23 Jul Sentrel Products Receives DesignEX Award for Best Product!

Sentrel Vertical Cable Balustrade and Pool Fencing has just been awarded ‘Best New Product – Architectural External & Structural Products’ at this year’s Melbourne DesignEX. Australia’s leading design and architecture event presents the best in contemporary and classic designs.  This trade-only event has been at the forefront of the design and architectural arena for over 20 years.

Sentrel’s designer, Brett Harrison, was unable receive the award, which was accepted on his behalf by Louise Scott, who was in Melbourne as part of Sentrel’s Sales and Marketing team. Interior designer and executive sales manager Jennifer Fair is delighted with the honour, reflecting that a great deal of hard work had gone on behind the scenes to get the product to the show. ‘In a product like pool fencing and balustrade, complying with Australian Standards is essential. The testing is rigorous. Engineer certification and quality craftsmanship are essential to us. We made it through the process and the design is still stunning! We love it’.

Jen and her partner Bob Acton, from Byron Bay, first came into contact with Sentrel by entering and winning a competition for $6,000 of Sentrel’s Pool Fencing in 2009. Bob is a building designer, so between them there were a few ‘lively conversations’ about which way to go for pool fencing. Glass was good-looking but needed cleaning and didn’t let the breezes through, steel didn’t offer any kind of visual appeal to them as designers and horizontal cable balustrade has never been legal for pools. They loved the vertical cable Sentrel product so much they became partners in Sentrel Australia and are taking the business around the country with their enthusiasm and expertise.

Jarrod Butlin of Bago Woodworks in Wauchope, manufactures the product, and is also a Director of the company. Bago Woodworks is renowned for their quality craftsmanship and attention to detail, and have been building fine furniture for years. The ‘Best Product’ award to Sentrel Australia is a testament to small business success in our state, combining the talents and skills of a design, manufacturing and sales team across 3 regional areas in New South Wales producing an Australian-made product using Australian hardwoods. Congratulations to Sentrel!