How a Pioneer in hockey equipment literally changed the game outperforming competitors with the best products for business and environment

Industry of Reference and Business Model

When Simon Barnett founded OBO Goalkeeping in 1994, he had a very clear goal in mind; to be the best supplier for field hockey goalkeepers by providing such good quality equipment that customers would be able to “almost play a whole new game.”

To achieve his big dream, Simon was inspired by three New Zealand pioneers, and if you happen to visit their production facilities in Palmerston North that would appear quite clear…

A business success story

Simon wanted to be a pioneer himself. He started experimenting different materials, listened to the players’ needs, and soon at OBO Goalkeeping they were able to produce unprecedented protection products for field hockey, enabling goalkeepers to be and feel protected, outperform their competitors and have more fun!

Today OBO is the leading Hockey equipment supplier in the world, with over 75% market share. They strive to be the best in the industry and pay particular attention to the local community and the environment. This reflects on the capital equipment OBO purchase; indeed, they look to buy only the best for their business and the environment.

New Vs. Old – Real Benefits of the Waterjet Process

Simon found out that water jet technology could have been an asset to his business and wanted to test proof and witness its capabilities. Between the manufacturers, Simon was attracted by the design of the machines and by Techni’s environmentally friendly Electric Servo Pump. He contacted Techni Waterjet and requested to machine the foam they apply to their equipment. The improvement in cutting quality was very noticeable. The smooth and regular edges left by the water cut, compared to the rough cut of the blade, got OBO to seriously start considering a switch to the new technology.

Thanks to proprietary Softec™ NEST nesting software, we demonstrated how our machine could have allowed OBO to nest more parts per sheet and reduced programming time, saving them thousands of dollars per year. Our nesting software utilizes advanced nesting algorithms developed by Geometric Global which is specifically developed to maximize the production while leaving minimum scrap material.

Techni has another customer close to OBO called Mike Christie Sheetmetal. They have owned a Techni machine for 12 years now and spoke very highly of Techni’s after-sale support. This is what drove Simon to his final decision to purchase a Techni Waterjet system.

Their system is composed by an Intec™G2 510 (1.5 x 3 meter) water only machine and Quantum® VP15/52 Electric Servo Pump.

Foam is a soft material that doesn’t require the addition of abrasive to the water stream to be effectively cut. For the same reason, the 52,000 PSI maximum pressure of our entry-level ESP pump are sufficient for this particular application.

Comments from the Customer

Simon said:

“The design of Techni’s product to withstand the harsh waterjet process and Quantum Servo Pump technology to reduce the power requirement is what intrigued us at first.

After the test cut and have witnessed the nesting program, we had no doubt it was going to be a perfect fitment in our workshop.”

Simon added:

“Techni and OBO are like-minded companies which share values and goals; we both strive to be the best in the game, have a keen eye for the environment, and are pioneers in our industries”