a deal with Bolton turntable manufacturer Movetech UK to distribute its products across the UK, as well as 20 countries in mainland Europe, including France, Germany, Holland and Spain.
The tie-up with Movetech, which was made possible after the Blaydon firm enlisted the services of Gateshead-based business consultancy Sphera Consulting, is now expected to generate around £2m in actual sales in its first year, with royalty payments going to Riley and Carr.
The pair signed a deal with US company Harding Steel in 2009 to manufacture and distribute the slides around the world, with the products currently sold in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Movetech, which is based in Lancashire and has an office in Essex, has already ordered 50 of the slides which it plans to showcase at a series of trade shows this year. Park and Slide is now determined to stick to its original turnover target of £3.6m by 2013 after finding the replacement distributor.
Riley said: “This is a major step for us and we should have the first slides hitting mainland Europe by the middle part of the year.
“We believe that the popularity of the product will really take off over the year and are excited about entering so many new markets through Movetech.”
He came up with the idea after being frustrated that the entrance to his garage was not big enough to allow his second car to get in without damage.
He soon came up with the idea of making a large slide that allowed the first car to be pushed against the garage wall, providing plenty of space for the second vehicle to drive in.
The firm is also looking to increase its work in the construction sector after beginning talks with Newcastle based Xsite Architecture, which is keen to use the slides in its designs.
Tim Bailey, founding partner at Xsite Architecture, said: “We believe that new housebuilders and property developers will be interested in this new concept.
“Not only does it save space but building costs as well. Parking of vehicles is becoming more and more of a planning issue and this concept provides an alternative."
