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RPD International (company)

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RPD International
Company typePrivate
IndustryProfessional services
Founded2012; 12 years ago (2012)
HeadquartersLondon, Shenzhen, Amsterdam
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Josh Valman - CEO, Jacelyn Meller - CCO
ProductsProduct Design & Manufacturing
Websiterpdintl.com

RPD International (Rapid Product Development) is a design and manufacturing firm founded in 2012 by a British entrepreneur, Josh Valman. It collaborates with companies to design and manufacture new products.

It operates a global supply chain to develop and launch new products in the consumer electronics, consumer medical, and consumer goods industries.[1] It works with clients such as Unilever, GSK and Vodafone.[2] It also runs a program known as Accelerate. This program focuses on helping startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) launch new products and compete with larger businesses in manufacturing.[3]

History

[edit]

RPD was founded in 2012 to simplify the process of developing new products, particularly in startup-scale supply chain.[4][5]

It was sold to Kinara International and rebranded as RPDK in 2023.[citation needed]

Since March 2017, it also competes in Robot Wars with a robot named Rapid.

In Series 9 of the BBC Series, Robot Wars, Rapid suffered a mechanical fault and withdrew from the competition.[6]

It returned to Robot Wars in series 10, reaching the final episode.[7] Rapid was beaten by the previous year's winner, Carbide, suffering significant damage resulting in a large lithium fire.[8][9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "RPD Opens up International Supply Chain to Product Design Companies". tctmagazine.com. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  2. ^ "RPD International Website".
  3. ^ "RPD Accelerate Website".
  4. ^ "Leaders in Action Interview with Josh Valman". YouTube.
  5. ^ "TEDx Presentation by Josh Valman". YouTube.
  6. ^ "Rapid - BBC Robot Wars season 9".
  7. ^ "Rapid - BBC Robot Wars season 10".
  8. ^ "BBC Robot Wars Season 10 - All Rapid Fights". YouTube.
  9. ^ "BBC Robot Wars Season 10 - Rapid loses to Carbide in Flames". YouTube.