Design key to sales

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 25

Design key to sales

Design is going to be the key to manufacturing success, according to the chairman of the New Zealand Industrial Design Council (Mr James Collins).

"There never was a time in New Zealand's history

where good industrial design was so important,” he said. This year marked the inauguration of a premier Royal award to select the superlative products from the New Zealand industry each year — the Prince Philip Award for New Zea-

land Industrial Design. Commenting on the establishment of the award, Mr Collin? said that the training advantage conferred by the award should prove an attraction to local manufacturers. Equivalent awards have been made in the United Kingdom and Australia for a number of years. “When a manufacturer's product has the Prince Philip prize label attached to it it carries a symbol giving it international significance; and experience has shown that it will be able to be presented with confidence alongside the best the world can offer,” Mr Collins said. “The recent tremendous

upsurge in New Zealand manufactured exports, undoubtedly a fine tribute to manufacturers and designers alike, will thus be further enhanced. It is essential that every effort be made now to

capitalise on the effect of the export drive by recognising the increasingly-sophistic-ated needs of our overseas markets." "We can no longer be insensitive to the strong emphasis that other countries, particularly those around the Pacific, place on imaginative and innovative industrial designs,” he said.

The markets in this area were so established that the only viable way to compete was with a very high standard of design.

“From now on we will never be able to outprice these countries — design is going to be all important,” Mr Collins continued. Although New Zealand manufacturers had reached an extremely high standard of excellence he warned that the design factor would be even more crucial in the future. “Even to get the repeat order more than the price and delivery will be required," Mr Collins said. The New Zealand Industrial Design Council each year receives a growing number of applications for the Designmark award.

“This is primarily because of the activities of our regional managers and field officers who go direct to the manufacturers and guide them in manufacturing so that eventually they do

receive the Designmark award." Mr Collins said. All the field staff have had long associations with industry before working for the council. The council can also provide qualified and experienced designers to assist a manufacturer with design. This service is especially invaluable to the smaller manufacturer who does not

have access to a design team. The designer service saves time and expense by providing a list of designers for particular needs. Design of a product should be geared to the needs of the people. “It is no good producing a good design if it still does not meet the requirements of the people," Mr Collins said.