The Worshipful Company of Horners and the British Plastics Federation are accepting entries to The Horners Award for Polymer Innovation and Design.
Recognised as the most long-standing and prestigious in the industry, the award highlights the benefits of polymers in everyday lives.
Last year, the award went to RLE International, who developed an innovative application for the automotive industry; a thermoplastic bulkhead for use in vehicles that was both lightweight and fully recyclable, which had significant sustainability advantages.
Previous winners include products that span the enormous range of plastics applications.
In 2017, the award went to TickleFLEX, an insulin injection aid for diabetics which helps to reduce the discomfort of injections.
The award is open to all innovations that involve polymers whether it be a new product or a new process, and a focus is on those that provide important sustainability advantages or other benefits to society more generally.
Horners’ judges favour advances that push that boundaries of existing technology, whilst also proving commercial viability.
David Williams, Chairman of the Horners Award Committee, said: “The Worshipful Company of Horners accept entries both inside and outside the industry. We’re fascinated by anything from manufacturing developing new technologies to entrepreneurs using plastic innovatively to tackle global issues. The awards highlight the positives, upholding the astonishing use of plastics and the benefits it confers on society.”
Stephen Hunt, BPF Membership Services Director, said: “The Horners Award puts the best in UK plastics innovation out to the wider world, highlighting the versatility of plastics to save lives, cut costs and help the environment. These awards provide a crucial platform to demonstrate why plastics is the number one choice for designers in an increasingly broad range of products.”