September 15, 2023

$29,000 in Professional Cash Awards and Student Scholarships Available
Winning Entries to be Displayed at ET '24 in Orlando, FL

Wauconda, Illinois—September 12, 2023 -- The ET Foundation, the educational and scientific organization devoted to promoting and advancing aluminum extrusion processes and technologies, and the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), have released the Call for Entries for the 2024 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition. The competition includes two entry classes: Professional and Student, each competing within their own class. Cash prizes and student scholarships totaling $29,000 will be presented to the top designers. Student scholarships totaling $15,500 are sponsored by ALMAG Aluminum Inc., in Brampton, Ontario; MI Metals, Inc., in Oldsmar, Florida; and Pennex Aluminum Company LLC in Wellsville, Pennsylvania. Professional awards, totaling $10,000, as well as a $3,500 Grand Prize awarded across all categories and classes, are sponsored by AEC.

Entries for the 2024 Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition will be accepted through February 26, 2024. Entry in the competition is free and judging will take place following the entry deadline.  Winning entries will be displayed at the Thirteenth International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar & Exposition – ET '24, scheduled for April 30 through May 2, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. More information about the 2024 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition, including the Call for Entries complete with official entry forms, is available at the competition website at www.ETFdesign.org. Information about ET '24, including program and registration details, can be found at ET24.us.

The Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition aims to promote the understanding and use of extruded aluminum profiles, highlight innovations, and recognize excellence in aluminum extrusion design. Winning entries will be those that demonstrate the benefits of extruded aluminum—whether by inventing a new product or improving an existing one—by achieving the competition's criteria and objectives of creativity, practicality, product/process improvement or advantage and market impact/potential.

Students studying design and engineering enrolled at universities, colleges, and technical, trade and design schools around the world are invited to participate in the Student Class. Student Scholarships will be presented as cash awards to the top student designs, including $5,000 for First Place, $4,000 for Second Place, and $3,000 for Third Place. Students also may compete for the Sustainable Design Challenge Scholarship Award of $3,500. This distinctive design category challenges students to think about aluminum extrusions as a holistic solution to a design problem by developing a product design that, in addition to the four basic judging criteria, best addresses societal and/or environmental challenges or concerns. 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.

Professionals compete in a separate competition from students, and entries received in the Professional Class will be divided into four categories: Structural/Architectural, Transportation, Engineered Products, and Alternative Energy. First-place cash prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to the best design in each category. Individual designers and companies are eligible to submit an entry. Aluminum extruders and their customers are encouraged to team up to enter a design in the Competition. Team and multiple submissions will be accepted for both the Professional and Student Classes.

Helpful design resources, including webinars, presentations, and publications such as the AEC Aluminum Extrusion Manual, are available on the AEC website at AEC.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. The ET Foundation conducts the International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition to raise awareness and reward aluminum extrusion design innovation, and the International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar & Exposition to gather the worldwide industry every four years for technical exchange and networking to propel the industry forward. For more information, visit www.etfoundation.org.

About AEC
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) is a trade association representing approximately 75 percent of North American aluminum extrusion production. AEC is dedicated to advancing the effective use of aluminum extrusion in North America and is committed to bringing comprehensive information about extrusion's characteristics, applications, environmental benefits, design and technology to users, product designers, engineers, and the academic community. Further, AEC is focused on enhancing the ability of its members to meet the emerging demands of the market through knowledge sharing and best practices. For more information, visit aec.org.

Media Contact:
Nancy Molenda
VP Communications
847.416.7227
nmolenda@tso.net