A flat-out cafe – on the level!
September 23, 2011By ALAN ERSKINE
AT LAST…a dining table that doesn’t wobble!
FLAT OUT: Gavin Dunbar with Kim Law of Krakkr Tables, and the unique, self-levelling FLAT system, ABOVE, while further along the footpath, BELOW, friends Shakeira Chislett, Bonnie Panuccio and Elizabeth Zappia have a level brunch to celebrate Bonnie’s 29th birthday, served by Trudi Dunbar.
Mildura’s Kim Law has introduced the latest concept in self-levelling table legs to Sunraysia restaurants and cafes, after trialling the patented concept at the Coffee Town Cafe, commonly known as Grinders in 9th Street.
And according to Coffee Town’s new owners, Gavin and Trudi Dunbar, the ‘new’ tables have gone down a treat.
“Previously, our customers or staff were forever trying to level up the tables on an uneven footpath,” Trudi said.
“It wasn’t uncommon to find a serviette or two, piece of cardboard or folded up business card under one or more of the table legs. Thankfully that’s now a thing of the past.”
Kim, a long-time Mildura resident who works in merchandising on behalf of national companies, says she was introduced to the Fluid Levelling Automated Technology (FLAT) system five years ago, when she and her husband Richard met inventor and company director Tony Pike in Sydney.
Richard’s brother-in-law Damian Chown is a non-executive director on the FLAT board, and someone who Richard and Kim describe as having a reputation for attracting investors and linking partnerships with unique ideas.
“This self-levelling technology has gone around the world since Tony and Damian licensed it to business interests in the United States,” Kim said.
“It is a simple, proven concept, and it has become hugely successful in many countries. It’s no longer unique in Australia, but it’s certainly a ‘first’ for Mildura.”
Since the introduction of the FLAT system at Coffee Town, there has been so much interest that Kim has formed her own company, ‘Krakkr Tables,’ through which the product is marketed.
Kim describes the FLAT product as working on a simple hydraulic self-levelling and locking system…that can be adapted to fit most of the tables that are in use in restaurants and cafes. She says the cost is not prohibitive – not much over $100 a unit, and it’s there for the life of the table.
And the product isn’t confined to tables…it has been trialled with success on a diverse range of items, including washing machines, fridges, barbecues, beds…even a helicopter…with everything able to find their level on uneven surfaces.
The FLAT system was given a special award at inventor’s show in Pittsburg earlier this year, and in May was announced as the 2011 People’s Choice winner at the DuPont Australia and NZ Innovation awards.
Tony Pike says he got the idea about 10 years ago while having coffee with a friend. The table wobbled, and the coffee spilled. While his friend was crouching down trying to level the level, he made a remark to the effect that anyone who could solve the problem of wobbly tables would make millions.
So Tony set to work…designing a stabilisation technology based on a system of inter-connected actuators joined to a central manifold designed to automatically level items on any uneven surface. An internal braking and locking system uses gravitational force to prevent movement of the object.
After six years of research, the FLAT concept was launched, and full-scale production for world-wide distribution began in 2009.
Although Tony and Richard agree the concept can be adapted to almost anything, its biggest use to far has been for the cafe and restaurant scene, where wobbly tables have been a bane of business since tables were invented.
The eight outdoor tables at Coffee Town Mildura have all been fitted with the FLAT system, and Trudi and Gavin said there had been an overwhelming positive response from staff and customers.
And Kim believes it won’t be long before the FLAT tables are a standard item for outdoor furniture that is used on any uneven surface.
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Lets face it, these tables are used in alfresco areas, which are for the most part, level footpaths etc.
Why not just use a table with 3 legs?