Springfield-based Kuat Innovations LLC, best known for its hitch bike racks for vehicles, is expanding into new territory with a product line named after wild goats.
In 2023, the bike rack company introduced the Ibex, an aluminum, durable truck-bed rack that customers can tailor to their needs. The bed rack is named after a species of wild goats known for large, recurved horns and for sure-footedness in rocky and rough terrain.
The new product launched Kuat into overlanding, or all-terrain vehicle camping, and with it, a new chapter in the company's 15-year run, said National Sales Manager Tom Lampe. Bike racks will still be Kuat's bread and butter, but overlanding presents new opportunities for the Springfield company to grow, he said.
“People love gear and they love their cars and they love getting outside,” Lampe said at the company's headquarters in December. “When you mix all of those things together, you come up with this neat category of overlanding and we fit that really well.”
What is overlanding?
Overlanding is characterized by long-distance travel over rough terrain using off-road vehicles. The activity often includes Land Rovers, four-wheel-drive trucks and Jeeps, usually lifted to get into spaces the vehicles otherwise couldn't.
Overlanding often involves camping, as a trip can mean spending days or weeks on the trail. Truck beds are fitted with tents, so setting up camp on the road is a breeze. It also includes the possibility of side activities, such as snowboarding, mountain biking or kayaking.
The trend of overland adventuring is having a massive economic impact. The global off-road vehicle market is expected to reach $16 billion in 2023, according to the Off-Road Vehicle Global Market Report. By 2027, it is expected to total $21 billion.
“Overlanding is rapidly growing. There are more and more people getting into that every day,” Lampe said. “That vehicle-supported adventure...has become such a new category because I think it blends people who love getting out in the outdoors, but also love accessorizing their vehicle, too.”
Overlanding's uphill entry costs
With Kuat's Ibex starting at $1,489, overlanding doesn't come cheap. The company introduced a panel system addition for the Ibex in late 2023 that allows for more customization and protection. The panel addition will also cost $1,489 and will be available in the second or third quarter of 2024, according to the company website.
Like all of Kuat's products, the Ibex bed rack is meant to take a beating. With all-aluminum construction, stainless steel hardware and a ballistic black-powder coating, it can withstand all the elements the trail can throw at it.
Because overlanding includes so many side activities, enthusiasts usually pair the Ibex with other Kuat products, like one of Kuat's internationally-recognized bike racks, or one of their snowboarding or ski racks, or even a kayak rack. Kuat makes a few other products as part of its overlanding venture, including the Huk tailgate pad.
“That's the neat thing about the product and the overlanding category: Everything is so adaptable,” Lampe said. “You pick your vehicle. You pick your frame. Then you pick your adventure.”
Kuat isn't done introducing new products for overlanding enthusiasts, Lampe said.
“The ceiling is pretty high in the overland category and there's a lot of accessories and different things we can introduce into that category and really expand our assortment,” Lampe said.
“As we continue to dominate in the bike category, I think overlanding is going to provide us with the best growth,” Lampe said.
Direct-to-customer sales, new revenue sharing
Upon customer request, Kuat started direct-to-consumer sales in early 2023, Lampe said. Customers can call in and order any product directly over the phone. Direct-to-customer sales only make up a small portion of total revenue, but it's allowed a more personal connection with customers, he said.
The new sales method forced the company to come up with a new revenue sharing model that allows for a stronger partnership between Kuat and its retail partners, Lampe said.
For every direct-to-consumer sale, a portion of the sale is distributed among the retail partners in the geographic region of that particular sale, Lampe said. For example, if someone from Springfield calls Kuat to order a bike rack, Kuat's Springfield retail partners — including Sunshine Bike Shop, A&B Cycle and Howler Bike Co. and more — will all get a small portion of the profits of that sale.
Kuat ends up cutting quarterly checks to its retail partners as part of the new revenue-sharing model, Lampe said. The company has more than 200 retailers across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and a few other countries, he said.
Kuat's Springfield digs
In late-2018, Kuat officially moved into its headquarters, located at 2240 N. Alliance Ave. The 40,000-square-foot warehouse and corporate office cost $3.6 million, according to the Springfield Business Journal. All of Kuat's products are shipped from its Springfield headquarters, Lampe said.
Kuat's 14-acre grounds are made for an outdoor enthusiast. Close to two miles of mountain bike trails surround the property, which also includes a 6-hole disc golf course, a community garden and small dog park.
Of course, you can bike to Kuat's office. Their grounds practically connect to the Frisco Highline Trail, a perk its employees take advantage of often, said Marketing Manager Kristy Taylor.
The warehouse workers know how to have fun. There's a pickleball court taped off on the ground with fiercely-competitive tournaments happening almost daily. There are even two designated spots for judges, complete with recliner-like camping chairs.
The company's roots in Springfield means it is unlikely to ever change the location of its headquarters, Lampe said.
Those close-knit relationships is one of “the neat things about Kuat,” Lampe said. A lot of Kuat employees “went to high school together.”
“We have known each other for a long time. I mean, my brother works here. My boss' son works here. There are roots and families here.”
