Design News South Africa

SA company to receive international design award

Orgafile has been selected from over 4252 submissions by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany, one of the oldest and most highly reputed design institutions in the world, for the Red Dot Award: Product Design. The awards presentation, with more than 1 000 guests, will take place on 5 July 2010 in the Aalto-Theater in Essen, Germany.
SA company to receive international design award

After the presentation, the South African company's modular filing cabinets will be on display at the Red Dot Design Museum's permanent exhibition on the premises of the ‘Zeche Zollverein' World Cultural Heritage Site in Essen, Germany. With approximately 1 500 products on more than 4 000 square metres, the museum houses the largest permanent exhibition of contemporary design worldwide.

“All products that have won an award in the Red Dot Design Awards have had to convince an international expert jury of their quality. The products stand out from the masses with their excellent design and innovative approaches and have proved their quality in one of the toughest design competitions worldwide,” explained design expert Professor Peter Zec, initiator of the Red Dot Design Award.

Arnold van Wijk, paper systems management expert and founder of Orgafile
Arnold van Wijk, paper systems management expert and founder of Orgafile

"The breakthrough here is modularity," said Arnold van Wijk, paper systems management expert and founder of Orgafile. "For the first time, businesses have access to storage solutions that match their current needs, with the option to grow as they go - the main benefit is reduced cost." This is made possible by three international patents that allow customers to buy drawers separately and add them to their existing drawers quickly and without any tools.

The company's father and son team, Arnold and Adrian van Wijk, sought to develop a storage product that would benefit manufacturers, dealers and customers alike. “We're very happy with the result,” said Adrian van Wijk, design director at JDi Design. “Our design solution has been recognised at best-in-class product design awards in South Africa, Canada, and now Europe and North America - the Red Dot Award really is the pinnacle achievement for any product designer.”

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