Konecranes' Smarter Cabin, launched in 2011, has received the Fennia Prize 2012 award. The Smarter Cabin, designed in close cooperation with key customers, provides crane operators with an ergonomic and comfortable work place with improved visibility of the work area. In addition to high standard design, the evaluation criteria included usability, environmental and social responsibility and impact on business.

"When starting to plan the new cabin, Konecranes adopted a user-centered design approach, which included observing the operators and their activities during their work", says Johannes Tarkiainen, Industrial Design Manager at Konecranes. Many crane operators were interviewed to learn what improvements they desired for their work environment. The cabin design is therefore based on existing user needs."

The new cabin can be used for many different applications, e.g. for container handling with rail mounted gantry cranes (RMG), rubber tired gantry cranes (RTG) and straddle carriers, as well as for handling other kinds of loads with electric overhead cranes. Konecranes' Smarter Cabin makes the crane drivers' work easier, safer and more effective, resulting in improved productivity. This cabin brings together many improvements resulting from a close study of RTG, straddle carrier and Electric Overhead Travelling (EOT) crane driver habits and attitudes. Many insights were gained in the areas of physical, cognitive and organizational ergonomics and built into the finished design.

"The Fennia Prize - Good design grows", global competition is arranged by Design Forum Finland and Fennia Group. It is targeting companies producing designed goods and applying design in other ways in their operations. The competition is an opportunity for businesses to stand out through innovative and responsible design of economic significance.