Ooudoor INDUSTRY AWARD 2014

Products with an OutDoor Industry Award set a state-of-the-art benchmark in the outdoor industry. They stand for innovation and functionality combined with outstanding design, sustainability and exceptional quality. As of now, entries can be submitted for the ninth edition of this prestigious award, which is to be staged rather differently this year.

From July 10 to 13, 2014 visitors entering OutDoor 2014 via the East Entrance will immediately experience one of the highlights of the show at Lake Constance. The winners of the OutDoor Industry Award will be exhibited in a special display in the East Foyer. Previous to this, a six-person panel of international experts will have spent two days assessing all the entries to select the prizewinners.

This year the award’s organisers – the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and Messe Friedrichshafen – have made some important organisational changes. For the first time, the Deutscher Designer Club (DDC) has been brought on board to facilitate the expert panel meeting. The German Designer Club is a platform for design excellence with many years of experience in running the renowned “Good Design” award.

It’s eight years since the OutDoor Industry Award was premiered in 2006 and with the support of the DDC there will be a number of changes. “The OutDoor Industry Awards have become established as an important element of the industry gathering in Friedrichshafen. In addition to the fact that the brands are keenly engaged with the programme, you only have to look at the Awards Exhibit area to see how interested the OutDoor attendees are in viewing the top products. But nothing stands still and we believe that the changes we are making to the organisation of the award will substantially enhance the value of taking part. We will have fewer awards, better focus on presenting them in a professional manner and a more hands on and informed presentation event. All in all, the changes we are making will make a good award programme, even better,” said Mark Held General Secretary European Outdoor Group (EOG) and OutDoor Industry Award expert panel member.

Stefan Reisinger, Head of Sport and Bike Trade Shows at Messe Friedrichshafen added, “Over the years, the OutDoor Industry Award has become one of the most important, independent guidelines for end users and market players. However, without an insight into the work of the expert panel, it has not always been easy to understand the criteria for the individual awards. By working together with the German Designer Club we intend to implement the awards in a more professional, focussed and transparent manner.”

OutDoor industry companies can enter their new products online as of now and until June 6, 2014 at www.outdoor-industry-award.com in the following categories:

• ·                                 Apparel/Footwear
• ·                                 Backpacks/Bags/Travel Luggage
• ·                                 Climbing equipment
• ·                                 Camping equipment
• ·                                 Sleeping bags/Sleeping mats
• ·                                 Water sports
• ·                                 Accessories
• ·                                 Products with high ecological and sustainable value
• ·                                 Material innovations

On June 24 and 25, 2014 the six-person expert panel will meet to make its decisions for the OutDoor Industry Award. The outdoor industry will learn which companies and products have won one of the prestigious prizes on July 10, 2014 from 17.30 at the official Awards Ceremony during the OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen. In addition, the winners of the coveted Gold Awards will also be selected from among the entries and announced during the ceremony.