Page 48 - Linkline Autumn 2015

L-R: Robery Ryan, Finbarr Cleary FCILT, and Stephen Sweeney
and storage. To improve visibility and security protocols in supply chains, Radio Frequency Identi cation (RFID) has been incorporated in the product which enables real-time tracking of the goods being transported, and also the Unibox unit.
With the €1,000 prize from the CILT Student Transport and Logistics
Idea of the Year Awards in 2014, Stephen used €400 of this to purchase SolidWorks 3D CAD design software. With the only previous experience
of having used this software being leaving certi cate Technical Graphics, Stephen’s knowledge of the software was relatively limited, however he had the tools and knowledge to form the starting grounds of a design for the Unibox product.
In January 2015, Stephen and his business partner Jason, began working with CREST Innovation Hub at Sligo Institute of Technology to further develop the design of the Unibox. The brainstorming sessions with the product designers and engineers and CREST enabled the group to analyse potential weaknesses in the design, following this CREST streamlined the CAD models and from this, a 3D printed model of the Unibox design was created.
Over the past 6 months, Stephen and Jason have had numerous meetings with a number of product designers based around Ireland to allow them
to develop a customer oriented and intelligent design for the Unibox.
Along with this, the pair have attended meetings with a business advisor, facilitated by the Local Enterprise Of ce Sligo. In April of this year, Stephen was offered one of ve sponsored places from DIT to attend the European Innovation Academy (EIA), which takes place from the 6th to the 24th of
July in Nice, France. EIA is the world’s largest innovation accelerator and focusses on start-ups with an emphasis on idea creation. The summer
entrepreneurship boot-camp unites 450 innovators of over 75 nationalities. It brings together a network of professionals from around the world to collaborate
in teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs. Participants ideate, form teams, and pitch to venture capitalists in just three weeks. Unfortunately, due to family commitments, Stephen was unable to attend the academy, however he is optimistic that he will be able to attend the 2016 academy.
Stephen and Jason are continuously adapting the design of their product to suit the market’s needs and welcome any input that is offered on their product. Any decisions made about the future of the product are made after getting to know their customers and aligning the customer’s needs and wants with the overall goals of the business. With a focus on continuous improvement and a dedication to excellence the pair aim to identify and build on new opportunities for sustainable growth.
For futher details contact Stephen on (087)1246353 or email: unibox@outlook.ie.
The CharTered InsTITuTe of LogIsTICs & TransporT 33
uNIbOX prESENTaTION