5X5® innovation track edition 8

Edition 2019 - 2020

DOVY KEUKENS x ROEL VANDEBEEK
AKOMO x GBO
ELIET x VERHAERT
VALO BLINDS x COMATE


DOVY KEUKENS x ROEL VANDEBEEK

DOVY KITCHENS
In less than four decades, the family business Dovy Keukens has grown into an innovative and progressive company, specialised in custom-made kitchens. Dovy invests in high-tech machines that produce 5,000 kitchens per year. But in the carpentry trade, handwork remains an important asset. 400 craftsmen have a clear goal: to create kitchens that excel in quality, ease of use and beauty. They are sold directly to private individuals through their own network of showrooms. Because Dovy has full production under its own control, they guarantee perfect quality at a competitive price.

ROEL VANDEBEEK
Roel Vandebeek is an all-round designer who is active in various fields of design. He set up his own agency in late '96 and has since worked for various national and international companies in a wide range of sectors. His designs always start from the identity. They are original, surprising products, objects and installations with a touch of humour.
On a project basis, he also works with architects on interior projects and public spaces.

PROJECT
By participating in this project Dovy Kitchens wants to show the environmentally conscious and progressive side of the company. Dovy focuses on ecology, sustainable development, creativity and innovation in residential trends. Thinking out-of-the-box, getting inspired and showing passion for design and creativity. That's why we are working together with designer Roel Vandebeek on a project that focuses on recycling and the innovative use of sustainable materials in the kitchen sector. And all this in accordance with the philosophy of founder Donald Muylle.


AKOMO x GBO

AKOMO
At ISOMO they use expanded polystyrene as a raw material for the production of high-quality insulation materials. In addition to the production of EPS, they also process melamine foam. This is a flexible, open-cell foam with good thermal and especially excellent acoustic properties. In addition to the thermal and acoustic aspects, the foam has many other advantages.

Under the name AKOMO, they offer melamine foam in the form of acoustic lighting, objects and panels. In this case, the foam is given a finish, which allows them to offer it in numerous colours. They have their own collection, but also create custom projects.

GBO
GBO Innovation Makers: they design, develop and supply products that are used all over the world. Founded in 1990 and rooted in product development, they have grown into a full-service design agency that focuses on the entire spectrum of product development, including the supply of products. They operate in three countries with an incredibly creative team of 30+ innovation-makers.

Their work has been recognised by several awards, including iF GOLD, G-mark and RED DOT.
Driven by their core values 'Dynamic, Inspiring and Skilled', they strive for continuous innovation.

PROJECT
In processing the melamine foam, they have a lot of waste/surplus per block. They try to divide the blocks as efficiently as possible to get the most out of them, but the waste they do have is virtually unavoidable. In contrast to EPS, melamine foam residues are difficult to recycle and are thrown away all the time. In fact, they throw away an expensive raw material with numerous good properties.

For years, ISOMO has taken the impact on the environment very seriously. Their objective is to turn their waste into a positive story.

ELIET x VERHAERT

ELIET
ELIET is a Belgian manufacturer of garden machines. Since its creation, this family enterprise has specialised in a number of niche sectors: green waste processing (shredders), refined lawn care (scarifying, overseeding, sod cutting, edge trimming, aerating, fertilising, top dressing), as well as waste removal (blowers and vacuums) and snow removal. Thanks to its creativity and innovation, ELIET has grown over 35 years to become a reference brand in its market. The machines are sold worldwide in some 37 countries. The users of ELIET machines are garden contractors, public green services and passionate private gardeners.

VERHAERT
Verhaert helps ambitious entrepreneurs to innovate through an integrated approach with user-centred design as the common thread between technology and business innovation. For this 5X5® edition, their DesignLab department will again enthusiastically take up this exciting challenge. Design and innovation are their passion, and this has already led to well thought-out design strategies and successful new products and services. Innovating together remains a fascinating and challenging adventure, for both the entrepreneur and the designer. They love to dream, but we want to end up with something very concrete, and that fits the 5X5® project perfectly.

PROJECT
The project that ELIET presents in the 5X5® project is not immediately a product but rather a concept. Under the name JETZER, ELIET introduces a process to efficiently aerate a lawn and simultaneously inject soil improver. Depending on the needs of the soil, the JETZER pods that are inserted into the soil during the treatment can be filled with different granules. Thus, in addition to fertilisers and minerals, water-absorbing polymers can also be injected into the soil in an almost surgical manner. The injection pattern is 3-dimensionally controllable, creating enormous possibilities to drain existing compacted lawn soils, to enrich them or even to transform them into a rainwater buffer. In an age of climate change, the ELIET JETZER offers interesting solutions for sustainable rainwater management.


VALO BLINDS x COMATE

VALO BLINDS
VALO develops austere indoor sunprotection with an architectural design. Thanks to the seamless fixings and strong lines, the roller blinds offer an added value to every interior. The young company continues to innovate and can thus easily respond to the growing demand for minimalist roller blinds in maximum sizes. Valo means light in Finnish. From living room to office, nothing brings more energy into a room than sunlight. Yet, this pure light needs to be filtered from time to time. VALO blinds always create the right atmosphere, in line with the architecture of the building.

COMATE
Comate is an active and growing company specialised in engineering and design of new products and machines. This dynamic team of engineers and designers has one great passion: to create and develop, together with the customer, that unique product that is better, more innovative and more advanced than the current market offer!

PROJECT
5X5® fits 100% within VALO's philosophy. It is their passion for innovation and design that makes the VALO team happy to take on this challenge. "I find it very interesting to let external designers bring their fresh perspective to our roller blinds. Our creativity will certainly get a boost too," says Aline Breemersch of VALO. VALO and the 5X5®-designers are now working on a number of creative ideas that they will present to the general public at the Interieur Biennale in Kortrijk in 2020.

CONTACT:

Marijke Boucique
VOKA West-Vlaanderen
marijke.boucique@voka.be
t +32 (0) 56 26 13 89
m +32 (0) 477 84 01 88
President Kennedylaan 9A
8500 Kortrijk

Stan Dewaele
Designregio Kortrijk
stan@designregio-kortrijk.be
t +32 (0) 56 51 91 83
m +32 (0) 478 39 55 87
Broelkaai 6
8500 Kortrijk