Since their launch 13 years ago, the Excellence Awards have been at the core of the MOEA's Image Enhancement Plan to promote Taiwanese products of good design, innovation and high quality. Starting in 2006, however, the awards were incorporated into the new Branding Taiwan Plan, which is expected to run for the next seven years.
This year, 635 products were entered for consideration. These ranged from electronics and software, to goods related to fashion, life and culture. These were pared down to 318 by the first of TEGA's three review panels, consisting of scholars and scientists, and to 27 by the second panel. Finally, the winners of the five awards for the best products designed or developed in Taiwan were selected by a panel of domestic judges and experts from countries in Asia, Europe and North America.
"What is unique about the awards is that Taitra invited company delegates to present essential business tools, bringing together marketing, technology, brand management, design, and innovation," a Taitra press release quoted Fritz Frenkler, jury chairperson of Germany's IF Product Design Awards and one of the judges of this year's TEGA.
The manufacturers of the five products chosen were Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp., Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Unitech Electronics Co. Ltd., Power Quotient International Co. Ltd. and Sports Art Industrial Co. Ltd.
CMO, Taiwan's second largest manufacturer of liquid-crystal-displays, was selected for developing a 56-inch LCD TV panel, which has so-called Quad Full High Definition (QFHD) with a resolution of 8.29 million pixels, roughly four times that of other products currently available. According to Taitra, all panel members including Seijiro Oshimura, chairmen of the Department of Business Administration at Japan's Mejiro University, supported selection of this product, which Chi Mei boasts has superior optical performances such as brightness and contrast.
Taiwan's leading bicycle maker Giant won the award for its Maestro Suspension Bike, whose suspension platform can be tuned to suit a range of riding conditions. Judge Matthew Asinari, CEO of New York-based Shine Brand Consultants, extolled this item as being "well-balanced, and beautifully crafted, like jewelry," according to the Taitra news release.
SAI was selected for designing the X-Trainer, fitness equipment that increases cardiovascular function while decreasing stress on the joints. "It demonstrates that Taiwan brands have evolved with the full power of what a global brand should be--a brand that works with consumers and society, and is interested in an important component of life: well-being," the press release quoted Asinari as saying.
The two other winners--PQI's Card Drive and Unitech's Voice over Internet Protocol PDA--not surprisingly, both came from the electronics sector. The former differ from common USB flash drives in having a 3mm-thick aluminum casing to protect them from shock, thus making them truly portable. The latter is another user-friendly design, combining water- and dust-proof features with a bar code scanner keypad and a wristband that allows the user to wear it like a glove.
According to the Office of the President Web site, in his speech at the award ceremony, President Chen pointed out that this selection of excellent products over the last 13 years has not only stimulated domestic businesses to enhance their R&D and product management, but also helped to keep track of the developmental progress of different industries. Chen also said he hoped the awards would encourage more creative and competitive Taiwanese companies to invest in and be based in Taiwan.
According to Taitra, the common theme that unites all this year's winners is that they touch the everyday lives of consumers. This continues the TEGA's emphasis on connecting technology designers and users, and showcases the latest attempts by Taiwanese businesses to integrate innovative designs into traditional electronics.