Innovations for the crafts receive award

The Internationale Handwerksmesse München (International Trade Fair for the Crafts) provided the venue for awarding the Bundespreis für hervorragende innovatorische Leistungen für das Handwerk (Federal Award for Outstanding Innovative Performances for the Crafts).

The Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and Federal Government Commissioner for Small and Medium-sized Businesses and Tourism, Ernst Burgbacher, member of the German Parliament, said, "The Federal Innovation Award demonstrates that the crafts brim over with inventive spirit and power for growth. By honouring outstanding products, production processes and service provisions, the application of new technologies is accelerated and the performance and competitive capability of the crafts is strengthened. With their achievements, the award winners demonstrate what they are capable of and make an important contribution to the further development of the crafts. I cordially congratulate the award winners."

A total of eight prizes was awarded. The award criteria focused in particular on the degree of innovation and difficulty of a new design and its practical use for the crafts. Many ideas have their origin in small trade businesses, deriving from everyday working practice.