A competition that encourages excellence
Started in 2000 by the ET Foundation, these competitions have been a tremendous success, attracting hundreds of entries from around the world each year. The goal of the competition is to promote greater understanding and use of extruded aluminum profiles as well as to highlight innovations and recognize excellence in aluminum extrusion design.
The Design Competition is divided into two classes: a Student Design Competition held yearly, and a Professional Design Competition held in even-numbered years. Students may submit entries of any category, while Professionals must choose from Structural, Transportation, and Commercial/Industrial/Consumer product areas.
Winning designs are those that best demonstrate the benefits of aluminum extrusions, whether by creating a new product or improving an existing one. Entries are judged based on four basic criteria: creativity, practicality, process improvement, and market potential. Prize money ranges from $1000 to $3000 depending on the category, with an additional $4000 going to the Grand prize winner.
Hydro Aluminum continues to play a key role
Hydro has been the exclusive prize sponsor for the ET Foundation since 2004. And for the next two years, Hydro will continue as sole underwriter for the awards.
Hydro is also sponsoring a special Hydro Sustainable Design Award. This prize will go to the student entry that, in addition to meeting the basic ET Foundation Design Competition criteria, best addresses societal and/or environmental concerns.
"Sustainability is an important value for our company and an important attribute of our industry," said Martin Carter, head of Hydro Aluminum's North American Extrusion Unit. "We believe that our longterm success depends not just on meeting financial criteria, but also on enhancing the viability of the communities we work in."
The winning entry must be a viable extrusion-based product that meets the demands of the environment while contributing to the quality of life for its intended users. Last year's winner, Jared Crooks, a senior mechanical engineering student from Ohio University, won the award for his design of a Mobile Sediment Pond Barrier which addressed the challenge of improving runoff water quality around landfills.
Industry wins too
Innovation is a key objective of the competition. The contest encourages extruders, designers, fabricators, engineers and manufacturers to hone their skills and develop new techniques and uses for aluminum. And by exposing students to new ideas and challenges, it stimulates them to explore new ideas of their own.
"We feel strongly that the health of the extrusion industry is dependent upon innovation," explained Carter. "A strong and visible Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition is a key means of stimulating new applications and a renewed interest among students and professionals. And it helps attract bright young students to the field."
For more information or to submit an entry form, please visit www.etfoundation.org.
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About the ET Foundation
The Extrusion Technology for Aluminum Profiles Foundation has been established for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes to develop, promote, provide, and fund education and research related to aluminum extrusion processes and technologies. For more information, contact the ET Foundation at 1000 N. Rand Road, Suite 214, Wauconda, Illinois 60084. Telephone: (847) 526-2010; or visit www.etfoundation.org.
About Hydro Aluminum
Hydro Aluminum is a leading aluminum extruder both globally and within North America. Hydro Aluminum's North American Extrusion Unit is headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland. The company's 2,700 employees provide extrusions, drawn tubing, finishing, fabrication, contract manufacturing and building products from 10 U.S. locations and one in Mexico. Hydro Aluminum is a unit of Hydro, a Fortune 500 energy and aluminum supplier founded in 1905. Hydro and its 36,000 employees are operating in nearly 40 countries. As we look forward to our next 100 years, we celebrate a century of creating value by strengthening the viability of the customers and communities we serve.
