Innovation mindset drives value creation

Published on Mar 17, 2023

Challenge

Like many polymer resin producers, this dss+ client traditionally sold its products to converters as commodities, diminishing the products’ perceived value and forcing the company to compete mostly on price. At the same time, the Research & Development team was not focused on filling market needs; rather, it went where the chemistry led.

Our client’s leadership sought guidance to revert these trends, to help the organisation create greater value, differentiation, and opportunities for growth.

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dss+ Approach

The dss+ team deployed our Innovation Management Framework, which deep dives into nine elements that can propel or hinder innovation, and builds internal capability to enable a market-focused business.

Thanks to this process, the client discovered potential markets, identified new end-user and manufacturing audiences, and aligned on a shared vision for innovation transformation across the leadership.

As part of the program, the client created a healthy pipeline of high-value, in-demand products, and as a result new ideas are continuously being prototyped, tested and launched.

A collaborative culture was nurtured across the Organisation. Technology, external networks and internal teams aligned along the fresh innovation-driven perspective, for more efficient, on-target outcomes.

Today, this resin producer goes to market with quality materials designed to meet a recognised need, and as a result no longer competes on price alone, but on quality and value.

Impact

x3: EBITDA from new products by shifting to a customer-centric, valueadd innovation culture.

x4: annual product launches

x500: ideas generated each year

x6: ideas entering the pipeline

-50%: time to market thanks to a new fail-fast, market-driven mentality

Overall, the company’ enhanced vision and capability around innovation have allowed it to thrive, even when faced with the challenges of the pandemic.