Over the next decade, the various players in the chemical industry will need to adopt different strategies to keep their businesses moving forward. Some will probably have to restructure and shift operations closer to their growing markets. Other companies may need to merge with each other and consolidate in order to stay competitive. And smaller companies may have to grow substantially to compete. MCE’s workshops for the chemical industry help managers to acquire new skills, ideas, insights, answers and approaches to adapt to changes in the business environment.
Senior & Top Management Level
The Total Cost of Ownership and its Impact on Pricing and Value Communication in the Chemical Industry
Using a purchased chemical product can incur many other costs, direct and indirect, for the customer. Changes in total cost of ownership (TCO) of companies’ chemicals can have a significant impact on their revenues. Consequently, when the TCO of a chemical suddenly increases, risk is that you become uncompetitive. Therefore, understanding and considering the TCO, when developing, producing and selling a chemical is crucial. Reversely, developing a more expensive product which allows customers to save on other costs can be a great commercial success.
Many companies however do not think about efficient price policies, they believe prices are set by the market or competition. Or companies experience “Gold plating”: They offer a product with features or services customers do not need or not want to pay for. In any case, no matter under which light you want to see it: An effective pricing strategy can increase profits significantly.
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Globalization and Supply Chain Management in the Chemicals Industry
Chemicals companies want to enter new markets, reduce lead times and reduce costs. Supply chains are becoming therefore more global and complex. Therefore, companies need to optimize their processes in order to achieve a competitive advantage. But how do the best companies in this field achieve this? Read more
From Strategy to Execution in the Chemical Industry
The Chemical Industry has changed radically in the past 10 years and about every company had to make at least some adjustments to the strategy. For many, these changes were major and they will continue to be such for the coming years. Aligning resources and organization to the strategy is the key role of a senior leader, alongside with the task setting the company´s strategy.
This workshops looks at leadership requirements through the eyes of two very important stakeholder groups: your key customers and your employees.
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Mid-Career Management Level
Innovation Lifecycle for the Chemical Industry
An A.T. Kearney survey shows that 70% of European chemicals companies’ customers expect innovations, particularly for product features, technologies and applications. How secure is your position? Are competitors threatening you? Can existing technologies unlock new markets or applications? Read more
Leading and Managing Change in the Chemical Industry
A transformation requires tremendous effort and energy from employees. They must fundamentally reshape the business while staying operational day to day. To have them on board, a company must answer big questions such as: “Why do we need to transform?”, “How will this affect us?” or indeed: “What will be the result?”
To go successfully through a transformation in the chemical industry, excellent change management is necessary. Top performing companies are able to manage the change and mobilize the leaders more effectively. But how do you lead an organization successfully through a transformation?
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Value Selling in the Chemical Industry
The Chemical Industry is becoming increasingly more competitive. Customers are exercising a very strong purchasing power and want to be served on a Global basis. The selling approach is becoming more and more complex, and based on commercial and value related elements, rather purely on the functionality of the products. Competition from low costs Asian suppliers is dragging the economic profit down to the advantage of the buyers.
This workshop is designed to help Chemical Companies to have a more effective selling approach, be it in the Commodity or in the Specialty area. It will help them to make the shift and sell their products based on the customer value proposition and to address custom made solution selling.
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Leading Global Virtual Teams in the Chemical Industry
Your team is supposed to be delivering value to the company, and you are accountable for that. What is your team’s role in achieving the company strategy, and how can you get everyone pulling together to achieve that? How do you track and measure results? If things are not going as they should, is it you or is it your team, and what can you do about it? Read more
The 5-Day Mini MBA for the Chemical Industry
Globalization, REACH, green chemistry, waste reduction, sustainability, operational efficiency: a Chemical Industry manager’s role is being very much impacted by many rapidly evolving trends. This industry specific mini-MBA will look at the trees and the forest simultaneously in order to achieve results, growth and a socially responsible company status. It will allow you to understand the critical business aspects of the Chemical Industry and link them with the potential future scenarios while optimizing your role as a manager in an industry that is producing so many building blocks for construction, health & food, automotive, materials and the likes. Read more