Revolutionary ergonomic handles designed by Glasgow dentist Glen Heavenor are set to find a new use in the kitchen - and Mr Heavenor will be among the business people revealing the secrets of successful innovation at a special event early next month.

Mr Heavenor started by trying to design an easy-to-use, more effective toothbrush, but his breakthrough came when the concept was adapted to create new handles which made Mothercare buggies and pushchairs easier to use. Now he is on the verge of deals which will see new versions of the handles used for saucepans in both the US and Europe.

On November 2 in Glasgow, Mr Heavenor will be joined by other innovative business success stories at Transforming Businesses: Scotland, part of the Design Council’s Design in Business Week 2000 initiative.

Douglas Andrew, from Dunfermline-based Optos plc, will be discussing the innovation and design processes behind the Panoramic 200 wide field digital imaging system, while Tom Kerr, from the Bank of Scotland, will focus on the background to the bank’s brand evaluation process. Both businesses have been awarded Millennium Products status by the Design Council in recognition of products and services, which represent the best use of design.

The BBC business correspondent Hayley Millar will chair the event, being held at The Lighthouse.

Design Council business director Harry Rich said: ‘All these companies are great examples of what businesses can do when they put effective design at the heart of their strategy and put ideas generation at the top of their agenda. We want to inspire all businesses to do the same, both by giving them first-hand examples of the kinds of gains good design can bring and encouraging a free flow of ideas and experiences.’

Mr Heavenor has now developed a total of 55 prototypes for various handles designed to make everyday objects easier to use. The version for child buggies and pushchairs is already a proven success, relieving pressure on the shoulders and transferring it to the waist, so giving more control.

He said: ‘I have had a fantastic response from saucepan manufacturers in Denmark and the USA, where they were also very keen on my pizza cutter design! At the Transforming Businesses event I will be encouraging people in a similar position to me to be very careful about the expert advice they take and to ensure that they keep as much control over their idea as possible.’

Transforming Businesses: Scotland runs from 10am to 12.30pm and includes lunch. If you want to attend, e-mail: dibw2000@designcouncil.org.uk or phone 01730 235022, quoting reference S.

ends