Lacuna Kites Acquired By Su and David (DK) Kay

1 March 2023

Kite industry veterans take over South African based kite brand. Su and David (DK) Kay joined Lacuna Kites on Dec 1st, 2022, and have taken over the design, manufacturing, and distribution of this well-known South African kite brand. This dynamic duo have been in the kite industry for two decades and have poured their love and passion into every brand they have worked for. Now, they get to do it for their own brand. “There was a possibility to buy a kite factory and as part of the due diligence, I got talking to Luke Thomas, the at the time owner of Lacuna, about what he was trying to do in that factory,” shares DK. “That led to a conversation of if we'd be interested in joining Lacuna because of our expertise in product, sales, distribution, and manufacturing. That conversation continued for a while, and it finally came to a point where he offered us the business as a whole.” The sale allows Luke to embark on other endeavors and return kiting to an enjoyable pastime. He will be staying on as ambassador and will be providing product feedback. “The reason why we bought Lacuna is its fantastic global image. It might not be known at every beach, but when people see an image of a Lacuna kite they know the brand immediately,” shares Su. “For us, it was a clear advantage to purchase such an outstanding brand rather than start something new since Lacuna has such a great track record.” Su and DK endeavor to continue this exceptional record by becoming the brand that kiters enjoy riding. “I want every kiter to feel confident because our kites are so easy and enjoyable to ride,” says Su. Su is the first female kite designer in the industry and will be the lead kite designer for Lacuna. She has a very diverse experience within the kite industry, including working with top designers from Cabrinha and Airush. “She has spent a lot of time on the beach tying bridles, tuning kites, and riding in all sorts of less than ideal conditions. She's arguably one of the most sensitive and most adept kite tuners in our industry,” boasts DK. The initial product offering under new ownership will include the three strut Omega all around kite, an all around twintip with bindings, and a bar. “Our goal is to produce gear that works simply and really well,” says DK. Products are slated to hit the Southern Hemisphere market by summer 2023 and will be available through existing distributors. DK has been a staple of the kite industry for more than 22 years. He is a product designer at heart and the first twin tip he ever rode was one he made. He has developed the kiteboarding design software and was instrumental in establishing the ISO Standard for safety in quick release. His role prior to Lacuna was design engineering and product design at Airush. His responsibilities at Lacuna will include product engineering and product management Su Kay has been working in the kiteboarding industry for 20 years including retail for a kite school, board laminator, kite instructor, quality control, product testing, customer service, sales management, and most recently as junior kite designer at Airush. Her role at Lacuna will be commercial management and kite design.

BIG GUNS JOIN LACUNA

This was the email title sent out by Brand founder Luke Thomas that marked the start of a new chapter for the Lacuna Brand. Read the story below of how this all came about. If you have an interesting story to share or question to ask, or additional information to share, please contact us .

Lacuna Kites Acquired By Su

and David (DK) Kay

1 January 2023

Kite industry veterans take over South African based kite brand. Su and David (DK) Kay joined Lacuna Kites on Dec 1st, 2022, and have taken over the design, manufacturing, and distribution of this well-known South African kite brand. This dynamic duo have been in the kite industry for two decades and have poured their love and passion into every brand they have worked for. Now, they get to do it for their own brand. “There was a possibility to buy a kite factory and as part of the due diligence, I got talking to Luke Thomas, the at the time owner of Lacuna, about what he was trying to do in that factory,” shares DK. “That led to a conversation of if we'd be interested in joining Lacuna because of our expertise in product, sales, distribution, and manufacturing. That conversation continued for a while, and it finally came to a point where he offered us the business as a whole.” The sale allows Luke to embark on other endeavors and return kiting to an enjoyable pastime. He will be staying on as ambassador and will be providing product feedback. “The reason why we bought Lacuna is its fantastic global image. It might not be known at every beach, but when people see an image of a Lacuna kite they know the brand immediately,” shares Su. “For us, it was a clear advantage to purchase such an outstanding brand rather than start something new since Lacuna has such a great track record.” Su and DK endeavor to continue this exceptional record by becoming the brand that kiters enjoy riding. “I want every kiter to feel confident because our kites are so easy and enjoyable to ride,” says Su. Su is the first female kite designer in the industry and will be the lead kite designer for Lacuna. She has a very diverse experience within the kite industry, including working with top designers from Cabrinha and Airush. “She has spent a lot of time on the beach tying bridles, tuning kites, and riding in all sorts of less than ideal conditions. She's arguably one of the most sensitive and most adept kite tuners in our industry,” boasts DK. The initial product offering under new ownership will include the three strut Omega all around kite, an all around twintip with bindings, and a bar. “Our goal is to produce gear that works simply and really well,” says DK. Products are slated to hit the Southern Hemisphere market by summer 2023 and will be available through existing distributors. DK has been a staple of the kite industry for more than 22 years. He is a product designer at heart and the first twin tip he ever rode was one he made. He has developed the kiteboarding design software and was instrumental in establishing the ISO Standard for safety in quick release. His role prior to Lacuna was design engineering and product design at Airush. His responsibilities at Lacuna will include product engineering and product management Su Kay has been working in the kiteboarding industry for 20 years including retail for a kite school, board laminator, kite instructor, quality control, product testing, customer service, sales management, and most recently as junior kite designer at Airush. Her role at Lacuna will be commercial management and kite design.

BIG GUNS JOIN

LACUNA

This was the email title sent out by Brand founder Luke Thomas that marked the start of a new chapter for the Lacuna Brand. Read the story below of how this all came about. If you have an interesting story to share or question to ask, or additional information to share, please contact us .