Innovating To The Beat Of Your Own Drum

Summer is on its way, and for many people that means an increase in drumstick treats, or barbequed drumsticks, or more importantly more outdoor music events, which involve lots of drumsticks as well, only the real kind. Did you know that there’s a successful drumstick maker here, in New Brunswick? Los Cabos in Fredericton, a recipient of our Innovation Voucher Fund. The company sells its drumsticks in more than 22 countries on five continents.

HOW CAN YOU INNOVATE WITH DRUMSTICKS?

Drumsticks have been around since the time drums first emerged around 5000 BC. So the question is, how can you be innovative with a product that’s been around for thousands of years? Well, the type of wood and finish can be a factor, but innovation isn’t always found in the product itself, and oftentimes happens in the way we make something.

There are a lot of big players in the drumstick maker space, with celebrity supported brands and very high volume manufacturing. As a result, to be competitive on price, Los Cabos’ innovation must come in the form of new or better ways to produce their sticks more efficiently. Since there are a number of different types and size of drumsticks, one of the major challenges is sorting them for distribution – a process that was once done manually, until some UNB engineering students designed a manual sorting machine for them as a school project.

FROM SCHOOL PROJECT TO PROCESS PRODUCT

With a reduced budget, there were limits to what they could do, however, after using the equipment on a pilot basis it became clear to Los Cabos that, with more innovation, a commercial-grade sorting machine could be developed. The original sorting machine’s prototype was not designed to withstand normal plant operations and was not automatic.

So Los Cabos applied to NBIF for an innovation voucher to help fund the development of a fully integrated sorting machine into its manufacturing process. With the maximum $80,000 from NBIF and $20,000 of their own money, the Metal Fabrication Lab at CCNB Bathurst is in the process of doing the research and development necessary to make it happen.

RESEARCH RESULTS REAP REWARDS

When installed and operating, Los Cabos expects to save multiple hours per week of what they consider to be lost labour cost, since the employees currently tasked with operating the machine are better suited for more value-added tasks.

NBIF’s Innovation Voucher Fund provides up to $80,000 to cover up to 80% of an R&D project within one of the province’s publicly funded research organizations to develop new or better products, processes and technology. The NBIF portion is non-repayable, and the applicant company retains the right to all intellectual property develop during the life of the project.

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