MPM maintain a varied range of projects and customers across many sectors and applications, This project might be one of their most unique ones to date.
In late 2024, MPM partnered with Norse Sky to produce a giant GRP rat as part of a public art and charity initiative for The Daisy Appeal: A Mischief of Rats. Norse Sky approached MPM as a key player in the industry to develop the project from concept to delivery. MPM made the design manufacturable and developed the rat for full-scale production, creating over 40 rats out of GRP.
This unique project, which features a trail of artist-designed rat sculptures popping up across the North of England, isn’t just about fun – it’s also raising money for important local causes. Each rat has been sponsored, built, and decorated by different organisations to bring colour and conversation to public spaces around the Hull area while giving back to the communities that host them.
Engineering Creativity: Bringing the Giant Rat to Life
When Norse Sky came to MPM with the vision of one of the trail’s most eye-catching pieces, they knew it was something they wanted to be part of. Using their in-house capabilities, they brought their creative concept to life, crafting a durable, lifelike rat sculpture that could handle the elements and hold its own in a public setting.
The MPM team worked closely with Norse Sky to ensure that the final piece’s structural integrity, weight, and surface quality met both artistic and practical requirements. The result? A brilliantly bold sculpture ready to be painted, sponsored and take centre stage in this joyful, charitable art trail.
Spot the Rat: Now Live Across Hull
As a business rooted in Yorkshire, MPM are proud to contribute to a project that supports local causes while shining a spotlight on creativity and the great application of composites to create a brilliant product. It’s a reminder that composites like GRP aren’t just for industrial solutions – they’re also a brilliant medium for community and culture, and serve as a key core material of choice for infrastructure projects due to many factors, such as the materials’ natural weather and corrosion resistance.
A Mischief of Rats is now live, so keep an eye out for the MPM-built beast as it scurries through the streets in and near the Hull area.
To learn more or donate to the cause, you can visit the project directly at www.amischiefofrats.co.uk