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Inventor Graham sets £1.2 billion benchmark. . .
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| BRAINWAVE: Inventor Graham Smith |
A PROLIFIC Southampton inventor has landed himself a slice of a £1.2 BILLION annual advertising deal with a contract to supply one of the world's biggest retailers with a promotional plastic bench.
The well known US retailer, which cannot be named for contractual reasons, has ordered 10,000 benches made out of recycled plastic bags with solar powered lightboxes for advertising.
They got in contact after reading about inventor Graham Smith's idea in the Daily Echo. As previously reported, his first customer was a major UK supermarket, which can now be named as Tesco.
Britain's biggest retailer, Tesco is taking 3,000 of the benches for its UK stores, with the first expected to go into the Bursledon superstore within a fortnight. Unlike that deal, the US retail giant is getting the benches at cost price in return for giving Mr Smith's company Greyhatch a cut of the £1.2 billion advertising revenue the benches are expected to generate. Spanish and French bus companies are also in negotiations with Grayhatch to take a further 3,000 benches at bus stops. Jeans brand Levi Straus is also in talks about a contract to supply environmentally friendly lightboxes for its stores.
It all adds up to a boom for Shirley double glazing supplier The Window Company, which will be involved in producing all 6,000 benches. The benches in the US deal will be built in Ohio. The environmentally friendly benches are just the latest in a long line of invention from Mr Smith, a former Bitterne Park pupil.
Previous inventions include safety handles for wheelbarrows, solar powered vending machines and toothbrushes with water in the handle to combat disease, which are now being issued to British soldiers on active service abroad.In total, Grayhatch, which is run with business partner Andy Hatcher, has 30 patents either already established or pending. "Generating electricity to light adverts to persuade people to buy products is wrong. We knew this had to happen,'' said Mr Smith, 44.
"I still can't believe I got one of the world's biggest retailers to buy into it but they have realised what they can make from it and what they can do for the environment. They read about us in the Daily Echo - that's how they found us.''
10:59am Friday 16th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Peter Matthews, Winchester Hants on 2:32pm Fri 16 May 08
It is about time that companies were in fact made to have this sort of lighting. To just illuminate posters from grid connect electricity to me seems environmental terrorism. [bold]SO WELL DONE GRAHAM SMITH...[/bold] And all involved at www.grayhatch.com went on the website and that is also impressive.
It is about time that companies were in fact made to have this sort of lighting. To just illuminate posters from grid connect electricity to me seems environmental terrorism.
SO WELL DONE GRAHAM SMITH... And all involved at www.grayhatch.com went on the website and that is also impressive.
Posted by: Sheitma Pance, Soton on 3:39pm Fri 16 May 08
Grayhatch.com are a SPANISH company.
When I contacted them to offer them my invention the agreement they wanted signing would have transferred almost ALL rights to my invention over to them, with virtually no guarantee I would get anything. I would have become a "contractor" to the company, all ideas becominh theirs.
If you are an inventor, looking for someone to develop your ideas tread VERY carefully before you reveal anything!
Grayhatch.com are a SPANISH company.
When I contacted them to offer them my invention the agreement they wanted signing would have transferred almost ALL rights to my invention over to them, with virtually no guarantee I would get anything. I would have become a "contractor" to the company, all ideas becominh theirs.
If you are an inventor, looking for someone to develop your ideas tread VERY carefully before you reveal anything!
Posted by: hannah, soton on 4:54pm Fri 16 May 08
Wow this sounds like a great idea!! Everybody goes on about how we should save the environment but you rarely see anything this big happening, and in our local supermarkets too!!!
Well done Graham!!
Wow this sounds like a great idea!! Everybody goes on about how we should save the environment but you rarely see anything this big happening, and in our local supermarkets too!!!
Well done Graham!!
Posted by: Ranjit, Mumbai on 4:54pm Fri 16 May 08
My comment is being that having adverts is needed. companies must advertise in newspapers etc...but having this renewable advertising instead of normal mains power lighting boxes i see them all over tha place. This way must be saving the planet so all of us should want this to save futures or we all perish it is so easy to understand why this has happened.
My comment is being that having adverts is needed. companies must advertise in newspapers etc...but having this renewable advertising instead of normal mains power lighting boxes i see them all over tha place. This way must be saving the planet so all of us should want this to save futures or we all perish it is so easy to understand why this has happened.
Posted by: Ranjit on 4:58pm Fri 16 May 08
No knowing if i can have 2 goes at syaing thing. But also made from plastic bags all recycled really good thing. Must support this line of business Thanking you Ranjit.
No knowing if i can have 2 goes at syaing thing. But also made from plastic bags all recycled really good thing. Must support this line of business Thanking you Ranjit.
Posted by: Jeremy Parr, Eastleigh on 5:14pm Fri 16 May 08
I contacted several companies with my idea of an invention and they all requested money to help me with my idea, i then contacted grayhatch after hearing graham on radio solent, and they have been nothing but supportive and helpful, i havent had to hand over any money and they signed an agreement saying i was not entitled to stay with them or hand over all my rights it even protected me from them patenting my idea if i did decide to continue without them. I would strongly recommend anyone with an idea to contact them.
And i hope to have as much success as Graham in the future.
I contacted several companies with my idea of an invention and they all requested money to help me with my idea, i then contacted grayhatch after hearing graham on radio solent, and they have been nothing but supportive and helpful, i havent had to hand over any money and they signed an agreement saying i was not entitled to stay with them or hand over all my rights it even protected me from them patenting my idea if i did decide to continue without them. I would strongly recommend anyone with an idea to contact them.
And i hope to have as much success as Graham in the future.
Posted by: DES, DERBY (FORMERLY SOTON) on 6:34pm Fri 16 May 08
[bold]SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT & MAKING MONEY. THAT'S SOME INVENTOR......WHY CAN'T I THINK OF THESE THINGS?[/bold]
SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT & MAKING MONEY. THAT'S SOME INVENTOR......WHY CAN'T I THINK OF THESE THINGS? Posted by: Tanya safe, Florida West Palm Beach on 12:48am Sat 17 May 08
As a mother of two young children why do i just love this type of story?
I often look at the echo website coming from Fareham. Local news etc. whats happening back home..Like Des i cant believe this guy has actually done this if you could see the number of signs each night in our area that could now all be solar powered. Thanks really mean thanks do not know what else to say im still stunned. I saw this in January, echo web page and well im still stunned.
As a mother of two young children why do i just love this type of story?
I often look at the echo website coming from Fareham. Local news etc. whats happening back home..Like Des i cant believe this guy has actually done this if you could see the number of signs each night in our area that could now all be solar powered. Thanks really mean thanks do not know what else to say im still stunned. I saw this in January, echo web page and well im still stunned.
Posted by: Sandra, Spain on 1:31am Sat 17 May 08
Graham Smith might be a good inventor but Tesco and any others should be congratulated also for buying them.
Graham Smith might be a good inventor but Tesco and any others should be congratulated also for buying them.
Posted by: Abigail francesca on 1:33am Sat 17 May 08
Reading the above comments just shows how some people can be very ignorant. Advertising, is as any retailer will confirm, vital. I myself am a beautician, and working in a hair salon. As you can imagine, who would ever know I was there without advertisement? Most people are aware of the money crisis at this current moment in time, and without advertisement, I would not be making the salon any money. The as advertising any product, itīs crucial. Thank you Mr.Smith for such a *bright* idea. It is something environmentally friendly, useful and is, as many people will agree, a good idea. well done.
Reading the above comments just shows how some people can be very ignorant. Advertising, is as any retailer will confirm, vital. I myself am a beautician, and working in a hair salon. As you can imagine, who would ever know I was there without advertisement? Most people are aware of the money crisis at this current moment in time, and without advertisement, I would not be making the salon any money. The as advertising any product, itīs crucial. Thank you Mr.Smith for such a *bright* idea. It is something environmentally friendly, useful and is, as many people will agree, a good idea. well done.
Posted by: Abigail francesca on 1:37am Sat 17 May 08
oh, and also, the amount of people who shall see it. sitting on a bench..
well done! and thank-you.
oh, and also, the amount of people who shall see it. sitting on a bench..
well done! and thank-you.
Posted by: Jolly Zong, Blog.3 Yue Peng Industrial Zone,Guanlan,Shenzhe
n,China on 9:16am Fri 23 May 08
You are a really smart get a so good idea.I alway like to the environment situation.I can imagine if everyone make a contribution in the environment that the world will be more civilized and feel the beautifu life in the peace!!
You are a really smart get a so good idea.I alway like to the environment situation.I can imagine if everyone make a contribution in the environment that the world will be more civilized and feel the beautifu life in the peace!!
Posted by: Mark Newbury, MD Grayhatch, Spain on 2:14pm Fri 23 May 08
[quote][bold]Sheitma Pance[/bold] wrote:
Grayhatch.com are a SPANISH company. When I contacted them to offer them my invention the agreement they wanted signing would have transferred almost ALL rights to my invention over to them, with virtually no guarantee I would get anything. I would have become a "contractor" to the company, all ideas becominh theirs. If you are an inventor, looking for someone to develop your ideas tread VERY carefully before you reveal anything![/quote] Dear Sheitma,
I have looked through all our contact notes and can find no details of anyone under your most unfortunate name. If however you have the balls to actually put up your real name and contact me personally, I can assure you that you would not sign anything that takes your rights away and our NDA agreement is a two way agreement that ultimately will protect you, the inventor. For the record, I totally agree with advice in your last statement as there are far many people, "Pirates", too eager to steal good ideas.
Sheitma Pance wrote:
Grayhatch.com are a SPANISH company. When I contacted them to offer them my invention the agreement they wanted signing would have transferred almost ALL rights to my invention over to them, with virtually no guarantee I would get anything. I would have become a "contractor" to the company, all ideas becominh theirs. If you are an inventor, looking for someone to develop your ideas tread VERY carefully before you reveal anything!
Dear Sheitma,
I have looked through all our contact notes and can find no details of anyone under your most unfortunate name. If however you have the balls to actually put up your real name and contact me personally, I can assure you that you would not sign anything that takes your rights away and our NDA agreement is a two way agreement that ultimately will protect you, the inventor. For the record, I totally agree with advice in your last statement as there are far many people, "Pirates", too eager to steal good ideas.
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