Smithers Rapra, the Polymer Specialist

Smithers Rapra Technology Limited is better known as Smithers Rapra, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Smithers Group and recognised as a world leading plastics and rubber consultancy. The company has premises in two UK sites – Shawbury, Shropshire and Billingham, Cleveland – and can provide clients with a comprehensive independent service, including technology and information services for the polymer industry and for industries that utilise plastics and rubber in any component, product or production process.

The industries supported by the services Smithers Rapra provides are varied and include the commercial, industrial, pharmaceutical, automotive and transport sectors; a diverse range of business, yet all requiring specialist assistance in the area of polymers. Smithers Rapra can provide a mix of on-site expertise and facilities that enable the application of an integrated approach to problem solving, and the company believes the core capabilities possessed by Smithers Rapra lie in the skills and experience of its people, many of whom are recognised and accepted as leading experts in their field.

Smithers Rapra’s plastics and rubber technical services can prevent, identify or solve problems and improve on or ensure continuing quality. Clients can commission Smithers Rapra to perform individual services, specialist consultancy or participate in multi-client research projects. The company can also provide assistance in obtaining funding from the UK government or European Community, and/or industry, to progress the research and development of polymer technology and applications.

The physical testing, analytical and chemical laboratories operated by Smithers Rapra are UKAS accredited and can provide UKAS certification. The company can also carry out testing to a range of national and international standards or to an individual company’s requirements. A variety of physical tests for assessing material properties against abrasion, fatigue, impact and stress and their performance in products under specific conditions are available to clients. Furthermore, Smithers Rapra’s analytical and chemical laboratories can undertake material identification and characterisation, amongst other tasks, using a range of advanced chromatographic, spectroscopic and thermal techniques.

The company’s technical facilities are complemented by an extensive polymer information centre based at Smithers Rapra Shawbury. The facility’s polymer library is reportedly the world’s most comprehensive plastics and rubber literature database, and, accessible via the internet, it contains over 1,000,000 references. This sizeable collection is updated and added to every fortnight. In addition to its database, Smithers Rapra produces a range of publications including journals, industrial analysis reports, review reports and global directories. Further details of the company’s publications are available at its website www.rapra.net.

Another area of industry support provided by Smithers Rapra is that of conferences; each year Smithers Rapra brings together leading academics and industrialists in an annual programme of conferences held both in the UK and overseas. These events have gained a reputation based upon their quality coverage of polymer topics, and are of interest to polymer processors and industry-wide users.

For those wishing to boost their own knowledge base, Smithers Rapra also operates an extensive programme of short technology-based training courses covering materials, product design, processing techniques and environmental considerations. The company’s courses are recognised by the Institute of Materials Continuing Professional Development scheme, and aim to enhance in-house skills, help in identifying problems and recognise potential opportunities.