Metsä Wood, in partnership with The University of Lincoln, are proud to announce the winners of their Innovation Award for 2016. Four students take home the award this year with Ellen McIlwaine and William Bullock winning bronze, and Daniel Walsh and Ben Pickard both winning silver.
“The brief was a real challenge,” said Stewart Bibby, Programme Leader at The University of Lincoln, “Although it is ubiquitous, timber has many distinctive physical and behavioural characteristics. However the students, all from the second year of our BA in Product Design, seemed to thrive on it.”
And the results bear this out. With concepts ranging across decking, skirting and even dado rails, each of the winners impressed the judges with their ability to combine their academic learning and creativity, and then apply it to the medium of timber. So successful were the submissions that a number of the students are now exploring the opportunity to bring their concepts to life.
“We are keen to explore any potential opportunities,” explains Gareth Busson, Marketing Manager, Metsä Wood UK. “Everyone knows that the timber industry is well established, but Metsä Wood are committed to innovation. We believe that there are still plenty of opportunities to enhance commercial and operational excellence. The work that the students have produced is hopefully one step towards that.”