PLASA Awards For Innovation Celebrate Design Excellence

Nominations are now open for the prestigious 2008 PLASA Awards for Innovation - the most influential and respected awards in the industry.
Created to highlight both the forward and lateral thinking that goes into new technologies, the Awards for Innovation have honoured an extraordinary range of design teams over the years and provided the focus for some groundbreaking developments.
The industry's innovators have always been fundamental to its growth, and PLASA sees no sign of either the demand, or the ideas to meet them, running out.
To spur on this growing momentum, this year's Innovation Awards will see the introduction of Gold and Silver Awards - the Silver to recognise products that deliver a major improvement over existing technologies and the Gold for those that bring something 'truly new' to the industry.
With sustainability issues rising up the industry's agenda, this year's Environmental Award also becomes increasingly significant. Designed to give recognition to those products which lead to essential environmental gains - through manufacturing processes, energy efficiency or end of life advantages - this Award is set to inspire the industry's next generation of designers and developers.
Matthew Griffiths, CEO of PLASA, commented: "The issue is sustainability is central to the future of our industry and PLASA08 is the perfect platform from which to highlight this. The development of new tools, which lessen our negative impact on the environment, are imperative and ultimately will ensure we become a more efficient and effective industry."
Nominations for the Awards are now live and PLASA is expecting record levels of entries. Each product nominated is displayed at the heart of the show, in the PLASA08 Innovation Gallery, sponsored by L&SI. This stunning interactive feature area will allow visitors to see first-hand the products that will define the events and projects of the future.
PLASA08 will also be the second year of the prestigious Gottelier Award. Named in honour of the late designer and commentator Tony Gottelier, this award was introduced to recognise the remarkable people behind the products - the creative developers who have themselves been driving forces for change.
Last year's inaugural Award was presented to Tony Andrews of Funktion One for his decades of dedication to the advancement of loudspeaker design. He returns to the show this year to present a special Masterclass on Transient Performance, sharing with others his unique understanding of audio.
The entire industry is now being encouraged to nominate individuals for the 2008 Gottelier Award, and the shortlisted pioneers will then be voted for in an open vote prior to the show.
The winners of both the Innovation Awards and the Gottelier Award will be announced at a special Presentation Ceremony, taking place at 6pm on September 8 2008 against the backdrop of the Central Bar in Earls Court 1.
Further information is available at: www.plasashow.com.
(KMcA/JM)