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The countdown for the 2017 edition of Innovation Awards at Automechanika Johannesburg has really begun. Organisers of the awards scheduled to hold during the Automechanika trade fair at the Expo Centre, Nasrec, from September 27-30 have up until noon this Wednesday, July 26, to accept entries as time actually runs out for companies to get their pioneering products highlighted at Africa’s premier automotive aftermarket event.
Prospective entrants are to submit photographs and a detailed description of any automotive aftermarket or OE product they have developed, manufactured, imported, or distributed in South Africa, which they deem worthy of entry into the Automechanika Johannesburg 2017 Innovation Awards. Based on the photographs and descriptions – which must include information relating to the technical characteristics and aftermarket relevance of each product – jury members will individually rank each item.
From the returned scores, products which achieve the highest marks on a collective basis will be deemed to be finalists. Representatives of the companies whose products have been selected will be asked to submit by Wednesday, August 30, two examples of the items for physical scrutiny by jury members. Following that evaluation, the winners will be determined based on highest marks scored on a collective basis.
The organisers of Automechanika Johannesburg 2017 have arranged for exhibits of the winning products – along with those selected as runners up – to be highlighted in a separate display at the show under an Innovation Awards banner. Presentations will be made to winners at a prize-giving ceremony which will form part of the trade fair’s official opening on September 27.
It is worthy to note that product innovation has been helping in driving any global Automechanika trade fair and the announcement of the winners of the Innovation Awards has been a highlight of the Automechanika trade fair for the automotive aftermarket ever since the global brand arrived South Africa in 2009.
An amazing display of local and imported products demonstrating innovation have been showcased at this show over the years even as the winners have received not only physical awards but have also been using this achievement in their marketing programmes.
For the 2017 edition, the editor of Automobil, the official journal of South Africa’s Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), Wynter Murdoch, has , once again, been saddled with the responsibilities of driving the Innovation Awards concept as the organisers aim to find the best aftermarket products in South Africa from a selection of categories and utilise Automechanika Johannesburg as the platform to honour the pioneering prowess of each winning item.
The entries will be judged by an independent jury of automotive experts who, in defined categories, will score products considered ground breaking from a variety of perspectives. The members of the jury will come from the ranks of local automotive and aftermarket-focused organisations including the RMI, NAACAM, NAAMSA and the automotive media.
The jury will look to uncover items that hold the promise of performing beyond expectation, that are innovative and promote efficiency, are perceived to represent good value for money, are of excellent quality and bring fresh perspectives to the OE or aftermarket segments in which they compete. Functionality, practicality, styling, benefits to users, environmental friendliness and other perceived pioneering qualities are among the specifics that jury members will be searching for.
Entries will be evaluated across a variety of automotive categories: Parts; Accessories; Automotive Systems; Diagnostics; Tuning; Repair and Maintenance; OE Products & Services; IT and Management; and Service Station & Car Wash.
Therefore, if you manufacture, distribute, or supply cutting edge products in any of these categories, consider entering the Awards – the accolades are significant. You can submit by e-mail your product motivations, along with hi-resolution pictures of the items at least 1Mb in size, to wynter@thefuture.co.za.
The description of each product, according to the organisers, must include its country of origin, when it was introduced to the South African market, the category of the aftermarket at which it is aimed – Parts; Accessories; Automotive Systems; Diagnostics; Tuning; Repair and Maintenance; OE Products & Services; IT and Management; Service Station & Car Wash – as well as the following: Perceived innovative quality; The solution the product aims to provide; Its functionality and user benefits; Perceived economic efficiency; Safety aspects it promotes; Environmental aspects it promotes; and its relevance to the aftermarket or OE sectors All these are to come with the entrants’ name, e-mail address and telephone numbers, along with details of the company they represent.
