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News Release from: Smithers Rapra
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 31 October 2003
Expanded team targets EU research money
Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test house, is investing further resources in its winning research fund raising team.
Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test house, is investing further resources in its winning research fund raising team "Over the past year Rapra Technology has made special efforts to seek out and attract the funds that are available for polymeric research development", says Mark Gaddes, Rapra Manager directly responsible for the activity
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 4 Aug 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"We have succeeded in attracting some GBP 2 million in grant aid and other funds from national and EU sources.
The size of this business is now approaching some 15% of Rapra's total turnover and the figure is rising.
It therefore makes sense to further support this area with the recruitment of additional staff with special skills".
Rapra has invested through the summer of 2003 in various items of analysis equipment in order to support new EU and other programmes undertaken - such as those sponsored by the Food Standards Agency.
In addition further investment in its design capability makes the task of Rapra's new fund-raising team that of capitalising on its successful track record.
The EU research team is now actively seeking new staff to help grow the activity.
The work involves researching and writing proposals that addressing client company's innovation needs.
These are submitted either solo or in partnership with other organisations - typically to support the use and development of polymer materials, processes and end uses.
Commercially minded graduate executives are being sought - especially those with a knowledge of schemes such as Smart, Craft and Link.
Rapra's management buyout in July 2002 set the scene for expansion in the EU arena, with the new company free to chart its own business course, acquiring certain companies and partnering others.
Rapra's annual review 2003 shows that a general upturn in demand for Rapra Technology services since the MBO has been encouraging: large-scale contract research projects for bodies such as the UK's Food Standards Agency and Waste Resources Action Programme in combination with Rapra's own forecasts for 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.
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