Two materials handling companies have been honoured in the 2009 iF design awards.

Two Toyota Material Handling Europe products won the prestigious iF Product Design Award for outstanding product design.

The Toyota Traigo 48 electric counterbalance forklift and BT Levio pedestrian powered pallet truck have been selected as winners in the special vehicles/construction/agriculture category.

Also winning in this category is the Crown GPC 3000 from Crown Equipment. The GPC 3000 is a low-level order picker that was launched in 2007.

The award gives the winners the iF seal of design excellence, which remains valid throughout the product lifecycle.

Products are judged on design quality, workmanship, choice of materials, degree of innovation, environmental friendliness, functionality, ergonomics, visualisation of use, safety, brand value, branding and universal design.

Presented by iF Industrie Forum Design e.V., the iF Product Design Award is one of the world's best-known design competitions. Based in Hannover, Germany and launched in 1953, iF is an independent association that enhances public awareness of the importance of design and functions as a mediator between design and industry.

Meanwhile in France, European tyre manufacturer Solideal has won an innovation award for one of its products.

The company's LifeMaster Over-the-Tyre (OTT) Rubber Track won an Intermat Innovations Award 2009. Intermat chose Solideal's product because it "is the only adjustable and easy-to-fit rubber over-the-tyre track product that offers a smooth ride and greater traction, which "provides a guarantee of optimal productivity and versatility".

Intermat is one of the biggest trade shows in France.