Note: The Park and Facilities Catalog and it's innovative UpLift Bike Dock was recently featured in the Sun-Sentinel - one of the premier newspapers in Florida with an estimated 230,000 subscribers for their Sunday edition.
The UpLift Bike Dock was featured in this Sun-Sentinel articl
Reporter Marcia Pounds and photographer/videographer Carline Jean interviewed CEO Christopher George about the company's new UpLift bike rack invention which has one of the highest densities in the industry when it comes to bicycle parking. The unique design of the UpLift Bike Dock with the staggered wheel troughs and small footprint allows more bicycles to be parked in tight spaces per square foot. This bike dock was designed specifically for college campuses and cities where space is at a premium.
Boca Company's new bike rack designed to save space, prevent scratches
By Marcia Heroux Pounds - Sun-Sentinel reporter
Boca Raton company is rolling out a bike rack designed to save space, secure the wheel and frame, and prevent scratches through a special coating.
The UpLift Bike Dock is the brainchild of Christopher George, CEO of Highland Products Group, a 15-year-old company known as The Park & Facilities Catalog, and company sales executive Chris Luyet.
"This is a very exciting product, and we think this is going to take our company to the next level," George said.
Highland Products already does about $20 million in annual sales in equipment for parks, including picnic tables, trash receptacles and benches. In recent years, the company has broadened into products for college campuses, sports stadiums, zoos and amusement parks and dog parks.
Luyet, the Bike Dock's co-inventor, previously was co-founder and president of Park a Bike rack company  now called Ground Control Systems  in Sacramento, Calif., which has a similar product. Luyet said he decided to join Highland because it has a broader group of products, presenting a bigger opportunity for expansion.
Highland's new product offers elevation, which increases the number of bikes that can be parked, he said.
With the UpLift Bike Dock, bicycles are lined up evenly and lean against a rack protected with a coating to prevent abrasion. The company developed a proprietary sealant coating to prevent the metal from corroding. As a result, the company provides a seven-year warranty on the coating.
One bike sits a little higher than the next, to keep handle bars from colliding. The rack's locking bar enables the bicyclist to lock both the wheel and frame to help prevent theft.
The UpLift Bike Dock costs $249, with volume discounts for large projects, the company said.
Highland launched the UpLift Bike Dock in September and is marketing it to college campuses around the country.
George said there hasn't been a lot of innovation in bike parking in three decades, and today's college campuses typically have messy bike racks where bicycles go every which way.
"The old school racks look like little picket fences. We affectionately refer to them as 'wheel benders' because they could bend the wheel of your bike. And they allow you to lock only the wheel. So you may come back to find your wheel is locked up but the rest of your bike is gone," George said.
Clients for the company's previous products include the Miami Dolphins and the city of Delray Beach.
Paul Regal, vice president of operations for Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, said he has purchased several benches, trash receptacles and other products from the company for the polo grounds.
"They're very well made, and their service is phenomenal," he said.
What's next? George said the company's next product to be launched is the DoubleUp vertical bicycle rack, made especially for apartments and condominiums, where bikes must be stored upright to maximize space.
See the Sun-Sentinel article here.
Here is a photo of the UpLift Bike Dock below.
UpLift bike dock with staggered wheel troughs which holds bikes upright and allows for more bicycles per square foot