Cubbie, a personalised sensory space designed by ex-industrial designer David McIntyre, started as a solution to a problem he observed firsthand. As a father of four, two of whom are autistic, David noticed that traditional sensory rooms were often generic and fell short of meeting individual needs. Driven by his family’s experience, he began developing Cubbie in his garage, envisioning a system that could genuinely help people manage sensory stress through customisable, personalised programmes.
Cubbie is now the first product in its field where occupational therapists create tailored, immersive sensory experiences for individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities. Through a system called the “Cubbie Cloud,” users can access their unique sensory programmes from any Cubbie unit, whether they’re at school, in a clinic, or in other sensory-sensitive environments. Since its launch in 2021, the concept has taken off. Over 200 Cubbies are already in place across the UK and Ireland, particularly in schools and healthcare facilities.
As exciting as this growth has been, it has also brought some challenges typical of a start-up. To meet rising demand, Cubbie needed a manufacturing partner that could keep up with rapid turnaround times to maintain cash flow, manage stock inventory, and adapt for various settings. A local manufacturing partner was essential to avoid the headaches and costs of extensive shipping. On top of that, Cubbie’s modular design required a manufacturing partner with the flexibility to adapt the product for a range of environments.
This is where Alpha Manufacturing stepped in. Based in the Midlands, Alpha Manufacturing was ideally located to assist with logistics and offer a fully integrated solution. Cubbie’s design calls for a complex production process, involving both mechanical and electrical assembly, as well as custom wraps for each unit. Alpha Manufacturing could handle everything from raw materials to final assembly in-house, including the application of custom wraps on-site by their sister company, HEX Graphics. This setup made Cubbie’s operations much smoother and faster.
Working with Alpha Manufacturing enabled Cubbie to achieve a quick turnaround for each unit, a huge win for a start-up trying to keep pace with demand and control cash flow. With this efficiency, Cubbie could hold a modest quantity of stock units at their headquarters in Ireland, ready to ship as soon as needed. The partnership has gone beyond just logistics. Cubbie found a team they could rely on, always ready to provide advice, troubleshoot, or make last-minute changes to meet the needs of their growing customer base. The Alpha team’s expertise, particularly on specific adjustments and improvements, proved invaluable as Cubbie’s product continued to evolve.
Reflecting on the partnership, Cubbie’s Business Manager, Erin Rowley, shared, “Working with Alpha Manufacturing has been transformative for us. Their expertise and commitment to quality give us confidence that every Cubbie meets our standards, and their rapid turnaround keeps us on track as we grow. They truly go above and beyond for us.”
Robin Eley, Alpha’s Commercial Director, commented, “This ongoing project touches every part of our hugely diverse range of services, from laser cutting through to powder coating, sub-assembly, graphics printing, and even in-house manufacture of cardboard packaging. It is a tremendous example of our full in-house manufacturing approach to deliver a fully packaged product.”
Looking to the future, Cubbie has big plans. They’re aiming to expand across Europe and other continents, with their products already on their way to Brussels. With Alpha Manufacturing’s support, they’re excited to bring Cubbie’s impact to more people around the world, helping neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals alike manage their sensory needs in ways that make a real difference.
