Indesign’s Melbourne correspondent Stephen Crafti, caught up with Australian recipients of the latest IF awards.

Hugo Davidson and CEO of Catalyst and Knog, speaks modestly of his company’s success. However, with 37 international awards and supplying 47 different countries, the tone of his voice should be considerably louder.

With fellow director Malcolm McKechnie and Chief Marketing Officer Mike Lelliott, Knog received in Hanover, Germany last week, not just one, but another four international IF (International Forum) Awards for their designs.

They also scooped the top gong ‘Golden IF Award’ for Beetle, a twin Led bike light. “It’s always a great privilege to be short-listed for awards as prestigious as these,” says Davidson.

“But to receive an ‘IF award’ for every product we submitted, and for one of those to be Gold is a testament to the quality of Australian innovation,” he adds.

Catalyst, a management design consultancy company was established 19 years ago. Knog, established five years ago, designs and manufactures cycling products, aimed at the urban cyclist worldwide. While Catalyst designs and produces household and office products, which including phones, radios, printers, kettles and irons.

“Three to four years ago, urban cyclists were a fairly drab lot. They were either people who couldn’t afford cars or school kids,” says Davidson.

Knog’s repertoire now includes bike helmets, luggage and tools for bikes as well as ‘Porno Patches, adhesive patches to seal tyre punches.

Their ‘Frog’ lights, attached to bicycle wheels have sold more than 2 million alone in the last two and a half years.

Text by Stephen Crafti   

knog.com.au