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The RotoVetti – an award-winning local solution
32 FEB / MARCH 2019
Design following purpose and Tool,” he says. “The idea was to AN award-winning design by Clive be able to interlock the units together, Robertson, CEO of RotoFlo Holdings, allowing walls and various shapes to has taken South Africa’s horse-riding be built.” circuit by storm – with around 5 000 The Lego Block concept was units sold to date. considered but was not suitable for The success story began when windy conditions. Nico came up with Robertson tried to source cavalettis the ‘dovetail’ interlocking concept for his grandchildren’s horse-riding which worked very well. Simple design lessons. The commonly available, local features were applied, like big radii, and imported units were expensive, a well-polished mould for good gloss poorly designed and also poorly finish; excellent mould split lines and a finished. discreet venting hole. Cavalettis are small jumps, originally The mould was CNCmade of wood, used for basic machined out of solid horse training. Most aluminium. Once the consist of rails that are It’s rounded CNC programme about 10cm wide and corners, positive was loaded, it 3m long. The rails interlocking pins and took only a few are inserted into colourful options ensure days to complete fixed standards, an affordable, simple, the mould. The usually made in safe and lightweight RotoVetti is an “X” shape, that product that can be rotomoulded from commonly are quickly assembled & LLDPE rotomoulding designed to be placed taken down. powder in several at one of three preset bright colours. heights ranging from “A show jumping a few centimetres off the arena will always have brightly ground to a maximum of about coloured jump poles and colourful 46 to 61cm. wings advertising sponsors, often So Robertson decided to rise to the plants and small shrubs are also challenge and design his own. added. All these are designed to “I wanted something a bit different, challenge the horse and rider,” with more than one single purpose. Robertson explains. So I set about getting design ideas The RotoVetti was entered in the from Nico Hickley of Hickley Mould
Association of Rotomoulders of SA (ARMSA), Annual Design Competition and achieved 2nd place, thanks to the simple application of design techniques and its practical approach to manufacture. It more than adequately serves its purpose, looks good and is lightweight, weighing in at just 1.4kg. It’s rounded corners, positive interlocking pins and colourful options ensure an affordable, simple, safe and lightweight product that can be quickly and easily assembled and taken down. “To freshen up or improve an existing product it sometimes only takes simple design features to make it look very different and more pleasing!” comments Robertson. The RotoVetti’s components ensure safe riding conditions for horse and rider as they can be used to build
The RotoVetti’s rounded corners, positive interlocking pins and colourful options ensure an affordable, simple, safe and lightweight product that can be quickly and easily assembled and taken down
