Product design receives excellence award

August 2006 News

The disa Design Excellence Awards has been organised by the SABS Design Institute for close on 40 years under different names. The awards scheme aims to recognise the achievements of South African product designers, while at the same time encouraging local product design and manufacture, and promoting international competitiveness of local products. Products entered into this awards scheme must be available on the market, should have a service record of at least one year and must have been designed in South Africa.

In May 2006, 16 products received this award at a ceremony held in Midrand. One of these products is the Terra Grader designed by Luigi Quaroni and Johan Wessels. It is a gravel road maintenance machine that costs half the price of a conventional grader. Its features include fire fighting equipment, a water tanker, compaction roller, a ripper and towing by a tractor.

In a speech Mr Mandisi Mpahlwa, the minister of the Department of Trade and Industry, said that there are already programmes and interventions that have been put in place by government to address South Africa's design capacity. However, he recognises that much more needs to be done and that a greater level of support and involvement from the private sector is necessary.

For more information contact www.designinstitute.org.za

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