Company

Team Building at Tongariro Crossing, November 2009

We are a product development and innovation consultancy.

We create insight through a unique research driven approach to product development. We seek to challenge and redefine product development through the use of research and life cycle thinking.

Since 2002 Locus Research has built a reputation for deep research, original design, and effective implementation. We have integrated life cycle thinking into the product development process and are a leader in the adoption and implementation of design research into the development process.

Locus has a client base that extends from New Zealand to the UK and has an informed international outlook. We collaborate with a wide number of organisations to deliver services that can assist research and development.

We mainly operate out of our Studio in Tauranga, but work for clients all over the country. If you’d like to meet with us we can arrange to travel to your location.

Corporate History

Locus Research has been in operation formally since March 27th, 2002, and was founded by Managing Director Timothy Allan.

2013	Dec	Simon Crane, an ID graduate from Victoria University, joined Locus Research, undertaking design research on face mask technology and other product designs.
	Nov	Timothy Allan judged the Sustainable Business Network Awards.
	Oct	Timothy Allan was appointed as Chairman of the Board for Texus Fibre.
	Aug	DASH innovation tool project website launched, a simple way to define, research and execute your next big idea.
	Jul	Together with Priority One, Woods Creative, and Export New Zealand, Locus hosted the inaugural Innovation Forum alongside the Young Innovator Awards.
	Jun	Blythe Rees-Jones judged the ‘Launch New Zealand' category Fieldays Innovations Competition. New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays is the southern hemisphere's largest agribusiness expo. GetSorted Storage was picked up by Australian e-commerce website Wayfair, boosting sales overseas.
	May	The Bay of Plenty Times published an article, ‘More Money for R&D Welcome News for Bay’, featuring a sound bite from Timothy Allan on the impact of grant restructuring. Simple Vision store opened on the ETSY website, selling the handmade homeware range.
	Apr	Blythe Rees-Jones was appointed as a Lead Coach for the NZTE led Better by Design Programme with a mission to assist companies increase their international competitiveness through the process of design integration. Locus Research co-hosted our first ever webinar with PE International covering insights on integrating life cycle thinking into product development for sustainable performance. Timothy Allan and Blythe Rees-Jones presented Locus Research to the Rt Hon John Key and Hon Simon Bridges as part of a gathering with the Tauranga Young Professionals Network.
2012	Dec	Matthew Davison joined Locus for a summer internship to investigate an alternative model for Delloch to use in testing their hip protectors.
	Nov	Locus and friends celebrated the ten year anniversary of Locus Research’s establishment.
	Oct	Timothy Allan travelled to Monterrey, Mexico to present at Diseño Punto MX on sustainable design. Delloch HipFit Hip Protectors (non-consumer) and GetSorted Storage System (best effect) each won bronze at the Best Awards. Timothy Allan travelled to the NZ Embassy in Washington DC for the US Health Immersion Program and to Boston for AdvaMed 2012. ‘Hip Design Aims to Cut Costs’ article in the Bay of Plenty Times on Delloch HipFit Hip Protectors and becoming a finalist in the Best Awards.
	Sep	An e-commerce platform for the Delloch HipFit website launched.
	Jun	Kat Sutherland joined Locus as marketing and programme director.
	Mar	Locus turned ten years old.
	Jan	Graphic designer Robin Lyttle joined the Locus team.
2011	Dec	Delloch HipFit Hip Protector launched.
	Oct	‘Success Grows on Woolly Backs’ article in the Bay of Plenty Times featured Prolan Lanolin Lubricants.
	Sep	Blythe Rees-Jones joined the board of the Designers Institute of New Zealand.
	Aug	Blythe Rees-Jones judged the Best Awards’ product section.
	Jun	Dr. Wayne Mapp, Minister for Research Science and Technology, visited the Locus Studio.
	May	Locus teamed up with Motovated Design & Analysis for the first ‘Successful Product Development Seminar’ series.
	Apr	Locus featured on AMP – Growing Business on TVOne. Encircle won silver at the Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) in the US.
	Mar	Encircle selected as a finalist in the DuPont Australasian Innovation Awards.
	Feb	Jono Jones joined the Locus team on a design internship. ‘Advances in Therapy’ medical paper published on Encircle Compression Therapy.
2010	Dec	Engineer Chris Brown rejoined the Locus design team to work on Delloch Hip Protectection.
	Oct	‘Bay Innovators Pile up the Design Awards’ article in the Bay of Plenty Times about the Locus design team. ‘Making Products Better by Design’ article in the NZ Business Herald by Yoh Kar Lee on Locus and how we work. Encircle and Forester appeared on Campbell Live with Blythe Rees-Jones. Encircle won silver at the Best Awards and Forester was awarded bronze, both in the non-consumer category.
	Sep	Timothy Allan was made a Fellow of the Designers Institute of New Zealand (DINZ).
	Aug	GetSorted Wardrobe & Storage System released nationwide in Australia.
	May	Locus Research presented in the Sustainable 60 Seminar Series.
	Mar	Locus Research sponsored the first Life Cycle Management Conference in New Zealand. Young Innovator Awards launched in the Bay of Plenty, an initiative led by Priority One’s Instep Programme, Locus Research, and Woods Creative.
	Feb	Vicky Teinaki attended ‘IXD 10’ in Georgia, US.
2009	Dec	Locus Research was named Overall Exemplar (Small Business) in the Fairfax Media/PricewaterhouseCoopers Sustainable 60 Challenge.
	Nov	Locus appointed to MFE Product Stewardship Assessors panel. Timothy Allan presented ‘Design for a Sustainable World’ at World Usability Day.
	Oct	Encircle Medical Devices reached the semi-finals in the New Zealand ‘Focus on Health’ Challenge. Locus completed the ‘Building Blocks of Sustainable Design’.
	Sep	Cortex exterior cladding system for Pacific Wood Products won silver (Non-Consumer) at the Best Awards and also won bronze in the sustainable product design category, one of only two finalists. Drybase won bronze at the Best Awards in the Non-Consumer category.
	Aug	Cortex won the Sustainable Design and Innovation category for central and southern areas in the NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards. Locus organised Tom Sutton, GM Frog Milan to speak at AUT on the development of medical devices. Vicky Teinaki attended UX Australia.
	May	Timothy Allan traveled to Asia to speak on Life Cycle Thinking in Shanghai and Beijing at the Impressions Symposium for Fortune 500 company Avery Dennison. Timothy Allan spoke at Phillips Hong Kong Design Studio on Life Cycle Thinking and visited Dell in Taiwan.
	Feb	Blythe Rees-Jones traveled to Biella, Italy, to research the Italian merino supply chain as the Bella Merino Ambassador. Rogier Simons joined Locus Research as senior designer.
	Jan	Coast New Zealand and Locus created the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series Lounge interiors with Verda, Pollen and Essenze. Locus opened Studio Sixbee in Ponsonby, Auckland. Vicky Teinaki joined the Locus team as interaction designer.
2008	Dec	Design leader Blythe Rees-Jones was selected to be the 2009 Bella Merino Ambassador.
	Nov	Timothy Allan travelled to Ireland to present at ‘Re-Form 08’ on Life Cycle Thinking. He also attended and visited: Michael Braungart’s Nutec conference; Delft University of Technology (Holland) Design for Sustainability department; Milano Polytech, Ezio Manzini; Frog Design, Milan; Therefore Design, London; Onzo, London; Lightweight Medical, Glasgow.
	Jun	Locus co-hosted the Life Cycle Thinking Series held at Unitec, Auckland. Locus and Scion cosponsored the Sustainable Design and Innovation award for the SBN Awards. Timothy Allan and Trevor Stuthridge judged finalists.
	Feb	Curve Surf exhibited as a finalist at renowned sporting fair ISPO. Locus commited to the establishment of a Life Cycle Thinking studio course at Unitec with Hothouse director Dr. Cris de Groot.
	Jan	Locus Research relocated to new premises at Studio Mauao at the base of Mount Maunganui, 100 metres from the beach.
2007	Nov	Transform Project was successfully concluded with all six finalist companies awarded funding.
	Oct	Tony Clifford, President of the New Zealand Pine Manufacturer's Association, presented ‘Compass’ findings to the PMA delegates.
	Aug	The Locus-developed Curve surfboard travel system won silver at the Best Awards in the consumer product category and Legacy Hold Taapa product won bronze in the furniture category.
	Jun	Locus had three finalists selected for the Best Awards: Telecom5up by Kylie Baker (student), Taapa (furniture), and Curve Surf (consumer product).
2006	Nov	Locus' Transform proposal accepted by the board of Textiles New Zealand. www.transform.org.nz
	Sep	Blythe Rees-Jones awarded a professional membership to the Design Institute of New Zealand.
	Aug	Timothy Allan appointed as a judge for the sustainable product design award for the 2006 Best Awards.
	Jun	Karoline Jonsson, a design engineering intern from Chalmers University, and graphic designer Ailie Rundle joined the Locus team.
	May	Timothy Allan gave a lecture on sustainable product design for Otago University and Otago polytechnic. Locus started the collaborative project ‘Compass’ investigating the US market for major forestry companies Panpac and Tenon.
	Apr	Report into the European context of Sustainable Product Design completed for the Ministry for the Environment.
2005	Nov	Simple Vision range was released into New Zealand stores nationwide with a great response from consumers.
	Oct	Timothy delivered ‘Life Cycle Thinking’ paper at the Sustainable Business Conference for the Sustainable Business Network.
	Sep	Josh Astill joined Locus to undertake research in Sustainable Product Design at TU Delft in Holland this is co funded by the Ministry for Environment.
	Jul	Transition research investigation into sports and equipment future direction completed.
	Feb	Blythe Rees-Jones visited ISPO international sports and equipment fair in Munich to further his research.
2004	Oct	Urbis featured Locus Research and their design approach with new materials.
	Aug - Oct	Locus Research undertook the development and project management of the Bombay Sapphire Design Room at Air New Zealand Fashion Week with great success.
	Sep	Blythe Rees-Jones joined Light Weight Medical for a reciprocal internship in Glasgow and London for nine months.
	Aug	Timothy Allan appointed as the external design director of Legacy Timber Ltd to assist in the development of new product for market.
	Jul	Locus established formal alliance with Tim Grant, associate director of the RMIT Centre for Sustainable Design and director of Life Cycle Strategies. Locus gained a formal alliance with Light Weight Medical Ltd (UK) to undertake collaborative research and commercial work in the area of sustainable product development.
	Jun	Timothy Allan appointed as advisor to the London Sustainable Design Collective. Simple Vision range launched at EON Design Centre.
	May	Circadian Living System selected as one of only 13 finalists for all categories in the Dupont Australasian Innovation Awards in Melbourne from more that 90 entries. Timothy Allan flew to Melbourne for the awards and met the Australian Minister for Science and Dupont Australasia managing director.
	Apr	Simple Vision awarded highly commended at Designex04 in Sydney. Timothy Allan completed experimental Life Cycle Analysis for UK based Business Environment Partnership in collaboration with Light Weight Medical Devices (UK).
	Jan	Scion commissioned Locus to undertake research into exterior cladding, resulting in the successful ‘Guardian’ exterior cladding study. This became the template for the first ‘Product Development Specification’ (PDS) that Locus produced.
2003	Aug	Ryder Meggitt, graduate from Glasgow University Design Engineering course, joined Locus for a 9-month internship in sustainable product design.
	Jul	Neil Tierney, graduate from Glasgow University Design Engineering Course, joined Locus for an internship in sustainable product design and completed Circadian System Life Cycle Analysis.
	Jun	Metaform03 exhibition premiered at the Auckland Museum (June - Sept 03) with a follow-on exhibition at the Dowse (Nov 03 - Jan 04).
	Mar	Industrial design graduate Jared Mankelow joined Locus.
2002	Oct	Jeeves Table selected and exhibited at Interiuer02 in Kortrijkt, Belgium, Design for Europe competition.
	Aug	Industrial design graduate Blythe Rees-Jones joined Locus as junior designer; Blythe was awarded Best Young Product Design at Best Awards 2001.
	May - Jun	Locus established the Metaform03 concept and developed the exhibition and competition format, including the procurement of major sponsors Carter Holt Harvey and Prodesign.
	Mar	Timothy Allan established Locus Research, a design company that would specialise in the area of sustainable product design.

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