Big Ideas, Made Possible
Complex Ideas, Made Simple
Your Ideas, Made Real
For over a decade, we’ve been the product design agency that gets genuinely excited by impossible problems. Based in the North West with studios in Preston, Manchester, and London, we’re the team that thrives on challenges that make most people’s heads hurt. Because we believe those are the products worth making – the ones that will actually make a difference and deserve to exist in the world.
Our Team
Nathan Partington
Design Director
The original founder of npd, Nathan has been living and breathing product design for over a decade. Having previously designed everything from handheld vacuums to premium lighting solutions, Nathan established npd in 2014 as a way of helping Manchester based businesses bring their ideas to life. When he’s not bouncing between our clients and manufacturing partners, he can be found spending time with his wife, two kids and two dogs.
Georgina Partington
Operations Director
Georgina deals with all things operational. Her prior experience in the education sector, leading and managing people and budgets and organising anything within an inch of its life, means the team are always working to the full potential – efficiently and effectively. The designers can focus on designing and Georgina can support Nathan to keep other parts of the business running smoothly.
Kat Murphy
Marketing Director
With over 17 years in creative communications and advertising, Kat has helped drive successful campaigns for major brands. What drew her to npd was the opportunity to work on products with real purpose and stories worth telling. She’s passionate about bringing together product design and brand communication from day one, creating seamless brand experiences that help clients cut through the noise and make a real impact.
Alex Anderton
Product Design Engineer
With extensive experience working in design consultancies around the world, Alex is well versed in the development of innovative products from ideation all the way to production. From a young age, taking things apart and seeing how they work sparked his interest in design and engineering. Since then he’s developed a comprehensive knowledge of materials and a wide range of problem solving skills as a designer.
Rosie Alexander
Product Design Engineer
One of the latest additions to the team; with a background in medical device design and mechanical engineering, Rosie brings a new approach to problem solving within the team. With a passion for designing products with a positive impact, she’s a great fit for the fast-paced creative environment at npd. Rosie combines her mechanical engineering experience with a creative flair to really bring products to life. Whether you’re designing a part for manufacture or creating a complex mechanical system, you can count on her to find the solution.
Our Approach to Product Development
We’re selective about what we work on.
We only pursue product development projects we believe deserve to exist in the world. The world doesn’t need another fancy water bottle, but it does need better solutions to real problems. We choose industrial design and engineering projects that create genuine impact.
We don’t follow rigid processes.
We adapt our approach to each unique challenge, it’s not a one size fits all solution. No cookie-cutter solutions. No unnecessary stages. We focus on efficiency and outcomes, not process theatre.
We’re magpies of innovation.
Our product designers and engineers borrow brilliance from across industries, bringing fresh perspectives unconstrained by sector limitations. Whether you need medical device design, consumer product development, or industrial engineering solutions – we apply cross-industry intelligence to your challenge.
How We Work
We believe in honest conversations.
Our product design consultancy will tell you if your concept needs refining or if there’s a better direction to explore. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is help you see new possibilities through strategic product design thinking.
We’re in it for the full journey.
From initial concept development through prototyping, design for manufacture, supplier relationships, and market launch – we provide end-to-end product design services. You can engage us for individual services, but maximum value comes from our complete product development support.
We understand what it takes to succeed.
Our track record includes products we’ve developed that have achieved 140% business growth, 1200% revenue increases, and successful market launches. Sometimes we encounter ideas so brilliant that we invest in them ourselves – giving us real-world insight into what actually works.
Our Product Design Services
We’re a full-service product design agency offering:
We sell outcomes, not processes.
No fat. No waste. No unnecessary stages. While some focus on elaborate methodologies, we focus on efficiency. We get to the solution faster because we’re not constrained by rigid thinking.
We apply physics to human problems.
Through engineering rigour, commercial insight, and relentless execution, we transform concepts into market-ready products. Whether you’re a startup with a breakthrough idea or an established business seeking competitive advantage through product innovation, we’re where brilliant ideas become reality.
npd. Ideas, Made.
