Hello everybody,

Hereby my long writings. At least i got a bit more clear image of writing all this down..

BGB
The company and website is very well organized and has clear subdivisions and visions.
It sets a serious, quality, highly reliable image.

It’s a company that is very much focused on industry. (While I mostly design thinking of people!)

I believe their products look beautiful in their industrial look, but this has no importance for their clients. It would do great in design world, but to start a “BGB industry products for people” shop won't make a ten percent turnover. ;)

They are mostly serving the industry; making products for practical demands. By creating luxurious show-off yacht lightning they enter a different world, which is not much based on functional needs. If they would like to extend their yacht lightning, it should be a functional collection that is bought by yacht builders, more than yacht owners.

I have trouble with the idea that they want to create lighting that “will set a yacht apart from the rest”. I believe their no-nonsense way of creating products is a strong point of this company. By creating gadgets like ‘impressive fantail of light, creating excellent penetration in clear waters” they break down their functional, reliable image. There for I would combine this underwater lightning with other, less show-off functions. Maybe more combined in safety issues, or in more public products like fountains, swimming pools, ports, etc.
If they do want to create products more for people than industry, than I think of domestic usage like personal bath’s or ponds. This however should always have their strong, high quality image more than flashy.

SMITHS OF DERBY

“See us at the Christian Resources Exhibition”, gives me straight the feeling of a “serving the community company”

The website is a mess right now. They seem to want to make anything. I miss a clear focus on product fields, style, and quality standards.

Some sections show that they have great skills in architectural craftsmanship with high quality materials. They can make anything and are best in making unique, one offs. They seem to work on projects where money and time are not to most important issues. However the section ‘building products’ doesn’t fit to this at all. It shows all the plastic decoration items you can buy super cheap at other companies.

When it comes to design they get lost in time; the attempts to make modern clocks are not so strong, while their classic items are beautiful. Mixing the old style with new industrial ways goes wrong. See their Horncastle sign for example. I wonder why they are so proud of the GRP. I get disappointed when I see a nostalgic clock with unique ‘metal’ figures made out of plastic.

I see why they want to attract more public artwork; they are able to do it. They are good custom made manufacturers. However it’s a different story and I believe the clock part deserves more attention.

I think the community serving purpose of clocks is interesting. Whether as an architectural classic or as a functional thing. Maybe not any more on churches, but more on companies buildings.
I think Smith of Derby should focus on those enterprises that like to distinguish themselves with their own ‘clock’. (It could be wind vanes or any other guiding device). This device alone however is not enough. In the digital clocks of today I miss the stories of the old public clocks, which show their richness and background. Some clocks are not only watched to see the time: You watch when you know the hour; at certain hours they reveal things, entertain you. I mean the cuckoo, the theme clocks, the marching soldiers, the weights going down, etc. I want the magic back in public clocks.