The EC&M Product of the Year Competition was established in 2000 to honor excellence in new product development in the electrical industry. Now in its eighth year, the prestigious awards program showcases the most innovative products of the past year and recognizes the talent and commitment of the people involved with every aspect of development, from concept through sales. EC&M is proud to bestow these awards on inventive products that ensure electrical professionals are able to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.

Benefits
Entering your new products into EC&M's Product of the Year competition will provide tremendous exposure for your products and your company. In addition to identifying yourself as a leader in the electrical market, the Product of the Year competition provides repeated exposure in the industry. All product entries will be featured in a special tabloid showcase, which will be polybagged with the April issue of EC&M and Electrical Wholesaling magazines. Readers will have the opportunity to request more information through a Reader Service Number that is run at no extra cost with your product information.

If your entry is selected as a category winner:

• Your product will be prominently displayed at the Electric West 2008 show, where thousands of electrical contractors, plant/facility personnel, datacom installers', and engineers come to see the newest products offered to the industry. Finalists who exhibit at Electric West 2008 will be able to place brochures or sell sheets below their entry’s display at the show.
  
• Your company will be presented with a plaque to commemorate achieving Category Winner standing in the EC&M Product of the Year competition.
  
• Your company will be awarded use of the EC&M Product of the Year Category Winner logo in all marketing materials.

If your product is selected as a Product of the Year Platinum, Gold, or Silver award winner, your company will receive additional recognition:

• A special write up in the June 2008 issue of EC&M magazine.
  
• A commemorative trophy or plaque.
  
• Use of the Product of the Year Platinum, Gold, or Silver logo in all marketing materials.

How to Enter
For directions on how to enter your products, visit our How to Enter page.

Selection Process
All entries will be judged by a panel of industry professionals and experts selected by the EC&M editorial staff. The panel will review each entry and select a winner for each product category. EC&M will display all category winner information on the exhibit floor at the Electric West 2008 show in Las Vegas — and in a special supplement to the EC&M April 2008 issue. EC&M’s subscribers will then cast their votes for the Product of the Year through an online ballot on the magazine’s Web site. The Product of the Year Platinum, Gold, and Silver award winners will be determined by readers’ votes and the decision of our expert panel. In the event of a tie, the EC&M editorial staff will cast the deciding vote.

Product Categories
The EC&M Product of the Year competition will recognize winners in up to 25 categories (sample list):

• Ballasts • Boxes • Cable Fittings & Terminating Devices • Computers & Software • Conduit, Raceways & Wireways • Connectors & Terminating Devices • Construction Equipment • Fasteners, Hangers, & Accessories • Lamps • Lighting Controls • Lighting Fixtures • Monitoring Instruments • Motors, Drives & Motor Controls • Portable Test & Measurement Equipment • Power Conditioning Equipment • Power Distribution Equipment • Power Sources • Protective Devices • Racks & Enclosures • Security Equipment & Systems • Specialty Products • Tools (Hand) • Tools (Equipment) • Tools (Accessory Items) • Voice/Data/Video Equipment • Wire & Cable • Wiring Devices

Official Rules
1. All entries must be accompanied by an official entry form. Incomplete entry forms or entries with false or misleading information will be disqualified without refund.

2. All entries must meet this criteria:

• The product must be available for purchase in the United States.
  
• The product must first be available for purchase between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007. (Redesigns or significant modifications occurring within the entry dates will be considered at the judges’ discretion and must be presented as such.)
  
• The entry form must be signed by an employee who is an authorized representative of the manufacturer that produced the product.

3. Your entry must be submitted according to the above guidelines. While the entry form provides room for a brief description of the product being entered, you are encouraged to include a brochure, press release, sample, and/or spec sheet with your entry. (Note: Sample items will not be returned.) There is no limit to the number of products each company may enter. Entries that do not meet required guidelines may be disqualified without refund.

4. All entry materials, including the payment of $325 per product, must be received in the EC&M editorial office by February 4 at 5 p.m. CST. In fairness to companies that take extra effort to submit their entries on time, this deadline will not be extended.

Deadline
Entries must be received by 5 p.m. CST on February 4.