The Smithers Group, a leading testing, research and consulting firm, is reorganizing its services to the tire, automotive and polymer industries, consolidating Smithers Scientific Services and Smithers Rapra Technology, along with Rapra’s Information Products Group, into a single business unit.

Smithers Scientific Services, based in Akron, Ohio, and Smithers Rapra Technology, headquartered in Shropshire, U.K., both provide technology-based services to the polymer and automotive industries.

"They have technical capabilities that in some areas overlap and in other areas are highly complementary," said Michael Hochschwender, president and chief executive officer of The Smithers Group. "Their clients are, for the most part, global companies. This combination is perfectly situated to benefit from a common vision and a globally coordinated set of activities," he explained.

The Information Products Group of Smithers Rapra, with its global capabilities for conferences, training programs and publishing, are aimed at the polymer markets served by the testing and consultancy groups of Smithers Rapra.

"The portfolio of services provided to the polymer industry by the Information Products Group can also be offered to the industries served by other Smithers Group member companies," Mr. Hochschwender said. "Operating the Information Products Group as a separate division with additional independence, will facilitate continued global expansion and promote further coordination with other Smithers Group companies," he added.

"This reorganization represents the next step in the globalization of Smithers’ member companies and the entire Smithers Group," he said. In 2006, Springborn Smithers Laboratories, a contract research organization focused on environmental compliance and registration requirements for the pharmaceutical, agricultural and specialty chemical industries, was consolidated into a single global business unit