Malvern technology business, Optimec, has had its investment rewarded by winning a prestigious design and innovation award for its new contact lens measuring instrument, the Optimec is830.

Up against considerable competition, the ‘People’s Choice Award’ for product / industrial design, awarded by Creativepool and voted for by the industry, recognises the substantial benefits of a true user-centric design solution, a new product, iconic product language, fresh rebranding, engineering and manufacturing, all achieved in the UK.

The is830 introduces market-leading technology in contact lens metrology, delivering improved functionality and usability. The instrument defines a new aesthetic in the industry’s product category and, moreover, has already opened up new markets which are leading to increased sales revenue for Optimec.

Clive Goodwin of Jam Sandwich, collecting the award for the design of Optimec’s is830 product

Colin Richards, Optimec Director said;

“The Optimec is830 is the result of a highly successful and award-winning KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) with Aston University. The Project Associate, Dr. Ben Coldrick, now Head of Technical Development at Optimec, developed the instrument over the course of his two-and-a-half-year placement. Ben has been supported throughout by a combination of Optimec’s own team and outsourced expertise from product designer, Clive Goodwin and Ellis Pitt from the Design Council. The is830 is a game-changing instrument in the contact lens metrology sector.”

Product and innovation design was delivered by Clive Goodwin, former Head of Design at Samsung, and now working independently through his own consultancy ‘Jam Sandwich’. Clive won a competitive pitch to work with Optimec and brought his 20-plus years of experience to bear on the project.

Ellis Pitt, an external Design Strategy Consultant, working with Optimec on behalf of the Design Council, described the project as “a near-perfect example of how business-owners can harness the benefits of the UK’s best design talent, drive technical innovation through university graduate-placement schemes and use ‘on-demand’, external design strategy expertise to help grow their businesses.”

Since launching the is830 at the beginning of Q2 2016, Optimec has installed instruments in the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA, the revenue from which has resulted in last year’s turnover being surpassed by over 50%.