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News Release from: Smithers Rapra
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 April 2006
US science group buys Rapra Technology
The Smithers Group, an independent testing, consulting and contract research organisation based in the USA, has closed a deal to purchase UK company Rapra Technology.
The Smithers Group, an independent testing, consulting and contract research organisation based in the USA, has closed a deal to purchase UK company Rapra Technology The announcement ends weeks of speculation of the fate of Rapra Technology, which was forced into Administration on 8 March, 2006
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 25 Apr 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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Rapra becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of The Smithers Group, which comprises Smithers Scientific Services, Smithers Quality Assessments, Springborn Smithers Laboratories and Synomics Pharma Services.
Established in 1925, Smithers is a privately owned company, which specialises in providing technology and research-based services to a global client base.
Rapra's 118 members of staff, employed at its head office in Shawbury, Shropshire and its Billingham site, transfer to the Smithers Group which already employs 500 people in the US and Europe.
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Commenting on the company's recent acquisition, CEO and president, Michael Hochschwender said, "We are delighted that Rapra Technology has joined our portfolio of companies.
We were particularly attracted to Rapra because of the synergy between its activities and our own.
Like Rapra, we are also long established and independent.
Its diverse range of analytical, testing, research and information services to the rubber and plastics industry complements our activities in the US.
Rapra will provide a critical link to the UK and European markets, particularly in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors." Rapra chief executive Andrew Ward, who has led the company through an MBO to its most impressive trading year in 2005, said: "I am pleased that this period of uncertainty is now over for both our customers and staff.
Whilst the past few weeks have been extremely challenging for Rapra, we now put the past behind us and look to the future with renewed certainty." Ward said: "Last year, we embarked on a strategic growth plan.
The past couple of weeks have caused a slight hiatus in that plan, but we are now set to continue with the full support of The Smithers Group and look forward to bringing additional and enhanced services to benefit our existing and new customers." * About the Smithers Group - Smithers Scientific Services is the oldest of the Smithers Group.
Established in 1925 as an impartial testing ground for the tyre industry, the company has evolved into a multi-discipline, independent testing, research and consulting firm.
It serves a global client base in the rubber and plastics industries and throughout the automotive supply chain.
The company has locations in Ohio, Michigan, South Carolina and Texas, USA.
A global client base is served from laboratories based in Massachusetts and North Carolina, USA, Switzerland and Japan.
Located in Massachusetts Cape Cod region USA, it offers a portfolio of high quality analytical based research services to support the development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare products.
Rapra, formerly known as the Rubber and Plastics Research Association, is based near Shrewsbury, UK, with a regional office in Billingham, Cleveland.
Rapra has expensive analytical, testing and processing laboratories, which are complemented by an Information Centre which maintains and develops the world's most comprehensive database of commercial and technical information on rubber and plastics - Rapra Abstracts.
It publishes a wide range of technology and market-based journals and books, organises national and international conferences and provides polymer technology training courses.
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