A strategic competitive tool

Québec promotes industrial design as a way to innovate and stand out in local and international markets.

• As of 2006, there were 3,1801 industrial designers in Québec.
• Québec plays a key role in this sector in Canada and is home to nearly 31% of the country’s industrial designers.
• Academic programs in industrial design are available through seven colleges and universities in Québec.
• Between 2003 and 2006, 21%¹ of Québec manufacturers used the services of an industrial designer.

Industrial design allows Québec businesses to:

• be more creative;
• diversify their product lines;
• develop a quality-oriented culture.

Our statistics show that 57% of businesses that have used industrial design have increased their sales and 42% have boosted their exports.

A large number of industrial sectors depend on industrial design, chief among them:

• electronics;
• plastics and rubber goods;
• transportation materials.

The number-one spot, however, is held by furniture and furniture-related manufacturers.

BIXI

Manufactured by Devinci Cycles, BIXI bicycles are the first Québec-made bicycles designed for self-serve rentals in urban areas. Designer Michel Dallaire strove to find the right balance between:

• sturdy construction;
• accommodating the morphology of the greatest possible range of users;
• lightweight structure;
• functional winter storage;
• simplified maintenance and limited user access to mechanical parts.

Capsul

Capsul: This “new kind of wallet” designed by Laurent Carrier, Bernard Daoust and Kurt Hibchen was launched by Toboggan Design. Capsul wallets have a uniquely sleek, sturdy and functional design.

They are moulded from a single piece of non-toxic, recyclable polypropylene and require no assembly. Designed and manufactured entirely in Québec, 100,000 Capsul wallets have already been sold across the country and through various outlets around the world.

Bloco

Nathalie Barcelo, industrial designer and president of Bloco Toys, came up with the idea for an educational construction toy with plastic connectors and different shaped pieces that connect to make flat or 3D creations. The broad assortment of shapes and colours gives the product its unique flair.

By expanding its distribution market, Bloco has successfully doubled its international sales.

BRP

Teamwork is what enabled the multidisciplinary group at BRP to overcome the challenges of building a better snowmobile helmet. Sales tripled, from 10,000 units a year to 33,000, and they actually dropped their product line from 13 models to two!

Government assistance program

The Québec government offers a tax credit to businesses for payroll expenses incurred for an in-house industrial designer or design consultant fees.

The Design – Innovation initiative provides financial assistance to encourage businesses to use industrial design for the first time, support international activities or promote design applications.

Ecodesign

The École de design industriel at the Université de Montréal provides access to a team of experts at the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur le cycle de vie des produits, procédés et services (CIRAIG), who are dedicated to helping businesses analyze the lifecycle of their products.

Association des designers industriels du Québec (ADIQ)

Established in 1964, the Association has grown steadily over the years to become Canada’s largest industrial design association, with a membership of roughly 275. ADIQ’s main goal is to raise the profile of industrial design and ensure that professionals working in this field are recognized and valued for their contributions.

Mission Design

Mission Design is a non-profit organization whose focus is to promote design and strengthen its role as a driver of economic development in Québec.

Its mission is to stimulate the demand for design in the province and to encourage both the private and the public sector to learn how to use and appreciate design as a tool for innovation and as a competitive advantage. Mission Design also keeps a close eye on global trends—anticipating them instead of following them, so that Québec can position itself strategically as a leader in the national and international arena.

In 2006, after growing an average of 4.7% a year since 2001, the overall design workforce had reached 39,660.²