The latest infrared technology is being manufactured and distributed through local businesses right here in Jacksonville.
Entrepreneur Barnabas Helmy, CEO of the company SmashToast and creator of “The Puck”, will be at Recycled Cottage in Jacksonville tomorrow to demonstrate his new product and discuss his journey to market.
“The Puck” is designed to control multiple infrared devices from your cell phone. Recycled Cottage Co-Owner Nikki Baker says it’s exciting that this cutting edge technology is being locally manufactured and distributed.
“I was at the preview night at Innovate Springfield and I was so surprised, I did not know that (Helmy) was manufacturing and distributing it out of Jacksonville. I think that’s something to celebrate, and we’ve got the ability to be able to support that. It’s exciting, here’s something cutting edge, and I think we always think of that as being somewhere else and I thought we should know, no, it’s right here,” says Baker.
Elm City Center in Jacksonville handles the warehousing and shipping of the Puck, while CCK is in charge of the actual manufacturing. Elm City Center President Tom Frederick, who will also speak at tomorrow’s event, explains more about the Puck’s technology.
“Barnabas developed the Puck, which is a product which you could on a TV or electronic equipment and control it with your iPhone. He developed this over several years, we got to talking along the way and we’ve worked with him for quite a while here as he develops this and gets his patents together. We’ll warehouse it here and ship his orders from our facilities here in Jacksonville,” says Frederick.
Fredereick says the event shows that Jacksonville is an ideal location for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“This is a good opportunity to emphasize to entrepreneurs in the local area about products that are being sold locally and being manufactured locally, shipped locally.and to essentially celebrate that. If it can help Elm City be out there to help other people develop some product, whatever that product may be, we can help them with the warehousing and shipping. An organization like CCK can help them with the actual manufacturing of the device. It’s a coordination of local companies working together,” says Frederick.
The reception will take place in the main lobby of Recycled Cottage, located at 229 South Main, from noon until 2 p.m. tomorrow. Helmy will stick around and sell pucks until 5 p.m. The Puck is also available online at getpuck.com.