The Home Depot Announces 2019 Innovation Award Winners

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Thursday, October 24th, 2019

The Home Depot merchants and suppliers work hard to bring the latest innovation to store shelves and digital carts nationwide. Every year, The Home Depot recognizes its best-in-class supplier partners who introduce new products that deliver efficiency and cost-savings, which benefit both pros and DIYers. 

This year, The Home Depot is awarding finalists across several home improvement categories, including outdoor power equipment, bath and lighting. Top winners include:

Overall Winner:

Faster mowing time with zero turns: The ergonomic fit and high-accuracy cutting power of the Cub Cadet ULTIMA Series ZT1 50 FAB Zero-Turn Riding Mowerby MTD raises the bar for durability without sacrificing operator comfort. The "zero-turn riding capability" allows faster mowing time. Dual LED headlights provide brighter, longer, broader light for working before dawn or after dusk. For a more even cut with fewer clumps and stragglers, the mower features a 50 in. heavy-duty fabricated deck with a reinforced AeroForce cutting system.

First Runner Up:

Easily swappable soft-close vanity doors and drawers: The reversible doors and drawers of the Home Decorators Collection 30-in. Sedgewood Bath Vanities by American Woodmark can be swapped to the left or right sides of the vanity to easily accommodate the plumbing of any bathroom and maximize individual room layouts. The stylish colorways and attractive compact design with traditional raised panel doors provide a durable finish with a solid surface technology vanity top and bowl sink.

Second Runner Up:                                                                                         

Tool-free recessed lighting installation: The easy-to-install, canless, all-in-one design of the Commercial Electric 6-in. LED Slim Color Changing Recessed Lighting Kitby Globe can alter the aesthetic of a space with its five color temperatures including warm white, soft white, neutral white, bright white, and daylight. Dimmable up to ten percent and ever energy-efficient, the light saves customers money by displaying 900 Lumens on only 15-watts of energy, lasting up to 50,000 hours of continuous use.

"As the product authority in home improvement, we are proud to recognize the most innovative products on the market through our annual innovation awards ceremony," said Ted Decker, merchandising executive vice president for The Home Depot. "Every day, we work closely with our supplier partners to bring to market products that deliver high quality and value, save our customers time and provide ease and convenience to complete their home improvement projects."

In addition to the top three winners, The Home Depot recognizes these finalists for their top marks in product innovation:

DEWALT Atomic 20V Compact Series offers battery compatible platform from drivers to saws to screwdrivers.

Husky Welded Garage Cabinets by Hyxion organizes and offers ample garage storage to maximize space and fight clutter.

Jeld-Wen F-2500 Fiberglass Folding Patio Door features a seamless style to transition from your home to outside. The fiberglass is both durable and upscale.

Home Legend Water-Resistant Bamboo Flooring is sustainable, stylish and durable. The glueless installation is easy and economical.

Milwaukee Packout Tool Storage features a stacking design and integrated dolly for durable, weatherproof jobsite conditions.

ReVent Bath Fans are easy-to-install exhaust fans allowing installation from the inside, which eliminates the requirement to install from the attic.

Traeger Wi-Fi Pellet Grill with WiFIRE Technology offers a deluxe grilling experience. The grill is Wi-Fi-enabled and controllable from an app on your smart phone to easily heat up and cool down in just a few seconds.

In conjunction with the Innovation Awards, The Home Depot honors suppliers in several other categories. Chervon/EGO is recognized as the Environmental Partner of the Year for its industry-leading line of lithium battery power equipment, which replaces heavy carbon-emitting combustible engines. The Interconnected Partner of the Year is awarded to Samsung, highlighting their enhanced online content and dedication to the customer experience. Then, RYOBI earns Marketing Innovation Partner of the Year for creating a cross-functional program leveraging its platforms to better deliver the most relevant product and message to customers.

Additionally, the following companies received The Home Depot's Supplier of the Year Award:

Lumber: Arauco Wood Products

Building Materials: Rapid Set

Flooring: Halstead

Paint: Linzer

Hardware: Liberty Hardware

Tools: Apex Tool Group

Plumbing: Rheem

Electrical/Lighting: Leedarson

Indoor Garden: Traeger

Outdoor Garden: Pure Beauty Farms

Appliances: Midea

Kitchen & Bath: Masterbrand Cabinetry

Millworks: Woodgrain

Décor/Storage/Organization: Nien Made

Finally, during The Home Depot's Diverse Supplier Luncheon, Back to the Roots was recognized for its innovation in creating The Water Garden, a self-cleaning fish tank that grows organic herbs and microgreens. The Water Garden operates as a closed-loop, mini aquaponic ecosystem, in which fish waste fertilizes the plants and the plants clean the water, resulting in fresh harvest greens in 10 days.