Hunter Douglas Tops WCMA Product Awards For 17th Consecutive Year

PEARL RIVER, N.Y., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovation, quality, functionality, beauty and style. The newest products from window fashions leader Hunter Douglas have it all, according to the just-announced results of the annual Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) Product Awards.  For the 17th consecutive year, the company has won more awards than any other manufacturer – an outstanding 27 out of the 50 conferred this year. In addition, Hunter Douglas captured the coveted Product of the Year for the 12th year as well as the prestigious Judges' Award reserved for a submission selected by the panel that exhibits measurable benefit or standout aesthetic appeal to end-users.

"We're grateful for these prestigious awards from an independent panel of judges," said Marv Hopkins, Hunter Douglas President and CEO. "Our company is committed to providing today's discerning consumers with innovative window fashions of superb quality and enduring style."

Product of the Year went to Silhouette® window shadings with the LiteRise® lifting system. Soft, sheer Silhouette shadings, unrivalled in the industry for their beauty and performance, have another important feather in their cap. Silhouette® with LiteRise® features an innovative cordless operation that not only makes raising, lowering and tilting the shading for variable light control easy, but eliminates the need for cords of any kind. No cords makes it especially ideal for homes with young children and provides a clean, uncluttered look at the window. A soft-touch handle allows for simple, convenient operation. For taller windows, a pull tassel is easy to install and use. 

This product was also awarded Most Innovative Overall Concept in the "Health and Environmental Safety" Green Category of the awards and Best New Technical Innovation in the Miscellaneous Products and Specialty Applications Category.           

Hunter Douglas Merchandising garnered the discretionary Judges' Award for "Excellence in enhancement, innovation and social media marketing of overall merchandising to the end-user and to the industry." The company won 12 out of 13 awards in this category.

Centerpiece of the industry-leading Hunter Douglas initiatives is the "Art of Window Dressing" iPad App, available in both consumer and dealer versions, which was named Best Marketing Technology. Fun, efficient and easy to navigate, this App makes finding the perfect Hunter Douglas window fashion just a quick tap away. It includes a virtual showroom of window dressings and allows users to select their favorites and preview how they will look on their window or their client's by uploading photos or choosing one from the sample room photos. A "Swatch Sorter" lets users select among light-filtering options, styles and colors.  Renderings can be saved with fabric type and color in a "Workbook" and shared by email, Facebook or with a dealer. There is a built-in Dealer Locator as well. 

Hunter Douglas Inc., headquartered in Pearl River, N.Y, is the leading manufacturer and marketer of custom window fashions in North America and a major manufacturer of architectural products. The company is a national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity, covering windows in every Habitat home built in the U.S. and Canada. 

For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com or call 1-800-274-2985.

SOURCE Hunter Douglas Inc.