Roche Accu-Chek Kids Belt
Client snapshot
Roche is a global healthcare leader and, through its Accu-Chek brand, one of the reference names in diabetes care. For children using the Accu-Chek Insight system, Roche wanted a light, flexible belt that keeps the device secure and close to the body, while being fun enough for kids to wear every day.
The challenge
Roche came to Forward AP with a very specific brief and a fully defined design, developed by UK design consultancy Kinneir Dufort. Their team had done a detailed and thorough job, but there was a gap between the specifications and prototypes on one side and the reality of manufacturing on the other.
Our task was to bring the concept into production with as few visible changes as possible, while meeting Roche's standards for quality and compliance, and hitting the target cost.
The printed pattern added another layer of complexity. The graphics, designed and owned by Roche, had to appear in exactly the same position on the front panel of every belt, while the fabric layout had to be optimised to avoid leftovers and waste.
The solution
The first step was building the right supply chain. Forward AP identified and qualified a set of suppliers for the elastic fabric, the printing and the custom components, each able to deliver the consistency the design required.
To make the design manufacturable, the team made critical changes to the internal construction and the layout of the fabric panels. These changes stayed inside the product, so the belt kept the look of the original concept.
The belt is assembled with ultrasonic welding, giving clean, flat edges and a light, flexible construction. The side loops, where the elastic belt passes through, are custom injection-moulded in a TPR and POE blend. The material is strong enough to hold the belt securely, yet soft enough to be stitched through.
For the print, the panels were carefully positioned on the fabric so the graphics land in the same place on every front panel, while nesting as many pieces as possible per metre. The belt comes in two colourways, each with its own Roche pattern.
Outcome
After more than ten sample rounds, every stakeholder signed off on a belt that stays true to the original design, meets all required quality and compliance standards, and is produced at target cost. The project shows how Forward AP bridges the gap between an ambitious design concept and a product that can be manufactured consistently at scale.
