Edwards Group Limited in Crawley, United Kingdom won the Gold Stevie® Award for Best New Industrial Product or Service in the new product awards categories of last year’s International Business Awards , the world's top business honors. (This year's IBA winners will be announced on August 14.) Here we look at how this global technology company affects all of us in one way or another.
Edwards Group Limited (NASDAQ: EVAC), the UK-based manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products and abatement systems and a provider of related value-added services, beat off stiff competition from across the globe when its class-leading CXS dry vacuum pump was named a Best New Product in The 2012 International Business Awards.
Not many people realize how important it is to be able to create a vacuum and how this affects our lives and so many of the appliances we use daily. To find out more, watch a short video created by Edwards.
On winning last year’s award, Sia Abbaszadeh, Edwards’ Chief Technology and Marketing Officer, commented: “2012 was truly a golden year for Edwards. After being honored with a momentous seventh Queen’s Award earlier in the year for our nEXT turbomolecular pump, and then successfully listing on the NASDAQ market, we were delighted to build on our success with a Gold Stevie® Award.”
“To have received this accolade for the CXS, so soon after its launch, was testament to the hard work and expertise of all those at Edwards who were involved in its conception. This award has set the CXS’ credentials beyond refute and places Edwards at the forefront of international innovation.”
Standing Out from the Competition
Edwards CXS is the latest generation dry vacuum pump for harsh chemical and pharmaceutical processing applications, and builds on Edwards’ strong record of innovation and application expertise. Since its introduction in 2011, it has set new industry standards for reliability, performance, and control.
Two elements of the cutting-edge CXS set it apart from competitor pumps. The novel tapered screw technology facilitates excellent liquid and solids handling leading to high operational reliability while providing deep vacuum down to 10-3 mbar. The range of built-in control and safety features makes the CXS easier and cheaper to install when compared to some pumps currently available on the market.
Edwards believes this is the first “plug and pump” system. The development of the CXS has proved to be a crucial tipping point for vacuum, taking the technology from “specialist equipment” to “utility.”
About Sia Abbaszadeh
Sia Abbaszadeh has served as Edwards’ Chief Technology & Marketing Officer since June 2010. Sia joined Edwards in November 1989 to lead new product development programs in semiconductor vacuum pumping. He has subsequently built a broad base of New Product Introduction capability for all the product and application sectors within Edwards. His responsibilities have included delivery of strategic growth plans by leading new product and technology development for the Semiconductor, Flat Panel Displays, and Emerging Technologies sectors. Recent responsibilities have included leading the Edwards’ Solar business growth program and doubling Edwards’ footprint within the sector.
Sia holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Non-Destructive Testing from Brunel University in London and a Masters of Science degree in Project Management from Brighton University.
About Edwards
Edwards is a leading developer and manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products, abatement systems, and related value-added services. These are integral to manufacturing processes for semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells; are used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial processes including power, glass and other coating applications, steel and other metallurgy, pharmaceutical, and chemical; and for both scientific instruments and a wide range of R&D applications.
Edwards has over 3,200 full-time employees and 500 temporary workers operating in approximately 30 countries worldwide engaged in the design, manufacture, and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment.
Edwards’ American Depositary Shares trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol EVAC. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com.
