New Product Awards Blog

HZO, Inc., of Draper, Utah, USA won the Gold Stevie® for Best New Product or Service of the Year - Consumer Electronics in the new product awards categories of The 2013 International Business Awards. The early bird deadline for the 2014 IBAs is April 16. Get your entry kit here.

HZO WaterBlock™ is a nano-coating that protects electronic devices from liquid and corrosion damage. HZO debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 and has caught the attention of the world ever since. From just CES 2012 and 2013 alone, this product has garnered over $7 million in earned media with outlets including MSNBC, The Huffington Post, the BBC, The Today Show on NBC, The New York Times, and Reuters.

Rapid Pace of Change

We asked Sergio Leveratto, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at HZO, what he saw as the major challenges facing the electronics industry today.  According to Sergio, it’s keeping up with the rapid pace of change.  So how does Sergio manage that?

 “My approach is to do what I can to make sure HZO plays a consistent role in driving those changes by establishing and maintaining a leadership position in the industry,” Sergio told us. “HZO does this by providing device makers with a powerful and differentiating technology that creates value and allows consumers to do more with their electronics.”

A Milestone for the Company

Winning a Stevie® Award in 2013 has contributed to the success of HZO, added Sergio. “HZO has experienced a lot of growth over the past several years, and winning a Stevie Award has helped the company maintain that momentum by providing additional credibility and recognition to the hard work of our world-class team. An accolade like a Stevie is an inspiration for the company, and outside validation of our technology not only feels great, but also inspires us to keep innovating.”

Concludes Sergio: “To win a prestigious award like a Stevie is both an honor and a milestone for our company. “

Developing Relationships into Partnerships

The HZO WaterBlock team develops relationships into partnerships. The following list is a highlight of some of these associations:

-Brightstar Corporation, the world’s largest wireless distributor, is currently engaged with HZO to market WaterBlock to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and repair & refurbishment processors worldwide.

-TAG Heuer, the watch maker and luxury phone designer, features HZO WaterBlock in its Android smartphone, the TAG Heuer Racer Sub Nano, a high end phone that offers superior water protection.

-NavELite, creators of the NavELite backlit wrist compass, features HZO WaterBlock in its line of products, which are purchased by the military around the world as well as by civilian adventurers.

-LaiPac Technology features HZO WaterBlock on their AGPS Cell Phone Tracking Device and on other products by the company.  

-LiveFree, creators of the senior mobile alert product Life Beacon, features HZO WaterBlock on many of its alert systems. 

-Bully Dog features HZO WaterBlock on its diesel engine performance monitor.

According to Sergio, HZO WaterBlock can be featured on virtually any small- to medium-form electronic device in any market or industry. The products featured above are just the beginning of the opportunities of protection from HZO.

Keeping Track of Travel

Because he has to travel so much on business, we asked Sergio if he had a favorite travel app. “Concur is the key travel app,” advised Sergio. “ It helps me to make reservations on the fly while allowing me to keep track of my travel expenses.”

Defining the Future

We asked Sergio what motivated him. “My inspiration comes from the unique opportunity that a small company like HZO has to shape and define the future of an entire industry,” he told us. “Because HZO's technology protects electronics from damage caused by exposure to liquids or submersion in water, the company is truly changing where people use their electronic devices. Being a part of this revolution is very exciting, and seeing the potential and added value that our technology provides to innovative electronic products is a powerful motivator. 

“We feel that the Stevie Award shows that the industry recognizes HZO as the ideal form of liquid protection in consumer electronics going forward. We’re excited to continue to deliver on this recognition,” concluded Sergio.

About Sergio Leveratto

Sergio Leveratto is the Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at HZO, where he directs the global growth strategy for the company’s superior corrosion and liquid submersion protection technology. His expertise in global expansion planning is helping HZO build and advance international distribution channels, strategically align technologies with target markets and develop intelligent lifecycle programs that help maximize consistent growth potential.

Prior to HZO, Sergio spent nearly two decades spearheading global sales, marketing, and business development initiatives with Nokia and global mobile operator Telefonica, where he helped drive, launch, and promote value-add services and user-based application enhancements. He is fluent in four languages, and maximizes his ability to form strong alliances with multinational organizations to successfully execute global outreach and expansion campaigns.

About HZO

HZO is an innovative and rapidly growing nanotechnology company that has set the world standard in solutions that protect electronics from corrosion and extended liquid submersion. A robust coating is applied at the component level, creating a physical barrier between the vital circuitry of a device and any kind of liquid. The company's advanced technology provides innovative liquid protection from the inside out, and our patent protected materials, process and equipment provides an end-to-end solution that allows flexibility for manufacturers to develop new product features and functionality, while giving end-users the freedom to do more with the electronic devices they rely on.

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. 

iolo technologies of Los Angeles, CA USA won a Stevie® Award for Best New Product or Service of the Year in the new product awards categories of 2011 International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards  program. (The final entry deadline for the 2012 IBAs is 27 June. All organizations and individuals worldwide are eligible to submit entries, request your entry kit today.) Here iolo technologies shares their best new product story.

Since its founding in 1998, iolo technologies has been producing award-winning software that repairs, optimizes, and protects Windows computers. With many proprietary technologies developed in house, iolo launched System Mechanic10, a performance software that continues to lead and re-define the critical PC tune-up software.

In 2010 alone, System Mechanic10:

1. Became available in 40 countries worldwide, for a 22 percent expansion rate in 2010 alone. It is now sold across South America and in more than 18,000 U.S. storefronts, including all major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples.

2. Established and/or maintained #1 best-selling position in eight of those countries, including US, Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Spain. In 2010, System Mechanic’s share of the PC tune-up market in the U.S. numbered 85 percent and in Canada, 98 percent.

3. Introduced a Spanish version and quickly established #1 best-selling position in that country. iolo’s System Mechanic is now available in six languages, including English, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

4. Grew its worldwide customer base from 30 to 36 million, for a 20 percent increase.

5. Introduced several significant new features. System Mechanic now includes:

• Industry-first, exclusive Program Accelerator and Tune-up Definitions
• Industry-first CRUDD Remover, an intelligent program removal tool
• Patented ActiveCare automatic maintenance technology
• Advanced Windows 7-focused technology and features
• The most robust and advanced registry tools

6. Secured a patent for its innovative and industry-first ActiveCare automatic maintenance technology in Jan 2011.

7. Won 28 major awards worldwide, including:

• PC Magazine, Product of the Year and Editors’ Choice
• Government Computer News, Reviewer’s Choice
• MicroMart (UK), Editor’s Choice
• Computer Active (UK), Buy It
• PC Advisor (UK), Product of the Year
• PC Actual (Spain), Recommended Product
• Micro Actuel (France), Editor’s Choice
• Winmag Pro Magazine (Netherlands), Editor’s Choice
• PC Magazine (Middle East), Editor’s Choice

8. Created significant green benefits for its users. 82 percent of US computers end up in landfills after only 30 months of use, mostly to make way for new technology.

iolo’s System Mechanic10 helps consumers and businesses alike use their aging computers for longer, minimizing computer frustrations, limiting time wasted because of computer delays and irresponsiveness, hardware replacements costs and e-waste. With iolo’s strong focus on customer satisfaction, quality products, and always-relevant technology, System Mechanic10 is poised to garner even more awards and happy customers in 2012.

About iolo technologies
Crowned the Fastest-Growing Company in the U.S. in 2010 and 2009 by American Business Awards, iolo technologies produces award-winning software that repairs, optimizes, and protects Windows computers. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Los Angeles, iolo technologies has presence in 40 countries and 6 languages, 36 million users worldwide, and hundreds of awards from industry analysts and media.

The final entry deadline for The 2012 International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards competition, is quickly approaching on 27 June. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – may submit nominations to the IBAs. If you haven't yet done so, you can request your entry kit today.

Here we share three new product awards tips to help you showcase your organization's achievements.

1. Review the business awards categories.
There are several awards categories honoring new products and product management at the 2012 IBAs including:

• Best New Product or Service of the Year  
• Product Development/Management Department or Team of the Year
• Product Development/Management Executive of the Year

2. Review the entry submission criteria.
The information requirements for entries in these new product and product management awards categories are generally:

• An essay of up to 500 words describing the nominee's achievements since 1 January 2011.  For the Best New Product or Service of the Year categories, this should be an essay about your product or service: Its features, functions, benefits, and performance to date.
• A biography of the nominee or the leader of the nominated company, department, or team of up to 100 words.
• Optional (but highly recommended), a collection of supporting files, product demonstration videos, and/or web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges.

3. Review past winners' entries.
The 8th Annual International Business Awards were presented in October 2011 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. 2011 new product and product management honorees included:

• iolo technologies
• SDL International
• Manthan Systems
• American Express
• Cascades Tissue Group
• BioExx Specialty Proteins Ltd.
• Dudu Communications Fz. LLC.
• Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre
• Telegent Systems
• Pegasus Solutions, Inc.
• Eagle's Flight Creative Training Excellence Inc.

Winners of the competition will be celebrated at the ninth annual awards banquet on Monday, 15 October at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Seoul, South Korea.

Not sure which category is right for your organization? Email us at help@stevieawards.com and we'll direct you to the appropriate categories.

Cascades Tissue Group of Candiac, Canada, won a Stevie® Award for Best New Product or Service of the Year in the new product awards categories of 2011 International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards  program. (The 2012 IBAs are now open for entries. All organizations and individuals worldwide are eligible to submit entries. The entry deadline is 16 May, request your entry kit today.) Here Cascades Tissue shares their best new product story.

Intelligent Inspiration
In 2004, after the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) had nearly became a worldwide pandemic, the marketing department at Cascades Tissue Group developed an idea for a paper tissue product that would provide additional protection from contamination by hand contact.

Intelligent Facts
While it is well known that good hand hygiene is the best way to reduce the spread of bacteria, research shows that 50% of people still do not wash their hands after visiting the bathroom. Of those who do, most don’t wash their hands for the recommended 20 to 30 seconds and don’t dry them thoroughly for an extra 10-20 seconds.

Since 80% of infections are transmitted by hand contact, the Cascades project aimed to introduce an antimicrobial agent to dry-paper hand towels that would only be released when it came into contact with wet hands.  And so Intelligent Paper® was created.

Intelligent Launch
It took five years of R&D and several third-party tests by experts at universities in Ontario and Quebec, and at external labs in the United States, before the emerging technology, Cascades Intelligent® antibacterial hand towel, could be launched on May 18th, 2010, a world first.

Cascades describes their product of the year as Intelligent™ because it compensates for people’s improper hand hygiene habits without changing their way of doing things. When in contact with wet hands, the Intelligent Paper® releases and transfers to hands an active ingredient, benzalkonium chloride, which is also found in other products in similar concentrations such as eye drops. Almost instantly, it significantly reduces bacteria left on hands and provides an antibacterial protection for more than 30 minutes, something that no other hand hygiene products, such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, offer. The product is effective even in areas with limited water supply since it requires only 3 to 5 ml of water to activate the antibacterial ingredient.

Eco-Intelligent
The environmentally preferable Cascades Intelligent® antibacterial hand towel is made with 100% recycled fibers, and is recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable. Its green color makes it easy to identify from regular paper hand towels. The technology innovation is also safe, odorless, and non-irritating for skin.

Intelligent Benefits
Cascades Intelligent® antibacterial hand towel offers many benefits for the consumer; for industries such as food services, food processing, healthcare, and transportation; and for education markets.

• First, paper towels are already regularly used during hand washing. Consequently, users of the Intelligent® antibacterial paper towel don’t have to change their habits or add a step during the hand washing process and will stay protected against subsequent bacterial contamination for a significant time period.

• Secondly, by reducing the quantity of residual bacteria on hands, the Intelligent® paper reduces the risk of contamination. Companies using this product enhance the importance of hygiene for their employees.

• Finally, there is no expiration date, so storage procedures do not have to be changed.

Intelligent Approval
Cascades Tissue Group holds a patent pending on the manufacturing process and the product, as well as a trademark on its green color. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a letter of non-objection for the Intelligent® hand towel paper and considers that there is no risk in handling food after its use. The Cascades Intelligent® antibacterial hand towel is currently available in Canada.

Intelligent Awards
The Cascades Intelligent® antibacterial hand towel recently received a Stevie Award for Best New Product or Service of the Year at the 8th International Business Awards ceremony which took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, last October.

“We are proud to have been recognized by this prestigious award for our new antibacterial hand towel,” said Nathalie Comeau, Innovation Director for the Cascades Tissue Group’s Away-from-Home division in North America and the person who initiated the creation of the Intelligent® antibacterial paper. “Cascades has invested more than five years in R&D for its antibacterial paper hand towel and this new award confirms the need and the great market potential for this major innovation.”

About Nathalie Comeau:
Nathalie Comeau is Innovation Director for the Away-from-Home division in North America and is the person behind the concept for Intelligent Antibacterial Paper. She has been with Cascades for over 20 years, first working in sales and marketing. Her experience in the paper industry, combined with her creative ideas, led her to see the potential of such a product and to convince the company to invest in this project.

About Cascades Tissue Group:
Founded in 1964, Cascades produces, converts, and markets packaging and tissue products composed mainly of recycled fiber. Cascades employs more than 11,000 employees who work in over 100 production units located in North America and Europe. Cascades' management philosophy, its more than 45 years of experience in recycling, and its continued efforts in research and development are strengths which enable the company to create new products for its customers. The Cascades shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CAS.

There are 24 best new product or service awards categories in The 2012 International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards program to help you highlight your organization's product of the year. (The 2012 IBAs are now accepting entries. Download your entry kit here and begin submitting your entries by the 16 May entry deadline.) All products and services introduced to the marketplace since 1 January 2011 are eligible for consideration. Nominees may be brand new or new versions.

Our new product awards categories include:

• Business-to-Business Products
• Business-to-Business Services    
• Consumer Electronics
• Consumer Products
• Consumer Services
• Financial Services
• Hardware (Computer, Networking, Peripheral, Semiconductor or Other Electronic Component, Storage, Other)
• Health & Pharmaceuticals
     a. Product
     b. Service
• Industrial Products & Services
• Media & Entertainment
     a. Product
     b. Service
• Software
     a. New
     b. New Version
• Telecommunications
     a. Hardware
     b. Service
• Transportation
• Other
• Product Development/Management Department or Team of the Year
• Product Development/Management Executive of the Year

Generally, the information required for product awards and product management submissions include:

• An essay of up to 500 words describing the nominee's achievements since 1 January 2011.  For the Best New Product or Service of the Year categories, this should be an essay about your product or service: Its features, functions, benefits, and performance to date
• A biography of the nominee or the leader of the nominated company, department, or team of up to 100 words
• Optional (but highly recommended), a collection of supporting files, product demonstration videos, and/or web addresses that you may upload to our server to support your entry and provide more background information to the judges

Leave us a comment and let us know which of your organization's products and services you'll be submitting entries for by 16 May.