Elemica Solution Architect’s Insight Into The New Year
As is de rigueur at this time of year it is the moment to muse on what will be the trends of 2014.
I believe we will still be living in the fall out of the revelations of 2013, the fact that it is relatively easy for agencies to access large amounts of data has gone from an assumption to a known fact. This affects companies as well, the sensitive data they have around formulations, constructions and prototypes is less safe than historically the case. Previously the power of either the patent office or by simply black boxing the technology allowed for companies to gain from its intellectual property. The patent system is really a business related honour system. There is a legally backed gentleman’s agreement that a patent shows that something is yours and you should benefit from this intelligence. This honour system is now wavering because of the global nature of business and the different views about IP.
So if companies can feel less secure about gaining the maximum from their IP, what do they have left? In the process industry there is the value of superior production techniques, this generally leads to minimization of defects and maximization of quality. This comes at a price. Buyers (either B2B or B2C) will do the balancing act of cost versus quality. In the chemical industry, quality, safety records, supply chain excellence are areas that gain you ground.
The area that is equally powerful, which I believe will be more visible in 2014 is the brand. As ever certain companies are leading the way. In 2013, I noticed a strange event on British TV. It was advertisement for BASF. I cannot remember seeing Chemical Companies advertise to the general public. We have had other process industry companies, who are more in the public eye, on our television for a few years. We all know the beyond petroleum (BP) adverts, or the Shell bendy straw advert. These embrace the power of engineering knowledge, show casing that it takes brains to get oil out of the ground. However, both Shell and BP are part of the UK Stock Market, so an element of brand recognition is important. This is not the case for BASF, they are a multi-national company, with a small UK footprint, they have a small presence as a European stock tradable on the UK stock market, but all-in they are a German Institution (in all meanings of the word).
So why are they advertising in British TV? I believe it is because they know the power of the brand, the BASF brand is something that is strong and they feel they have the right to communicate it globally. They do not need to be advertising anything, they just need to be projecting their brand. It is not just BASF, there are other companies who are not just hiding behind the product, but are openly saying that it is s Unilever or AkzoNobel product.
My prediction for 2014 is that we will see more process industry companies taking the value of their brand and communicating it to the wider community. Not because they need the PR, or because they are big in a particular country or region, but because the brand is valuable enough to take its place alongside the mega-brands like Coca-Cola, Google, or Microsoft.
So, what about the Elemica brand? How is it faring? What is it that we are projecting? “Our customers are at the center of everything we do and that’s at the heart of the Elemica brand,” said Ed Rusch, VP of Corporate Marketing at Elemica. “When we launched our ‘built from the ground up’ next generation QuickLink Network platform last year, we utilized the latest technologies to bring truly unmatched capabilities into the market. Elemica celebrated by reimagining every aspect of our brand identity. Our leading edge Supply Chain Operating Network message, along with our new look and personality, highlights Elemica’s vision to give people total control over their global supply chains while also exemplifying our truly innovative solutions and expansive global resources. As anticipated, our investment in our brand has positively disrupted the market’s understanding of Elemica and generated heightened engagement with supply chain industry leaders.”
I believe the Elemica brand will be embraced by more companies in 2014, with our new technologies, enhanced products, and our professional services organization creating value across the board.