Product orientation, market

Laminated Strand Products. The most recent developments in the family of wood-based composites are a group of laminated strand products, made with strands oriented in the long direction of the product and marketed as stmctural composite lumber. One product is made with long, narrow strips of softwood veneer. The strips or strands are about 2.5 x 13 x 600 mm (0.1 x 0.5 x 24 in.), coated with a PRE adhesive, and pressed under heat and pressure into large blocks. After the resin is cured the blocks are resawn and planed into lumber dimension stock. 

In recent decades, the synthetic colorant market has dechned, to the benefit of the natural-oriented market and consumers. Excluding FD C Red 40 and Red 28, the synthetic colorants are now as well accepted as they were. In addition to the decreasing enthusiasm for chemicals in food, the high costs of toxicological studies also inhibit the development and approval of new synthetic colorants. The existing technologies used for the extraction, concentration, and purification of natural plant pigments to be used as food colorants still produce lower yields and the final products are still expensive. 

The matrix system is commonly used internally within R D Groups, especially when research is product orientated and multi-disciplinary. This will be covered in Section B, 1.2.1. Most companies use matrix management for major projects, whether these be internal, e.g. the construction of a plant or facility, or have an external end point, e.g. the delivery of a product or service to the market. The specific use of empowered multi-disciplinary or cross functional teams working in a matrix, applied specifically to the reduction in the lead time for delivering projects, will be considered again in Section D. 

During the earlier period of the chemical industry s development, chemical companies were generally production oriented, wherein they would exploit a process to produce a chemical and then sell it into rapidly expanding markets. The investments and plant sizes required for participation were a small fraction of that required to participate today. Raw materials were often purchased to produce chemical intermediates for sale. Small-sized... 

The various measures for product orientated risk management of chemicals early in the supply chain (Fig. 16.1) before or at the time chemicals are introduced on the market, referred to here as chemicals control, aim at improved control of the flow of chemicals to the market, including appropriate information to users on risks and... 

Unlike the production-oriented economic animals (poultry, swine, cattle, fish, and shrimp) pets typically are allowed to live their full life cycles, and thus experience problems of aging, including kidney, vision, backbone, and hip failures, and obesity if food intake is not adjusted to the animal s activity level. Special puppy, kitten, and life-cycle series pet foods have been marketed. 

The reality is that innovative individuals and companies have already challenged these assumptions with alternatives to conventional chemical design and application, working from the feedstock molecules up, and from the final product down to its material components. For these innovators, new scientific information, future-oriented conceptual maps, new design parameters, and the commitment to benign alternatives all combine to create breakthroughs. The opportunity offered to the chemical industry can be understood if one looks through the lens of entrepreneurship and innovation to see the possibilities for new products and markets. 

What is the image of the company Is it an aggressive, growth-oriented company making unusual chemicals for a high price, or a mature company making commodity chemicals in bulk for a low markup Is innovation of new products, new markets, or new processes an important part of the company ... 

This change in the outlook of chemical industry from a product-oriented approach to a market-oriented approach has become pronounced only in this decade. One is inclined to believe it may be the result of several influences which have been increasingly at work during that period ... 

Market development also shall have to change accordingly from a product-oriented group to a service-oriented group. It shall have to learn to deal less in product characteristics with potential customers and more in market needs with creative research people. It shall be less concerned with finding a market for a product than with finding a product for a market. 

Quality is not merely a regulatory requirement it is also a crucial determinant for business success or failure in modem performance-oriented markets. The business strategic value of quality relates inter alia to improvement of the enterprise s competitive position, increased productivity, improved risk management and increased profitability. 

Cellulose, which is found in plant walls, is the most abundant raw material on Earth. Millions of pounds of this biorenewable polymer are produced every year. The total worldwide consumption of cellulosic fibers in 1998 was 4817 million pounds [1]. Cellulose is plentiful, inexpensive, and biodegradable. It is capable of producing a number of fibrous products with excellent properties whose utility extends into numerous end uses and industries. Cellulose is an excellent source of textile fibers, for both the commodity and the high-end, fashion-oriented markets. A common example is rayon. In addition, cellulose provides fibers for industrial end uses requiring strong, tough fibers. A common example is fibers used in tire cord. 

A giant break in the thinking in most companies is the shift from a functional orientation focused on source, make, and deliver processes — a budgetary view — to a product orientation where the needs of products or product categories are paramount — not a common view. When there are multiple products or product families in a company, the product life cycle model describes each product s position in its market. Figure 5.2... 

Day-lily flower (Hemerocallis spp.) is an important vegetable in the Orient in either fresh or dried style. The fresh day-lily flower is always harvested before reaching full-bloom, as fully bloomed flowers lose their market value. Therefore, harvested flowers must be sold within two days otherwise they bloom. The dried flowers are also available in the oriental market. The problems associated with the dried product include microbial contamination and insect infestation. 

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