01.07.2011 KASIMIR Product of the Year 2011
Every year the German pro K Industrial Association for Semi-Finished and Consumer Products in Plastic (pro-K Industrieverband Halbzeuge und Konsumprodukte aus Kunststoff e.V.) honors outstanding innovations made of plastic. This year koziol's KASIMIR cheese grater was crowned "Product of the Year."
The formal presentation of the award certificate took place at the koziol Glücksfabrik – or Happiness Factory – on July 1, 2011. In his congratulatory address, pro-K managing director Ralf Olsen explained the origins and history of the competition along with the demands placed on the competing products. He also commented on the demanding jury, which includes members of the German Association of Housewives. "They are our most critical testers," Olsen stated. "After all, the products need to prove themselves in everyday practice."
Company owner Stephan Koziol stressed the amount of know-how that went into making the cheese grater. Developed only over the course of recent years, this expertise is one of the reasons for koziol's ability to continue producing in Germany at competitive prices – and at the same time capture a leading position within the industry. "Plastic is the 21st century material, and our goal is to meld its innovative potential with appealing design and maximum functionality," Koziol said.
The design for the grater was created by the Antwerp-based Belgian studio Pink Eye. The product's technical development – from the initial model through mold construction, all the way to production-readiness – was handled by koziol's in-house team. KASIMIR is 100% made in Germany, exclusively at the company's home site in Erbach/Odenwald.
For the past three decades, the distinction "Product of the Year" has been awarded to new products made of plastic that stand out by virtue of their creative impact and innovative functionality. The participating products are judged by a jury comprised of independent experts: representatives from the fields of industry and commerce, consumer organizations and the trade press.