An innovative device that fits door handles in under five minutes has won an international design award.
Ossett-based Dale Hardware won a Red Dot award for JigTech Pro, which it developed in partnership with Sheffield-based product development specialist AME Group.
AME senior mechanical designer Ben Wilkinson and Dale Hardware joint managing director Daniel Monaghan collected the award at a gala ceremony attended by 1,200 international guests in Essen, Germany.
The JigTech system saves contractors and fitters around 20 minutes when installing door handles and latches. An adjustable latch bore and self-centering clamp system guide the user when drilling, eliminating the need to measure and mark by hand.
The international Red Dot jury reviewed 5,500 products from 54 countries. It concluded: “Its high utility value and intuitive usability make the Jigtech Pro jig installation tool a convincing product solution.”
The JigTech Pro also appears in the Red Dot Design Yearbook 2017/2018, an international reference work for award-winning design. Other award winners include Audi, LG, Philips, Puma, Apple and Bose.
Ben said: “Winning a Red Dot Award is highly prestigious for product designers so it was fantastic to travel to Germany and mix with the world’s best designers and manufacturers. It’s fantastic to fly the flag for Yorkshire on the international stage.”
AME Group developed JigTech Pro from concept through to prototyping, testing and volume manufacturing, drawing on its experience of developing tools for the DIY sector.
Daniel Monaghan, joint managing director of Dale Hardware, said: “AME came up with an innovative and visually appealing design that demonstrates the benefit of investment in the product development process. We continue to receive excellent feedback from customers. Picking up the Red Dot award is an unexpected but welcome bonus.”
