Winning companies accept the “Challenge” to innovate
The Challenger Award® presentation had a slightly different appearance this year, but one thing remained the same. As always, the award honored the best products on the market in terms of innovation and technology. On Wednesday, Aug. 25, Richard Campbell announced the seven winners at a ceremony at Booth #5000 in Hall B. New to the show this year, the finalists and winners will be on display all four days in Booth #5000.
This year’s winners, picked for a record 22 finalists, were:
- Benz Inc. – Reciprocating Knife Cutter-RCK1
- Binks/DeVilbis – Binks MX Pump-MX412
- Cabinotch – Cabinotch-1
- ETP Transmission, Inc. – ETP CUBIT
- King Slide Works Co. Ltd. – 1A88-Push-Open Silent Soft-close Undermount
- Leitz Tooling Systems, Inc. – RipTee Cutting System
- Precision Drive Systems – Dyna-Loc ATC Spindle
The Challengers Award® is known throughout the world as the woodworking industry’s highest honor, recognizing advancements in technology or significant contributions to environmental improvement: and focuses on companies that have distinguished themselves by developing innovative technology in products, materials, supplies and services. The award challenges IWF exhibiting companies to develop revolutionary, creative, ingenious, forward-thinking technology, materials, services or safety devices that advance the industry.
“Challengers is such an appropriate name because its purpose is to challenge. It challenges them to create something new and then it rewards them for it,” commented Richard Campbell, IWF 2010 Challengers Award committee chairman. “They’re excited to get that award; it’s prestigious.”
Both Cabinotch and King Slide Works Co., Ltd. are exhibiting at IWF for the first time this year. In addition two other finalists, Tornado Manufacturing Ltd. and Merritt Plywood Machinery Inc., are also first time exhibitors.
The new presentation was met with much enthusiasm according to Campbell. “Now the buyers get to see the suppliers receiving the award, and they never have been able to in the past. Now they get to see how important the award is.”
“The theme I get from this year’s awards was the smaller companies really stepped up. It’s really refreshing to see the small guys do it,” said J.P. Roberts of IWF.
The 22 finalists included: Accurate Technology, Accu-Systems, Inc., Accuwrap Profiles & Components, Binks/DeVilbiss (with two finalists), Black Bros. Co., Cabinotch, Colonial Saw Co., Inc., ETP Transmissions, King Slide Works Co., Ltd., Leitz Tooling Systems, Inc., Leuco Tool Corp., Merritt Machinery, LLC, Oneida Air Systems, Inc., PMK Machinery, Precision Drive Systems, Prevost Corp., Timesavers, Inc., Tornado Manufacturing Ltd., Unique Machine & Tool Co., and USNR.