At outdoor company Kathmandu, Plymasters NZ Pine has featured in a complete re-think of merchandising that’s now leading the way throughout Australasia.

Simon Dickson of multi-million dollar, award-winning GDM Retail Systems, says a number of elements developed by the project’s architects and design team were groundbreaking including the affectionately named “caves”. This series of NZ Pine fins allows sleeping bags to be displayed hanging up so customers can touch them, and feel their weight. “No-one had done that before.”

The stores also have large, experiential NZ Pine ply tables for unrolling and handling products, (including prototypes), and distinctive, practical storage and merchandising systems.

NZ Pine’s robustness and ability to “hold its own” is central to the new designs’ success and will help keep stores looking pristine years later.

Simon says the exposed ply also contributes to a visual vocabulary that references the Southern Alps, nature, and Kathmandu (and their customers’) commitment to recycling and re-using.

• Products used for this project: Chilean Pine Ply