Companies that consistently invent concepts and products

1 Broadcast Radio, Hessle

FOR almost a quarter of a century it has developed and supported professional software used in the industry globally, helping to plan, produce and deliver output, scheduling songs, jingles and links.

In late 2019 it began developing a remote solution to allow presenters to edit the content for shows via a web browser instead of an application, ramping up significantly in February when the impact of Covid-19 became apparent.

Suspending work on all other development it set about the task, ensuring meaningful content could be provided remotely on a range of platforms, without deep technical knowledge or station infrastructure. The ultimate aim was to allow stations to return to full “live” broadcasts without the need to physically visit the station.

Broadcast Radio also took the commercial decision to offer the service free to existing customers for lockdown, despite considerable development costs of building the solution and the cloud-based platform to host it.

2 Heald Ltd, Hornsea

THE Bridge Bollard System from the hostile vehicle mitigation system manufacturer features nine fixed bollards on individual base plates, all bolted together. It is a unique product which requires no pinning and has been crash tested to halt a 7.2-tonne truck travelling at 30mph.

The patent applied technology offers additional protection by anchoring the bollards into the ground upon impact, ,p preventing g the vehicle from penetrating the area the bollards are protecting, making it not only the ideal solution for protecting bridges from the risk of vehicle attacks, but also other locations such as inner cities and footways.

Later this year, Heald will announce a further product to add to its range.

IP is massively important to Heald, and not only does it consistently invent new concepts and products, but it also enhances the existing portfolio, too, such as the electro-mechanical Matador, allowing faster deployment than the hydraulic original.

3 Springfield Solutions, Hull

THE brand management specialist’s SASO label is the world’s first full height, digitally printed self-adhesive label that provides seamless, 360-degree coverage for aerosol cans.

Previous printing had relied on flat sheet metal or labels leaving gaps at the top and bottom of the can, with direct printing plagued by long lead times and storage issues.

Developed over four years, SASO is shrunk into the neck and base, avoiding the unsightly gap, minimum orders and warehousing costs. Speed to market and reduced lead times digital print provides mean customers can react quickly to demands, design or regulatory changes.

An extended content Piggy Back SASO label has also been developed, while SASO has embedded Springfield’s Smartpicture App technology which allows brands to connect their labels to the internet using an invisible code hidden within the print.

SASO has delivered 12 per cent revenue growth for the company.