WDP (company)

WDP, LTD, and more recently doing business as Angel Paintball Sports,[1] is a former manufacturer and distributor of paintball markers and equipment located in England. The company also owns and operates National Paintball Fields, a paintball playing site in Birmingham.[2] WDP is best known for manufacturing the Angel line of electropneumatic paintball markers.

Now in administration.

History

WDP began operating in 1987[2][3] with the opening of the National Paintball Fields playing site. Once the field became successful, the company opened a shop and soon began running paintball tournaments in order to stimulate local demand for paintball equipment.[2] Not content with woodland tournament play, WDP pioneered the "arena" paintball concept, introducing what would be called "Hyperball" - a speedball arena field constructed from corrugated plastic pipe and designed for a much faster game format.[2]

The first product introduced by the company was the Mamba Remote Coil hose[3] - a coiled high pressure air line for connecting high pressure air and CO2 gas systems to paintball markers remotely.

Development of the Angel paintball marker began when engineer John Rice began working with the company in 1994.[3] The marker would remain in development for a further three years before being publicly released.[3] The Angel, along with the Smart Parts Shocker released around the same time, introduced electronically controlled paintball markers to the industry and ushered in a new and unprecedented level of marker firing speed in paintball.

In 2007 WDP began using the trading name Angel Paintball Sports (APS)[1] and internally restructured. During this restructuring, long-time sales manager Owen Ronayne departed from the company. Technician Frazer Colley has been promoted from within the company to become Technical and Team Sponsorship Manager and will be working more closely with US Master Tech Robert "PI" Moon to provide technical support and service. Matt Green, previously WDP's head of sales, is the new managing director and chief executive officer at Angel headquarters. Bart Walkerdine joins Matt as president and chief operating officer.

As of November 2011 Angel Paintball Sports has ceased operation.

As of January 2014 National Paintball Fields rebranded with a new website under the name of NPF Bassetts Pole. NPF Bassetts Pole is now a multi activity venue including paintball, mini paintball, airsoft, laser, quad trekking, inflatable assault course, sumo wrestling and gladiator type dueling games.

References

  1. 1 2 "Angel Paintball Sports - FAQs". Angel Paintball Sports. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved July 22, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 WARPIG - World And Regional Paintball Information Guide Retrieved July 22, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Owen Ronayne - WDP". Pbstar.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2008.
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