With a passion for helping users transport anything they care about safely, easily, and in style, Thule is known for products ranging from roof-mounted bike carriers to camera slings.

They’ve now turned their attention to helping their active clientele protect their MacBook Pros — and look great to boot. 

As a brand that assists and supports the products of other brands, Thule has a keen awareness and appreciation of the design of those products.

 

Maintaining the aesthetics of the MacBook Pro was a key consideration. Thule wanted a case to protect yet complement the styling details and iconic surface finish of the computer — not conceal them.

Reworking the design

But taking the design into production posed some unique challenges for the project.

“Apple products are produced with such fine tolerances that it’s difficult to manufacture at the same level that they do,” 

Ross Brinkman, TEAMS Industrial Designer. 

 

Originally, the concept called for the Vectros to be produced in two parts: the hard outer shell and the soft inner core. But when production capabilities were jeopardizing the success of this execution, the design was reworked to take advantage of co-molding.

Instead of adhering two separately molded parts, one material was injection-molded directly on to the other. Our internal team, the designers at Thule, and the experts at the production facility all worked closely to pull off the changes needed to bring the ideal to fruition

Want more?

Bosch diy
Just do it yourself.
Chicago cutlery
A sharp idea.
Smith's
Designing on the edge.