Hillerich & Bradsby Co. Unveils Game-Changing Innovation
Hillerich & Bradsby Co. (H&B) has been in the sporting goods business for more than 100 years with well-known divisions like Louisville Slugger (www.slugger.com) and PowerBilt Golf. In 1999, H&B's Bill Clark, the head of Louisville Hockey at the time, was visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum and happened to stumble upon Dr. James M. Kleinert, an internationally renowned orthopedic hand surgeon who would later use his vast knowledge of anatomy and hand function to design the most scientifically advanced glove ever made for H&B.Soon after their meeting, Dr. Kleinert found himself on a plane to Canada with Clark and other product managers to look at some new glove products that H&B was developing for hockey. After all, with sports like hockey, baseball and golf as part of H&B's heritage, it made sense for the company to develop products that complemented those games.
The Bionic Gloves division (www.bionicgloves.com) of H&B was born in 2002 with the aim to aid the hand in its function and performance in hitting sports.
A Home Run Innovation
Louisville Hockey was sold approximately five years ago and now operates as TPS Hockey, but the bionic glove concept has opened up a whole new league of innovation for the company. In fact, Bionic Gloves are the only gloves in the marketplace today designed by an orthopedic hand specialist.
"The versatility of the glove allowed us to explore many options for the product, ranging from sports to leisure to therapeutic uses," explains John Hillerich, IV, president and chief executive officer, and the fifth-generation Hillerich to run H&B.
Today, Bionic not only makes gloves for primary sports such as golf, tennis, racquetball, fitness (weight lifting) and baseball, but also recreational activities such as gardening, motorcycle cruising, driving and other day-to-day activities for people with arthritis.
Each glove is made to enhance the three-dimensional anatomical form and function of the hand. "No one else had done this," claims Hillerich. "All other glove manufacturers had based their glove designs on two-dimensional templates."
Winning with Consumers
According to Hillerich, scientific design would mean nothing to H&B if the company didn't listen to the voice of its customers.
"As a manufacturer, sometimes we learn that what we think the customer wants is not even close to what the customer is looking for. Listening, testing, listening, testing -- it's important to continue this process of evaluation and constant improvement even after the product is launched," says Hillerich.
When developing the Bionic Glove, the company conducted countless interviews with athletes and other glove users. "We also wanted other organizations to investigate and test Bionic Gloves, because we were confident we would get third-party endorsements," he reports.
For example, the Arthritis Foundation awarded Bionic the first "Ease-of-Use Commendation" for a glove based on testing performed at Georgia Tech University. The Pinehurst Golf Academy conducted research that showed that golfers who used the Bionic Glove drove the ball six to seven yards farther and were more accurate.
However, not all of the glove-buying public believes in Bionic science. In fact, the vast majority believes that a glove is a glove, and there's little differentiation between them.
"We had to educate the public about the technology that goes into our gloves, and we continue to do this daily with a very modest marketing budget," explains Hillerich.
Naysayers aside, Bionic boasts gratifying results: "The top Bionic seller is the golf glove. Introduced only five years ago, it is now the No. 5-selling golf glove on the market in a very crowded category dominated by major players with monster marketing budgets," says Hillerich.
Getting to Market
Bionic's strategy is to attract consumers using a multi-tiered approach. It has realized success through widespread retail distribution at hundreds of stores such as Dick's Sporting Goods, The Sports Authority, Golf Galaxy and Golfsmith, as well as through direct sales and Internet sales.
"Our approach is to co-exist with retailers while selling direct, which has worked and does not create a conflict of interest between retailer and manufacturer," Hillerich says.
Every glove has a different target market, but overall the company likes to think that anyone who has hands and participates in a recreational activity is a target.
Focused on Feedback
Bionic has applied the innovative glove technology concept deeper into the golf category by developing not just one glove but several models depending on the needs of specific golfers. By listening to golfers from multiple demographics, the company can make changes in its product line to offer various types of gloves that provide the best comfort and fit for their game -- from an ultra-thin, light and tight glove for low handicappers (Bionic Pro) to the Bionic Silver Series designed for arthritic relief. The first Bionic golf glove -- the Classic -- was introduced in 2005. Paul Azinger has used the Classic and Pro models and is testing the new Performance glove that was introduced last month at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in his Champions Tour debut this year.
Round of Applause
Bionic Gloves have received the National Health & Wellness Club's Seal of Approval, the National Home Gardening Club Seal of Approval, the Handyman's Club of America Member Tested Seal of Approval, and PGA Tour Partner's Magazine Member Tested Seal of Approval. Bionic is also the Official Glove of the Professional Tennis Registry and the USTA Southern Section.