Ashbourne News Telegraph

Safety firm nets number of Building Innovation Awards nomination­s

- Gareth Butterfiel­d gareth.butterfiel­d@ashbournen­ewstelegra­ph.co.uk

AN Ashbourne firm which invents and manufactur­es constructi­on safety products has been shortliste­d across three categories in the Building Innovation Awards.

Chris Massey, managing director of Brilliant Ideas, has been nominated as an Innovation Champion of 2021, which recognises some of the sector’s most pioneering individual­s and inventions.

Mr Massey’s firm has also been shortliste­d in the category of Best Health and Safety Innovation, in which two of its products have made the final.

Its Safety Net Recovery System, a way of recovering a site operative who has fallen from height, and small hole cover, which covers temporary holes, making them safe during constructi­on both made the cut.

Two other innovation­s have been picked out in the category Most Innovative New Product – one is a newlylaunc­hed range of crane support mats made from recycled certified Aluminium and the other is a SLAPP Clamp, a lightweigh­t pallet-lifting devise.

The national awards celebrate the most innovative products, projects and people that are transformi­ng the UK constructi­on industry.

Mr Massey has been solving problems through innovation for the last 33-years and is the inventor of all products developed by the company.

He said: “We’re delighted to be shortliste­d for another industry award. Being nominated for Innovation Champion was a complete surprise, as I wasn’t aware the team had put me forward.

“Improving safety on constructi­on sites has always been the driver behind every invention I create – and that has never changed.

“So, when I couldn’t find the products on the open market to fulfil this need, I started to develop and manufactur­e my own.

“Initially it was to improve safety and efficienci­es for our own team, but when other site operators saw them using these products, customers started to make enquiries about buying them – so now they’re available to our wider industry colleagues.”

The winners will be announced at an awards evening next month in Manchester.

 ?? ?? Brilliant Ideas managing director Chris Massey has been shortliste­d for the Innovation Champion of 2021 award
Brilliant Ideas managing director Chris Massey has been shortliste­d for the Innovation Champion of 2021 award

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