PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

We have developed products for a wide assortment of industries and organizations and undertaken projects of all sizes and complexities. Over the years, we have attained an understanding of the challenges facing our clients during all phases of new product development.

Whether your product is a new idea or the redesign of an existing product, our staff can take your ideas from concept to a finished, marketable product.

Keystone's integrated product development is based on the integrated design of products and their manufacturing and support processes. We assess the manufacturability, reliability, and supportability of the product.

Product Review

Keystone Gate's expert team will review your idea, product, invention or concept for feasibility, design, and potential markets. A confidential report is produced with recommendations.

Concept Engineering

Keystone Gate's design team brings 30+ years of innovation and design excellence to our clients. By discovering and enhancing the functional, emotional, cultural and social benefits inherent in a product, we increase the overall value to the end user.

Strategic Product Planning

A product development strategy provides the framework to orient a company's development projects as well as its development process. There is no one right strategy for a company. The strategy takes into account the company's capabilities (strengths, weaknesses and core competencies), the competition's capabilities (strengths, weaknesses, core competencies and strategy), market needs and opportunities, goals, and financial resources. As a starting point to develop a product development strategy, we help the company determine its primary strategic orientation.

Prototyping

Keystone Gate produces high quality prototypes for large and small companies. We are a full-service prototyping engineering, model shop and product development company. We offer a broad range of capabilities. We are service oriented and produce fast, accurate, quality parts and models

Patents, CR & TM

Keystone Gate conducts patent and trademark searches, prepare and handle U.S., foreign and international applications, and help our clients use their rights in business or sell or license these rights.

A patent is a property right granted by the U.S. federal government to an inventor to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the U.S. or importing the invention into the U.S. for a limited period of time. In return for the patent grant, the inventor must provide a public disclosure of the invention in the form of the issued patent.

During the period of protection, a patent entitles the inventor to monetary gain from being the exclusive source of the invention, or from the sale or license of patent rights.

A copyright establishes ownership of original works of authorship "fixed" in any tangible medium of expression. A copyright applies to the expression of an idea, whether published or not. Once an original work is created and fixed, copyright exists.

There are two basic types of marks: trademarks and service marks. Trademarks identify the source of goods, while service marks identify the source of services.

Words, symbols, letters, slogans, designs, features of packaging, color combinations, animations and even sounds may be used as trademarks or service marks.

Branding & Licensing

Keystone Gate specializes in branding as a particular kind of marketing communication. We focus on helping companies understand, craft, measure and leverage the essence of their corporate and product brands and help them create this valuable asset.

Branding transforms the way companies conduct business. We use objective measures and methodologies to create superior brand intelligence. We analyze critical data that allows us to relate branding efforts to bottom line financial performance.

Keystone Gate can help our clients facilitate licensing agreements and assignments.

A licensing agreement typically involves royalty payments based upon a percentage of sales. An assignment usually refers to selling the patent rights for one lump sum, but may also include royalties. The difference between the two is that by assigning the patent rights to another party, you are transferring legal title to that patent. What this means is that once the patent is assigned you no longer own or have any control of the patent. If the company you assigned the patent to later acts against your wishes or falls into the hands of unsympathetic third parties, you might find that there is very little that you can do about it.

Through licensing of your invention, you retain ownership to the rights to that patent and thus retain control of who manufactures and who sells it. And as the owner of the patent rights, you can license your invention to as many companies as you choose.

Manufacturing Process

Your product is only as good as its suppliers. Keystone helps our clients by designating specific qualifying vendors and suppliers for the materials and services critical to its success. Efficient channels with these dedicated sources yield fast and efficient quoting on prototyping, procurement, and materials issues. We place quality first at every stage of the design pipeline.

Product Packaging

Packaging innovation is increasingly important in the development of new consumer products. We help clients to develop unique functional packaging, which offers the consumer value and enhances sales margins.