BUSINESS |

Magnetic levitation company is afloat

with novel

A NORTH Vancouver company is bringing levity to a world bound by gravi- ty.

Maglev Sales Inc. (MSI) was recently formed as an associated company of Pacific Levitation Systems Inc. (PLSI), a leader in magnetic levitation technology.

While PLSI focuses on indus- trial mag-lev applications such as frictionless magnetic bearings, MSI is pursuing the novelty and advertising specialty market. The potential spin-off products are limitless, given the eye-catching nature of levitation in action.

PLSI has already scored in the novelty arena with a levitating globe. MSI’s business plan iden- tifies other items including a mag-lev desk fan, floating pens, picture frames, calculaters, mobiles, bottles, cans as well as an educational levitator.

Enter Warnett Kennedy, self- described ‘‘flamboyant introvert’’ and man of ideas. Kennedy recently took on the job of direc- tor of design at MSI after ending a stint as a director at North Van- couver’s Plasma Computer Pro- ducts.

Right now he’s hot on the idea of turning the levitating globe into a larger Braille version so that the blind will be able to feel the rela- tive sizes and shapes of countries and continents.

high tech

Michael Becker

‘The satisfaction of the product arises from the fact that for the first time in history, thousands of individuals who are disabled by blindness will be able to imagine the physical reality of the planet in which they live,’’ Kennedy said.

As he speaks, he floats an even grander notion: Why not build a giant room-sized levitating globe, give it to the Canadian am- bassador who would then present it as a gift to the United Nations?

Kennedy says MSI is negotiating with Disney to market a levitating Mickey Mouse.

WV women market outdoor umbrellas

TWO WEST Vancouver women have set up a mini manufacturing plant in a West Vancouver house

and are now producing ‘‘the beautiful, simple market um- brella,””, a natural canvas um-

brella, which is very popular in Italy and California.

The umbrella is becoming the “statement of the ’90s’’ as an outdoor backyard umbrella.

Last year, Gillian Simpson, a well known West Vancouver ar- tist, decided to make one of the umbrellas for herself. She design- ed a large square umbrella which had the European ‘‘market’’ fook.

fcr a one year duration.

ex

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NOTICE TO MOTORISTS CASSIAR CONNECTOR PROJECT WALL STREET DETOUR

A 370 M temporary detour is presently being constructed north of Wall Street at Bridgeway Street. The opening of this 4 lane detour has been postponed until the weekend of July 7, 1990. The detour will be in effect

This detour will facilitate construction of structures at Bridgeway and associated roadworks for the Cassiar Connector Project.

Your cooperation and understanding regarding this matter is appreciated.

George Dean Construction Manager Fenco Lavalin Corp. Project Managers for the Cassiar Connector Project

For further information, please call the Ministry of Transportation and Highways Road Report Information System 660-9775.

Province of British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Highways Honourable Rita M. Johnston, Minister

She then teamed up with another West Vancouver resident, Tish Davis and, working out of Davis’ house, the two have now started a smal! cottage industry and are manufacturing the out- door umbrellas.

Research has shown that the use of a natural fibre cuts out all the ultra violet rays at the same time as providing real shade.

Simpson and Davis are now making custom umbrellas using fabrics in floral designs to match people’s patio furniture.

Simpson also paints designs on the canvas umbrellas for people wanting something unique.

ideas

For golfers he’s come up with an ideal trophy — the ‘‘hole in none.”’ ‘‘What it will be is a piece of green grass and then the golf ball suspended just above the hole,”’ he said.

Levitating spherical objects are not totally new to Kennedy. Looking back over his varied ca- reer in architectural and display design, he recalls an interplanetary spaceship and a brief brush with royalty.

He was commissioned by the British Board of Trade to design and build a futuristic space ship for the Hall of the Future exhibit cf the 1946 Britain Can Make It exhibition held in South Kens- ington.

A model of the round ship was suspended by wires above ‘‘the surface of the moon."’ At the time Kennedy was a member of the British Interplanetary Society, whose president was science-fic- tion novelist Arthur C. Clarke.

“Our thesis was that when the age of fission came :here would be unlimited power. You wouldn't need rockets to thrust through the atmosphere with great force. The day will come when you can assemble an entire city and let it go up through the atmosphere as slowly as you like with fission,’’ he said.

Many visitors filed past the model he displayed in the Hall of the Future. But on opening day

33 - Sunday, July 1, 1990 - Nurth Shore News

NEWS photo Neil Lucente

MAGLEV SALES’ flamboyantly introverted Warnett Kennedy displays the levitating globe, a novelty item produced by the company. Maglev Sales was recently formed «s an associate of Pacific Levitation Systems Inc., a North Vancouver-based world leader in magnetic levitation

technology.

he was requested to stand by the model so that he might explain it to his majesty King George VI.

Said Kennedy, ‘‘I stood by. He started looking at this thing and he couldn’t understand what he was looking at. The more | tried to explain, the more excited I became and the faster the accent (Scottish). And he couldn't under- stand a bloody word I was saying. His neck got red with anger and frustration. Oh, it was terrible.

“Then 1 get a tap on the shoulder and it was the Queen Mother. She asked me to step back and explain it to her. So I stepped back and went over the same thing with her. She siepped forward and I could see her ex- plain everything I said in detait (¢o the King). And I saw the color of his red neck suddenly go pale again and he turned around very graciously and shook hands and thanked me and then he walked away,’’ Kennedy said.

NOW OPEN

For improved claim service, a second ICBC claim centre is now open in North Vancouver, across

from the North Shore Winter Club.

B ° ° k s b a n k

The bad news is that auto

insurance claims continue to increase throughout B.C. The good news is that now North Shore residents have claim centres to choose from for fast, efficient service.

veesoguser

Main Street

pointment two

ICBC

If you're in a motor vehicle accident, call Dial-A-Claim, at 520-8222, to make an ap- . Please have your insurance papers, driver's licence and accident info ready when you call.

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