Smithers Pira was originally established in 1930 as PIRA, the initials standing for Printing Industry Research Association. The aim of the organisation was to be "a technical research bureau for the pooling of technical information and to conduct scientific investigation of technical problems" for the printing industry. In 1936, PIRA became a grant-aided research association supported by the equivalent of the Department of Trade and Industry - the DSIR. The organisation was also renamed PATRA - Printing and Allied Trades Research Association. A new packaging division was formed in 1943 following work to look into the problem of service equipment arriving badly damaged in the Middle and Far East combat areas. In 1967 PATRA merged with BPBIRA (British Paper and Board Industry Research Association) and was renamed PIRA once again with three main divisions - Paper and Board, Printing and Packaging. The range of business services has expanded over time to cover market research, str