LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. - (Business Wire) Handi-Treads, a unique safety product developed by Handi-Products, Inc., was one of the top five vote-getters in an online ballot conducted as part of the annual Chicago Innovation Awards event held in late October. This local recognition for Handi-Treads (www.handitreads.com) follows the receipt of a 2009 “Retailer’s Choice” award as one of the hottest new products at the National Hardware Show this past June.
Over 250 Chicago-area firms -- large and small, public, private and non-profit -- submitted products or services for consideration in the program that recognizes significant innovations and highlights the creative spirit of the Chicago area. Of this number, 75 finalists were chosen and a panel of judges ultimately selected ten winners of the Chicago Innovation Award.
This year’s winners selected by the judges included comScore, Inc., Groupon, TrippLite, the Art Institute of Chicago’s Modern Wing and the Robotic Surgery Program at the University of Chicago.
Handi-Treads was among five additional products which garnered the most votes via an online balloting procedure on the Innovation Award website and were designated “People’s Choice” winners. Over 11,000 votes in total were cast.
“Handi-Treads are simple, clever products that prove that innovation isn’t limited to high-tech firms or large companies with substantial research budgets,” said Tom Kuczmarski, founder of the Chicago Innovation Awards.
“We are extremely pleased and honored by this award,” said Thom Disch, CEO of Handi-Products. “Voters recognized that Handi-Treads are a significant improvement over existing methods of preventing slip-and-fall accidents caused by the wet, snowy and icy conditions that we have in Chicago.”
Handi-Treads are 1/8” thick dimpled aluminum strips that can be installed in a few minutes on stairs, decks, walkways, porches, ramps and other potentially slippery surfaces. The product comes in a variety of size and colors and carries a lifetime warranty.
About Handi-Products
Handi-Products of Libertyville, Ill., has been designing and manufacturing safety and accessibility products for home and business use since 1958. The company’s products are used by home owners, small businesses, governmental agencies, churches, hotels, schools as well as other public and commercial facilities for a wide range of purposes. For more information, visit http://handiproducts.com or call 800 733-4726.
About the Chicago Innovation Awards
Kuczmarski & Associates and prominent local journalist Dan Miller established the Chicago Innovation Awards in 2002 as an annual program to honor significant innovations introduced by Chicago-area companies and to focus attention on the creative spirit of the Chicago region. Each year, the Chicago Innovation Awards honor winners who have introduced products or services that uniquely fill unmet needs, generate a competitive response in the marketplace, exceed market expectations and achieve financial success. www.chicagoinnovationawards.com.
For Handi-Products
Bob Bregenzer, 847-682-2854
bob@invernesscommunications.com
