With only a month to go before the deadline for entries for the BDI, Industry & Genius Awards, a money-spinning diversification initiative between a traditional manufacturer and a local designer has set the standard for the calibre of award applications.
Brierley Hill-based metal bashers Bird Stevens were struggling to remain competitive with their traditional product lines and faced a challenging future.
However, in 2002, a meeting set up by Business Link's Black Country team led to a pioneering collaboration with Birmingham-based design practice Whitehouse Mainwaring. By exploiting Bird Stevens' ability to meet high quality standards, the designers successfully worked with the manufacturer to carve a niche in the growing market for top of the range gardening equipment.
Starting out with watering cans, vases and planters, Eden Original was launched less than three years ago at GLEE, the international event for the garden and leisure industry.
The brand is now approaching an annual turnover in excess of £100,000 with export contracts already in place in the US, Canada, Germany, Japan and the Republic of Ireland. The latest accolades secured by the business collaboration are contracts with the National Trust and Duchy Originals; an organic company established by HRH Prince of Wales in the grounds of Highgrove House.
The Eden Originals range of gardening equipment has been entered into the Industry & Genius award, which has been introduced for the first time in the Awards' 16-year history to recognise collaborations between designers and manufacturers.
There are a further 12 categories within the BDI, Industry & Genius Awards with six covering Places & Genius ( architecture, landscape, conservation, urban design, green design and interior design) and six covering Products and Genius ( jewellerysilversmithing, ceramics & glass, consumer products, interior products, transport design, medical products).
The criteria for the awards is that all buildings/places or design companies must be located within the West Midlands and all projects entered must have been completed between September 2002-September 2005.
Principally financed by Birmingham City Council through EQUAL European funding, other main sponsors for the awards include Calthorpe Estates and the Birmingham Design Initiative (BDI).
Bill Houle, director of Trigram Properties and member of the BDI, said: "Eden Original's entry into the BDI, Industry & Genius Awards is a first class example of how the region's design community is about much more than just conjuring up imaginative new concepts.
"Whilst the 12 categories covering Places & Genius and Products & Genius primarly recognise innovation in design, the Industry & Genius award has been introduced to reward companies who have demonstrated how their business has been turned around through the implementation of good design.
"When the awards were last held in 2002 we received 155 entries. With the amount of interest so far in the new Industry & Genius category, we are confident we can exceed our previous record and ensure the BDI, Industry & Genius Awards are seen as a comprehensive platform to showcase the calibre of the creative industry within the West Midlands.
"With the deadline for nominating a project next Monday, time is running out to have your say on which examples of local design are worthy of an award. Meanwhile, the deadline for entries is Friday, September 9."
To make the BDI, Industry & Genius Awards 2005 accessible to all of those wanting to get involved, the nomination process can be completed online ( www. bdiindustry andgenius.co.uk) and 20,000 entry/nomination forms are being distributed far and wide within the region's design community.
The rationale of introducing the Industry & Genius award into the recognised awards format, which was first established in 1989, was to raise awareness amongst the region's design community of a new initiative that is being launched by Birmingham City Council. To create a legacy that will continue long past the BDI, Industry & Genius Awards ceremony - which will be held at Millennium Point on November 24 - the city council has launched BIG Marketplace, an initiative that looks to encourage tie-ups between the creative industries in Birmingham and local manufacturers.
Developed by Birmingham City Council's planning & regeneration service, it provides free registration and showcasing for creative talent, plus access to commissioning and procurement opportunities with industry.
Coun Ken Hardeman, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The creative industries in Birmingham have a true vibrancy about them.
"We have launched BIG Marketplace to offer further support and new opportunities to both established and fledgling businesses.
"We also want to demonstrate how joint working with traditional manufacturing is breathing new life into the sector and the local economy.
"The council's support of the BDI Industry and Genius Awards is further proof of our commitment. Our aim is to encourage as many companies as possible to benefit from being involved."
BIG Marketplace can be accessed on www.bigmarketplace.co.uk
