Rapra Technology is Europe’s leading independent plastics and rubber research and technology organisation. Rapra provides comprehensive consultancy, technology and information services for the polymer industry and for industries which use plastics or rubber in any component, product or production process.

Based on two sites in the UK, Rapra’s 120 employees support over 5,000 clients every year in over 60 different countries.  The Technical Department carries out over 2,000 separate confidential client projects annually, involving materials, processing and design-related issues. Rapra’s experts are backed up by extensive testing and analytical laboratory facilities, as well as a factory area for trial processing projects.   The Information Department produces the World’s largest bibliographic database specialising in polymers, as well as producing a wide range of technical and scientific publications, and organising an ongoing programme of conferences and training courses. 

Rapra is increasingly taking a leading role in developing and managing a series of innovative industry-based R& D programmes and is currently actively engaged in more than 10 Europe-wide research programmes. 

Main Products and Services

Technical Services (relating to rubber and plastics materials and products)

Materials selection                

Product design          

Feasibility studies

Injection mould design 

Material flow simulation     

FEA services

Fault and failure diagnosis 

Expert witness services       

Materials testing

Product testing         

Chemical analysis                  

Calibration services

Food contact testing

Medical device testing

Processing trials

Compound development 

Nano-materials processing    

Collaborative R&D

Information Products and Services

Technical and scientific publishing     

Technical training courses

Conference organisation                     

Polymer Library - bibliographic database and associated products

Rapra Technology is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Smithers Group.