November 2022

Product Development
ROBUST R&D REQUIRED TO MEET
CHANGING DEMANDS
Latest pressures on the construction industry, caused by growing concerns for
economic slowdown, are placing greater emphasis on product choice for distributors
and contractors. With this in mind, Nick King, Portfolio Manager at Klober, explains
why research and development (R&D) is fundamental for providing building
professionals with futureproof products to suit their needs.
Despite recent reports from The Bank of
England warning of an impending
economic downturn, the construction
industry is still set to see a steady output
increase in 2022 and into 2023. As the forecast
is still uncertain, organisations must focus on
meeting an evolving demand in the market
through their offerings.
The fluctuation of product demand, dependent on
consumer spending, is the key market driver for
highlighting the importance of access to a range
of relevant products. Manufacturers must play
their part in introducing such solutions through
the stages of research and development (R&D).
1Establishing market needs: Identifying
demand is an essential first step during
R&D and allows for the viability of new
products to be justified before any further steps
are made. Customer feedback has proven to be a
strong method. For example, Klober collates
annual customer insights and frequent surveys to
help map out market drivers and potential
upcoming challenges.
Looking ahead, manufacturers will analyse
purchasing trends to identify any potential need
for product improvement. It’s this level of insight
that moves building technology and processes
further along. With Building Regulations
constantly tightening, and the general pace of
change in society increasing, circular learning is
critical.
Once a product has launched or been updated, it
doesn’t stop there. Ongoing market
research is vital for further
innovation. Klober’s Dry Ridge Kit
is an example of such. In early
2021, a 6m Dry Ridge Kit was
launched, following positive
feedback and demand for an
equivalent suitable for larger
housing, a 10m kit was brought to
market in November 2021. More
recently, this continuing analysis
Above: Nick King, Klober.
uncovered a demand for additional
installation assistance within the
kit, which has led to the release of the Ridge Kit
with Fixed Lugs.
2Considering logistics: Once a product
plan has been agreed, it needs to be put
into practice. There are various stages to
this which includes looking at the viability of
logistics. A market brief is created to outline
budgets, price points, margins, and capex costs.
Liaising with logistics warehousing departments
is key for understanding volumes and storage
capacity.
This is the perfect time to determine and fine tune
any design or aesthetic choices, and bigger
decisions such as material type should be
clarified. It’s also important to consider the
tooling process, as quotations will need to be
agreed. Lead times can often be around 20 weeks
so processes of design and manufacturing will
need to keep in line with this.
3Meeting quality standards:
Extensive risk analysis is
then implemented by roofing
manufacturers as part of a
vigorous testing process. For
example, Klober uses a gated
system in the form of a trafficlighted
document, which allows
red-risks to be highlighted and
addressed. Testing plays a central
role and enables amends to be
made to improve these to amber
and green criteria.
Klober’s technical centres enable professional
testing to confirm each product complies with
and exceeds both regulatory standards and
durability requirements. British Standards are
adhered to while all tests are conducted,
including ageing tests for UV stability and wind
tunnels for emulating storm conditions. Another
useful tool is 3D printed prototypes, which allow
for trial installations to be undertaken and client
feedback to be gathered.
4Confirming storage & setup: Once
technical approval has been granted, the
product will need to be systematically
logged with codes and relevant information such
as weight and required pallet size for storage.
During this process, third-party accreditation may
be progressing whilst documents such as
installation guides should be considered.
Before sales of the product can go ahead,
packaging requirements such as box size, print
22 TC NOVEMBER 2022