Bath-based RPI, a leading provider of rotary measurement and angular positioning devices, has promoted Jim Palmer to the role of sales and marketing director. He joined the company as an engineer over 20 years ago, and has worked his way around the company, giving him an in-depth understanding of its capabilities and potential.

He was promoted from sales manager, where he was instrumental in increasing sales by over 60% in the past five years, thanks in large part to his extensive network of contacts. More recently he secured orders within a fortnight of Control, the international trade fair for quality assurance, the fastest this has ever been achieved — this process usually takes months.

Mr Palmer also played an increasingly significant role during the pandemic, helping alongside managing director Peter Marchbank to steer the company through this very turbulent time as its key aerospace market contracted.

Now both will develop a three-year plan which will take the company into new industries, and new applications. With air travel back to 80% of its pre-pandemic levels, this is a real opportunity for the company.

Mr Marchbank said: “Jim proves his value to the company day-in, day-out. Now is the perfect time for him to take this more senior, strategic role and to drive RPI’s sales in the coming years.”

Mr Palmer said: “Our rotary measurement technology is second to none and enables measuring equipment to achieve unparalleled levels of accuracy. This is really important to the aerospace industry in particular .

“However we are now seeing it adopted in other sectors such as automotive and power generation. I am looking forward to introducing this into industries that need this level of accuracy, and to taking our sales to the next level.”

RPI have recently launched two new products, OctoScan which improves productivity by up to 40% and TruMotion which delivers the accuracy of the standards lab onto the shopfloor. The company’s commitment to R&D has developed a pipeline of innovations which will be rolled out in the coming years.