Highland Products Group

Oct 19, 2016

Boca company's new bike rack designed to save space, prevent scratches Boca Raton company’s new bike rack saves space, prevents scratching Christopher George, CEO of Highland Products Group, explains an improved bike rack designed to save space, neatly store bikes, secure the wheel and frame, and prevent scratches through a special coating. Christopher George, CEO of Highland Products Group, explains an improved bike rack designed to save space, neatly store bikes, secure the wheel and frame, and prevent scratches through a special coating. Privacy Policy A Boca Raton company is rolling out a bike rack designed to save space, secure the wheel and frame, and prevent scratches through a special coating. The UpLift Bike Dock is the brainchild of Christopher George, CEO of Highland Products Group, a 15-year-old company known as The Park & Facilities Catalog, and company sales executive Chris Luyet. "This is a very exciting product, and we think this is going to take our company to the next level," George said. Highland Products already does about $20 million in annual sales in equipment for parks, including picnic tables, trash receptacles and benches. In recent years, the company has broadened into products for college campuses, sports stadiums, zoos and amusement parks and dog parks. Luyet, the Bike Dock's co-inventor, previously was co-founder and president of Park a Bike rack company — now called Ground Control Systems — in Sacramento, Calif., which has a similar product. Luyet said he decided to join Highland because it has a broader group of products, presenting a bigger opportunity for expansion. New product Carline Jean / Sun Sentinel Co-inventor Christopher George with his company's new bike rack, the UpLift Bike Dock, designed to save space. Co-inventor Christopher George with his company's new bike rack, the UpLift Bike Dock, designed to save space. (Carline Jean / Sun Sentinel) Highland's new product offers elevation, which increases the number of bikes that can be parked, he said. With the UpLift Bike Dock, bicycles are lined up evenly and lean against a rack protected with a coating to prevent abrasion. The company developed a proprietary sealant coating to prevent the metal from corroding. As a result, the company provides a seven-year warranty on the coating. One bike sits a little higher than the next, to keep handle bars from colliding. The rack's locking bar enables the bicyclist to lock both the wheel and frame to help prevent theft. The UpLift Bike Dock costs $249, with volume discounts for large projects, the company said. Highland launched the UpLift Bike Dock in September and is marketing it to college campuses around the country. George said there hasn't been a lot of innovation in bike parking in three decades, and today's college campuses typically have messy bike racks where bicycles go every which way. "The old school racks look like little picket fences. We affectionately refer to them as 'wheel benders' because they could bend the wheel of your bike. And they allow you to lock only the wheel. So you may come back to find your wheel is locked up but the rest of your bike is gone," George said. Clients for the company's previous products include the Miami Dolphins and the city of Delray Beach. Paul Regal, vice president of operations for Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, said he has purchased several benches, trash receptacles and other products from the company for the polo grounds. "They're very well made, and their service is phenomenal," he said. What's next? George said the company's next product to be launched is the DoubleUp bicycle rack, made especially for apartments and condominiums, where bikes must be stored upright to maximize space.