Following my Product Design BSc course at Sheffield Hallam University, I undertook a six-week placement at Whitecroft Lighting. I was given the opportunity to rotate around each department of the company, with professionals diving deep into the details of their roles and enthusiastically sharing their knowledge and understanding with me.

My Experience at Whitecroft:

This has been an incredibly educational experience, deepening and widening my understanding of business, design, and manufacturing in more ways than I could have imagined. The inviting, encouraging, and inspiring environment I’ve experienced here has contributed greatly to my high opinion of Whitecroft, surpassing my expectations of how a company can foster a friendly, collaborative, and forward-thinking workplace.

I was particularly inspired by their focus on sustainability, design for manufacturing, future-proofing, and a shift towards modular design. These principles have guided me towards a more eco-conscious way of thinking about design. Moving through the factory and seeing first-hand how products come to life has helped me develop a better understanding of how to design effectively and efficiently within the constraints of available facilities, while also highlighting the importance of designing with manufacturing in mind.

As Whitecroft manufactures most of its components in-house using specialist machinery, I was able to see a wide range of production methods, some familiar, others new to me. This, combined with one-to-one teaching in each area, has broadened my understanding of manufacturing processes. The other departments I spent time with included testing, the apprenticeship program, custom-made products, lighting design, product management, and marketing. However, most of my time was spent in New Product Development (NPD).

The Importance of Working Environment:

Understanding how these departments operate both independently and collaboratively has given me first-hand insights into how a business can effectively and efficiently bring a project or product from concept to production. This includes aligning with unique client specifications and maintaining clear lines of communication between departments.

Getting Hands on:

During my time in NPD, I worked on multiple live projects which Whitecroft will adapt and develop on my ideas.

One task was to design a protective housing to hold and display a collection of lenses and diffusers, along with a light source used to demonstrate various light outputs. This was intended as an educational tool for graduates and apprentices in the supply chain to understand verified forms of lighting.

Following this, I was tasked with creating a vacuum-formed tray for an upcoming product in the Geopak™ crate. I developed the concept from initial sketches to a final 3D model. These trays were designed to accommodate all configurations of the product, with the ability to stack while spaced apart for protection and also collapse within each other for compact transport.

This project allowed me to demonstrate my design skills and receive valuable feedback, which has boosted my confidence in generating ideas, producing outcomes, and effectively presenting my work.

Afterwards, I focused on research into sustainable, renewable (natural), recycled (closed-loop), and biodegradable (eco-friendly) materials that could be used in packaging or lighting products. I explored the benefits and drawbacks of composites/bio composites, plastics/bioplastics, and alternative manufacturing methods using natural materials.

I found this research particularly beneficial for expanding my understanding of materials, especially considering the global shift towards more sustainable manufacturing practices.

Finally, I developed some concept work around how to manufacture a flat panel more sustainably, with a focus on reducing material usage and exploring alternative materials and manufacturing techniques. This has further refined my approach to sustainability and cost-saving in design.

Conclusion:

Overall, I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this experience and have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Whitecroft Lighting. I’m very grateful to everyone I worked with during my placement. Their friendliness and support made me feel welcome and included from the start. I would highly recommend a work placement at Whitecroft to anyone considering it.

Interested in work experience?

Contact: Warren.young@whitecroftlight.com