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CASE STUDY

  A LEADING GLOBAL PROVIDER OF WATER PURIFICATION CHEMICALS, PROCESSES AND SERVICES

Business Challenge   Improve and accelerate the introduction process for all new and reformulated products, and identify and realize opportunities to improve decision making and reduce bureaucracy throughout the organization for better and more efficient decision making and more productive deployment of resources while complying with internal and regulatory quality, safety and security standards
Project Focus   Design and lead client personnel in an assessment, and redesign of process flows, controls, communications and project management systems across the departments involved in the new product introduction process including Marketing, Sales, Research, EH&S, Procurement and Manufacturing, with the involvement of HR, IS and Finance. Work with executive management to develop and implement a logical and efficient process for soliciting, evaluating and implementing requests for changes in approval policies and/or practices within and across departmental boundaries

Financial and
Operating Benefits

  
  • 60% to 80% of new products diverted to a streamlined process flow
  • 20% (2 month) reduction in process steps for a key product group
  • 60% (6 month) reduction in the Chemistry Changes flow
  • 95% (9.5 month) reduction in the Non-Chemistry Changes flow
  • 5-10% reduction in paperwork processing time for "new chemistry"
  • 20% reduction in paperwork processing time for "adjustments in chemistry"
  • 60 management and staff at various levels contributed 260 recommendations for decision-making changes; the requests were organized, consolidated and prioritized into 140 different decision-making issues; review for changes to current policies and procedures was recommended for approximately 30% of the 140 issues
Key Changes  
  • Identified 5 "new product" classifications and new streamlined product introduction process flows for each
  • Developed a database and summarized and prioritized all of the authorization change requests submitted to the officers and managers
  • Developed a recommendation evaluation process that is efficient and safeguards important safety, quality, financial and security controls
  • Developed high level plan for implementation of new product process flows and changes in the approval processes including any additional reporting or data requirements for elimination of authorization steps
  • Trained 25 Change Agents to manage the implementation of redesigned product introduction process and 23 Change Agents to manage the implementation of empowerment recommendations
   

For more information email
Mr. Brennan Malanaphy
Vice President, Business Development
e-mail: Email Brennan