Fennia Prize 2017 Grand Prix for surgical light

The main award of the Fennia Prize 2017 design competition has been given to Merivaara’s surgical light that improves the level of hygiene in the operating rooms.

Design is part of the business operations of the most successful companies. The results of the Fennia Prize 2017 design competition, announced today, explicitly indicate that the use of design brings advantage in international success and helps create a strong and distinctive brand.

Fennia Prize is one of the most notable design competitions in Finland. In the competition companies and organizations are awarded for exemplary use of design in both designing and realizing products, services, business processes or concepts.

The Fennia Prize Grand Prix of €10,000 is awarded to Merivaara Corporation, a company that has made use of design in its product development for several years.

The awarded Q-Flow™ Surgical Light is the latest addition to the company’s product range and a bold solution in a highly competitive global market. Several innovations improve the level of hygiene in theoperating rooms and make the work of the personnel more effective, among other features.

The combination of high technology and design provides definite benefits for users and competitive assets and distinctiveness for the corporation.

Merivaara Corporation, originally founded in 1901, provides operating-room systems and hospital furniture, exporting over 85 percent of its products. It employs some 120 people in four countries.  Merivaara’s product development is based on multidisciplinary research and a thorough knowledge of the users of the product.

17 other winners

In addition to Fennia Prize Grand Prix, there were awarded five Fennia Prize Winner prizes of €5,000 and ten companies receive a Fennia Prize Honourable Mention. In addition, the Finnish Patent and Registration Office also gives out the IPR Excellence prize for the commendable protection of intellectual property rights (IPR).

The aim of the competition, arranged every second year, is to promote the use of design in business and the society to enhance growth, competitiveness and internationalization. At the same time, the significance of using design, as well as companies which are applying it in their operations, are brought into the limelight.

The competition is organized by Design Forum Finland, Fennia Group, Elo and the Finnish Patent and Registration Office, now for the 13th time. Fennia Prize 2017 is part of the Finland 100 programme in 2017.

The exhibition architecture is by Seos Design. After Helsinki, the exhibition will continue to Arctic Design Week in Rovaniemi in February.