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38 InnoVAtIon MAnAGeMent
when barnacles, mussels, bacteria, and fungi adhere to the hulls of ships, the results
are expensive. Frictional resistance and fuel consumption increase, and the hulls have to
be cleaned and repainted regularly. tin-based biocidal paints are banned, and even
copper-based coatings have some environmental impact. Here, substitutes are being
sought that protect the environment and have an exceptionally long service life
elements39 Issue 2|2012
333 polymer-based coatings, and adhesive agents, as
well as additives for coatings and lubricants. The
employees of Coatings & Additives are active at 21
production sites and technology centers worldwide.
In 2011, the business unit achieved annual sales of
more than €1.7 billion.
For New Business Development, the most attractive
applications in the field of classical coatings are
those that depend on a technology for their third
function, behind color and protection. These func-
New functionalities sought
tions can be self-cleaning or anti-fouling properties,
but also heat-repelling, electrically conductive, or
other properties. Often, they are based on nanostructuring
that, combined with the polymer expertise of
the business unit, produces thin functional layers.
“With functional coatings, the innovation and the
new business activity doesn’t necessarily translate
into large production volumes but into the value generated
by the user,” explains Fengler. This has a number
of advantages that limit the risk of a project. Coatings
in the range of a few nanometers require only
pilot-scale production facilities, so investment costs
remain manageable. “For the business unit, then, this
is a new way of thinking and working,” says Fengler.
In the field of crosslinking technologies, the most
attractive applications are in composites for lightweight
construction.
whether wind turbine, sailboat, or helicopter, the importance
of composites for structural components is growing, because they
combine low weight with high mechanical stability. Coatings &
Additives investigates how the business unit’s expertise can be
used to develop high-performance composites
Nine employees work in the New Business Development
Functional Unit at Coatings & Additives, including
project managers and those involved with
conceptualizing new ideas. These are chemists, physicists,
and business managers, all of whom are communicative
and open to new ideas. “They are team
players, who are able to establish networks across
organizational boundaries,” says Fengler.
Different kinds of employees are sought for a job
in New Business Development, including inventors,
the technically minded, entrepreneurs, project managers,
developers, and marketers. The inventor embodies
high creativity and scientific curiosity. The
technically minded are experts in certain technologies
and possess analytical skills. Willing to take risks,
the entrepreneur contributes skills in networking
and “selling” ideas. The “project manager” type stands
out for leadership qualities and structured thought.
The developer applies technical know-how and persistence.
And finally, the “marketer” type contributes
a broad-based understanding of the markets, as well
as the ability to persuade customers.
These complementary abilities are necessary for
the concrete work of opening up additional business.
“Because vague ideas can’t produce results,” says Fengler.
Even worse, various independent studies have
shown that innovation projects involve a high level
of risk, and, in the end, only a small percentage of
ideas actually reach their goal. But because success
is easier to sell than failure, New Business Development
has to know how to handle this demoralizing
reality. “We acknowledge it when employees take on
risky projects whose outcome is impossible to gauge,”