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Special
Report
Top
of the Line
WCMA announces the 2004 Product Innovation Award Winners
The Window Covering Manufacturers
Association (WCMA), New York, NY, has announced the winners of its
Product Innovation Awards. WCMA received 68 entries and the judges
selected 28 award-winners.
“As always, it is wonderful to see how hard the industry works
to continually bring innovative products and services to consumers,”
said Carolynn Jennings, WCMA executive director.
All entries were judged in one of the following product categories:
Alternative Shading Products, Cellular Shades, Curtains and Draperies,
Drapery Hardware, Horizontal Blinds, Motorization, Pleated and Roller
Shades, Shutters, Specialty Applications, Vertical Blinds, Wood
Blinds and Shadings (Wood/Faux Wood) and Merchandising. In each
category, the judges recognized entries for Best New Technical Innovation,
Best New Style Concept and Most Innovative Overall Design.
In addition, the judges awarded Product of the Year to Hunter Douglas
Window Fashions for its Trio™ Convertible Shades, marketed
as “Three Beautiful Views, One Beautiful Shade.”
The industry judges included Susan Arann, ASID, past president,
American Society of Interior Designers New York Metropolitan Chapter;
Jeff Kaplan, owner, innuWindow (see D&WC, March 2002, page 28);
Leonard Mozer, window fashions editor, LDB Interior Textiles; Jo-Anne
Pier, retail merchandising editor, Home Magazine and Metropolitan
Home Magazine; and William Presser, senior buyer for blinds, shades,
shutters and decorative hardware, JC Penney.
Winners will be honored at a reception at the International Window
Coverings Expo (IWCE) in Baltimore, MD.
For the past 14 years the Product Innovation Awards Program has
bestowed over 300 awards (see D&WC, April 2003, page 28).
WCMA 2004 PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARDS
PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Trio Convertible Shades
ALTERNATIVE SHADING PRODUCTS
Best New Technical Innovation
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Trio Convertible Shades.
Best New Style Concept
Comfortex Window Fashions
Serenade™ Roman Style Shade New Fabric Collection
Most Innovative Overall Design
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Alouette™ Light Louvers
Honorable Mention
Springs Window Fashions
Snyergy™
CELLULAR SHADES
Best New Technical Innovation
Comfortex
EZ-EQ
Best New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Enhancements to Duette® Honeycomb Shades
CURTAINS AND DRAPERIES
Best New Style Concept
Waverly
Sheer Tie Up Shade
Most Innovative Overall Design
Trule Custom Inc.
Readymade Draperies
DRAPERY HARDWARE
Best New Technical Innovation
Levolor Kirsch Window Fashions
Kirsch Estate Ultra Two-inch Decorative Traverse Rod
HORIZONTAL
Best New Technical Innovation
Techniku
TH950
Best New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Modern Precious Metals™ Aluminum Blinds
MOTORIZATION
Best New Technical Innovation
Somfy Systems for Harmonic Design, Inc.
Harmonic Designs System II Technology
Honorable Mention
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Hardwire motorization for Remembrance® Window Shades
Most Innovative Overall Design
Techniku
LR1000 with TouchControl™
SHUTTERS
Best New Technical Innovation
Abstrax, Inc.
AMI (Advanced Manufacturing Integrator)
SPECIALTY APPLICATIONS
Best New Technical Innovation
Levolor/Kirsch Window Fashions
QuickShade
Honorable Mention
Redi Shade, Inc.
Redi Arch™
Best New Style Concept
FUA Window Coverings Ltd.
Lambrequin Series Headrails
VERTICALS
Best New Style Concept
Royal Window Coverings Canada
Cornice Valance—Vertical PVC Blinds
WOOD BLINDS AND SHADINGS
(WOOD/FAUX WOOD)
Best New Technical Innovation
Royal Window Coverings USA
Royal Trends™
Best New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Enhancements to Country Woods® Collection™
Wood Blinds
MERCHANDISING
Best Advertising and Promotional Program
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
“Ettesclusively”™ Hunter Douglas
Honorable Mention
Levolor/Kirsch Window Fashions
QuickShade Collateral
Most Innovative Point of Sale Program
Comfortex Window Fashions
Comfortex Retail Showroom Displays
Best New Sampling Program
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Alouette Light Louvers Merchandising Kit
Honorable Mention
Levolor/Kirsch Window Fashions
Kirsch Cellular Shades Sample Book
Best Industry Education Program
Comfortex Window Fashions
Solutions for Safety/Window Covering Safety Month
Honorable Mention
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Heritance® Hardwood Shutters Training Programs
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