Yakima focuses on simplifying its product line, and its trade show schedule

PORTLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — Yakima has completed a major overhaul of its roof rack products for the 2016 model year, and also revamped its dealer introduction strategy.

Yakima more than cut in half the number of product SKUs that the company and its dealers need to stock in order to attach its towers to most vehicles on the market. It also reduced SKUs in its roofbox line and is rolling out new, more colorful and more informative packaging, new retail merchandising fixtures and a new website.

To introduce the changes the company brought in retailers, international distributors and trade media for presentations last month at a leased 16,000-square-foot industrial building in Portland, a few miles from its global headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

The building, recently vacated by a steel stamping company, is slated for renovation. In the meantime, it served as a stylishly derelict presentation space, complete with a two-story-tall steel press that Yakima lit with colored stage lights. The space had room for a giant projection screen as well as meeting tables, product display areas and five cars set up with the newest rack systems.

In light of the significant product revamps this year, Yakima executives said the thorough presentations in Portland made more sense than the brief fly-by appointments common at a trade show. The brand is skipping the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market this year, and is overhauling its Interbike exhibit for a different kind of presentation. 

Less is more

Yakima spent about two years going over its roof-mount products with an eye toward increasing flexibility and reducing the number of towers and "Q-clips" necessary. Q-Clips are the thin metal tongues that extend down from the towers to grab the underside of the roof.

Yakima also introduced a new aero-shaped steel crossbar, bringing the advantages of an aero shape to a lower price point than aluminum aero crossbars; the steel bars are also stronger than the aluminum aero bars. Yakima will have four crossbar options for 2016: the new aero-shaped steel crossbars, its long-standing vinyl-coated round steel bar, and two aluminum aero bars — one anodized and one powder coated.

The company now offers four tower models, to fit cars with naked roofs, factory racks, raised siderails or flush rails. All four towers can be used with any of the company's four crossbar options with adapters. The towers are also future-proof in that they can fit any new shapes that come along. Among other adjustments, the new towers allow installers to adjust the crossbar pitch so the bars are horizontal regardless of vehicle roof curves. The towers also allow more length adjustment for the Q-clips, so that the same clip can fit more cars.

Yakima is reducing its clip SKUs from 132 to about 60, said Joel Grabenstein, Yakima's category director.

"Think about the wall at a REI or at a bike dealer that is full of clips. Now think about it cut in half," Grabenstein said. "It's a huge story for us not only from a production standpoint but from a retailer-inventory standpoint and in terms of reducing complexity in the category."

Yakima also simplified its roof box line. Its new premium ShowCase line has just two sizes (15 and 21 cubic feet) and two color options for four total SKUs. Grabenstein said consumers were overwhelmed by the number of sizes previously offered. Dealers will appreciate not having to stock and inventory so many of the large items, as well. ShowCase replaces the SkyBox Pro line, which had 10 SKUs.

Yakima's midlevel SkyBox line continues with five size options, while the entry-level RocketBox line has three.

Yakima also introduced two new strap-rack-style bike racks and updated features on its hitch racks. Watch for more on Yakima's introduction in the Aug. 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.