Inventor out to save our shins

David Swanepoel with the three different versions of his Shinguard. Picture / Bay News

Witnessing a 4-year-old girl smash her femur on a car tow bar eight years ago got Dave Swanepoel thinking about a device to soften the blow.

Experiencing the pain in his garage two years later was what pushed him to get serious about the idea.

The 72-year-old South African, who now lives in Papamoa, Tauranga, has shunned retirement to devise the Shinguard tow bar deflector, to prevent such incidents.

At just the right height to leave a painful bruise on the shin - or worse - tow bars can be dangerous for unsuspecting people walking too close to the back of a vehicle.

Swanepoel's smooth-edged Shinguard is designed so anyone walking into a tow bar with one fitted will slide along the stainless steel plate rather than bumping into the bar.

The former tradesman came up with the design himself, and has received the backing of ACC, Motor Traders Association and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for the product.

OSH has deemed protruding tow bars on workplace vehicles a hazard that can cause injury and three years ago made minimising the risk on workplace vehicles a legal requirement.

"My product does that 100 per cent," says Swanepoel.

Shinguard has been fitted by Mt Maunganui Police, AA, Motor Traders Association, fleet operators and by a number of private companies.

Swanepoel says the product has plenty of potential considering there are about 2.5 million private vehicles and motorhomes in the country, (according to Land Transport New Zealand estimates) and 300,000 registered companies.

He also sees a future for the Shinguard in other countries. A search by the New Zealand Patent Office has uncovered no similar product in the US or Europe. Shinguard is patented in this country.

He plans to target Australia as his first export market this year and said a licensing arrangement would work best.

Selling direct, Swanepoel has sold about 700 deflectors, which are made to order in Tauranga, Hawkes Bay and Wellington.

Prices range from $70 to $95 for domestic and heavy duty models. A television campaign is pending and Swanepoel is exploring options for selling through automotive stores.

He has invested about $270,000 in the business over four years. Now, coming to the end of his own capital resources, he is looking for private investors - with about $200,000 required to ramp up production and export.

Having built the business up by his own efforts so far, Swanepoel also plans to hire staff in the year ahead.

He would also like to pass on some of his entrepreneurial spirit, coaching young people on how to pursue their business ideas.

www.shinguard.co.nz