NEWS
PRODUCT INNOVATION LEADS TO EXPORT GROWTH FOR BLOC BLINDS Cormac Diamond, Managing Director of Bloc Blinds.
Magherafelt’s Bloc Blinds has marked its expansion into America and Canada, with its first transatlantic shipment of over a quarter of a million units of the company’s new-patented product, The Bloc Wand. Designed in house by Bloc Blinds R&D team, the Bloc Wand allows the consumer to operate their blinds safely without exposed cords or chains. Managing Director Cormac Diamond sees the company at the forefront of the response to world leading child safety regulatory changes. He commented: “In response to new landmark Child Safety legislation, Bloc Blinds will supply major manufacturers and fabricators within America and Canada. The Wand will be distributed by Pacific Heritage in the US market and two other partners within Canada. The Bloc Wand will form part of the Pacific Heritage child safe product line – a market leader in child safety components.” The Bloc Wand was awarded ‘Best for Kids’ accolade in the US and also meets new stringent regulations from Health Canada – with Bloc Blinds one of the first companies to achieve this safety standard. Cormac continued, “Utilising an innovative clutch design, the Bloc Wand contains a mechanism which the user will pump to raise or lower the blind, changing its direction with a simple twist. This means at the risk of injury from loose blind adjustment cords is eliminated, which will give parents peace of mind when installing blinds in nurseries and children’s bedrooms – as well as for those in dependent living or the elderly. “Today’s consumers want smarter and simpler everyday devices as well as safety being integral to the design, and we believe the Bloc Wand offers convenience, control and efficiency – as well as safety. We’re now preparing for the next stage which will be launching the Bloc Wand in the European market, with a number of significant orders already placed and where consumers are as equally concerned about safety.”
Established in 2009, Bloc Blinds has grown from its humble beginnings in Draperstown to become a global innovator and one of the UK’s leading designers and manufacturers of innovative blinds and skylight systems. In 2020, the company invested £400k as part of its ambitious growth strategy, which included the creation of a new mechatronics department within the business, complete with state-ofthe-art production equipment and machinery.
“Today’s consumers want smarter and simpler everyday devices as well as safety being integral to the design, and we believe the Bloc Wand offers convenience, control and efficiency – as well as safety.” 41
