MLA Expo Best Product Award Winners – How it opened doors for us

How winning best product award at MLA Expo, Europe’s largest exhibtion has helped FinFort launch a high security lock.

Every two years, the Master Locksmith Association holds Europe’s largest locksmith exhibition participated by more than 100 lock manufacturers, locksmith tools and security product suppliers across Europe.

We (FinFort) exhibited at MLA Expo 2019, presenting the FinBolt automatic deadbolt (then called the Fin Lock) and won ‘Best Product’ award.

The FinBolt is a BS8621 morticed, automatic deadbolt that can be fitted at the top, middle or bottom of the door.

With this year’s MLA Expo 2021 to be held in Telford on the 22^nd – 24^th October fast approaching, we have reflected on what winning this prestigious award in 2019 for our FinBolt automatic deadbolt meant to us; recognition, credibility, exposure and opportunities!

FinFort recieve Best Product Award at MLA Expo 2019

Recognition
Being awarded Best Product at MLA Expo 2019 is recognition from the foremost locksmith & security trade body in the security industry and is extremely gratifying.  It made the long design journey creating an innovative product feel extremely worthwhile.

Enhanced credibility
The MLA Expo Best Product award is a respected badge of authority that proved instrumental in our launch of the FinBolt.  It increased our credibility as trusted innovators with a high-quality product making it much easier to introduce our product to locksmiths, architectural ironmongers and directly to homeowners.

Exposure
Winning the award generated exposure in trade publications.  This coverage generated enquiries that converted to sales.

Follow-on opportunities
The MLA Expo award has opened other doors to more opportunities.

Winning the Best Product Award confirms the FinBolt’s quality and innovativeness and this seal of approval has created a pathway to other awards.

The FinBolt is currently shortlisted as a finalist in the SBID International Design Award 2021.

Our Journey from MLA Expo to Market

Our first experience of the MLA Expo was in 2017 when we exhibited our concept of the FinBolt morticed automatic deadbolt (then called the Fin Lock) in prototype form.

Any major innovation takes years of R&D, a lot of trial and error and securing industry feedback during the development process is essential.

We were keen to hear directly from locksmiths in the UK and exhibiting at the MLA Expo 2017 enabled us to reach hundreds of locksmiths in an intense few days period.

At MLA Expo 2019, we exhibited the final design of the BS8621 FinBolt automatic deadbolt in its various applications as a morticed night latch, a morticed deadbolt, an auto-deadlocking code lock and with a smart cylinder.

The reaction from locksmiths was so encouraging and the resounding message was ‘get them to market and we will buy them’ which is exactly what has happened.

What we did since winning the MLA Expo 2019 Best Product award

Despite the turmoil of lockdown, we launched the BS8621 FinBolt morticed automatic deadbolt for direct online sales to trade and the general public mid 2020.

FinFort High Security Door Lock

Later in 2020, we introduced the BS3621 kitemarked FinKey manual deadbolt which comes with the same popular large escutcheon plates.

We are delighted that a large number of MLA locksmiths are official stockists of the FinBolt range of door locks & door sets. 

Grateful and proud to be part of the MLA community

We have received tremendous technical input, market insight and encouragement from many MLA locksmiths which was instrumental in shaping the final design of the FinBolt automatic deadbolt.

These locksmiths are now firm advocates for the product recommending it to their customers and other locksmiths.

We are grateful to all of them for helping get this great product out there!

We are proud to be part of the MLA community which shares our values of quality, integrity, innovation and determination to provide homeowners with the best security solutions, service and advice.

Looking ahead to MLA Expo 2021

As winners of the MLA Expo 2019 Best Product award we are keen to attend MLA Expo 2021 and look forward to visiting the stands, meeting MLA friends and colleagues, and of course, checking out the winners of the MLA Expo Best Product 2021 award.

We hope it will bring the 2021 winners all the good fortune that it has brought us.

For more information about winners of the MLA Expo 2019 best product award visit the FinFort website here.