Partnerships, Mergers & Acquisitions:               Industrial Instantaneous Water Heaters

Close working relationships with adjacent industry professionals can produce great strides forward in product development but also business growth. The additition of an instanteous water heater line, introduced risk – but, moved the organization in the direction of greater knowledge with respect to the customer. Developing relationships, understanding technical jargon and working through negotiations can drive an opportunity away or bring it closer. In this instance … the addition of the line, and the relationship cultivation with the drop-ship manufacturer proved a critical piece during M&A Negotiation and onboarding expert talent, post acquisition.

Proposed, Designed & Implemented:                     Digital Product Configurator

A digital interactive interface was just being introduced to industry and real-time visual product builds were considered an elite luxury not typical of the plumbing industry. While the line represented offered standard product line SKUs, a growing contingent of specifiers and installers shared unique installation requirements that indicated a need to shift to a custom-build product strategy, but with an integrated process. The configurator enabled specifiers to visualize their product, prior to order, outlined performance characteristics and offered a unique SKU based on their installation.

Created Product Spec and Launched 3 Phase Systems: Engineered Safety Decontamination Units

Decontamination shower and eye/face wash systems were a significant market opportunity, and the organization was looking to take great leaps in growth. While it manufactured the key delivery element: the combination system, the entity needed to better understand performance requirements, market expectations, environmental conditions, price points, and key points of product differentiation to maximize positioning and interface with existing plumbing and electrical systems during installation. The decontamination line served as one of the most significant, full innovative lines, with direct bottom line impact, and it was accomplished through partner company synergies.

Aquaculture, Partnership Development:                     Turn-key Engineered Aquaculture and Aquaponics

Problems truly are most often opportunities, particularly when one realizes that the only element missing to a solution is the incorporate of additional complimentary industry or academic partners. The Aquaculture divison, serves as a start-up within a Fortune 500 organization focused on manufacturing turn-key engineered systems aquaponics and aquaculture. The division focuses on improved process, premium componentry, but most importantly greater efficiency at the level of food production for its customers. I served as the corporate synergy connector between The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee – School of Freshwater Sciences and the AES, division, looking to form stronger partnerships with research institutions that have strong ties to customers and community intiatives.

Addressing Product Copycats:                                                   New Product Development, Partnerships, Tooling & Foreign Manufacturing

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One of industry’s greatest challenges is innovation. Innovation serves as that catalyst that keeps the lights on, or moves a B player ahead of an A player in a single bound. Foreign copycat products of domestically ideated or manufactured goods is one of the single greatest threats to an entity, due to investment in talent, tooling, impact of warranty, potential brand damage associated with diminished performance and of course the opportunity cost of time. A key focus at manufacturers where I’ve served, is manufacturing, marketing and identifying key channels to minimize the insurgence of product knock-offs, particularly to diminish the post-installation warranty effect, as customers themselves are often baffled by product transparency.