Principia Consulting

Product Positioning:
Introducing New Reflective Film Products

Challenge:
One of the world’s largest suppliers of window and industrial film products needed a clear strategy for introducing a new product line.

Principia helped formulate and develop this important marketing and product introduction strategy with a comprehensive plan to introduce the new product line. The new product utilizes technology to more economically create metallized flexible polymeric films made with sputtered exotic metals such as stainless steel, titanium, copper, and silver.

Result:
The program was successful, as the company introduced a highly successful reflective film product line in the building and construction industry.

Product Positioning:
Timely Introduction of Hurricane-Resistant Window Glazing

Challenge:
The leading supplier of polyvinyl butyaryl (PVB) asked Principia to help position the product for hurricane-resistant glazing to meet the criteria of new coastal region legislation.

Principia interviewed many of the leading window manufacturers to determine their interest and specific programs around this market development, and how they were addressing the need. A product repositioning strategy was developed to properly introduce the Client's product as an interlayer solution to this market.

Result:
The client has furthered its leadership position in PVB film, a result based largely on following Principia recommendations.

Product Positioning:
Evaluate Product Concepts for New Combination Bass/Ski Boat

Challenge:
As part of its growth and diversification strategy, a major supplier to the automotive and heavy truck industry-targeted the pleasure boat market. The company developed a concept boat combining features of both bass fishing and ski boats.

To validate the product concept and determine the market potential for the new product, Principia designed a positioning program that tested the appeal of the overall concept and each of the key features with prospective boat buyers. The concept was tested with buyers from numerous segments of the market to determine which customers would be most likely to purchase the new boat design.

Result: The concept test identified several segments where the new boat design has very high appeal, and could gain significant market penetration. The Client proceeded with final design and production build-out.

Product Positioning:
Assess Market Potential for Sheet Molded Composites Replacement Resin

Challenge:
One of the world's largest producers developed a new resin that exhibited the performance characteristics of thermoset molded parts, but with the advantages of thermoplastics processing.

To validate market need and identify the best target applications, Principia assessed the role and fit for the material in SMC applications. Based on this analysis and the new product's properties, Principia recommended four applications for the Client to pursue.

Result:
The Client developed two applications for the new material, and continues to explore more replacement opportunities in other thermoset markets.

Product Positioning:
Define Materials and Processes for Novel Optical Display

Challenge:
The world's largest integrated circuit producer was assessing a new technology for the production of large, flat panel displays. The company required a feasibility assessment on the production of displays based on the technology.

Principia evaluated an array of optical plastics and optical barrier materials to determine which materials could deliver the required performance. Principia assessed potential fabrication methods for processing the selected materials, and for providing reliable, low-cost production.

Principia assessed the critical performance characteristics for the materials, identifying several alternatives for each system component. For each material Principia profiled and evaluated the fabrication processes necessary to fabricate the display.

Result:
Based on Principia's recommendations, the Client determined that the new technology was not fully ready for commercialization and discontinued its development efforts.

Product Positioning:
Determining the Value of Product Features in a New Drug Delivery System

Challenge:
The leading producer of oral liquid drug delivery systems initiated a major program to develop the next-generation product for this market. To guide product development and validate product concepts, a robust assessment of the unmet market needs was required.

Principia designed a product concept testing program, entailing assessment of the oral drug delivery market, identification of unmet needs, and preference testing (conjoint analysis) of various development products. The program investigated 45 aspects of the new product design, pinpointing the most desirable features and yielded market projections for the new product.

Result:
The Client is commercializing the new products and projects sales of 8 million units within 3 years of market introduction.

Product Positioning:
Determine the Value-in-Use of a Chemical Intermediate

Challenge:
A manufacturer of a new monomer, useful for making a range of polymers, needed to determine "value-in-use" and price elasticity for setting the right price for the new product. The assessment would not only drive the pricing strategy for the material, but would also be used in planning production volume and capital assets for the business.

Principia determined the market demand at given pricing levels, and evaluated the price/performance balance relative to substitute products. A wide range of sources of added value were evaluated, including production costs (materials costs, process cycle time, utilities, yield rates), product performance (enhanced properties), and benefits of the new polymer to end users.

Result:
Principia's analysis allowed the Client to establish two market price points for two distinct segments, which maximized profit given the constraints of substitute product pricing, economic plant size, and the potential market volume.