This year, the awards will be repositioned as the PLASA Awards for Innovation. The previous assessment criteria, which segmented the nominations into sectors, has been removed so that products will no longer be judged within category lines, but on the grounds of their innovation alone. The judges will be looking for products which advance the industry, demonstrate a new style of thinking, represent a key step forward in safety terms, or improve technical practices. There will be eight Awards for Innovation and exhibitors are currently being invited to submit products for inclusion in this year's judging.
Matthew Griffiths, managing director of PLASA, comments: "We acknowledge that the relaunch may reduce the number of entries, but genuinely new products drive the industry and therefore we believe that this change should result in developing the scope, profile and reputation of the awards."
All the products eligible for the PLASA Awards for Innovation will be displayed at the front of the show in the restyled Innovation Gallery. Nicola Rowland, Show director, added: "New products are synonymous with the show and this year the gallery will be the gateway into what promises to be a dynamic and exciting PLASA show."
(Lee Baldock)
