Los Angeles/ Munich. The 20-year-plus relationship
between BMW Group subsidiary Designworks and John Deere continues to
yield excellent results. In 2016, the companies received eight awards
in international design competitions for John Deere construction and
forestry equipment – the most in these market segments. “Designing
highly complex machinery requires a deep technological understanding”
said Oliver Heilmer, president of Designworks. “Ever since we
conducted our first H Crawler project for John Deere in 1996, the
foundation for success between our companies has been the continuous
sharing of knowledge and experiences, along with a constant fostering
of a shared design culture.” In 2016, international committees for
design quality acknowledged the achievements of the long-standing
relationship between Designworks and John Deere.
Red Dot Award
Two John Deere crawler dozers – the 850K Crawler and the 1050K
Crawler – were recognized in early 2016 with the Red Dot Award for
outstanding product design. The design is conceived to communicate the
two core features of these vehicles – robustness and strength. At the
same time, the bulldozers’ look needs to correspond with the already
established John Deere industrial design language. Unifying elements
such as the faceted exterior surfaces create a bold, no-nonsense
expression. These sloping surfaces improve the operator’s view of the
blade, side, and machine, making operation easier and more efficient.
The new cabin design is quieter and more comfortable than previous
models, contributing to the wellbeing of those who spend many work
hours in these machines in some of the world’s roughest terrains.
Good Design Award
In December, the companies received further confirmation of
their design achievements. The Good Design Award jury honored five
John Deere products, from a variety of product lines. These awards
affirmed the high design quality of the 850K and 1050K Crawlers. In
addition, the 843L Wheeled Feller Buncher was honored for its
achievements in improving productivity and working conditions in harsh
environments. The 410L Backhoe Loader received an award acknowledging
its capabilities in enhancing productivity, operating ease and
comfort. Finally, the 848L Skidder convinced the jury with its
outstanding performance, anti-fatigue and comfort solutions in
skidding. The Good Design Award is one of the world’s most
prestigious, recognized, and oldest design award programs. It was
established in 1950 to honor outstanding achievements in design.
iF Design Award
In January, the prestigious iF jury announced its results,
selecting the 1050K Crawler among the winners. “Regardless of the
industry, as we look to the future, we face more technological and
digitalization challenges being balanced with a clean aesthetic
appearance” said Oliver Heilmer. “As a part of the BMW Group, we
strongly believe that design leadership can help answer some of these
challenges. Through collaboration and cross-industrial knowledge
exchange we are able to develop compelling product solutions – for
customers and for business”, he adds.
Designworks, A BMW Group Company
Designworks is a BMW Group company and a creative consultancy
that’s been driving innovation for more than forty years. Acquired by
BMW Group in 1995, Designworks enables its parent company as well as
internationally-renowned clients outside the automotive industry to
grow their businesses through design and creative consulting services.
With studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai and with clients
including BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce, HP, Microsoft, Corsair, Coca Cola,
Embraer, Neil Pryde, Siemens Trains and Singapore Airlines,
Designworks is deeply immersed in a broad cross-section of industries.
www.bmwgroupdesignworks.com
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group
is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and
145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial
year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to €
92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce
of 122,244 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
www.bmwgroup.com
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