A business based in Ashton-under-Lyne, in Greater Manchester, has unveiled the UK’s first domestic home dog shower – a game-changing product which is set to revolutionise pet washing for owners.
Fabricon Design Ltd, a design engineering firm, has brought the Incredible Dog Shower to market after receiving transformational support from GM Business Growth Hub.
Rebecca Lee, the Project and Compliance Manager at Fabricon Design Ltd, had the idea when her daughter bought a cockapoo puppy four years ago and she realised there was a gap in the market.
She said: “Taking him out for walks was brilliant, arriving back home less so.
“There’d be the rigmarole of bringing him through the house and up the stairs to the bathroom, and then trying to clean his paws.
“I’d look at the state of the carpets, walls and furniture afterwards and there’d be a trail of destruction. The alternative was to hose him down outside, which was unpleasant for both of us.”
Fabricon Design Ltd is a forward-thinking designer engineering business. It delivers aluminium, plastics and steel component designs to a variety of sectors.
Rebecca convinced her firm’s Managing Director, Mark Bushdyhan, of the merits of the dog shower, drawing on some of his bathroom experience, and she thought a key selling point would be its easy installation; no plumber required.
Some of Fabricon’s previous work involved designing cashless gambling kiosk desks, innovative airport lighting and unique stair lifts.
“My vision was for something that could be installed by anyone – in the same way that you don’t need a plumber to fit a washing machine – and seamlessly integrated into homes alongside other appliances and sinks,” said Rebecca.
“Fortunately, Mark saw the potential in the benefits of a dog shower. He has previous experience in design and patenting bathroom adaptation equipment, which we manufacture today.”
Rebecca credits part of the success of the product to the Growth Hub, which provides support and expertise to local business across Greater Manchester.
She said: “The Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub was the first stepping stone. Through them I was put in touch with Innovate UK EDGE, where we were able to access funding and connect with the National Composite Centre for composite design support, as well as also being recommended for a wonderful mentoring scheme.
“Finally, once the design and development had finished, the Hub helped us bring the dog shower to market. I can’t thank all the team enough, they are amazing!”
The GM Business Growth Hub helped Rebecca access a £15,000 Innovate UK EDGE Grant to bring her product to market as well as helping with market research. Innovate UK introduced Rebecca to a bespoke mentorship scheme with Amazon and Made Smarter UK.
Head of Innovation, Yvonne Grady, at GM Business Growth Hub said: “We have loved working with Rebecca, Mark and the team at Fabricon Design Ltd, who have shown passion, dedication and strong commitment to this project, which is going to benefit millions of dog owners, not just in Ashton and Greater Manchester but in the UK and further afield too.
“It’s truly a game-changer: allowing dog owners to wash their dog in an easy and practical way, without having to use much larger, more difficult facilities. Thank you to the team at Fabricon for coming up with the idea and for pursuing it.
“The Growth Hub helps businesses across Greater Manchester in a range of sectors develop innovative solutions. If you’ve got an idea and need help to make maximum impact, we are here to support you.”
Find out more about the Incredible Dog Shower and how to purchase at incredibledogshower.co.uk. For more information on GM Business Growth Hub, visit www.businessgrowthhub.com.
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