12-10-2014: Poland's Centrum Druku 3D announced the organization of one the first AM industry awards
The event was recognizing the best companies, products, and events from Poland and around the world
On December 10, 2014, Poland's largest AM portal, Centrum Druku 3D, unveiled the organisation of the first awards of their kind in both Poland and the world, honoring the top companies, products, and events of the year. Named the “CD3D Industry Awards,” the event became an annual tradition, culminating in a gala held at the Bionanopark conference halls in Łódź, Poland, from 2016 onward. The venue was also home to the Centrum Druku 3D editorial office and the CD3D company (now operating as COLORISED).
Yes, my friends, in December 2014, together with my wife, Anna Ślusarczyk, we created one of the most iconic events in the history of Poland’s 3D printing industry (only surpassed in importance by the Dni Druku 3D fairs in Kielce). The awards were presented at a gala, usually held in mid-January (with the first and last editions being exceptions). In total, we organized five editions, covering the years 2014–2018.
Each year in December, we announced a list of nominees across 15 categories. These included the best Polish companies, 3D printers, distributors, and service providers, as well as international categories such as best companies, 3D printers, and filaments. Special categories held particular significance, such as “Person of the Year in Poland’s 3D Printing Industry” and “Disappointment of the Year in Poland and Worldwide.”
Voting was exclusively open to representatives of the Polish AM industry. In the first year, 40 industry professionals participated, with the number growing to around 100 in subsequent years.
The results of the first edition were announced on January 1, 2015, on the Centrum Druku 3D website, with awards presented in March during the Dni Druku 3D fair in Kielce. Subsequent editions were held at our headquarters in Łódź, during January gala events. The final edition, combined with a mini trade show and a special event—the Polish 3D Printing Championships—took place in Sosnowiec.
The main award was Cedryk, a robot inspired by the old Centrum Druku 3D logo. Over the years, Zortrax received the most awards in history (9 main awards and 15 overall), followed by Ultimaker (6 and 8). Meanwhile, Janusz Wójcik and Paweł Rokita—the organizers of the Dni Druku 3D fair—were the only individuals to win the “Person of the Year” title twice.
The 2019 edition, with awards scheduled to be presented in 2020, never materialized, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and partly due to our growing disillusionment with the AM industry.
As insiders, we knew everything about everyone, and at times, we felt uncomfortable presenting awards to individuals who had “done certain things” to secure their positions in the industry. For example, one winner of the prestigious “Person of the Year” award is now, years later, deeply in debt, evading creditors, and yet still managing to deceive new people.
Source: www.centrumdruku3d.pl