sorry folks for the delay in posting... i have been working away from my studio, and have been unable to access blog... interesting to see what has been published so far...

BGB

Necessity is the Mother of Invention...

Quality engineering. flexible production capabilities catering for varying batch sizes. Willingness to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions in collaboration with clientele. A clear identity as producers of practical, functional reliable products accompanied by quality after-sales / spares service.

Thus far they have specialised in areas where aesthetics of product are irrelevant, resulting in an unselfconsciously functional product range. These have developed in response to the practical needs of their clientele. e.g the aquaculture product range - underwater lighting / sensors / cameras/ cabling remote access....

I feel they should maintain this approach in regards to their underwater lighting products. The marine market is far larger than Dubai; it is a global market with marina's both coastal and inland seeking to provide secure efficient and safe environments for their moorers.Development of such products is totally in tune with BGB's approach - successful marine products sell on reliability, solid engineering, practicality and safety.
However, i think they could widen their quest to investigate further marina's needs
lighting both under and above water for safety and security, below water lights that guide boats in, out and around marinas, sensors, cabling/ power supply to pontoons and boats, flexible pontoon systems, ethernet solutions etc. Make use where appropriate of alternative energy supplies ( draw on expertise with slip rings ).
This practical approach may seem rather boring... Its not "Las Vegas underwater"... but there is an inherent emotive quality, a magic, associated with both water and light that can be simply exploited; think of the sense of safe harbour, of a welcome in from the lonely seas, that light and water could accentuate... a pool of light that waltzs you around the marina...the reflective qualities of light and moving water - the visual excitement is there...

Smiths of Derby

Time is such a fascinating and seductive subject.
Initially i was disappointed at the lack of clock making in evidence... That said,the area I was attracted to was the repair workshop... the hospital ward with its time doctors... a little Frankensteinesque maybe... the way the modern technology clings to the ancient time pieces is almost parasitic... is it sinister intervention or life support? Here one witnesses Smith's ' confidence and expertise at marrying old and new technology. It also illustrates the notion of care and service of which they are rightfully proud.

The GRP clocks / building products are not so interesting. They represent the homogenisation of our towns and cities; off-the-shelf architectural features that ignore the vernacular.

Smiths' willingness and ability to work on one-off projects is impressive. Primarily they want to be seen as a service provider... the boys who can make it happen... but they are unable currently to reach their intended market.

My instinct would be a high profile pr campaign through one-off installation(s) designed to boost their profile with this market... a showcase for their skills. It could investigate various notions of time and other measurements, and our interpretions of such. interactive, human, relevant to our lives...