Company Profile - Hy-Pro

Scooter brand takes Flyte

Hy-Pro International COO Chirag Shah tells Sam Giltrow about the new Zinc Flyte scooter and why the company is confident that it will revolutionise the scooting experience for young children.

Sports goods and outdoor toy company Hy-Pro International is looking to stake a major claim in the scooter market for young children by marrying up two of its well-known IPs.

The Zinc Flyte scooter brings together the Zinc and Flyte brands for the first time ever, creating a premium quality three-wheeled scooter that not only demonstrates tremendous value and is built to last, but also addresses one of the fundamental aspects of functionality. The new scooter, which launches at Nuremberg Toy Fair, was born out of a crucial observation that kids were working too hard to push/ kick scooters and weren’t really enjoying themselves. So, Hy-Pro spent two years dedicating resources into R&D to develop Zinc Flyte.

“Many kids you see are pushing but not really scooting, so we wanted to change this,” explains chief operating officer Chirag Shah. “Our brand mission is to teach children the life skills of mobility and motion. Too much pushing can lead to a muscle imbalance.”

Acknowledging that there is already a big competitor at the younger end of the scooter market, Chirag says what sets the Zinc Flyte apart is that everything has been ergonomically designed and considered. The scooter’s innovative features include comfortable silicone grips, which provide a much better grip for little ones’ hands compared to standard grips. The handles also feature embossed patterns that don’t compromise the feel or the vibrations kids usually get when scootering on uneven pavements and cobbled streets.

The handlebars, which lean back slightly, provide kids with the optimum scooting posture, meaning they are more stable - which also means they need less energy to glide. As a result, riders quickly become more confident and experienced. The lightweight scooter folds up for convenience and Chirag says the scooters’ wheels are also five times stronger and brighter than its rivals, with leading class bearings which deliver a silky-smooth gliding experience. Importantly, the new scooter is a robust, high quality product which can be passed on to future generations.

“Getting value for money, and something that will last, is more important than ever given the current economic challenges many families are facing,” says Chirag. “The scooter not only has to show value and practicality, but also that there has been a diligent thought process behind it. We knew there had to be an alternative to our main competitor – it was ridiculous that one company was dominating the market.”

The scooter’s deck is wider and longer than others on the market, making it more stable, and the aluminium frame features a sleek, stylish look. It is easy to turn thanks to its tilting mechanism and is available in five different colours. All the components are made by Hy-Pro, so the company has complete control over the build quality, and the scooters are rigorously tested in the most extreme conditions. They are exposed to temperatures of -20C to +60C and go through many other rigorous tests; if left outside they will not suffer weather damage.

The Zinc Flyte scooter is suitable for younger toddlers, thanks to a parent handle and a special seat which attaches to the scooter for the child to sit on, enabling them to hold the handlebars and get used to being on a scooter. There is a button which can be pressed to limit the scooter steering - children tend to be over enthusiastic the first few times. However, once the child learns how to navigate, they can progress on to steering it for themselves. “Our aim is that if they learn how to steer at a very young age, they will go on to become a responsible driver,” explains Chirag.

The scooter will be available in two versions, with or without the seat which also features a storage drawer underneath. Hy-Pro has deliberately kept the handlebars from being raised too high, as the company acknowledges that children will not want to ride a three-wheeled scooter as they get older and will prefer to move onto a different model. “To have the right height of the scooter is important. not too big and not too small,” explains Chirag. “Once the child has outgrown it, they can move onto a big wheel scooter.”

Chirag says the new Zinc Flyte scooter reflects Hy- Pro’s company ethos of making sure that every child in the world has the opportunity to at least try a sport. “We have always focused on that, whether it be a football or a scooter,” he states.

Hy-Pro’s Zinc range has been developed over the years to include stunt scooters and electric scooters and the company now plans to grow the Zinc brand outside of the UK. “Our mission is to be Europe’s number one brand in the next three years,” enthuses Chirag. “Two key areas for business growth are the US and France, and we have already recruited people in the US to start distributing the Zinc Flyte scooter. We will promote it through the product differentiation it offers.”

Meanwhile, Hy-Pro’s commercial plan is to double the business with electric mobility for children and adults, with the aim of opening doors in the international market and investing in the right talent and capabilities. It also wants to create a brand attachment for Flyte, its range of scooter suitcases.

There are plans to ‘rebirth’ the Zinc Street Gliders clip-on skate range and expand the Flyte range of scooter suitcases, which have proved very successful since they were launched five years ago. Hy-Pro is looking at ways it can use content to drive sales for these. “We would like to create a YouTube channel, based on the characters, so kids can associate themselves more with the Flyte brand,” explains Chirag. “There’s a lot happening at Hy-Pro at the moment, and we are excited to share our developments as and when they happen.”