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WCMA Announces 2011 Product Award Winners
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The 2011 Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) Product Awards,
the window coverings industry's annual competition that calls out the year's best
products and merchandising programs, have been announced. Winning products
were selected for their technical innovations and enhancements, style concepts and
overall designs.
A panel of design community experts reviewed manufacturers' submissions across
an array of categories including cellular shades; drapery hardware; "green" products;
horizontal blinds; motorization; Roman, roller, and pleated shades; shadings and
sheers; shutters; specialty applications; vertical and panel tracks; and miscellaneous
products. Breakout merchandising programs were also awarded prizes for their
accomplishments.
Vignette® Traversed" with Vertiglide" Modern Draperies from Hunter Douglas
was selected by the judges as the 2011 WCMA Product of the Year. The winning
entry presents Hunter Douglass Vignette® shade in a vertical application that is
described by the company as a room solution for expansive windows and doors.
"WCMA proudly acknowledges all of the competing companies. Their engineering
and design teams again have raised the bar for technical achievement making for
tough calls by our panel of judges," says Ralph Vasami, executive director of WCMA.
Entries singled out for the 2011 WCMA Product Awards include products from
Comfortex Window Fashions, Homerun Holdings Corporation, Hunter Douglas,
Hunter Douglas Contract, Lutron Electronics Co., Masterpiece Shutters,
MechoSystems Inc., Norman Window Fashions, Orion Ornamental Iron, Inc., RollEase,
Somfy Systems, Inc. and Springs Window Fashions.
All of the 2011 WCMA Product Awards winners will be honored during a reception
held in conjunction with the Vision 11 (International Window Coverings Expo) in Las
Vegas, NV on April 27, 2011. Photographs of all the product and merchandising
submissions will be prominently displayed during Vision 11, which is held April 26-
28, 2011, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. All entries are also featured on the
WCMA Web site throughout the year at www.wcmanet.org.
The 2011 judges were Susan Hirsh, North American manager for decorative
programs, Benjamin Moore & Co; Susan Huckvale Arann, interior designer and
president, American & International Designs, Inc.; Leonard Mozer, window fashions
editor, LDB Interior Textiles, and Samantha Nestor, interior design expert and author
of Living with Wine and The Luxury Bathroom.
For more information about WCMA and its Product Awards Program, contact Ralph
Vasami at 212.297.2125.
Here is the complete list of winners:
Cellular Shades
Best Technical Innovation: SlumberShade" Honeycomb Shades, Comfortex
Window Fashions. Best Style Concept: PERSONA" Honeycomb Shades, Comfortex
Window Fashions. Best Enhancements: Enhancements to Duette® and Applause®
Honeycomb Shades, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
Drapery Hardware
Best New Technical Innovation: Luminette® Privacy Sheers & Modern Draperies:
Manhattan" Decorative Hardware, Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best New Style Concept:
Decorative Crystal Finials: Bohemia Collection & KBlair Finials, Orion Ornamental
Iron, Inc. Best New Style Concept: Honorable Mention, Tuscany Traversing, Orion
Ornamental Iron, Inc.
Green Products, Sustainability
Best New Style Concept: Duette® Architella® Batiste Bamboo Fabric with
IllumiCell", Hunter Douglas, Inc. Most Innovative Overall Concept: GreenScreen®
Revive roller shade fabric, Hunter Douglas Contract. Honorable Mention
Sustainable Manufacturing Practices: Wood Green Product Sustainability Story,
Springs Window Fashions.
Green Products, Health and Environmental Safety
Best Overall Concept: Enhancements to Vignette® Modern Roman Shades, Hunter
Douglas, Inc.
Green Products, Energy Efficiency
Best New Technical Innovation: WireFree" Solar Pack, Somfy Systems, Inc. Best
New Style Concept: Duette® Architella® Batiste Fabrics with IllumiCell", Hunter
Douglas, Inc. Most Innovative Overall Concept: Vignette® Tiered" Architella®
Modern Roman Shades, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
Horizontal Blinds
Best New Technical Innovation: Normandy Premium Wood Blinds, Norman Window
Fashions. Best New Technical Innovation: Honorable Mention, Aluminum Horizontal
Inverted Slat, Springs Window Fashions. Best New Style Concept: Natural Elements",
A Collection of Modern Precious Metals® Blinds, Hunter Douglas, Inc. Miscellaneous:
Best New Style Enhancements, 2011 Enhancements to The Alustra® Collection,
Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best Overall Concept: Luminette® Modern Draperies Ribbon"
Panel Design, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
Motorization
Best New Technical Innovation: Telis 6 Chronis RTS, Somfy Systems, Inc. Best New
Technical Innovation: Honorable Mention, WhisperTrac" 1000, MechoSystems Inc.
Most Innovative Overall Concept: Venetian Blinds with Intelligent Tilt Alignment,
Lutron Electronics Co.
Roman, Roller, and Pleated Shades
Best New Technical Innovation (tie): AcoustiVeil", MechoSystems Inc., and
SmartPull, Springs Window Fashions. Best New Technical Innovation: Honorable
Mention, Universal 5" Fascia RollEase. Best New Technical Innovation: Honorable
Mention, Qmotion Shades, Homerun Holdings Corporation. Best New Style Concept:
RB 500 roller shade operating system, Hunter Douglas Contract. Best New Style
Concept: Honorable Mention, Major League Baseball/Collegiate Collection Roller
Shades, Comfortex Window Fashions. Best Overall Concept: Roller SlumberShades",
Comfortex Window Fashions.
Shadings and Sheers
Best Overall Concept: 2011 Silhouette® window shadings Collection, Hunter
Douglas, Inc.
Shutters
Best New Enhancement: UltraGrain" -- The New Finish for NewStyle® Hybrid
Shutters, Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best New Style Concept: Masterpiece Shutters",
Masterpiece Shutters.
Specialty Applications
Best New Technical Innovation: Tuscany Traversing with Bent or Curved
Applications, Orion Ornamental Iron, Inc. Best New Style Concept: Vignette®
Traversed" with Vertiglide" Modern Draperies, Hunter Douglas, Inc. Most Innovative
Overall Concept: Vignette® Traversed" with Vertiglide" Modern Draperies, Hunter
Douglas, Inc.
Wood Blinds and Faux Wood Blinds
Best Technical Innovation: Normandy Premium Wood Blinds, Norman Window
Fashions.
Judges' Award
(Reserved for a submission selected by the panel that exhibits measurable benefit
or standout aesthetic appeal to end users) Luminette® Privacy Sheers & Modern
Draperies: Manhattan Decorative Hardware, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
Product of the Year
Vignette® Traversed" with Vertiglide" Modern Draperies, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
Merchandising Awards
Best Marketing Technology (tie): Hunter Douglas Alliance Dealer Websites, Hunter
Douglas, Inc., and PERSONAShades.com, Comfortex Window Fashions. Best Sampling
Program (tie): 2011 Luminette® Privacy Sheers & Modern Draperies Sample Book,
Hunter Douglas, Inc., and Shade Systems Showcase and Little Black Book,
MechoSystems Inc. Best Point of Sale Display: Audio Display in "Move" Designer
Roller Shades Update Kit, Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best Point of Sale Display: Honorable
Mention, Hunter Douglas Media Player for Showcase and Retail Display Systems,
Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best Trade Advertising Campaign: 2010 Hunter Douglas
Promotional Programs, Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best Consumer Advertising Campaign:
The Art of Window Dressing" Brand Positioning Integrated Marketing Campaign,
Hunter Douglas, Inc. Best Trade Education: Hunter Douglas Webcasts, Hunter
Douglas, Inc. Best Trade Education: Honorable Mention, HD Meeting for Alliance
Dealers, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
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| 08-Apr-11 |
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