The product shows that local inventors are capable of competing with their international counterparts.
RECENTLY I watched a movie titled The Founder centred around Ray Kroc, the man who created the multi-billion dollar McDonald empire and there was a quote from the movie that still lingers in my mind: “Nothing in this world can take the place of good old persistence. Talent won’t. Nothing’s more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius won’t. Unrecognized genius is practically a cliche. Education won’t. Why the world is full of educated fools. Persistence and determination alone are all powerful.
Local inventor, Siyabonga Innocent Ndwalane is a staunch believer in this mantra. Despite many attempts in trying to make a name for himself in the business world, he has been persistent in fighting for what he believes in and it is finally starting to pay off. Ndwalane is the man behind the portable Bluetooth speakers called Turn Up. The disruptive innovation, from the Durban University of Technology (DUT) alumni, has been making waves in the increasingly crowded portable speaker market. Having already been featured on national radio stations, Ndwalane says the product shows that local inventors are capable of competing with their international counterparts.
“It proves that locally we have the brains to invent technological devices and also becomes an inspiration to other young people. There is still more to come but before we start releasing new products, we need to ensure that everyone gets the chance to enjoy this product. It is very user-friendly, it has a built-in FM radio, you can plug it into your television set and it also has a USB input. We are not only selling happiness, we are providing people with a platform to be informed and entertained at the same time,” said Ndwalane.
“The portable speaker idea came after I had bought a speaker from a retail shop. I was using that speaker daily and then one day it fell and broke. I bought another but the same thing happened. I bought the third one, it also broke and there was no way I could buy another one. I decided to disassemble it and try to see how it was put together. I started to design my own and improve on the features of the previous speakers I had bought. I was fortunate enough to be able to consult with some DUT lecturers and Professors who gave me pointers on how to go about designing a proper speaker, with good sound quality, durability and portability. Late last year I finished my first speaker and was very happy with the end product,” he said.
According to Ndwalane, he did not anticipate the massive demand for his production. Even when walking on the streets people would stop and show an interest in his invention, but he didn’t take the interest seriously until he had a database of more than 30 people who wanted him to design them the speaker. “So far we have produced over 60 speakers. We are really putting in the work and are not in a rush to produce more but are rather focusing on ensuring the product is of great quality. There are a lot of tests we do before we send the product out. The market is very dynamic, almost everyone likes music. We recently received orders from people in the UK and the USA and locally we have sales reps in all the provinces,” said the Turn-Up inventor.
Although Ndwalane sources the batteries, speakers and amplifiers from China, he says ultimately he would love to source everything locally. Not wanting to compromise on the quality of his product he said should they find a local supplier of the various components, they would have to undergo rigorous tests before they get his approval. The Turn-Up team is made up of five people including Ndwalane. It takes them four hours to complete ten quality speakers. They also do customization and servicing of the speakers.
For more information on the Bluetooth speakers contact 079 766 5619.
Source: http://bereamail.co.za/114277/persistence-pays-off-for-local-inventor/
Pictured: Siyabonga Ndwalane, with one his portable Turn UP blue-tooth speakers.
