FIELDREPORT
Power play
PowaKaddy’s line-up for 2014 is sleek and streamlined, with three powered trolleys offering clear choices for the consumer. The brand’s chairman John deGraſt-Johnson explains to Duncan Lennard why the new range just had to be simplified… and why they chose to build it out of plastic.
A
t first, the fact that PowaKaddy’s three new powered trolleys are made out of plastic sounds a little underwhelming.
“Don’t think biros; think the stuff they make aeroplanes and Formula 1 cars out of,” smiles the brand’s chairman John deGraſt-Johnson. “This is engineering-grade polymer. The new chassis may be plastic, but it’s a lot stronger.” Indeed, the new PowaFrame polymer
chassis sported in the FW3, FW5 and FW7 – replacing the Freeway, Digital and Sport models respectively – represents something of a sea change in the Freeway’s 14-year history. It’s the first time the brand has dispensed with the customary aluminium tube frame. “PowaFrame has tremendous structural integrity, and for a start that means the trolley always comes out exactly the same shape,” deGraſt-Johnson adds. “When you make a trolley out of tubes there’s always an element of
variability because that tube is riveted together.”
PowaKaddy branding – the PowaFrame chassis is arguably the star of the show. It has allowed PowaKaddy to tidy and organise the electronics better, something deGraſt-Johnson believes is vital for the consumer’s key demand of reliability. It has permitted a neat plug-‘n’-play battery storage tray, catering for both lithium and lead acid. “It’s even allowed us to create a more efficient
drive train, so the trolley consumes less battery power. “But above all, we now have one chassis for
Though not the most eye-catching part of the
three trolleys – that award goes to the sleeker, lower-profile looks and more visible
all three trolleys. People thought we had one frame for our three trolleys but in fact we had three. That makes no sense in terms of manufacturing as it reduces individual volume of the componentry; and it doesn’t make sense in terms of responding to customer needs. One chassis allows us to respond better, and it gives you consistency across your offerings.”
24 SGBGOLF
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