Smithers Launches Global Brand
Akron, OH – 11th November 2010 - The Smithers Group announced today the formation of the global
brand Smithers Rapra, pulling together what had been Smithers Rapra Technology, in the UK and
Smithers Scientific Services in the USA, into a integrated business unit.
As these companies have grown, it has become clear that clients will benefit from a single Smithers
Rapra brand, which combines wide-ranging capabilities, expertise and delivers a comprehensive range of
services.
“Having spent extensive time managing the Smithers Rapra business in the UK and more recently as the
leader of both organizations, I know our customers will see significant benefits as a result of this
combination.” said Jim Dowey, President of Smithers Rapra.
Smithers Scientific Services has provided services mainly to the tire, automotive, and rubber industries.
Smithers Rapra Technology’s services have focused primarily on plastic, rubber and composite materials
and products used in the automotive, industrial, consumer, medical and transportation industries. Both
companies add value throughout the life cycle of clients’ products, by utilizing testing and consulting.
This change enables clients across the globe to interact with one organization, Smithers Rapra, and
creates an easy and more efficient way for customers to access a broader range of testing and consulting
services.
Smithers Rapra Not Alone in Creating Global Brand
Smithers Rapra is just one of the technology based companies that comprise The Smithers Group.
Because of both organic and acquisition growth within a number of these independently operated
companies, expansion into overlapping market sectors is occurring across Smithers.
As part of a broad initiative, Smithers is aligning member companies by focusing on the specific market
served and defining a single and integrated global brand for each. These include Smithers Rapra,
Smithers Quality Assessments, Smithers Viscient, Smithers Pharma Services and iSmithers.
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Note to Editors:
About Smithers Rapra:
Smithers Rapra is the global leader in rubber, plastics, polymer and composites testing and consulting services
focused mainly on the tire, industrial, transporation, consumer and medical industries. Smithers Rapra
encompasses what was previously Smithers Rapra Technologies, established in the United Kingdom in 1919 and
Smithers Scientific Services, established in the United States in 1925. For more information, visit www.rapra.net or
www.smithersrapra.com.
About The Smithers Group:
Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, The Smithers Group includes Smithers Rapra, Smithers Quality Assessments,
Smithers Viscient, iSmithers and Smithers Pharma Services. Each Smithers Group company provides technology-
based services focused on a defined market. As a group the diversity of market sectors and technologies provides
stability and a platform for long term growth. By integrating science, technology and business expertise, Smithers
goal is to add value throughout the life cycle of our clients’ products, by utilizing testing, consulting, information and
compliance services. All Smithers companies are known by their clients as Trusted Providers of Innovative
Solutions. For more information, visit www.smithers.com.
About Other Smithers Group Companies:
Smithers Quality Assessment is an accredited third-party registrar. Since 1993, Smithers Quality Assessments
has provided quality and environmental management system certification services such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001
and related standards to manufacturing companies and service providers. For more information, visit
www.smithersregistar.com
Smithers Viscient, formerly Smithers Springborn is a global Contract Research Organization (CRO) for the crop
protection, pharmaceutical, industrial chemical, and consumer household industries. With laboratories in North
America and Europe, and additional offices in Asia, Smithers Viscient has performed standard guideline and higher-
tiered environmental studies for over 40 years. Our studies satisfy all major regulatory requirements. Services
include ecotoxicology, avian toxicology, environmental fate, metabolism, residue, analytical and product chemistry,
consulting, and endocrine testing, including in vitro toxicology, in vivo toxicology, and in vivo ecotoxicology. For
more information, visit www.smithersviscient.com
iSmithers evolved from the information division of Smithers Rapra in 2008 after delivering 30 years of knowledge
transfer solutions. It serves a global academic and industrial market with polymer, chemical, pharmaceutical,
ecotoxicology and life-science related knowledge and information products and events. These include a wide range
of technology and market-based journals and books, national and international conferences, polymer technology
training courses and electronic web and database products. For more information, visit www.ismithers.net
Smithers Pharma Services provides formulation services, analytical chemistry, and pre-clinical and clinical
bioanalytical testing, while offering further drug development support through in-house storage stability studies.
Smithers Pharma serves the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and consumer healthcare industries, delivering a
broad portfolio of services to help clients move their drug products through the full drug development
process, from pre-formulations to market registration. For more information, visit www.smitherspharma.com
