Our Story.
RPM Innovations, Inc. (RPMI) spun off from its parent company, RPM & Associates, Inc., in January, 2013. RPM & Associates, Inc. was founded in 1982 by Rob Mudge, Deb Mudge and Rob's parents, Jim and Phyllis Mudge. RPM Innovations, Inc. is a manufacturing firm located in Rapid City and is a South Dakota corporation. RPMI specializes in manufacturing and repair techniques using Directed Energy Deposition (DED). RPM Innovations' customers include Department of Defense, Aerospace Industry, Oil and Gas, and Power and Mining Industry clients.
Our Principles.
RPMI operates under four basic principles: Safety, Quality, Production, and Profit. There is one driving force behind each one of them: A strong desire to solve our customers’ wear problems and save our customers dollars.
Safety.
Safety is very important at RPM. Rob Mudge, our President and founder states, "Safety is our number one priority. There is no job we have ever done nor will we ever do that is worth someone getting hurt over. Quite frankly, as far as we are concerned, that job does not exist." Extraordinary measures have been taken to ensure that our facilities offer the safest possible work environment.
Quality.
RPMI's quality service earned it the Gold Boeing Performance Excellence Award in 2011
“The best is barely good enough” is a motto of Jim Mudge, co-founder and father of Rob Mudge. In 1982, this motto was adopted by the newly formed company, RPM & Associates. Since then, its meaning has been embraced by all employees and our customers experience it in our products every day.
Production.
RPMI’s management and engineering teams are constantly reviewing and improving production processes to make sure employees have the best possible tools, equipment, education, and work environment to operate efficiently and competitively.
Profit.
When the first three principles of Safety, Quality, and Production are embraced, profit follows. RPMI is able to provide competitive wages and benefits to its employees.
Safety.
Safety is very important at RPM. Rob Mudge, our President and founder states, "Safety is our number one priority. There is no job we have ever done nor will we ever do that is worth someone getting hurt over. Quite frankly, as far as we are concerned, that job does not exist." Extraordinary measures have been taken to ensure that our facilities offer the safest possible work environment.
Quality.
RPMI's quality service earned it the Gold Boeing Performance Excellence Award in 2011
“The best is barely good enough” is a motto of Jim Mudge, co-founder and father of Rob Mudge. In 1982, this motto was adopted by the newly formed company, RPM & Associates. Since then, its meaning has been embraced by all employees and our customers experience it in our products every day.
Production.
RPMI’s management and engineering teams are constantly reviewing and improving production processes to make sure employees have the best possible tools, equipment, education, and work environment to operate efficiently and competitively.
Profit.
When the first three principles of Safety, Quality, and Production are embraced, profit follows. RPMI is able to provide competitive wages and benefits to its employees.
Our History.
RPMI spun off from its parent company, RPM & Associates, Inc., in January, 2013. RPM & Associates, Inc. was founded in 1982 by Rob Mudge, Deb Mudge and Rob's parents, Jim and Phyllis Mudge. Over the years, the variety of products and services we produce has grown dramatically. A few of the major milestones in the growth of the company are outlined below.
- April, 1982 - RPM & Associates, Inc. is founded.
- March, 2001 - Teamed with South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and began investigating laser technology.
- June, 2002 - Moved into a new 35,000 square foot facility.
- March, 2004 - First laser welding system started up.
- December, 2009 - Built and put into production our second DED Laser System.
- December, 2011 - Began 15,000 square-foot expansion.
- April, 2012 - Celebrated 30 years of being in business.
- November, 2012 - Completed 15,000 square-foot expansion for additional machine capacity.
- December, 2012 - Built and put into production our third DED Laser System.
- January, 2013 - RPM Innovations, Inc. formed as a separate company from its parent company, RPM & Associates, Inc.
- February, 2015 - RPMI built and put a fourth DED Laser System into production.
- January, 2017 - RPMI built and put a fifth DED Laser System into production.
- January, 2018 - RPM Innovations, Inc. moves into new 50,000 square-foot facility located at 500 Turbine Drive, in Rapid City, SD.
- January, 2020 - RPMI built and put a sixth DED Laser System into production.
- November, 2022 - RPMI built and put a tenth DED Laser System into production.
- July, 2023 - RPMI built and put a twelfth DED Laser System into production.
- Dec, 2023 - RPMI built and put a thirteenth DED Laser System into production.
- February, 2024 - RPMI built and put a fourteenth DED Laser System into production.
