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K i t c h e n w a r e N e w s & H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e w S h o w D a i l y 8 7 S u n d a y, M a r c h 8 , 2 0 1 5 HOME ROBOT VACUUMS FROM NEATO ROBOTICS An interview with Giacomo Marini, Chairman and CEO, Neato Robotics. KNSD: Tell our readers about Neato Robotics. GM: Neato Robotics is a technology company at the forefront of the smart home movement, making intelligent products that simplify and automate household tasks. We are currently inno- vating in the home robot space, creating robot vacuums that are smarter, more powerful and more efficient than any- thing previously seen on the market. KNSD: What's unique about Neato home robot vacuums? GM: Plenty. In a few words, we make a robot vacuum with a brain. Neato robots use the same navigational technology found in the Google self-driving car, called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). This technology enables Neato robots to create detailed and accu- rate maps of their environment and vacu- um in logical, straight lines, instead of bumping around a room. It knows to avoid furniture and stairs and can easily move into multiple rooms. It is intelligent enough to know to return to its charge base, recharge and then go back to the exact spot where it left off to continue the job. It can do this twice – so three cleaning cycles – to make sure a home gets clean without human intervention. Neato's navigation also includes a proprietary scanning laser rangefinder. This is a milestone achievement – rangefinders alone are typically thou- sands of dollars, but Neato has brought this technology to a con- sumer product that maintains an MSRP of $379 to $599. In addition, the orderly and directional navigation made possi- ble by SLAM has allowed us to develop our unique D shape where the brush can be positioned at the front and across the full width of the robot front. In addition, it allows it to follow walls with the regular parallel motion of the robot, therefore insuring a much better motion and coverage. The square front design also has a significant advantage over round robots that are not able to approach corners and walls the way we do. With our Corner Clever™ feature, the robot enters and backs out of corners more precisely to clean in the areas where debris often col- lects. Other floor cleaners rely primarily on bristle brush sweepers that are prone to clogging and are tedious to maintain. By contrast, Neato robots are true vacuum cleaners. Neato uses the combination of a powerful blower, helical brush design and flow control that makes our robot vacuum much more effective than the competition. KNSD: What is the market out- look for robot vacuums? GM: It's very good. New competi- tors are coming to market this year, which will increase the awareness and interest in robot vacuums among a broad- er range of consumers, and robots are already the fastest growing category in the floor care sector. Currently, more than 15 percent of all vacuums sold in the $200-plus category are robot vacuums. We estimate that the category will grow more than 20 percent in the near future, with growth potentially accelerating in the future. We're extremely optimistic about the future growth of home robots and of Neato. Visit Neato Robotics at booth #L11161. For more information, go to www.neato robotics.com or call 510.795.1351. PRECIDIO: KEEPING THE WORLD HYDRATED An interview with Marc Heinke, CEO, Precidio Design. KNSD: How would you describe your brand? MH: Our brands combine functionality, quality and unique design, and help improve the way we hydrate while being good for our customers, good for the earth and good for our retailers. We are an eco- and health-conscious company. KNSD: What makes Precidio products attractive to retailers? MH: Precidio Design has been a leader in housewares for more than 30 years, and has a long trusted reputation for top-notch customer service, delivering high value, attractive and advancing design to address the ever-changing consumers' tastes. We offer products that fit the everyday con- sumer's budget and provide retailers easy- to-use displays for most of our products, including key selling points, to assist the sale when customers do not have a sales- person at their immediate disposal on the floor – something retailers truly appreciate. KNSD: What products do you see as being hottest this year? MH: Our reusable Juice in the Box prod- uct has been tremendously popular with retailers, and we expect this year's Back to School season to be huge. Our new Multi Flask, one-bottle-six-function set, is growing weekly. We just launched that a few months ago and it's really taking off. We will also expand our line later this year with new designs, colors, fea- tures and accessories, to drive increased revenues for our retailers. KNSD: What is one of the things you are most proud of about your company? MH: We work tirelessly to listen to our customers and identify needs for prod- ucts that are not available in the market. Each of our products has features and designs that make them unique. We have the world's only Reusable Juice Box, the world's only Complete Hydration System and the world's Safest Glass Water Bottle! Three top products to improve the lives of our customers, giv- ing them safer, healthier and more con- venient ways to hydrate, reduce sugar consumption and improve their lives. Our products also help to reduce waste and the impact on our landfills. They are reusable, use high-quality, BPA- and phthalate-free materials and help elimi- nate the impact of disposable containers on the earth. KNSD: To what do you attribute your company's success? MH: We specialize in tracking trends in society, where consumers are chal- lenged every day in their busy lives to find ways to eat healthy, reduce sugar con- sumption and landfill waste. Our design- ers then find the best way to hydrate and put those principles into our products. We also believe in communicating our message of better hydration with the world. With up to 11 million impressions in the press per month, we are also focus- ing on a strong social media campaign, inviting packaging design, selecting only the best retail and e-tail partners, and managing the channel to provide a high level of service. Visit Precidio Design at booth #S1010. For more information, go to www .precidio.com, call 905.412.0156 or email info@precidio.com. IDEAVILLAGE DELIVERS "WOW," STAR POWER IN 2015 LINEUP Since 1999, Ideavillage Products Corporation has followed a simple phi- losophy when bringing new products successfully to market; provide afford- able quality products that offer solutions to life's everyday problems, add a "wow" factor, and then market the product aggressively. In 2015, Ideavillage upped the mar- keting ante by adding brand endorse- ments from celebrity star-power – the likes of retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, Reality TV star Rick Harrison and screen and stage actress Fran Drescher. This new strategy, coupled with the phi- losophy that has consistently yielded 10 hits a year for the company and its retail partners, is creating an unprecedented hit list for 2015. Ideavillage's 2015 all-star line-up includes new line extensions and product refreshes in its established brands MicroTouch, Finshing Touch, Copper Fit, Snackeez, HD Vision and Shimmer Tattoos. New ASOTV items and power- house performers include Hover Ball and Hamper Hoops by Wham-O. MicroTouch continues to be a con- sistent and solid leader in the men's grooming category. MAX, endorsed by former NFL quarterback Brett Favre and now in its 10th year on the market, con- tinues to rank in the Top 5 razor/trim- mers/appliances for men (A.C. Nielsen, 52 week ending 1/4/14, Unit Sales at Food, Drug and Mass) and recently earned the prestigious Men's Grooming Award from Men's Health Magazine. In first quarter 2015, Ideavillage made a bold move against big multi-blade brands with the launch of its MicroTouch Tough Blade, also endorsed by Favre. The German-engineered razor and accompa- nying blades are providing the consumer with one year's worth of shaving for under $20. Finishing Touch con- tinues to hold the No. 1 position in women's hair removal with its Elite (A.C. Nielsen, 52 week ending 1/4/14, Unit Sales at Food, Drug and Mass), now in its 12th year on the mar- ket. In the second quarter of 2014, Ideavillage launched the line extension YES! by Finishing Touch – an elegant, rechargeable, full body hair removal device endorsed by actress Fran Drescher of "The Nanny." Named the "2015 Product of the Year" in Female Grooming in February, the line extension is a solid hit. Snackeez, the innovative all-in-one snacking solution that lets you eat and drink from one single container, contin- ues to "wow" retailers and consumers alike. Named "2015 Product of the Year" in Kids Novelty, the snack-and-drink- cup-in-one has grown to include Snackeez Jr., a smaller unit with licensed designs, and DUO, its new disposable line extension poised to catapult the brand into the stratosphere. Copper Fit, also endorsed by former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, offers a range of estab- lished, copper-infused compression sleeves designed to help people take on joint and muscle pain as well as a new back compression belt to help support lower back muscles. Ron Boger, President and Chief Operations Officer of Ideavillage, said, "The beauty of the As Seen On TV cate- gory is that we have the ability to bring a wide assortment of products to market, prove it out, create a demand and then move the product in-line. It's a unique model, but one that is providing double digit growth for retailers for the last five years." Visit Ideavillage at booth #S2057. For more information, go to www.idea village.com, call 973.826.8433 or email robin@ideavillage.com.