The New Product of the Year (Mechanical) Prize:
Blatchford, for the Echelon Foot

Echelon is an artificial foot/ankle joint that uses an adjustable hydraulic damping device to restore much of the lower limb’s natural movements. This is based on analysis of the combined leg-ankle-foot system, rather than the usual design solution in prosthetics, which is to combine individual components and build up a semblance of natural movement.

The integrated hydraulics and carbon fibre foot spring system provides a bio-mimetic and natural fluidity to amputees during walking and standing.

The Judges considered Blatchford’s achievement to be an excellent example of mechanical engineering in the service of society. “It’s closer than anyone has ever gone before to being able to replicate the human joint and is a brilliant design.”

"Reflecting the view of the judges, the whole company can be proud of this award", says Design Engineer, Graham Harris, who collected the award at the Globe Theatre on Thursday. "It recognises not only the benefits the Echelon Foot has given to the amputees but also the way that the Echelon has enabled the Prosthetic industry to re-think its design philosophy for artificial limbs."

Message from the Chairman of the BEEA Judges

The UK’s engineering industry is going through very difficult times. With the economy brought to its knees by serious problems within the financial services sector, all businesses are suffering to some degree.

But what is fundamentally important is that the UK engineering sector emerges from the downturn in a stronger position, ready to take maximum advantage when the economy begins to pick up.

That is why the British Engineering Excellence Awards are important: they recognise the need for our industry to achieve world class standards and to create world class products with world class quality levels.

Because nothing else will be good enough – good won’t cut it; excellent will be better, but even excellent is at the bottom end of where we as an industry must be.

We as an industry must aspire to be world beating and the British Engineering Excellence Awards recognise this. Being selected to receive one of these awards – whatever the category – will be invaluable to the winning company. And winning the Grand Prix will be even better.

This awards programme presents UK companies with a unique showcase and an opportunity to demonstrate that UK engineering – far from being defeatist and losing out to international competition – is alive and well, innovative and thriving. The Awards will show that our businesses are among the best in the world.

Harry Tee CBE
Chairman