Case Study – Roland Sands Design
Roland Sands Design Studio
While working with Performance Machine on creating the new product line for custom motorcycles, we recommended that Roland prepare a business plan, and business strategy to spin-off from the company and establish an independently operated design center to break free from the existing corporate barriers to innovation at Performance Machine.
Performance Machine is one of the most successful manufacturers of motorcycle accessories in the industry today. With more than 300 employees, $40 million in topline sales, and manufacturing operations in Southern California, China, and Europe, this Company is the industry leader for high-performance parts and accessories in the motorcycle industry. The Company needed to quickly assess the financial health of the organization and allocate resources to optimize the organization’s performance for development of a new product line.
Responsibilities for this assignment included conducting business performance reviews of all the Company’s activities, focusing on business process improvement and quality control and management of its Chinese manufacturing capabilities, creating a roadmap for allocating critical capital resources based on the market potential of the new product line, alignment of working capital management with the new product development thrust, and optimizing supply chain processes and management across three continents, thus achieving high asset productivity. Analytical tools used included financial decision support models, cost analysis, forecasting, generic benchmarking, and productivity measurement.
RSD became the newly-formed Design, Research and Development Center for Performance Machine. This new organization quickly needed a business plan, finance plan, and organizational structuring plan to present for the strategic investors that included Performance Machine and other industry leaders. The newly formed company went on to become the winner of Discovery Channel’s Motorcycle “Biker Build-Off.” The company’s showcase motorcycle called “No Regrets” featured many innovative new products that will be developed for the motorcycle industry.
Roland Sands And “King” Kenny Roberts Story Of The V5 Tracker
“King” Kenny Roberts and his prestigious race team provided motorcycle designer Roland Sands one of their MotoGP KRV5 engines – the only MotoGP engine to leave the coveted paddock. Never before had a motorcycle designer had the chance to create a complete custom with such a highly-engineered engine. It would prove trying, yet fruitful as Sands presented Kenny Roberts with a completed bike at Laguna Seca one year from the time they shook hands on the deal. New Blood details the storied background of both Kenny Roberts and Roland Sands – including interviews from MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden, Arlen Ness, Perry Sands, and Charlie Boorman. New Blood provides a glimpse into the creative mind of Roland Sands and incorporates the history of MotoGP racing the drive to deliver this unique motorcycle.
New Blood: The Story of the V5 Tracker
Social Cause Marketing with RSD
For the eighth year running, Cycle World magazine and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s Ride for Kids® program present their popular motorcycle drawing at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows. This year’s grand prize is a custom-designed Honda CBR1000RR designed by RSD.