SGBGolf_July08_p24_25 12/6/08 14:23 Page 24
Equiam
Balance of power
With a diverse stable of brands that includes Hippo, Lynx, Howson and Fazer,
Equiam boss Andrew Walkington says the company has found the right balance.
Words: Robin Barwick
I
t’s an impressive juggling act when a company has six golf brands under one,
broad, umbrella, particularly when clubs are at the core for all six brands. Equiam
Ltd, based in Burton-on-Trent, runs Hippo, Lynx, Howson, Fazer and Progen, with
the Meridian junior equipment brand recently completing the portfolio.
“The name ‘Equiam’ is from Latin and it refers to balance,” says Andrew Walkington,
managing director of the company that began life by bringing these brands together in
2006. “It reflects our portfolio of brands that cover all the price points in golf bar the
exorbitant ones. In most markets there is a lot of consolidation going on and it is better
for all these brands to work together to provide a broad offering to all the retailers and
the public.”
In truth, one of the six juggling balls has been left in the bag for now, as Progen is off
the market at present, although it is primed to return in one way or another in 2009.
“We have a range of new Progen product samples,” says Walkington. “Part of our
marketing strategy is to make unique offers to different retailers and we are having
discussions with various people at the moment, but we won’t be selling Progen by Lynx remains the premier Equiam brand. The latest Black Cat Tour irons,
general retail, it will go to a specific retailer, just like Fazer is now retailed under an forged from 8620 mild carbon steel, are designed to meld the feel of the
exclusive agreement with American Golf in the UK.” traditional forged iron with the performance benefits of a cavity back.
At the premium end of Equiam’s offering sits Lynx, which Walkington says accounts
for roughly 27% of the company’s turnover, whereas a step down the pricing ladder to other drivers we have produced for quite a number of years. It is a high quality product
Hippo is where nearly 50% of Equiam’s turnover is generated. Today the Hippo and we consider it to be as good as anything on the market place in terms of
business remains as it has always been, driven by drivers. performance.”
“Hippo was the first company to offer a 400cc driver and we have taken it on from Following the success of the Hex2 last year, the Hex TX is heading the Hippo range
there,” says Walkington. “The Hex has done phenomenally well. It has out-sold any in 2008. The entire Hex series is distinctive with its hexagonal clubheads, which are
“
Tour sponsorship is a bit of a misnomer because the idea that people
can go into a shop and buy the same club a pro uses is largely untrue.
Not everybody who is sponsored by a big brand actually plays with all of
their sponsor’s equipment anyway. It would be nice to see an actual full
club count of what every Tour pro has in his bag.
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JULY 2008 - SGB GOLF
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