The SABS disa product design awards, aimed at honouring South Africa's foremost product designs and designers, will again align itself with the Export Africa trade exhibition to be held at Gallagher Estate in May next year. The closing date for submission of product design entries is 17 February 2006.

This year saw 16 product designs spanning a variety of industrial sectors receiving SABS disa Design Excellence Awards. The majority of the products came from the engineering, mining and machinery category, but there were also innovative medical, homeware and information technology products that received awards.

The disa South African Design Excellence Awards have been presented by the Design Institute, a division of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) for close on 40 years under different names. Entries fall into one of six categories. These are home and office ware, medical and healthcare, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, transport, automotive, mining and machinery. Then there are also awards made in education, leisure, sports goods or toys, the built environment, including components, urban furniture, equipment, tools, as well as electronics, information and communication technology (ICT).

The disa Design Excellence Award scheme aims to recognise the achievements of South African product designers, while also encouraging local product design and manufacture and promoting international competitiveness of local products. This award scheme has established a proud tradition of promoting indigenous design.

Visit www.designinstitute.org.za for more information on the disa product design award scheme, to view previous awarded products and to download an electronic entry form. Entries should reach the Design Institute no later than 17 February 2006.

For more information contact Jennie Fourie, SABS Design Institute, 083 457 8682, jfourie@bpsupport.com, www.designinstitute.org.za