Rowan announces innovation award winners

Edited by the Marketingservicestalk editorial team Jul 16, 2007

Companies from Coventry, Leicester and Derby have been named as winners at the Rowan Best Business Innovation Awards ceremony.

The overall winner was Coventry-based Laplock Technology, with second place going to Leicester company, LED Trucklights, and third place to HL from Derby.

The Rowan awards are the region's only awards dedicated to bringing through innovations to commercial success, with the winners each receiving the hands-on support needed to help get their innovation to market and grow their business.

The winners represent a cross section of industries from IT to transport to the arts.

First place went to IT company Laplock Technology.

Based in Coventry, Laplock has developed a security device that deters attempts to steal laptops or their data.

In second place was LED Trucklights of Coalville near Leicester, who are currently in the process of launching a range of unique LED ropelights that run along the length and breadth of commercial vehicles highlighting the entire outline of the vehicle and enhancing visibility and road safety and providing a stylish look that can emphasise branding and corporate identity.

Third place was given to HL of Derby for an innovative recycling technique using the printed pages of unwanted books and paper to obtain a material that can be used for sculpture.

Rowan Director David Owen, who created the Awards, said: "This has been an extremely rewarding process and we have been very encouraged by the response and the support we have received from organisations around the region - a good indication of how much this recognition for innovation linked with commercial potential is needed in the Midlands".

"We were impressed by the diversity of the entries in this year's awards," commented Chris Rattigan, MD of Rowan and Chairman of the judging panel.

"Our winners were picked from an extremely interesting range of innovations and the choice was difficult.

"They are all shining examples of what Midlands inventiveness is all about.".