Cementing an idea

Manufacturing News, Source : The Manufacturer
Published : 15 Oct 2002 17:03

INNOVATION: Inventors’ idea developed into a product that is valuable not only in the 3rd world but also in the home DIY market

At a time when we are told that the future of UK manufacturing lies in innovation and technology, it is sobering to discover that while 60 per cent of inventions originate from the UK, most are developed abroad. It has become increasingly rare for UK manufacturers to look outside of their own research and development departments and spot the immense value of the individual inventor. One manufacturer, however, has taken the time and imagination to turn a British inventor’s idea into a success story.

Watford engineer David Gawron developed the concept of a hand-powered cement mixer in the mid-1990s and the first models of his design have been produced by midlands manufacturer Parry Associates.

Gawron invented the Gismix during the last recession in the 1990s when unemployment was rife: “There were a lot of people out of work. The only way to make money in that situation is to think of something that people do not have, that does not exist, and provide them with it.”

The idea came to him when he saw builders mixing cement on a top board. They didn’t have a cement mixer so obviously were taking a short cut. Gawron commented: “I expect because they only had a small van, they would not have been able to carry a mixer with them. I thought to myself, surely this could be done more efficiently. How could I make their lives easier?” So he set about designing a light-weight portable cement mixer that did not require electricity.

After two years, Gawron had completed his design and was ready to take it to market. Finding a manufacturer, however, was a difficult and time consuming task. It took more than three years to find a manufacturer who saw the potential in his idea, and secure a deal.

“I’ve been through the lot,” Gawron explained. “In fact, I’d say I’ve discovered pretty much what’s wrong with industry. You really can’t make it as some lost soul on your own and then tackle the great unknown - it’s a bit like trekking to the North Pole.” Gawron overcame this problem by adopting this company title ‘Gawron Reasearch and Development Ltd’, which gave the inventor some added cache and removed the crackpot, gardenshed inventor image perceived by so many manufacturers.

His next hurdle was the patenting process, which Gawron describes as “a very expensive and cumbersome process. You have to apply in one country and then in another country and so on. The whole thing could be solved by having one international agency, file the patent once and that’s it - it could be simplified enormously.”

Gawron negotiated deals with several big companies before Hertfordshire Business Link finally put him in contact with Parry Associates, which has produced several models of the Gismix; the mixer is now in use on projects in the developing world, helping people to build hospitals and schools. The company has also developed a version for commercial use and is in negotiation with several manufacturing companies with the view to mass production.

But the inventor remains determined that his idea has further potential and is willing to see its development through to fruition: “There’s still room for further development. I’m in the process of developing a proper user friendly DIY version that will do the job that people expect it to, and at a cost which makes it uneconomical to rent an electric mixer.

“My attitude is if you’ve got something and it functions, endevour to improve it and see if it can do anything else as well.”

For more information contact David Gawron on 01923 251199.

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