| Christopher Allan, the
inventor of the Slipstick Foot, came up with the
idea because of the situation at his home. He
had tiled floors and a three-piece Sofa suite,
made up of two double-seat sections and one
corner section. They needed to remain in a
particular arrangement but kept sliding apart
because of the feet on the furniture. In October
1998, still unable to find a solution to this
problem, Chris developed an innovative design.
He realised that the furniture industry was
lacking an effective system to prevent unwanted
movement of furniture pieces on hard floors so
he simply invented his own. The solution to
the problem is the "Slipstick Foot" - a unique
foot that is easily attached to the legs or base
of most furniture pieces. It comprises a hard
plastic disc with an inset o-ring that prevents
furniture moving on any flat surface. However,
when on a 20-degree angle, the o-ring loses
contact with the floor and allows the piece to
slide easily into any desired position.
Simultaneously, protection is provided as the
furniture is prevented from scratching the floor
surface below.
With current employer Bob De Haan, the owner
of AMH Tooling, Chris's concept became a
reality. With more than 40 years experience in
specialist tool making and design on unique
moulding applications, they were able to develop
a cost effective method of manufacture.
Research into current flooring trends
revealed that Hardwood, Laminate, and Ceramic
tile flooring are popular choices. These are all
surfaces that also cause furniture to slide or,
if fitted with no-slip devices, make it
difficult to move when so desired. Clearly the
Slipstick Foot eliminates these problems.
In keeping with furniture industry
requirements, the Slipstick Foot has been
produced in Caramel and Chocolate colours to
complement contemporary and traditional styles
of timber, veneer and leather finishes. There
are eleven sizes in the Slipstick range,
including varying diameters, a riser foot, leg
coaster, castor cups and recliner feet.
C&B Manufacturing is currently filling
national and international orders for the
Slipstick Foot while continuing to further
develop the range with ongoing design. Also
being considered is fitting the foot to
furniture prior to retailing.
The Slipstick Foot is the only furniture
addition of its kind, providing customers with
an effective way to protect their floors and to
control the movement of their furniture.
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