Intelex
Having invented the microwavable soft toy over 15 years ago, Intelex is revamping its product output for 2011, writes Paul Hughes
extra warmth. Enter Intelex - a specialist in microwavable plush and many other products designed to soothe, warm and comfort on cold winter nights.
Founded in 1995 by Philip Gannon, the
company’s fi rst launch was the Hot Pak, the fi rst ever “Wheat Bag” to be sold in Europe. This inexpensive and easy-to-use heat pack has gone on to win several prestigious awards for innovation and has set the industry standard for quality and safety. Hot-Pak is still the best selling herbal heat pack on the market today with millions of satisfi ed users worldwide.
In 1997, Philip had his “eureka!” moment and used his experience manufacturing Hot- Pak to develop Beddy Bear - the fi rst fully microwavable cuddly toy on the market. The huge success of Beddy Bear led to the launch of lot’s of other heatable soft toys, all of which have been very well received by retailers and consumers alike. The Cozy Plush range alone has 22 different cute animal character designs ranging from monkeys to ladybirds and even dinosaurs. Intelex continues to launch a staggering amount of new soft toy designs
Warmies
That warm feeling A
s the cold winter nights draw in and the central heating is turned back on after the summer hiatus, consumers may be tempted by something offering some
each year to the delight of their customers who enjoy a considerable amount of repeat business from very satisfi ed consumers. With well over one million fully
microwavable products sold worldwide each year, Intelex claims to be the market leader in this specialised niche industry. The company has a totally unblemished record for quality and safety and prides itself not only on the exceptionally high quality of products but also on extremely high levels of customer service. All fully microwavable soft toys comply to CE, EN71 and ASTM and BS 8433:2004 safety standards and Philip was in fact the expert member on the BSI committee that drafted the BS 8433:2004 standard for microwavable personal Warmers. “Intelex quite literally set the standard for safety in our industry,” says Philip. “As the inventors of fully microwavable soft toys, we continue to utilise over 15 years experience to ensure that each and every one of our products are 100% safe. “Manufacturing soft toys that can be safely heated in a microwave oven requires a lot of experience and technical know-how and not many other companies can do this.”
Anyone who spends any signifi cant amount of time on our nation’s motorways will probably be familiar with another popular concept from Intelex - Pillowheads Folding Cushions are stocked in every Welcome Break service station in the country and sell incredibly well for them. Launched in spring 2009, these novelty furry cushions come in a range of different animal designs and, with a simple fl ip of the Velcro strap, fl atten out to become a pillow and an ideal travelling companion for long journeys. The Pillowheads range has recently been extended to include slippers and backpacks.
“Pillowheads have been a massive success story for us,” explains sales director Darren Ingram. “The Welcome Break listing has given us a great deal of exposure and independent retailers are now seeing the benefi ts. Many of them have told us that their customers have specifi cally requested them after spotting them at service stations.”
Pillowheads will also go into Moto 22 gifts today HotPak DJ Ice
Original Beddy Bear
service stations later this year - a testament to the appeal of these ideal travel companions. Visitors to the company’s stand at the last couple of trade shows will have noticed a recent emphasis on new product development. “We’ve really upped our game,” says Darren. “We’ve invested heavily in design and packaging and gone all out for 2011 in response to our customers requests for fresh new ideas.”
The investment in time and resources over the past 12 months really shows as Intelex has launched a huge selection of impressively packaged new ranges that are already fl ying of the shelves. On show at the Autumn Fair were microfi ber soft toy screen cleaners (in three sizes), a collection of beautifully presented, fully microwavable body products, novelty animal neck warmers, soft microwavable folding cushions, a very cool MP3 speaker bear and a selection of Large 17” Cozy Plush designs, with removable inner heat packs. Warmies are a stunning new range of
Warmies
fully microwavable gift items, beautifully packaged in stylish and contemporary packaging that has been cleverly designed for maximum shelf appeal. With a highly tactile corduroy fi nish in fi ve different vivid colours, the Warmies range consists of slippers, hot water bottles, boots, cuddly bear and Pak. “These are something entirely new for our retailers and consumers and they have been very well received by both since we launched at Harrogate in July,” explains Darren. Wild Warmers are a selection of novel characters adapting the original Hot Pak concept of microwavable neck warmers into a cute children’s range with a jungle theme including a zebra, giraffe, leopard and tiger. Cozy Cushions are an attractive collection of small heatable folding cushions presented in a branded plastic wrap with a novel carry handle. Dusty Pups Screen Cleaners are available in three different sizes, designed to clean mobile phones, LCD screens or car windscreens respectively. Available in cat, dog, panda and sheep designs, the range combines form with function - ideal for the
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