Messe Düsseldorf awards Quality Seal for the Caravanning Sector

The caravanning sector is booming, it is innovative and increasingly interested in design – the best conditions for the caravaning design award! At this year’s CARAVAN SALON DÜSSELDORF from Friday, 25 August (the day for trade visitors and the media) to Sunday, 3 September 2006 Messe Düsseldorf will – for the third time now – be presenting the design prize for especially innovative products in the motor home and caravan industry. This sectoral award is organised by red dot projects.

Wide Range of Award-Worthy Products

The expert jury consisting of Adi Kemmer (Head of the Outdoor and Leisure Division at Motor Presse Stuttgart), Tom Schönherr (Managing Director at Phoenix Design), Thomas Seidelmann (Editor-in-Chief at “Reisemobil International“) and Prof. Dr. Peter Zec (Head of the Design Centre North Rhine-Westphalia and President of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design – Icsid) presented 12 products with the “caravaning design award: innovations for new mobility“ in Düsseldorf last Thursday. The products receiving this coveted award range from mobile home to towel driers and from awnings to satellite dishes. The jury also honoured three winners with the special “caravaning design award: best practice“:

• Sprinter JAMES COOK, DaimlerChrysler AG, 10878 Berlin

• Paul & Paula Caravan, GFB GmbH,  01558 Großenhain

• SWING Underfloor-Mounted Power Socket, Reich GmbH Regel- und Sicherheitstechnik, 35713 Eschenburg

A special award went to Alexandre Verdier for his concept verdier light caravanning cmp-mobile.

Good Design need not be Expensive

The jury was unanimous in its enthusiasm for the design by GFB GmbH from Großenhain. “Paul & Paula caravans demonstrate that good design need not be expensive,“ said Thomas Seidelmann from Reisemobil International. “What makes them stand out is their sleek, clear-cut lines and successful colour scheme. And costing six to seven thousand euros they are still affordable.“ Technical components like the SWING underfloor power socket by Reich GmbH from Eschenburg, were convincing with their intelligent and appealing design. Caravanning expert Adi Kemmer was particularly taken with this system: “The power socket is typical for this sector: it was developed out of practical experience, it upgrades the entire vehicle exterior by concealing components otherwise incorporated into the outer wall and it is extremely practical to use. It actually makes you wonder why no-one came with the idea before.“ Kemmer is convinced that the socket will catch on in no time.  Competing in quite another price league is the JAMES COOK Sprinter. Then again, it is also vehicle offering perfection “down to the last detail,“ noted Professor Zec from the NRW Design Centre. The JAMES COOK convinced the jury with its high quality materials and finish plus its smart ideas and elegant interior design.

Award Winners showcased at the CARAVAN SALON

Tribute will be paid to all award-winning products at the official opening ceremony of the CARAVAN SALON on 26 August which will then be presented during the fair at a special exhibition. They will also be featured at their own Internet portal and in an international book publication.

Caravanning Sector can learn from Other Sectors

In view of the wealth of products entered for the award the jury noted that the caravanning sector had undergone “dramatic development “ in design terms over the past few years. “Compared to previous years we have seen a significant rise in quality in the products entered for the award,“ remarked Professor Zec who has supported the design prize in his capacity as jury member since inception of the award in 2002. However, fellow judges felt ideas often did not go far enough: “Lined up alongside corresponding products in home/interior design the quality of products in still comparatively low. Kitchen and bathroom design have already progressed much further than actually reflected here and the quality of materials and finish in the home/interiors sector is higher,“ explained designer Schönherr. His fellow judges agreed: the caravanning sector should now look even more to both interior and furniture design and to car/automobile design. At the same time, they said the caravanning sector provided a hitherto untapped and booming market for manufacturers from other sectors as suppliers of high-quality recreational vehicles.

All Award-Winners at a Glance

“caravaning design award: innovations for new mobility“

• Polster Novalife (for fabric), Bürstner GmbH, 77694 Kehl

• Femotion (for interior design), Dethleffs GmbH & Co. KG, 88316 Isny

• Vari_1, Dethleffs GmbH & Co. KG, 88316 Isny

• EURA MOBIL (for exterior design), EURA MOBIL GmbH, 55576 Sprendlingen

• Fully Automated Satellite Unit CAP 900, Kathrein, 83022 Rosenheim

• Knaus C Liner 550Q, KNAUS TABBERT GROUP GmbH, 94118 Jandelsbrunn

• Innovan, LMC Caravan GmbH & Co.KG, 48336, Sassenberg

• CLOU Liner 990 SG, Niesmann+Bischoff GmbH, 56751 Polch

• Towel Drier, Truma Gerätetechnik GmbH & co. KG, 88640 Putzbrunn

•  “Mover“ Manoeuvring System , Truma Gerätetechnik GmbH & co. KG, 88640 Putzbrunn

• California Comfortline with its High Roof by Polyroof, Volkswagen Utility Vehicles, 30419 Hanover

• Ultra Light, Wigo-Zelte OHG, 37237 Hess. Lichtenau

“caravaning design award: best practice“

• Sprinter JAMES COOK, DaimlerChrysler AG, 10878 Berlin

• Paul & Paula Caravan, GFB GmbH,  01558 Großenhain

• SWING Underfloor-Mounted Power Socket, Reich GmbH Regel- und Sicherheitstechnik, 35713 Eschenburg

Special Prize

• verdier light caravanning cmp-mobile, Alexandre Verdier, Montreal

The CARAVAN SALON DÜSSELDORF is open from Saturday, 26 August, to Sunday, 3 September 2006, every day from 10 am to 6 pm. The fair already opens for trade visitors and representatives of the press/media on Friday, 25 August. For current information and updates on CARAVAN SALON please go to www.caravan-salon.de.