Product Design students triumph in Hydro Aluminium Extrusion Design Challenge
Nottingham Trent University and Hydro Aluminium UK Ltd have continued their valued collaboration by welcoming BSc (Hons) Product Design first year students to Hydro’s Tibshelf facility for a hands-on design challenge centred on aluminium extrusion.
By Jon Duckworth | Published on 19 August 2025
Leading aluminium and renewable energy company Hydro tasked BSc (Hons) Product Design students with creating a commercially viable product using an aluminium alloy and the extrusion process. The brief allowed for the design of a new product or to redesign of an existing product. The final designs needed to be technically feasible, sustainability-focused, and commercially viable. Students were evaluated on the marketability, sustainability, and technical viability of their designs, including usability and manufacturability.
Picture of Evie Walker’s gold winning submission for the design of a Fishing Tackle Holder that addresses damage to fishing gear during equipment preparation and transportation.
This year’s award-winning students are Evie Walker (1st Place & Gold Award Winner), Ollie Smithee (2nd Place & Silver Award Winner) and Trudy Hegarty (3rd Place & Bronze Award Winner). Furthermore, Hydro also awarded two students with Highly Commended Awards, these were awarded to Huda Ismail and Freddie Flanders.
Throughout the competition, students were challenged to highlight the potential benefits of their product concepts while aligning with sustainable design principles and minimising environmental impact. To support their development process, Hydro’s design and manufacturing experts delivered specialist lectures and provided tailored resources. Students also received guided tours of Hydro’s fully operational aluminium extrusion facility in Tibshelf, offering a rare opportunity to observe the complete manufacturing journey—from raw material to finished product, including quality assurance testing and final packaging.
Whilst on the trip students were also put through their paces with a quick design activity with the final session focussing on careers advice delivered by Hydro staff on how they could progress into a role at Hydro or in the design / manufacturing sector.
Picture of Ollie Smithee’s silver award winning submission, an aluminium extruded Road Cycle Rack.
Dr Luke Siena, Lecturer in Product Design and project lead, commented: "Our ongoing partnership with Hydro Aluminium UK Ltd provides an exceptional opportunity for students to gain first-hand work like experience within a real-world industrial manufacturing environment. The chance to explore a live production facility and engage directly with industry professionals adds immense value to their learning journey."
"We’re incredibly grateful for Hydro’s continued investment in our students’ development—through expert-led talks, access to sample extrusions and tools, career guidance, and factory tours. These experiences consistently inspire our students and deepen their understanding of aluminium extrusion, often leading to outstanding project outcomes."
Natalie Connor Compton, Hydro UK Marketing Manager added:
“Each year we look forward to meeting the NTU students and spending time with them at our extrusion plant in Tibshelf. The students are always eager to learn and to understand our processes and this shows in their subsequent project work. We are really happy to see an array of news ideas, which shine a light on how aluminium extrusion can create sustainable solutions to existing problems. I would like to congratulate our worthy winners and to all the students that took part. We look forward to continuing our long relationship with NTU."
Picture of Trudy Hegarty’s Bronze award winning submission, an aluminium extruded modular cosmetic organizer.
Winners of the main awards were awarded cash prizes ranging from £50-£250 based on the quality of their submissions.
Speaking about her experience taking part, gold award winner, Evie Walker said:
“Growing up in a fishing-focused family, I often faced the frustrations of fragile equipment and the challenges of setting it up second-hand. With high costs and little recycling in the industry, composite rods frequently end up in landfill. I designed a small aluminium-extruded device to support rods during transit and setup, helping anglers avoid damage and stress. The Hydro project’s manufacturing constraints added an exciting challenge, and their site visit offered valuable insight into extrusion—showing the vast possibilities of aluminium and leaving me greatly thankful to Hydro for sponsoring NTU and supporting designers with early exposure to industry."
Ollie Smithee, who was awarded a silver award, reflected on his experience:
“This was a very interesting project, and I found that the restrictions on the manufacturing process of the product really helped to narrow down my ideas to a final design. The factory visit was an enjoyable experience and really helped me understand the process of aluminium extrusion which came in useful during the conception of my product”.
Speaking about her experience taking part, bronze award winner, Trudy Hegarty said:
“As a cosmetics enthusiast, I designed this organiser to be fully customisable, allowing users to tailor the setup to their individual needs. Its vertical structure offers ample storage for various cosmetic items while conserving desk space. The sleek, modern design adds a stylish touch, and the option to install a mirror makes it even more functional for daily use”.
" This project significantly deepened my understanding of aluminium extrusion. Visiting the Hydro factory offered valuable firsthand insight into the wide variety of complex profiles that can be produced, while also highlighting the technical limitations and sustainability considerations involved. The experience not only enhanced my technical knowledge but also allowed me to bring a personal and reflective dimension to the project”.
Congratulations to all the students recognised in this years’ competition:
- 1st Place (Gold Award) - £250 Cash Prize: Evie Walker
- 2nd Place (Silver Award) - £100 Cash Prize: Ollie Smithee
- 3rd Place (Bronze Award) - £50 Cash Prize: Trudy Hegarty
Highly Commended Submissions: Huda Ismail & Freddie Flanders.