Binz Hearse Gains Design Award

The iF Design Forum makes prestigious awards annually and participants are judged from over 1,600 entrants in a series of different categories. Binz entered the Transportation category with its five seat hearse and was one of only 16 companies to be awarded an iF Design Award in the sector in 2006.

Peter Smith, Chief Executitve Officer of Binz (UK) Ltd, says, "The iF Product Design Award is a highly prized international endorsement of our product, and with it goes a registered trademark which we are permitted to use for our Company.

The Binz five seat "Omniel" hearse is based on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, enlarged by about 1200 mm to a total length of 6100 mm. Drawing upon the symbols and visual traditions of English funeral culture, the five-seat hearse offers a forward cabin for driver, conductor and three bearers, and re-interprets the casket chamber as a "glass viewing room". The design integrates complex curved glass and bodywork in order to achieve an overall impression of "openness" and transparency. The vehicle is constructed using an advanced combination of steel chassis and composite-sandwich body.

The iF Design Awards have been running since 1954 and today some 1800 entries are received annually from 37 different countries. The jury, composed of top international designers, not only critically examines and selects the award-winning entries, but also guarantees iF's special status and the high-quality reputation of the iF label.

Companies and design studios deploy the iF seal in their communication campaigns as a visible symbol of product and service quality. And for buyers of design-oriented products, the iF seal serves as a decision-making tool in the marketplace. An iF award is a symbol of a company's commitment to innovation and its willingness to face the competition.

Source: Binz UK Ltd