Industrial design takes imagination and flair

AT 25, Adam Long is an inventor – but not of the usual kind.

Forget the stereotype image of crazy hair, pulley systems and greasy hands — instead Long creates designs on a computer and uses the latest technology including laser cutters and 3D printers to engineer anything from toys to glasses.

“There’s something very addictive about imagining something then holding it in your hands, fresh out of the machine with beautiful `new creation’ smell,” Long said. “We all start out as creative people — remember papier mache and finger painting in preschool? But as we get older we forget what it’s like to create.”

After completing an honours degree in industrial design at the University of NSW, the Potts Point local launched Beehive, a studio of industrial designers who specialise in new-age digital manufacturing.

Long said he was inspired to start Beehive because he enjoyed prototyping in 3D printing, laser cutting and using a tool that makes objects from wood called CNC routing at university.

“The lucky break was finding a business partner who could finance Beehive. I had been volunteering with Engineers Without Borders Australia since 2005 and its founder, serial entrepreneur Daniel Almagor, was the perfect match,” Long said.

Passionate about sustainability, Long said although there were many digital manufacturers in Australia, very few specialised in artistic designs.

“There are many digital manufacturers, but most just want to deal with engineers. We specialise in helping artists, designers and regular creative people make their ideas real.”

Clients can design their own products out of almost any material, including wood, leather, acrylic, felt or bamboo, and Long and his team will design the product and print it.

“We’re the only sustainable digital manufacturer in Australia and are constantly finding new materials to work with, from hand-made recycled plastics from Oxfam India through to leather made of discarded skins at a Perth fishery,” Long said. “A new company is like a baby, you have to nurture every part of it from its physical functioning to its identity.

“I have a first-class team of industrial designers, engineers and entrepreneurs working on Beehive, so most of my day is spent building their ideas and turning them into systems.

“The rest of the time is spent running the equipment, making repairs, coding software for the website and building partnerships.

“The equipment we use is cutting edge technology. Because it’s so new it often breaks down and needs urgent repairs at all hours of the day or night.”

But all the hard work is forgotten when he has a satisfied customer.

“The look on customers’ faces when their vague idea becomes something tangible they can hold,” he said. “That feeling you had as a kid of wanting to show off everything you made never went away — it’s just this is the first opportunity for people to express it in adult creations.”