26th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2011
Our Annual Design Competition for 2011 was a success yet again with four winning entries! The competition not only continues to grow every year, but also continues to expand globally, as demonstrated by the international entries from over a dozen countries. We received some very exciting and innovative concepts and enjoyed reviewing all of the ideas, and we would like to thank everyone for participating. In the end, there were four; and sticking to our policy of crowning only First Place Winners, we are proud to introduce the four "Number Ones."
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Jeff Bolen,
Torrance, CA
Bolen Pulls - Merging style and innovation with architectural brilliance, this pull is reminiscent of its predecessor, the Bolen Leg – a 2009 Design Competition Winner. Large grip area and hefty body, great for larger drawers or even doors. Creates a bold, striking presence on any surface.
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Rick Lewis,
Palo Alto, CA
Lily Grommet – Traditional grommet cap and liner paired with a unique cable management system allowing easy access to plugs and cables on the surface level. Slots on the grommet liner sort cabling through designated slots and prevent the plugs from slipping down through the table. The elevated platform style cap conceals the cabling and also provides a usable surface space. Available with a felt pad on top of the platform cap for a better grip surface to hold mobile devices while charging.
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Michael Rosen,
Menomonie, WI
Torii Rack – Extremely versatile coat hook system that allows the hangers to move freely throughout the track. Space the hangers evenly across or bunch them together on one side to create space for a heavy coat – however the job sees fit. The hangers contain two hooks each, a large hook for coats and hats and a small notched hook for keys or a scarf. The track is mounted first and the hooks slide on from either end and can be moved easily from side to side. No longer is the hanger committed to a fixed position; these movable hangers not only slide, but you can add or subtract any desired number of hooks.
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Aaron Zorndorf,
San Francisco, CA
Benching Divider Panel Bracket – Creating a divider on a large work surface is a cinch with individual panel brackets. Create personal space in any shared workstation or simply add a personal screen to an existing setup. Simply mount the bracket(s) to the work surface and slide in the panel from the top. Adjustable bracket can accommodate panel thickness up to ½" using rubber spacer pads to clamp the panel in place. Sold individually to suit any custom job size.
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25th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2010
This year, four winning designs were submitted to the 2010 25th annual Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest. We were overwhelmed with entries this last year. From 14 different countries all over the globe, designers excited to send something in for the quarter century anniversary. But perhaps a little surprisingly, all four First Place awards went to submissions from the USA.
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Erik Coursey, Skandia, MI
"Node", a wire manager that gathers multiple wires at a central point and gently curves them around the edge of a desk.
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Saruul Herz, New York, NY
"Polished Balance", a new approach to table leg design with the legs bending inwards instead of standing straight up.
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24th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2009
2009 was the first year we accepted entries via email. We had more than 60 of them via email and a grand total of 120. Usually we get about 100, so in a down economy it was gratifying to see a 20% increase. And entries from all over the world, from every continent. So maybe almost halfway through its second decade, our little competition is making its mark!
The judges found two entries to be worthy of First Place.
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John O’Connor, Griffith, IN
John designed an extraordinary extruded aluminum shelf support. As he said in his submission, “... simple architectural form creates an eye-catching and pleasing design”.
It will be about 6” by 8” overall in size and quite sturdy. It can be used with either the 6” or 8” side as the support, to accommodate shelves up to 10” wide. We think we’ll bevel the edges and make it available in a nice satin anodized finish as well as matte black. It is in tooling now and available January 2011.
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Jeffrey Bolen, Marina del Rey, CA
Perhaps we’ve been at the furniture parts biz too long. There aren’t too many table leg designs that elicit a “wow!” from our long time judges. (Or maybe we’ve had the judges too long?).
Jeffrey, an architect, sent in a leg design that was a “WOW!”. It is very unique.
Made of stainless steel and dark wood with stainless fasteners, with a stepped design that is broad at the top and steps down to almost a point.
Perfect for your contemporary furniture designs! We will be offering it on a custom basis, so we can make it to your exact dimension, stainless finish, wood choice, and wood finish.
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23rd ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2008
The "23rd Annual Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest" brought an emphasis upon outstanding and innovative designs. Three first place awards!
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WM28 "Lawrence Wire Manager"
Designed by William Lawrence, Anna, Texas
Let Mr. Lawrence explain: The concept of the Z CLIP is to provide a simple, low cost and versatile wire manager. Wires are inserted into the guide by pushing down on the flexible leaf. Use it individually or in groups to form a path for routing and organizing wires.
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CHP3 "Star Grommet Set"
Designed by Michael W. Davis, Rockford, MN
As Mr. Davis said in his submission, "Unused cords are kept neatly and conveniently at hand with the retainer balls in contact with the "star grommet". When a specific cord is needed, simply extend it out from the "star grommet" and use as needed. Holds up to 6 cords." |
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"Grommet"
Designed by Doug Wolff, Marshall, MI
An innovative approach to a standard item. As Mr. Wolff said, This grommet is the reverse of your current design be being a concave shape. The unit could be chrome with a rubber membrane keeper for the wires |
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22nd ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2007
The "22nd Annual Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest" brought an emphasis upon outstanding and innovative designs. Three first place awards!
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Leg by Mark Zube
Designed by: Mark Zube - Oconomowoc, WI
Zube's design was of a gorgeous tapered leg. As he said in his submission, "This leg is very simple ... it reminds me of a sail being filled by a gust of wind."
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SWS6 "Newport" Counter Support
Designed by: Mel Archer - Hillsboro, OR
Mel's design concept was to permit visibility through kitchen windows from beneath the dining counter, so came up with this slim-line support of 1/2" diameter Stainless Steel tubing mounted to Satin Stainless mounting plates. Maximum shelf depth is 14".
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WAL "Wallace" Flexible Grommet
Designed by: Tony Toosky and Julien Egger - Los Angeles, CA
A flexible grommet molded in one piece of strong and flexible rubber. Note the raised opening stays closed until cords are passed through. |
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21st ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2006
The 21st Annual Contest brought a record number of entries, and an emphasis upon outstanding and innovative designs. Two winners were selected!
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TL27/CF Carbon Fibre Table Leg
Designed by: John Slater & Blu Lindgren - Indianapolis, Indiana.
John Slater & Blu Lindgren submitted a unique application of high tech and super-strong carbon fibre, common in aircraft and racing cars but rarely seen in furniture. They designed a table leg of carbon fibre and used the excess material to make drawer pulls in several sizes.
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TL/Loop Table Leg
Designed by: Peter J. Pless - Marquette, Michigan.
Peter J. Pless also designed a table leg, but from a totally different perspective. Mr. Pless's concept is laser-cut steel sheet, then bent to shape, and what a captivating shape it is! First, one major element crosses through and inside the other, giving somewhat of the illusion of a magic shape. Second, the entire leg rests at an angle to vertical. Base features an adjustable glide. Size: 27 1/2" tall with 8" square top plate, custom heights and finishes available. Finishes: Satin Stainless Steel, Matte Black, and Glossy White. |
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TLM-CF Milano Carbon Fibre Table Leg
Designed by: John Slater & Blu Lindgren - Indianapolis, Indiana.
Carbon Fibre has a distinct pattern in its weave that offers a modern touch to furniture components. John and Blu have fashioned a tube for our Milano leg of this stylish and super-strong material. |
20th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2005
Two winners were selected from over 100 entries in the 20th anniversary mark of the industry's premier yearly competition for furniture hardware, components and accessories. The winners were from both coasts of the United States: Matthew Boyko from San Francisco, who garnered two First Place Awards, and Andrea Ruggiero from New York City.
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DP172 Drawer Pull
Designed by: Matthew Boyko - San Francisco, California.
This ingenius pull can have a smooth flat front or a slotted surface, allowing you to insert a label. These are perfect for displays needing a convenient, attractive way to label merchandise - or to use simply as a great drawer labeling system. We also offer custom sizing, so you can mix and match smooth and slotted surfaces - creating your own lengths. Pulls are screwed onto the drawer face from behind. Finish: Satin Aluminum.
Dimensions: approximately 1 1/2" high with a 1 1/8" projection. |
FLR3 Grommet
Designed by: Matthew Boyko - San Francisco, California.
Not only does it look ultra-chic and architectural, it's truly innovative! The tapered cap features a pleasant radius. It slides up to fit plugs and wires, then down, but not fully closed. It is always slightly raised above the liner flange. Wires can be accessed a full 270°. Colors: Matte Black, Mahogany, Navy Grey, Warm Grey, Pecan, Desert Sand. Designed to fit a 2 1/2" hole size. |
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WM24 Sombrero™ Wire Manager
Designed by: Andrea Ruggiero - New York City, New York.
Named Sombrero™ because of its distinctive straw hat shape, this cord containment spool conveniently keeps cords from cluttering a workspace. Screw it onto either a vertical or horizontal surface, spool your cord, anchor the outgoing cord into one of the three notches in Sombrero's "brim" to prevent accidental unwinding -- and that pesky cord is out of your way! Stack one on top of another (just use a longer screw) to spool even more cords.
Sombrero™ will be offered as WM24, in five colors: Avocado Green, Aqua Blue, Pimento Red, Noche Grey, Media Noche. Patent pending. Size: 4" diameter x 1 17/32" tall (under the brim.) |
19th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2004
We received a vast number of entries in 2004 and when the judges met, and met some more, it was really difficult to decide. But the more we reviewed, the more we came back to two designs, one purely pragmatic, one quite daring and fanciful.
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WM22
Designed by: Scott Hofmann - Seattle, Washington.
Pragmatic and simple, Hofmann's design is for a wire manager to be fastened under a desk/work surface to keep cables up and out of the way. Further adding to its pragmatism is that it's designed to work in a horizontal plane rather than a vertical one. Essentially, he took our WM2 and extended a flange top and bottom for fastening! Good going - good new design coming from another good design! Now available in two sizes; WM22 and larger size WM22A. |
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TLWISH Wishbone Leg
Designed by: Aaron Zorndorf - Pacifica, California.
A fascinating design of twisted steel bar which, as Mr. Zorndorf says, is "utilizing existing materials in a fresh way with multiple finishes and size potential". Patent Pending. |
18th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2003
2003 was - hard to believe, but - our 18th annual design contest. As usual we received a good number of very creative entries and, as usual, there was a fair amount of "Wow!" and "Gee whiz!" going on when boxes and envelopes were opened. At the end of the day two outstanding designs stood out.
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SH25 Counter Cantilever
Designed by: Jeff Nornberg - St. Louis, Missouri.
Industrial and modern in design, this stainless steel support with satin finish is terrific for glass shelves. It is 14 21/32" tall with a unique design and shape. Shelves fasten to the top of the support and are capped off with a distinct glass cap cover. The modern triangular shape of the body is crossed with different sized holes which add an air of openness. |
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HVR Hover Grommet
Designed by: Steven J. Orlansky - Waterbury, Connecticut.
"Hover" is what it is called and for good reason. Orlansky's grommet has a unique feature; the edges of the cap are very wide and substantially overlap the diameter of the grommet hole. Since one cannot see the edge of the hole under this wide brim, there is no need for a liner. The underside is stepped so the grommet can fit into two sizes of holes: 2" and 2 1/2" diameter. Finishes: Satin Nickel, Polished Aluminum, Matte Black and Satin Chrome! |
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17th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2002
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As always, the "17th Annual" was highlighted by innovation. There were two winners, one for a clever revolving power/data center, the other for an extruded aluminum leg. For the second year in a row, both winners had won previously.
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Oasis Extruded Leg
Designed by: Robert Fields - Walnut Creek, CA
Robert Fields submitted a very cool, very modern double ellipse extruded aluminum leg. One ellipse is larger in diameter then the other and the leg can be used with either the narrow or wide ellipse facing outwards. An additional benefit is the chamber within the ellipse can carry wires and act as a wire manager. 27" high by 3 7/8" wide.
Finish: Satin Aluminum.
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16th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2001
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Thomas O. Pierce of Rochester, New York, had an idea for a drawer pull design back in 1987 so, on a whim, he entered it into the "2nd Annual Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest". And he won. Fourteen years later, in 2001, he submitted three ideas to the "16th Annual". And he won again. Two of Pierce's three submissions were declared First Place. This is the first time any one designer has swept the contest. His two winning designs are:
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Spider Wire Manager
Designed by: Tom Pierce - Rochester, NY
As Mr. Pierce explains, "The design intent is to neatly bundle cords and still have easy access to removing and replacing existing cords whenever equipment is upgraded."
Spider has 8 separate sections and the ability to define each one by simply adding a color-coded stickie.
He concludes, "The Spider Wire Manager is just waiting to have all your cords fall into its web!"
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Universal Panel Clip
Designed by: Tom Pierce - Rochester, NY
This nifty clip hooks directly into hooks in existing panel systems to guide the wires down to the base where most power is located.
"Universal" in design so it will fit in the various-sized slots from the various makers. It is also small and subtle in shape and will not look out of place.
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15th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 2000
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15th Annual . . . What a surprise. Not only did we have four First Place awards from three designers/inventors, all three were previous winners! We could not believe it. And the winners are . . .
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CD, Zip Disc Holder
Designed by: Douglas F. Wolff - Ceresco, MI
A nifty holder for zip discs, CD-ROMS, pencils and other things. This interesting design screws to the back of the desk or work surface and offers movable ends that can snap into slots. The slots are also designed to fit the zip disc or CD-Rom so they can just sit in vertically. It's a contemporary design that will go with most all modern office layouts. To be made of metal and available in a number of colors and finishes.
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Wire Manager (WM17)
Designed by: William Lawrence - Santa Fe, NM
Mr. Lawrence sent in two designs, both of which were declared First Place. That is also another "first".
Wire Manager for glass table is a good point well made. If you have a glass desk or conference table, the last thing you want is a black plastic wire manager! So Mr. Lawrence designed a subtly oval, clear plastic version that fastens to the top or underside of the desk with clear suction cups. All you will see are the wires, hopefully of interesting colors! Our thought is to make it in black as well as clear for those who like the design but do not have glass tables.
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Aluminum Table Leg
Designed by: Robert Fields - Walnut Creek, CA
Mr. Fields designed a terrific leg a few years ago and has now graced our 15th competition with another wonderful design. Should we call it "Fields Other Leg" or Fields Next Leg"? You be the judge.
This leg is all angles and subtle light reflections. To be extruded from aluminum and then satin anodized, it will offer a most unusual design that will go well with any contemporary table or desk. If you want to make a statement, this leg will do it.
It will be 3" by 3" square and offered in 27" lengths, custom heights available. We plan to make an optional extrusion to snap into the channels so you can feed wires through and cover them up.
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Electrical Outlet Valence
Designed by: William Lawrence - Santa Fe, NM
This design covers your basic electrical outlet so no one has to see it or the ugly plugs sticking out. Mr. Lawrence also added a wire management feature, so whether the cords go up the wall or down to the floor, they can be covered and tactfully put in their place.
The cover will be made of plastic and snap over a metal plate that attaches to the existing screw at the electrical outlet. It will be made for duplex outlets. The wire manager will be extruded plastic and can easily be cut to fit.
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14th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 1999
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Over the past decade and a half, our annual contest for innovative furniture components, hardware and accessories, has turned up some pretty good ideas. In fact, our little contest has become the worldwide forum for new concepts in components.
We're pretty pleased, to say the least, and even more pleased to offer a way for your designs to become reality.
In the 1999 14th Annual Contest, there were two 1st Place awards:
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System for Laminate Grommet Cap Cover
Designed by: Phil Smith - Yorba Linda, CA
What a great idea! Now you can put your own laminate or veneer onto a grommet cap and have it match the desk or work surface. Phil Smith has devised a nifty three-part system to make it easy. We'll be offering it on our XG grommet size going into a 3" hole.
Here's how it works:
1. Glue laminate onto cap, then put cap onto trim ring.
2. Trim off excess laminate with router, using trim ring as guide. Remove trim ring.
3. Drill 3" hole and glue in liner to depth that puts laminate cap flush with desktop.
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ForeArm Rest (KP5)
Designed by: Dave Gilbert - Mount Julien, TN
With all the interest now in carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress syndrome, how appropriate Mr. Gilbert has designed a work surface add-on that will assist heavy computer users in lessening these types of stresses.
This ForeArm Rest cradles the forearms and supports them, providing a level of comfort not found in other devices. It may look bulky, but its advantages far outweigh any disadvantage. Besides, it is made of a lightweight plastic that will help integrate it into the workplace.
A built-in trough for the keyboard helps the forearms recline properly. ForeArm Rest has a clamp that secures it to the desktop or worksurface. Clearly a design for our computer-directed times, and a method to protect those who use it the most. |

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13th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 1998
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"Lucky 13" is how we referred to last year's 13th annual competition, and lucky it was for two fine entries. As is becoming usual, the diversity of concept, the genius of innovation, continues to amaze us, even after all these years. It never quits!
In 1998 there were two First Place awards.
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Multi-Purpose Support Bracket
Designed by: Alan W. Bowman - West Des Moines, IA
Work surfaces are becoming busier: there's room for very little except the mess! We have designed a series of Multi-Purpose Support Brackets solely for the purpose of adding a raised shelf at the rear of the work surface. Mr. Bowman has added an elegant variation we will put into production straight away, As he says.
"The desk I built . . . never had a writing surface due to desktop 'clutter', so I set out to elevate a catch-all shelf to handle my pens, pencils, scales, etc. The enclosed photos and sketch show how the solution looks for a 10 3/4" elevated shelf . . . I used pricey polished stainless door pulls . . . to achieve a prototype design that was functional, strong and elegant."
A nice addition to our existing support brackets and one that should become very popular.
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Whitley Table Leg
Designed by: Chip Whitley - Alexander City, AL
An exciting and provocative design of welded steel plates giving an illusion of curves; perfect for ultra-contemporary tables, or perhaps even '50's designs? As Mr. Whitley explains: "The design of the leg is somewhat a contradiction of form. Flat planes combine to give a sense of a solid curving leg. Visual interest is increased by the negative space between the plates, which provide strength and define the form."
Available in 27-1/8" height, ready for plating or painting.
Custom sizes available.
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12th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST -1997
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The Summer of 1997 saw entries for "The 12th Annual WOOD & WOOD PRODUCTS/Doug Mockett & Company Design Contest" come rolling through the doors. By the time entries closed September 1, we had a record number of them. When we started to open the entries, we realized we had an exceptional group of entries in "the Class of '97"; by far, the finest group of entries ever. Your deliberate thought and new concepts continue to amaze us, both in their ingenuity and their pragmatism.
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Keyboard "Holster"
Designed by: Jessica Clay - Mesa, AZ
Ms. Clay is our first student winner, and she has come up with a very practical solution to a common problem.
"The thought for this type of design came from being in a computer lab where computers were lined up side by side and there was no room for taking notes by hand. Since the keyboard is sometimes not needed, it seemed the natural step to form some type of holder/carrier to "stash" the keyboard . . . to make the keyboard holder fit in as many places as possible." "It's easy to see that this . . . could be an accessory that every computer owner would purchase if space was a necessity, and it usually is". |
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Table Leg
Designed by: Tim Sharpe - Renens, Switzerland
Our first European winner, and a marvelous leg design that demonstrates sleek Continental influences.
" . . . my proposal is a wire management system designed to fit onto tubular desk legs. The idea consists of two individual components: the head which fits the leg to the desk, and the foot . . . cables can either be passed through the hole on the side of the head beneath the desk, or through a hole directly through the desk top, fitted with one of your popular grommets . . . the offset screw fixtures . . . allow for diversity in the placement of the desk legs . . . legs can either be placed flush with the edge of the desk, and a hole can be made through the top of the desk to allow for the wires to pass through. Alternatively, the legs can be further out, forming the corner of the desk or even protruding out from the desk, with a special grommet fitted onto them to allow for the wires to pass through without altering the desktop."
Our thought is to diecast the top and bottom in aluminum and either polish or finish nicely.
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Power Bracket
Designed by: Jose Raul Padron - New York, NY
A winner from last year with his "Hot File Manager", Mr. Padron continues to impress with his quest to make work a little less demanding, by creating devices to make it just a little bit easier.
"Power Bracket is a bent metal bracket that secures under the desktop to hold power strips/surge protectors. 2 DP-15's secure to edge of work surface to gather extra cord length. Shorter cord lengths allow for faster troubleshooting and quicker installation. Open architecture maximizes access to outlets and varying appliances". A neat idea that extends both our line of wire management and brings power right to the underside of the desk with an inexpensive, easy to attach bracket. Slick idea!
Made of metal; finish will be matte black powder coated only. Power strip, with and without data and/or surge protector, optional.
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11th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 1996
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Some of the most brilliant products in this catalogue aren't even ours. They're yours. And we wouldn't have it any other way.
Eleven years ago, I found a rare moment to take a deep breath and look around. And one thing stuck in my mind - that the phone had often rung with calls from people who had neat ideas for new products. So, we came up with the idea of holding a Design Competition - an industry forum, so to speak, to capture the very best ideas in furniture parts, components and accessories.
Since then, we have ben fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to review the work of some of the most clever innovators in this industry, and we've been proud to play a part in making their concepts a reality.
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The Hot File Manager
Designed by: Jose Raul Padron - New York City, NY
The Hot File Manager sits inside a slot routed into your desk top, and is yet another step toward our goal of bringing you total office efficiency. You'll never have to search for your most urgent files again because they'll be right within arm's reach. Files aren't hidden away in some far-off file drawer that you have to walk over to and open twenty times a day. This brilliant little device will save you steps and time and make your job a whole lot easier. Made of vacuum molded plastic. Simply cut a hole and drop it in. Your hottest files have never been closer at hand. |
 
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The Fields Leg
Designed by: Robert Fields - Walnut Creek, CA
Designed by architect Robert Fields. We're calling it, not surprisingly, The Fields Leg. The judges couldn't help but fall for the simple extraordinary design of this table leg. Unlike other table legs that are formed from rolled steel tubing, this leg is brake-formed from a flat piece of 1/4" steel. The delightful scalloped pattern is cut, then the metal is bent to a 90 degree angle. Gussets are added for strength. Simple and stylish. |
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The Threshold Wire Manager
Designed by: William Lawrence - Richardson, TX
Perfect for wire management across heavy foot-traffic areas. It is fabricated from one-piece extrusion construction. Low, low profile, and a provision on the bottom for double-sided tape or a non-slip pad. The neat thing about it is a hinged top that allows for easy access to cords. |

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Round Pop-Up Grommet
Designed by: Douglas Wolff - Ceresco, MI
An innovative concept in grommet design that takes our line of round plastic grommets one terrific design step further. You pop the cap up and out, insert cords and plugs, and place it back on. The arches built into the cap not only offer a nice touch of refined style and design, they also separate the cords so they don't all bunch up.
Congratulations!
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10th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 1995
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The judges met to seek out the best entries in our 10th Annual "WOOD & WOOD PRODUCTS/DOUG MOCKETT & COMPANY DESIGN COMPETITION". This year, we celebrated the end of the first decade of your wonderfully delightful creative designs combined with the pragmatic, down-to-Earth solutions faced every day by those active in furniture making. We looked forward to opening the many envelopes and models. And, just like kids at Christmas, we tore into them with great glee. As usual, there were terrific designs of all types. There were excellent solutions. There were fanciful concepts. In the end, after reviewing and re-reviewing, and a lot of friendly discussion, one simple, brilliant design stood out. This one design exemplified what we think this design competition is all about: Good designs that solve your everyday problems.
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Adjustable Depth Liner
Designed by: Scott Hofman - Seattle, WA
Our hats are off to Scott Hofman of Seattle, WA, for his submission of an adjustable depth plastic grommet liner. The adjacent drawing shows it well, and Scott explains it like this: "The concept is an exterior grooving that allows the installer to cut the liner depth to match the thickness of the panel. This eliminates the unsightly core exposure at the bottom of the liner. The grooves . . . allow the installer to size the liner with a utility knife . . . "
Great idea!
Sizes: SGAD1 (1-3/4" hole size) and EDPAD1 (2-1/2" hole size).
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9th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 1994
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Each person we called in 1994 was surprised to hear his design was awarded First Place by the judges. "I never thought I would win, so I almost didn't enter", said one. We were surprised they were surprised! This leads us to wonder: How many really great ideas are out there gathering dust because the designer doesn't think he or she has a chance?
Continuing a 1993 theme was the continuing excellence in pragmatic design of utilitarian furniture components, parts that focus hard on solving your everyday problems.
The judges selected three First Place awards.
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Corner Grommet
Designed by: John W. Kelton - Orlando, FL
An interesting solution to the common problem of using a round grommet cap in a corner situation where it would look awkward: a round piece in a triangular environment.
"The simple arc of the grommet cap complements the corner, allowing for a smooth aesthetic transition from one edge to another. It also gives the feeling of a 'homeplate", or rather a place where wires, the runners, begin and end", said Mr. Kelton.
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Wire Manager Support Bracket
Designed by: Timothy M. Ryan- Schenectady, NY
This is a truly practical solution for cabinetmakers and installers everywhere. Mr. Ryan's enthusiasm explains:
"This device will not only put a smile on the customer's face but also on the installer's face. As you will see, the Wire Manager Support Bracket works as a wire management system and as a support bracket for worktops needing to be attached to an adjacent rear wall."
"Let me explain how the design came to be. I do a lot of commercial woodwork installations. For multiple reasons (layout/design, capital improvement/built-in furniture) I come across numerous worktops slated to be attached to walls by means of continuous 1-1/2" x 1/2" by 1/8" aluminum angle. These worktops are usually long spans of counters 24"-30" deep with support legs as required. Many times these tops will require numerous grommets located as need be. Moreover, a wire trough at the back is often required."
"By design, I have solved a big problem: lots of installation time. The installer simply attaches the length of bracket to the wall; then attaches the counter to the bracket. There is now no need to scribe the counter to the back wall. No need for the installer to back track installing support brackets and wire troughs separately."
We're pleased the first sale was to the White House (yes, the one and only) for their revamped press room.
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Extruded Grommet
Designed by: Errol A. Ahearn - Hanover, MA
The beauty of this design is it brashly stands out. It is raised above the desk, and does not attempt to disappear into the desk design as so many of our grommet designs do. In fact, it emphasizes the desk design.
One continuous length can be used along the back of a desk, or two can be used at corners for balance and effect.
The Extruded Grommet has an "invisible hinge" along one side for ease of opening and pre-installed double-sided tape. It is nicely serrated for good looks and to discourage fingerprints.
We love ideas that explore the edge of the envelope, that take us in new directions, and this one certainly does that in a big way. What's really exciting is: Who knows where it will lead?
Overall size is 2-1/2" by 3/4". Available in Black.
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8th ANNUAL DESIGN CONTEST - 1993
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1993 brought its share of pleasant and delightful surprises.
Entries were up and the creativity of them continued to delight the judges. There was an overwhelming sense of total pragmatism in the 1993 entries, indicating to us designers and thinkers and doers of the 20th century were addressing the real needs of real people well into the 21st century.
There were two outstanding entries.
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Baserace Wire Manager
Designed by: John Loftus, Metaphorm Design - Costa Mesa, CA
“Why doesn’t anyone make a baseboard wire manager that looks more like a baseboard and less like a wire manager???”
This was the self-fulfilling prophetic question Mr. Loftus asked himself, perhaps while facing a Pacific Ocean gale standing on the cliffs in Costa Mesa, then admirably answered.
He calls it BASERACE, we plan to call it Wire Manager #10 (WM-10), and his clearly drawn explanation clearly convinced our judges.
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Integrated Solid Surface Material
Designed by: Gordon Kyle, One & Co. - Oneco, CT
Not a new product but a creative application of a material relatively new and seldom used in the office furniture industry. He explains: “For the past year, we have been pursuing the concept of integrating solid surface material (Avonite) into office furniture . . . can best be accomplished incrementally, through the use of component parts . . .”
Submitted with the entry was an MM Series style grommet and a well-designed table leg leveler. |

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