Product category:
R&D, Test and Evaluation Services
News Release from: Smithers Rapra
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 May 2004
New online services for polymer sector
Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test house, has relaunched its website, following an unprecedented month of enquiries for products and services
Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test house, has relaunched its website, following an unprecedented month of enquiries for products and services 'We wanted to streamline our product and services offerings for the site visitors - and also introduce some people elements into the overall mix and design,' says Rapra Technology marketing manager, Richard Walton
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 12 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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'March 2004 saw our site break the 50,000 'hits' barrier for the first time.
Some of these enquirers simply want information; others want to look into our services such as testing, polymer analysis or product design expertise.
The new site is intended to lay these choices and options out as clearly and as vividly as possible while making an attractive read overall'.
Further reading
Rapra's testing role in plastic and rubber
Testing of plastic and rubber materials and products at Rapra has always highlighted the leading edge for a number of user sectors such as healthcare, automotive, food, chemicals and others
Speedy access to the world's polymer news
Polymer Contents is a new free service from Rapra Technology, custom-created to the needs of individual subscribers and designed to bring the world of polymers direct to the doorstep of the industry.
New items include easy-to-complete technical enquiry order forms; ready access to Rapra's bookstore; user access to Rapra's online information database; up-to-date training and conference calendars as well as details of the main consultancy services in product design, testing and polymer analytical services.
The new site structure is designed to allow faster and clearer navigation to the desired topics of interest.
'We hope that the plastics and rubber sectors will continue to keep using us as their technical point of reference,' says Walton.
'It is gratifying to see so much usage and need for the skills that we supply.
The Internet will continue to be a major route to market for us as well as being the prime delivery mechanism for many of our products and services'.
In its first full calendar year of trading as an MBO (2003) Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test house, achieved year on year growth in sales of 9%.
Full and detailed financial results will be available in June 2004.
Chief Executive Andrew Ward is satisfied with the first findings of last year's commercial performance.
Ward notes that "the performance of our technology division - about 70% of the company - was especially encouraging.
Year on year sales for the Rapra Technology Division increased by some 15%".
Reasons for the growth include: greater incidence of repeat business and higher spending single clients; growth in new product testing areas; growth in pharmaceutical and medical areas; growth in legal and arbitration work; growth in new polymer-based product design and development work.
Rapra Technology forecasts that demand for its polymer analysis skills in relatively new areas, such as pharmaceuticals and medical device testing, is set to rise by over 85% in the next four years.
The Rapra Technology business aim is to grow this area to a GBP0.5 million turnover by 2006.
Last year already achieved sales exceeding GBP300,000 in this area.
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