A COMPANY that has revolutionised the window business with it’s custom designed safety windows has just scooped an international award.

Britplas, based on Winstanley Industrial Estate off Long Lane, Orford, clinched the top award for Product Design for Healthcare at the Design & Health International Academy Awards.

The business won the accolade for it’s Safevent windows, which have taken to the medical industry by storm with safety features that has seen it fitted in secure units across the country.

They were through to the short list for the award and had to go to London to impress the judges of the competition.

Kevin Gorman, director, said: “We had to present our product to a panel of experts from around the world in a Dragon’s Den style competition.”

And then the company were invited to Singapore for the awards ceremony,where they were announced as winners.

The judges praised the company’s design saying: “The Safevent window allows patients and staff to fully open a window in complete safety with no restrictions, permitting maximum natural ventilation. Due to its unique design, it has no locks or hinges and has self-cleaning glass. Its installation in over one hundred acute locations is testimony to its operational success.”

The window has a fine mesh over the openable side that allows the window to be open and let in air, but nothing else can get through. It also offers extra safety as they are designed to be anti ligature fittings.

Already it has become a massive success and the windows have been installed at hospitals across the country.

And following on from their international award success their design is reaching a new audience.

“It has opened up a lot of new doors,” Mr Gorman added, “We were invited down to the Singapore Embassy have a meal with Prince Andrew and we have got offers in Australia and the health minister from Indonesia wants us to go out there and look at their windows.”