The Rapid Edge Protection System (or EPS) offers a new way to provide assembled protection for construction workers at standard height and full height, and it certainly lives up to its ‘rapid’ title as it can be erected 10 times faster than traditional drill and fix systems.

Back in 2007, Rapid EPS Directors Peter Hewson and David Brine used their combined expertise to explore the possibility of constructing an edge protection system with a telescopic post, a conceptual leap forward that’s the key to this system’s unique selling point of quick installation without the need for tools. Peter and David explored several novel ideas, creating a prototype of the telescopic design and then seeking a manufacturing partner to help them take it from concept to market.

Rapid’s Peter Hewson takes up the story.

“Like a lot of companies, we went to China first. We visited the facilities, got some samples made up and everything looked great. Then the shipping container arrived and it was full of what can only be described as rubbish! We felt that the only way we could get the Rapid EPS manufactured at the quality we wanted - and the only way we could sleep at night - was to find a UK supplier.

“We contacted a few companies, but found they were just not that interested. We came across Multi-Stroke almost by accident, through a recommendation from a trainer on a course we were attending. He said Ian Wright at Multi-Stroke was a man worth talking to.

“Ian turned out to be Multi-Stroke’s Managing Director. He immediately got ‘hands on’ and modified our design to better suit Multi-Stroke’s tooling facilities. We were very impressed with his knowledge and enthusiasm – as well as the samples Multi-Stroke quickly created. Within a few weeks, the Rapid EPS went into production through Multi-Stroke.

“The design has developed a lot since then, and Multi-Stroke have continued to be part of our team. I am especially impressed with how they create prototypes in just days; they work at the same speed that we do.”

The Rapid EPS concept has proven highly successful, taking the company from premises covering 7,000 square feet (650 square metres) in 2010 to 27,000 square feet (2,500 square metres) today – just three years later.

Exports are currently the strongest arm of the business, with Canada, Norway and the US all embracing this new edge protection concept.

The working relationship between Rapid EPS and Multi-Stroke has also gone from strength to strength, with several developments - all centred on construction site safety - going from the Rapid EPS drawing board to the Multi-Stroke workshop.

Click this link to find out more about the Rapid Edge Protection System.