Mission Statement
The purpose of Xit 404 is to provide quality products that improve its customer's experience during their activities. Quality products are ones that have been used in real life situations with a proven record of success. Another part of our mission is to answer our customer's requests for solutions not currently offered. Combining these ideas sets the foundation for a company that provides quality products, that fill a specific need, inspired by internal and external innovation.
Mike and Jody's Background
Mike and Jody own and operate E-M Designs, an engineering company, which had for over 30 years developed products for others. In 2001 they started E-M Manufacturing (www.emmanufacturing.com) that specializes in prototyping parts for the engineering community. Their newest adventure is starting a boutique resort, Salaya Beach Houses (www.salayabeachhouses.com), in one of their favorite dive locations. The resort is located in the Central Visayas, Negros Oriental, Philippines; approximately 30 minutes along the coast from Dumaguete City and its domestic airport. Opening in early 2014.
Their backgrounds in engineering and manufacturing were a good fit for what would be needed to start Xit 404 - it was a natural transition.
What started as a sport, soon became an obsession. Since beginning in November 2004, both have logged over 1000 dives, both in warm and temperate waters. In addition, from the start Jody took on underwater photography and after a year Mike started taking underwater videos.
After 1000's of pictures and many hours of video, both have started receiving awards for their work. They continue to dive and use their gear, traveling at least four times a year and putting in over 250 dives yearly.
During their time underwater they encountered a number of missing or difficult to use products. Wishing to improve their underwater experiences they resorted to making their own parts for personal use. Their needs for specialized products pushed the barriers of what was available.
Combining their backgrounds in engineering, manufacturing, diving, and underwater photo/video, MIke and Jody were able to develop a number of products that solved their problems. Others saw them using their "inventions" and asked about them. Based on this interest they started Xit 404.
Conservation
We believe that as divers we have a responsibility to further the conservation efforts of organizations dedicated to saving our underwater environment.
To this end, we practice reef-safe diving practices and encourage others to follow suit. This means having excellent buoyancy, don't touch or harass marine life, leave only bubbles, pick up trash whenever we see it, come to the aid of injured animals, encourage the use of coral safe sun block and discourage divers who do not follow these simple practices.
Our travels around the world are balanced by the educational effect of our pictures and videos. We enjoy educating others about marine life and the effects of human pressures on it - hopefully changing those people's ideas about helping to keep it safe. We donate a part of our proceeds from the sale of our products to non- profit organizations engaged in conservation work on our coral reefs and its inhabitants. Product end of life: please return any of your unused Xit 404 products to us and we will dispose of them in a safe manner. We will recycle the materials into future products whenever possible.