Devon designer up for top award
Tom Bonfield, of Hillside Product Design of Teignmouth, has been shortlisted as a finalist for The National Plastics Industry Awards 2016 Young Designer of the Year award.
“I am very happy to be chosen as a finalist; it feels like being a winner to me”, said Tom who concluded by saying “the design team are constantly sharing their knowledge and this puts into perspective just how far I have come in a short time”
This year’s new category will see a £1,000 prize awarded to the winner. The awards have been set-up to recognise and reward excellence in the plastics industry. The overall winners will be announced at an awards ceremony which will take place at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane in London in September.
The Plastics Industry Awards is the forum for recognising and rewarding excellence in an increasingly competitive market. Launched in 2001, and held annually in London this event is dedicated to rewarding innovation and exceptional performance. The Plastics Industry Awards acknowledge the best companies and the best people.
Tom is 24 years old and graduated from Plymouth University. Since joining Hillside Product Design over two years ago Tom and has gained exposure to a wide range of clients and projects. Tom has very recently been promoted to senior designer after proving his capability and expertise on several projects. His is still finding his feet as a senior designer and being shortlisted is a great achievement indicating the potential within him and hopefully adding to his confidence.
Tom was the lead designer for the Business Award winning Lockabox project which has come to the market in the last year. The idea for Lockabox was born out of frustration in 2012 when a music student had to find a way to stop fellow housemates using his food from the shared fridge. The client presented a prototype which was not cost effective to manufacture, ship or assemble, but had great commercial potential. Lockabox is a secure, lockable storage box which can be used in shared fridges, for keeping medicines safe and for locking away personal items. Tom was instrumental in bringing this product through development and manufacture and achieved this at the same time as supporting the client to understand all the technical aspects concerning the design and manufacture of injection moulded parts.
“Tom prides himself on delivering exceptional design and engineering solutions for our clients and being shortlisted for this award says how well Tom is doing.” said Chris Howsam, Director of Hillside Product Design. Chris continued, “The team wish him every success and our fingers are firmly crossed for him”.
Hillside Product Design Limited offers a complete design for manufacturing service, making ideas a reality and guiding clients from initial concept to market ready products.
