What does it really mean to win New Product of the Year?

Well, we did it. Stellar took the New Product of the Year Award at the G Awards 2019. As the most prestigious awards in the fenestration industry, we’re delighted.

But as the dust settles and the champagne corks stop popping, it’s worth thinking about what awards like this really mean. Because it’s about far more than just a trophy for the shelf.

A Stellar journey

We launched Stellar just six months ago. As the first brand new aluminium window and door system for the retail and light commercial sectors to hit the market in a number of years, we had a lot to prove.

Feedback from our customers has been excellent, so we knew we had a winner on our hands in that sense.

But winning New Product of the Year means we have the recognition of our industry peers too. It means we’re really starting to make a mark.

Stellar R&D

We might only have launched Stellar onto the market six months ago, but for us Stellar’s journey started long before that.

We have a policy of listening to our customers and watching wider industry trends so we can see what the market needs. With the growth of the domestic aluminium sector we could see there was a need for a system that would deliver on consumer expectations – and add value to fabricators and installers by giving them a future proof system they could rely on.

In Stellar, we have more than delivered, something that’s reflected in the G Award.

It’s the only aluminium system to have a fully flush option. The flush lines on interior and exterior elevations deliver a beautifully uncluttered aesthetic that is perfect for the understated lines today’s homeowners love.

Clearview Glaziers was one of the first fabricators to start manufacturing Stellar and the company’s Robin Squibb reports: “We have offered our customers choice between some of the highest branded names in the aluminium game, but they have chosen the Stellar system every time due to its clean, modern aesthetics.”

But that’s just the start. Stellar features a number of industry firsts that means it is faster to fabricate, saves materials, reduces stockholding and is simpler to install than rival systems. Innovations include a reverse butt joint so products can be fabricated without dummy sashes or reverse adaptor profiles and a pre-gasketed knock-in bead so a wedge gasket isn’t needed during installation.

Robin Squibb sums up the difference this makes: “We have found the Stellar window and door system a breath of fresh air to fabricate. It seems like aluminium windows should have always been this way.”

A Stellar team

It’s easy to talk about the features of Stellar and the benefits they deliver for consumers, fabricators and installers alike.

But behind this is a team of people who are all committed to seeing Stellar succeed and to going the extra mile to make sure it does. The G Award is recognition of their hard work. The development team refused to compromise in the design phase.

Stellar’s marketing team was similarly committed to making sure the launch campaign set the same high bar. Their efforts were recognised at the G Awards too, because the campaign won Promotional Campaign of the Year.

A Stellar future

So, you can be sure the two G Award trophies will take pride of place in our offices. Every time we look at them we’ll be reminded of two things. Firstly, that hard work and a refusal to compromise does pay off. Secondly, never to rest on our laurels. Stellar has achieved a lot in a short space of time. It’s up to us to make sure we continue to develop the system so it continues to live up to its name – Stellar.