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Special Report

Best Efforts

The whole industry wins when WCMA presents its Product Innovation Awards.

by Howard Shingle

The entries were fewer this year, as were the awards, but the innovative designs, style enhancements and new merchandising programs presented by window coverings manufacturers at this year's Product Innovation Awards were as impressive and notable as ever. Sponsored by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA), the awards are the industry's top competition for showcasing the newest product developments and latest design tweaks that occur regularly in the engineering and manufacturing end of the business. Each product submitted for judging had been introduced within the previous calendar year (2000) or debuted at the International Window Coverings Expo in New Orleans, LA, in April where the winners were officially announced and displayed. The conventional wisdom for this year's modest number of entries (compared to the record-setting 82 entries last year and in 1999) was that manufacturers had their hands full with modifications to the inner lift cords of horizontal blinds and a recall to repair issued late in the year by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. (See D&WC, December 2000) Still, it should be noted that the awards are open to all window coverings manufacturers and not just WCMA members, although WCMA member companies get the benefit of reduced entry fees. The objective is to spotlight the best efforts within an industry that strives to keep expanding or improving its product offering, and more companies should take advantage of this opportunity to be recognized. Ultimately, it's the whole industry that benefits—from manufacturers to fabricators, retailers and consumers. TOP HONORS This year's Product of the Year Award was presented to Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, Upper Saddle River, NJ, for its Provenance™ woven wood shades. Although certainly not a never-before-seen product category in the annals of window coverings, this new line does include many noteworthy features: its style is on target with current market trends; its color-coordinated multiple yarns are made for style and durability; and its 37 SKUs of bamboo, reed, grass and wood slats come in a host of weave patterns and sizes with a separate micro-pleated shade option for room-darkening light control. The Provenance line also was chosen Best New Style Concept in the Wood Blinds and Shadings category. Hunter Douglas was singled out for a new overall award: Industry Innovation of the Year. Its Professional Installer Programsm/Smartlinksm Internet Testing recognizes the installer's importance in the window treatment selling process. After enrolling in the program, an installer receives educational materials, which the company says aim to set the standard for training excellence. As the installer works through the program, Smartlink Internet Testing provides online testing with immediate results. Smartlink makes excellent use of Internet technology to further industry education and coordinates with other Hunter Douglas training programs as well. The Technical Innovation Award was presented this year to Comfortex Window Fashions, Maplewood, NY, for its ComforTrack™ Energy Saving Side Track System. Made of durable, high-tech plastic, the sidetracks attach to window frames and work with a groove cut into the edges of Comfortex double-honeycomb shades. The result is a barrier between the window and the room to significantly reduce energy loss along the edges of drafty, leaky windows. The Side Track system was cited for two other awards as well. It was selected Most Innovative Overall Design and Best New Safety Innovation in the Cellular Shades category. NOTEWORTHY ENTRIES Although fewer in number this year, there still were several products or lines that deserve attention (see the complete list of winning entries accompanying this article). Kirsch, Freeport, IL, swept the Drapery Hardware category, winning for Best New Technical Innovation, Best New Style Concept, Most Innovative Overall Design and even an Honorable Mention. This year, the Style Concept award was sub-divided for the mass market and for designers. Kirsch's colored café rods were selected best new style concept for the mass market and a new line, Jewel of the Crown, from Raymond Waites was chosen in the designer market. Another new line, the Adesso Collection, received Honorable Mention. Geared to a young, up-and-coming market, the collection of rods and finials feature bright colors, unusual and fun shapes and styling with a definite European flair. In Alternative Shading Products, a category created just a few years ago, Comfortex was awarded Best New Technical Innovation for its Stardust™ Soft Sheer Verticals. The highlight here was the ease with which the fabric and vanes can be removed for cleaning. The headrail also allows for either side or split stack. Several new fabrics were added to Hunter Douglas' Silhouette® Window Shadings line, which along with Luminette Privacy Sheers® virtually created this category, to garner the Best New Style Concept Award. In the Merchandising category, Hunter Douglas was selected for the Best Dealer Education Award for its Opportunities in Space 2 program. The program recognizes that dealers often need help with their stores, and offers ideas and guidelines to effectively plan, layout and design their showrooms. This year, it was especially nice to see new companies joining in the competition—and receiving awards. Milliken & Co., Spartanburg, SC, was a new entry with its Natural Elegance program, a line of fabrics that can be used as drapery panels or fabricated into pleated shades and roller shades. This versatility helped it win Best New Style Concept in the Pleated and Roller Shades category.

WCMA PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARDS WINNERS
PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Hunter Douglas, Provenance™ Woven Woods
INDUSTRY INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Hunter Douglas, Professional Installer
Programsm/Smartlinksm Internet Testing
TECHNICAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Comfortex, ComforTracks™
Energy Saving Side Track System
ALTERNATIVE SHADING PRODUCTS
Best New Technical Innovation	Comfortex, Stardust™ Soft Sheer Verticals
Best New Style Concept	Hunter Douglas, Sillhoutte® Window Shadings
CELLULAR SHADES
Best New Technical Innovation	Comfortex, Universal Deluxe™ Hardware Systems
Most Innovative Overall Design	Comfortex, ComforTracks™ Energy Saving Side Track System
Best New Safety Innovation	Comfortex, ComforTracks™ Energy Saving Side Track System
DRAPERY HARDWARE
Best New Technical Innovation	Kirsch, Waverly Drapery Hardware
Best New Style Concept for Mass Market	Kirsch, 13/16-inch Colored Café Rods
Best New Style Concept Designer	Kirsch, Raymond Waites, Jewel of the Crown
Most Innovative Overall Design	Kirsch, Raymond Waites, Jewel of the Crown
Honorable Mention	Kirsch, Adesso Collection
HORIZONTAL BLINDS
Best New Style Concept	Direct Window Fashions, Sheer Ale
MERCHANDISING
Best New Sampling Program	Hunter Douglas, Luminette Privacy Sheers® Sample Package
Most Innovative Point of Sale Program	Kirsch, Waverly Drapery Hardware
Best Dealer Education	Hunter Douglas, Opportunities in Space 2 Store Planning and Display Program
PLEATED AND ROLLER SHADES
Best New Technical Innovation	MechoShade Systems, Inc., Soleil™ Roman Shade and Hardware Operating System
Best New Style Concept	Milliken & Co., Natural Elegance as a pleated shade and Natural Elegance as a roller shade
SPECIALTY APPLICATIONS
Best New Technical Innovation	VIMCO Shading Systems, Ultra Quiet Sivoia Motorized Shade System
Most Innovative Overall Program	Hunter Douglas, Professional Installer Programsm/Hunter Douglas Smartlinksm Internet Testing
Best New Safety Innovation	Harmonic Design, Inc., Sensor Shade Two-inch Horizontal Tilt System
WOOD BLINDS AND SHADINGS (WOOD/FAUX WOOD)
Best New Technical Innovation	Comfortex, Plantation ShutterBlinds™
Best New Style Concept	Hunter Douglas, Provenance™ Woven Woods