Yakima is revising its delivery date for the E-Z Load side-loading roof rack system with lift assist technology from Spring 05 to Fall 05. This decision was made to enable Steve Rodden, who recently joined the company as vice president of product development, to have design input and ensure top performance of the final product. Rodden, who has over 15 years experience in product development for nationally respected brands, will be reviewing all products in the WaterMark family as part of the reorganization of the product design and development process.
“The E-Z Load is a great new addition to our Yakima family of car racks, but we have a chance to make significant enhancements to its design and performance,” said Jim Clark, president of WaterMark. “Steve Rodden and our product development team are going to put a few extra months of work into optimizing the E-Z Load to ensure that the product we ship in Fall 05 exceeds their high standards and those of our valued retailers and their customers.”
In September 2004, Yakima purchased all patents, trademarks and intellectual property relating to the E-Z Load. The company had been working to refine the E-Z Load product with simple modifications, with the intent to launch a slightly redesigned version this month, then release a next generation E-Z Load this fall that was fully re-designed and optimized. With the advent of a new design team and the recent development of significant operational improvements, the company has decided to postpone shipment of the partially redesigned product in favor of delivering a fully optimized, next generation E-Z Load in Fall 05. Retailers who have already placed orders for E-Z load will receive first delivery when the product is delivered this fall.
E-Z Loads patented technology enables users, especially women and those who have trouble reaching the roof of current taller vehicle models, to easily lower the rack along the side of the vehicle while keeping the load in a horizontal position. The E-Z Load can hold two boats or two bikes or combinations of bikes, boats and cargo boxes.
