2008 Award Winner and Laureates

Best Innovator Award Belgium 2008 Large Company Winner: Barco



"Striving for market and technology leadership"

Barco is a world leader in providing imaging solutions to a number of niche segments such as Media & Entertainment, Security, Avionics and Medical Imaging. Active in a sector where technological development is fast, innovation is a key success factor for Barco to remain technology leader in its market niches. Over the past 15 years, Barco has developed a total innovation management approach that ranks among the best practices compared to other companies worldwide. While Barco scores high on all dimensions of innovation management, including innovation strategy, organization and culture, it has a particular strength in the way it has set up its innovation management processes. Moreover, it is constantly striving to improve these processes.


Best Innovator Award Belgium 2008 SME Winner: Imperbel



"Greennovation"

Imperbel, a global market leader in bitumen-based roofing products under the Derbigum brand, has been a longstanding frontrunner in ensuring the sustainable development of its own production processes. In 2004, they decided to take this experience and leverage it for the benefit of their customers through the introduction of new products. Under the guidance of the company’s CEO, an ambitious innovation program was launched and the budget for R&D was significantly expanded. The first results have already been successfully put in the market, such as a white roofing product that shelters buildings from the heat (this type of product is used for the White House in Washington) and photovoltaic cells included in bitumen rolls.


Best Innovator Award Belgium 2008 - Large Company Laureate for Innovation Strategy: Philips Lighting (Turnhout)



"Innovation at the center of the growth strategy"

With stable revenues coming from lighting solutions for streets and shops, Philips Lighting's HID division didn’t have much to worry about. In 2005, however, it designed an ambitious growth strategy to double sales by 2011. As the market leader, it could only achieve this ambition by expanding the market through the introduction of innovative products. The supporting innovation strategy that was designed incorporated all required elements in detail:

• A clear objective was formulated
• The strategic thrusts were defined to reach this objective
• The required focus and effort for R&D was determined by product, based upon the product's life cycle
• A clear innovation road map was set, with clear transition points from technology to application to product
• The new product development's focus was switched from 'fast to market with one type' to 'reliable to market with a full range'
• Building the right capabilities and creating the conditions for motivated people to take ownership was one of the cornerstones in the growth strategy implementation.

Best Innovator Award Belgium 2008 - Large Company Finalists:



AGC Flat Glass Europe (formerly Glaverbel). Although innovation is not usually evident in a heavy industrial sector such as glass making, AGC’s management reinforced its innovative spirit to stay ahead of competition and grow sustainable profitability. About 2 years ago it refocused its innovation management and embarked on an extensive innovation program – using both a top-down approach via R&D and a bottom-up approach involving all of its 10,600 employees throughout Europe. The final steps of the overall innovation program are currently being implemented, and the company is already showing the first results of its efforts. AGC Flat Glass Europe was identified by the Jury as an excellent example of how companies active in heavy industries can become innovation leaders.



Deceuninck is a globally integrated group, specialized in areas such as compounding, the extrusion and finishing of profiles for window manufacturing, and building profiles for professional builder merchants. In 2002, Deceuninck management realized that the building profiles (non-fenestration) business unit in its industry was not very innovative and decided to change. A new, breakthrough technology was born out of this change in attitude – Twinson. Twinson is the combination of organic fibers and PVC for internal and external applications, and was successfully launched in the market during the past few years. With this new vision, Deceuninck placed innovation even higher on its strategic agenda and installed a cross-functional innovation organization led by the CEO. The jury also commends Deceuninck for its extraordinary efforts and results in the area of complexity management.



Omega Pharma. "Passion for Innovation" is the motto of this international distributor of body care and OTC products through pharmacists. This passion is supported by the whole organization, starting at the top management level. Omega Pharma has also developed an innovative way of leveraging innovations across the different local markets where it is active. The Jury recognizes Omega Pharma as a leader in terms of innovation culture.


Best Innovator Award Belgium 2008 SME Finalists:



Freemind Consulting. This software company develops web-enabled software solutions allowing corporations to significantly reduce building-related expenses such as energy, security and maintenance costs while increasing global Safety & Security. From the start, Freemind set "Innovation" as a strategic and operational objective and applied open innovation principles extensively. Thanks to strong support from IRSIB (Institute d'encouragement de la Recherche Scientifique et de l'Innovation de Bruxelles) and extensive cooperation with customers and partners, Freemind Consulting has defined its own innovation approach to the development of its technology and products. The results are clearly defined processes for new product development and the continuous improvement of existing products.



CO2logic. CO2logic is an innovator in the field of offsetting CO2 emissions and related services (carbon footprinting, CO2 neutrality, CDM/JI, etc.). CO2logic pioneered carbon offsetting/compensating in the Benelux and helps companies reduce their impact on climate change. The company chose to abide to the highest offsetting standards and quickly gained a strong reputation, receiving the 2007 Young Entrepreneurs Award by YFCS and BNP Paribas. C02logic was also ranked as the most recommended Belgian offsetting company and second most recommended European offsetting company in a study conducted by InterEnvironnement Wallonie/ULB in July of 2008. In a rapidly changing market environment, and in spite of the company’s small size, CO2logic’s founders are paying attention to putting the right innovation processes in place that will ensure their future success.