Leading Cambridgeshire, UK based flightcase manufacturer 5 Star Cases was recently contracted to design and build a specialist case for Ingram Micro Ltd. for their Apple® Authorised Distributor division.
Ingram Micro Inc. is the world’s largest global business-to-business wholesale provider of technology products and supply chain management services. The company wanted a fabulous looking bespoke case to display and house a number of Apple® products including a 21” iMac, MacBook Pro laptops, iPod, iTouch and various accessories.
Once 5 Star’s design team had received the complete brief, a basic 3D model showing the key features of the proposed design was sent to the client for approval.
The design was a large case, not dissimilar to an old fashioned ‘writing bureau’ with a hinged, angled lid that pivots upwards to create additional display areas, while the main case section has a range of pull-out drawers and compartments.
The entire case was finished in a super-cool white laminate (HPL) gloss for the exterior and matt internally – emulating the style of Apple’s slick, funky branding.
Specific drawers included specialist foam inserts, featuring cut-outs for the MacBook Pro, Time Capsule, various iPods and assorted accessories.
Primarily, the case will be used in Ingram’s sales office for training and demonstration purposes, but being built from 5 Star’s Tour Grade range, it can easily be shipped to venues for customer open days and exhibitions.
Corporate branding was also dealt with in-house by 5 Star, via a computer controlled vinyl cutter. These vinyl logos were produced in black and silver, and contrasting against the white background of the case, offer subtle but eye-catching branding for both Ingram Micro and Apple®.
Says 5 Star’s Keith Sykes, “Projects like these are always rewarding – aesthetics and practicality combined are the key components – and it was a joy to work with the Ingram Micro team”.
Leave a Reply