A GROUP of sixth form product design students from St Laurence School in Bradford on Avon enjoyed an interactive factory tour at Leafield Environmental’s plastics manufacturing site in Corsham.

Before taking to the factory floor, 14 Year 12 students learned about the product life cycle of a recycling bin from concept and design stages through to manufacture and dispatch. The group observed the operation of machinery through each stage of the process, demonstrated by Leafield’s engineers.

Product design teacher Anne Ainsworth said: “While coursework is important, actually experiencing the manufacturing process is the best way to provide context.”