Have you got a worthy plastic winner?

The Horners Award for Plastics Innovation and Design is now open for entries.

The competition, which is believed to be the longest-established design award for plastics in the world, is awarded for innovation in plastics design and manufacture or in the processing of plastics.

The first competition was held in 1947, attracting some 14 entries. Since then, some of the industry’s most innovative and forward-thinking products have taken the honour.

The 2013 winner was the ‘Airbus A350 XWB Composite Rear Spar’, developed by GKN Aerospace. The company developed automated processes for its A350 XWB composite spar and fixed trailing edge assembly programme.

The application of state-of-the-art automated fibre placement (AFP) technology, unique to the UK, allowed GKN to produce cost effective repeatable lightweight components with more complex and bespoke geometries.

Previous winners have included the ‘Birthing Baby’ and the ‘Cycloc’ bicycle storage system.

The awards are now open - entries must be submitted before 25th July 2014

Rules of Entry

The Horners Award for Plastics Innovation & Design

1.  A polymer-based product, which will be judged on its design innovation, commercial potential, environmental advantage and UK content. The scope of the award also includes polymer related machines or processes.

2.  A concise description together with a justification for considering the entry for the award must also be submitted, but must not exceed 250 words in length. A link may also be added to electronic entry submissions to view a website, with additional details.

3.  Entries should include a sample (where practical) and photographs/drawings where appropriate.

4.  The Company of Horners and the BPF reserve the right to publicise winning entries and to use a sample (where practical) for promotional use.

5.  The award may be withheld if no entry reaches the required standard. Conversely should the standard be sufficiently high then the adjudicating committee may, in addition, decide to award Highly Commended certificates.

6.  Winners of any award, or their representatives, should be available to be presented at The Mansion House Banquet on 2nd October or the BPF Dinner as appropriate.