To: CIMA who wrote (5163 ) 7/27/1999 12:36:00 PM From: David Michaud Respond to of 150070
> 85 FN 27-Jul-99 at 05:49:00 11:51 Page 1 Kazz Industries' unique products find favour with upscale U.S. toy retailer Symbol: KAZ Subject: FPT PAPER National Post PDATE Tue 27 Jul 1999 EDITION National PAGE C5 HEADLINE Kazz Industries' unique products find favour with upscale U.S. toy retailer COMPANY Kazz Industries Inc. (Y/KAZ); FAO Schwarz BYLINE Greg Crone SOURCE Financial Post Calgary-based snowboard maker Kazz Industries Inc. is making a big splash in the United States. Two of its snowboard models have been picked to be distributed by U.S. toy retailer FAO Schwarz. And a snowboarder using a Kazz snowboard has recently been featured on a United States postage stamp. The stamp, part of a series featuring extreme sports, portrays professional snowboarder Daniel Karabacz using a Kazz "Secret Limited" model snowboard. FAO Schwarz, the world-famous toy store featured in the Tom Hanks movie Big, has picked up Kazz's "Colour Me" and "Clone" snowboards. The Colour Me is aimed at backyard use and comes with a box of crayons so children can colour their own graphics on the board. The colours eventually rub off so they can put a new design on it. The Clone, aimed at snowboarders of all ages, is billed as the world's first translucent snowboard and features an imbedded graphic of a skier frozen in the snow. Bill Morton, Kazz's president, said FAO Schwarz likes to sell unique products that can't be found anywhere else. "It's not something they normally go after because they don't deal in snowboards. They're more of a toy store, but they sell high-tech toys. And we're high tech." The boards will be premiered by FAO Schwarz in New York at its flagship Manhattan store, then rolled out to the rest of its stores in 38 U.S. cities. Retail prices for the boards have not yet been set. They will also be available in Canada this fall. Kazz will also soon be marketing a set of high-tech goggles. Called the "Vector," they feature an electronic "heads-up display" similar to the helmet visors used by jet fighter pilots, showing the wearer a variety of information including temperature, time, speed, distance, a digital compass and the pitch of the terrain. The lens will also lighten or darken to adjust to light conditions. "It will blow you away," said Mr. Morton. End of News