29 products from 25 companies honored / Impressive and pioneering innovations

On the evening before the first day of the trade fair, the time had finally come: the renowned R+T Innovation Award was presented for the 12th time. Once again, the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors and sun protection systems was able to impressively underline its status as an innovation platform at the awards ceremony.

The R+T Innovation Award, which is presented by Messe Stuttgart and supported by the German Federal Association of Roller Shutters and Sun Protection, the BVT – Association of Doors and Gates and the Industrieverband Technische Textilien – Rollladen – Sonnenschutz e. V. as conceptual and technical sponsors, honors innovative technical developments. It helps to bring exemplary innovations in the industry to the attention of experts.

The products were selected by an independent panel of experts consisting of representatives from industry associations, specialist editors and other experts – chaired by Dr. Christoph Meyer, Managing Director of Ingenieurbüro für Bauklimatik. The characteristics of the submitted products were examined and evaluated in detail – in addition to the innovative quality and market potential of the developments, user-friendliness and product safety were also relevant factors in the jury’s decision.

The coveted 2024 award was presented in several categories: Drives and control systems for roller shutters and sun protection, drives and control systems for doors, building automation, interior sun protection, outdoor, external venetian blinds, roller shutters, special solutions, technical textiles, textile sun protection and doors. Special prizes were also awarded in the areas of sustainability, design and a special jury prize. From a total of 125 products submitted by 79 companies from 17 countries, 41 products were nominated by the independent jury for a R+T Innovation Award 2024 – in the end, 29 products were awarded the coveted prize.

The winners

The following companies were recognized for their innovative products

ALUKON KG

ALUKON KG received the silver award in the external venetian blind category for its LS Dark product. The solution combines light control and darkening, which is made possible by a specially designed slat with a newly developed external venetian blind system. The innovative guide rail construction with integrated side elevator impressed the jury, as did the possibility of creating a glare-free, cozy living atmosphere and opaque darkening with the LS Dark product.

Becker-Antriebe GmbH

Becker-Antriebe GmbH was awarded gold in the drives and control systems for doors category for its tubular drive with absolute encoder. The solution is suitable for smoke and fire protection closures and has an RS485 interface. The jury members saw further significant advantages in the closing speed and function monitoring as well as the emergency stop of the innovative tubular drive.

BeluTec Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH

BeluTec Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH was delighted to receive two awards. The company’s coupled doors, which can be raised completely including the guide rails, received gold in the doors category. The solution enables the coupling of several doors in a row, which, once opened in an ICE workshop in Cottbus, provides free access to the ICE over a width of 420 meters without disruptive guide rails.

In the special solutions category, bronze was awarded to the façade power plant. The vertical façade tilts towards the sun, allowing the entire surface to be used for energy production at any position of the sun. In this way, maximum surfaces on buildings can be used for energy production – at the same time, the self-cleaning solution acts as sun protection in front of the windows.

BEMATECH s.r.o.

ZOOMTECH® zero tube deflection for blinds from BEMATECH s.r.o. won gold in the interior sun protection category. The innovative, patented ZOOMTECH technology integrates a gravity compensation system into the tube of a winding system. This new product development enables shading up to a width of 9 meters – with an optimum fabric appearance.

BOTEVO Building Solutions GmbH

BOTEVO Building Solutions GmbH was delighted to win silver for its BOTEVO VISION solution in the Doors category. For the first time, the system enables the integration of a wide range of requirements for daylight working in halls, taking into account aspects such as security, burglary protection and privacy, sun protection, heat protection, glare protection, UV protection, privacy protection, an active alarm signal and bird protection.

BT Group

The CODE solution from BT Group received two awards. It received silver in the Outdoor category and the special Design award. CODE, the innovative aluminum slat system, fits perfectly into the various pergola solutions and replaces the usual corner posts. The product is made to measure and makes it possible to implement even highly individual outdoor projects with the highest level of quality – while maintaining an outstanding design.

CEDES AG

CEDES AG was awarded silver in the category Drives and Controls for Doors for its GridScan/ Smart Traffic solution. GridScan/Smart Traffic extends the usual function of a safety light curtain by monitoring the flow of goods and people at a door. The information from the individual beams and image analysis is used to recognise the shape, movement and/or identity of the object moving through the gate.

Corradi Srl

Corradi Srl won gold in the Outdoor category with Alba Butterfly. In the pergola system, the fabric curtain is folded over the cross profiles using a pantograph. This ensures a significantly smaller package width when the fabric surface is open than before. The design of the fabric surface also ensures optimised water drainage in the lateral gutter area. Alba Butterfly also scores points for optimised water drainage.

Coulisse B.V.

Coulisse B.V. scored points in the building automation category with its Adaptive Shading product and secured silver. The innovation uses hyperlocal data to synchronise window coverings with the movement of the sun, ensuring perfect lighting and energy savings throughout the day.

In the interior sun protection category, Coulisse B.V. was awarded bronze for its Smart Frame solution. This is a motorised tension pleated blind developed for drill-free installation in tilt and turn windows and doors. Powered by MotionBlinds technology, it is suitable for the automatic and manual control of top-down, bottom-up pleated blinds and honeycomb pleated blinds that contribute to energy efficiency, security and comfort.

Dickson Constant

Dickson Constant was awarded silver in the Technical Textiles category for its SWKZIP product. The micro-perforated screen fabric is suitable for large zip systems and has recently been perfected by the company with new high-tenacity yarns. This development results in a very high standard of dimensional stability with an excellent warp/weft balance. SWKZIP is the thinnest and lightest zip fabric on the market.

GfA ELEKTROMATEN GmbH & Co. KG

The TS 971 door control unit with wallbox and charging management from GfA ELEKTROMATEN GmbH & Co. KG was awarded bronze in the category drives and controls for doors. A new charging management function of the door control unit enables the joint use of an existing electrical building infrastructure of an industrial door and a wallbox. This function can automatically reduce the charging energy of a wallbox when the energy is required for a door movement.

Gluetex GmbH

Gluetex GmbH won two awards at once: TRail received gold in the textile sun protection category and also the jury’s special prize. The innovation allows for a smaller winding diameter of the side curtain; compared to the usual ZIP system, TRail no longer creates a bulge at the transition to the fabric, which eliminates the formation of creases. This saves a considerable amount of space in the box, as the fabric shaft no longer has to be set down to accommodate the winding differences of the ZIP. A smaller inlet also enables narrower guide rails and the side seam is stabilised vertically.

heroal Johann Henkenjohann GmbH & Co. KG

For the heroal VS Z corner solution, heroal Johann Henkenjohann GmbH & Co. KG won silver in the textile sun protection category. The patented heroal VS Z corner solution consists of two textile screens with zip guides on the sides and a filigree cable guide in the corner area. The blind is guided by separate end strips, both of which run in just one cable guide. This allows the screens to be controlled independently of each other.

Hunter Douglas Europe B.V.

Hunter Douglas Europe B.V. won silver in the internal sun protection category with Aura Illuminated Shades. This is a secondary light source that emits a soft, natural light through the window so that daylight can be utilised for longer in the early morning and evening hours. The light source provides atmospheric lighting and creates the same soft light atmosphere that translucent window coverings have in daylight.

JENTSCHMANN AG

JENTSCHMANN AG is delighted to have won gold in the Special Solutions category for myShade. This innovation enables quick and easy digital access to specific system data in the failure profile area via NFC chip/ QR code. One of the major advantages of this innovative solution is that it eliminates the risk of incorrect orders due to incorrect measurements during retensioning or repairs. Images, instructions, care instructions etc. can also be called up digitally at any time.

KADECO Sonnenschutzsysteme GmbH

The special design prize went to KADECO Sonnenschutzsysteme GmbH. The 310 cassette awning impressed the jury with its clear lines and modern look. Thanks to the side brackets integrated into the design, the fixing points are elegantly concealed. It is also easy to install and adjust the inclination in just a few steps.

MHZ Hachtel GmbH & Co. KG

MHZ Hachtel GmbH & Co. KG received bronze in the textile sun protection category for zip 6. Thanks to this innovation, zips with a width of 6 metres can be implemented with a 110 mm cassette on fabric shafts with a diameter of 65 millimetres. Previously, systems with a width of 6 metres were installed on a 100 mm shaft in a 150 mm cassette. zip 6 prevents the previous shaft deflection up to the maximum system width, which ensures a crease-free blind.

Neher Systeme GmbH & Co. KG

Neometer from Neher Systeme GmbH & Co. KG won silver in the Special Solutions category. The jury was impressed by the interplay between the high-precision Neometer digital roll metre and the Neometer measurement app. This reduces the measuring time for insect screens by up to 80 per cent and is also significantly safer.

NICE S.p.A.

NICE S.p.A won bronze in the building automation category for Yubii Smart Home OS. The company is developing a new version of Yubii with a new look and new UX. Yubii Smart Home OS can work with multiple applications: from awning/shutter motors to thermostat control. Gate and door motors, energy management devices such as smart meters or photovoltaic systems can also be integrated.

NICE S.p.A. also secured bronze with NEXT FIT MT AUTOTORQUE SH AC in the drives and control systems for roller shutters and sun protection category. The product covers today’s awning applications from 20 Nm to 50 Nm and adapts itself by recognising the required force. The quiet motor also has a speed change and soft start/soft stop function. Thanks to the “climate speed control”, the motor changes its behaviour and speed.

REFLEXA-WERKE Albrecht GmbH

The RaffLock from REFLEXA-WERKE Albrecht GmbH was awarded bronze in the external venetian blind category. The new Reflexa product RaffLock convinced the jury with its visual appearance and the technical perfection of combining sun protection and insect defence in one product. It is gentle on mosquitoes, arachnids and other insects, which are kept away from the living space.

Sattler SUN-TEX GmbH

Sattler SUN-TEX GmbH was delighted to receive two awards.Elements OEKO WEAVE received gold in the technical textiles category and the special award for sustainability.Elements OEKO WEAVE combines strong sustainability aspects and outstanding technical properties. The innovative awning fabric uses transition fibres that are collected, sorted and spun using the Cross Fibre Process and then used as weft yarn in the Elements OEKO WEAVE product. These fibres, which are removed from the production process as colour-mixed fibres during a colour change of fabric fibres, are used to produce this weft thread. These fibres are not pure in colour and would normally be disposed of. And this is precisely where Sattler SUN-TEX’s ideas come into play: spinning a yarn from these fibres, sorted according to colour groups, that can be used in the weft of special Elements OEKO WEAVE designs without optical deviations despite its colour blend, and also has a proportion of more than 30 percent of these transition fibres.

SELVE GmbH & Co. KG

SELVE GmbH & Co. KG was able to secure an award for two products. SE Breeze-com won gold in the category of drives and control systems for roller shutters and sun protection. The awning drive has integrated wind detection and is therefore a simple and cost-effective way of protecting an awning from damage caused by wind. This eliminates the need for an external wind sensor.

The freewheel for NHK drives, which the company has developed, was awarded silver in the drives for roller shutters and sun protection category. Emergency hand crank drives are often used on the 2nd escape and rescue route. However, if they are cranked in the wrong direction in an emergency, the system can be destroyed and the blind can no longer be opened. A built-in freewheel ensures absolute operating safety with this innovation.

Somfy Activités SA

Somfy Activités SA won gold in the building automation category with Amy sun protect io. The low-noise motor scores points with its automatic sleep mode, speed adjustment when the battery is low and guaranteed radio range with the antenna in the roller shutter box. Another impressive feature is the intelligent comfort function thanks to the sunlight sensor built into the solar panel.

WAREMA Renkhoff SE

The SecuKit from WAREMA Renkhoff SE was awarded gold in the external venetian blind category. The solution for the 2nd escape route is easy and intuitive to operate and install. In an emergency, the reliable mechanism allows you to get outside in a matter of seconds and can be operated from both inside and outside. SecuKit requires no electricity, is absolutely economical and inexpensive to purchase. Maintenance, commissioning and additional planning are not necessary.

Winsol NV

Winsol NV won gold in the roller shutter category with its Fusion solution. The innovative solution provides up to four times more daylight than conventional roller shutters. The desired amount of daylight can be adjusted – complete darkening is of course also possible. In addition to heat protection in winter and cooling in summer with simultaneous sound insulation, the burglar-resistant Fusion solution also offers the option of customising the level of privacy protection required.