When leading international companies such as Lucite International, Hutchinson SA or Xerox Limited need prompt and reliable technical advice on issues relating to rubber and plastics manufacturing, processing or final end use, they call upon the expertise of the foremost polymer specialist,  Smithers Rapra.  Those companies, and many others, gain privileged access to these world-class technical and information services through Rapra Limited, the membership-based organisation that provides its subscribing members with a wide and growing range of special benefits.

In the last 12 months, over 25 companies have taken up the benefits of membership, the highest level of new membership uptake since the 1980s.  The benefits which they, along with their longer-standing fellow members enjoy, include;

·         Discounts of 10% to 15% on consultancy services  (product design, materials selection, fault & failure diagnosis)

·         Discounts of 10% to 15% on laboratory services (product and materials testing, chemical analysis, polymer processing and materials development etc.)

·         Discounts of 15% to 20% on information services and products (Polymer-based publications, training courses, conferences and access to the World’s foremost online polymer library)

Members also benefit from a free-of-charge technical enquiry service, with up to 2 hours of consultant time available per individual enquiry. They also receive a range of exclusive publications commissioned on their behalf by Rapra Limited and provided free of charge to them – the latest of these being a Members Guide to the REACH legislation as it relates to the polymer industry. Other benefits coming onstream in 2008 will include free access to a newly launched environmental legislation website dedicated to polymer users.

Rapra Limited offers three classes of Membership package, designed for the specific needs and circumstances of all businesses from small companies to major global organisations. Small Business Membership costs £600 p.a. and is the basic entry-level scheme designed for companies with less than 50 employees. Full Membership is the standard package, costing from £1000 p.a. and designed for medium and larger-sized companies who are likely to purchase products or services from Smithers Rapra on a regular basis.  Premium Membership, priced from £1500 p.a., is aimed at large multinational organisations or for companies whose use of Smithers Rapra is likely to be very high.

Richard Walton, Membership Services Director at Rapra Limited, believes that companies subscribing to the organisation derive real competitive benefit through access to the support that it can provide.  “The funds held by Rapra Limited, on behalf of its Members, are used to support them in undertaking a range of development projects or technical troubleshooting exercises.  Our free-of-charge enquiry service, with up to two hours of expert advice per enquiry provided by Smithers Rapra consultants, has proved to be particularly popular with Members, as have our discounts provided on purchases such as technical projects, conference delegate fees or training courses.  Examples of savings for a Premium Member would be £700 for a five day testing and consultancy project or £480 on two delegates attending a two day conference.”

Over 120 companies currently enjoy the benefits of Rapra Limited membership. The service provider to which Rapra Limited members have privileged access is Smithers Rapra, Europe’s leading independent plastics and rubber specialist organisation. The company provides a diverse range of analytical and testing contract services and is increasingly involved in major international collaborative research programmes. It also produces the World’s largest polymer database, publishes technical directories, books and reports and organises an ongoing programme of conferences and training courses.  Other companies within the Smithers Group are planned to be added to the list of membership service providers later in 2008.