BCRC’s consultants around Australia and overseas have vast experience in many areas of product development and business management.
Papworth, Munn and Marosszeky (BCRC Managing Consultants) have all been responsible for developing businesses that revolve around construction products. They have formal training and extensive experience developing business and marketing strategies and work with the widely recognised marketing professionals to assist clients in their product development, sales, marketing and general management. BCRC has experience in structural assessment, non destructive testing and fire assessment. Our consultants also have expertise in fly ash, slag, silica fume, cement, admixture and additive development. BCRC in each state can draw on a very strong team in the product development and assessment area.
BCRC’s aim with any business is to help enhance revenue. But a balanced approach to business development is essential. Research and development, production, sales and marketing and business administration all play key and synergistic roles. BCRC consultants have operated at the highest levels of industry and recognise that whether a company succeeds or fails depends on close attention to each area. The ways in which BCRC can assist your company are outlined below.
Product Development
Every successful business has a product that the customer wants or needs, provides customer satisfaction, is competitive and is of good quality. Careful and thorough product development so these success requirements are met makes business development easier. BCRC are experts in the building and construction area and can assess the key criteria that the product must fulfill in the market and can provide advice on how to develop the product to meet those criteria.
Product Assessment
BCRC can develop suitable product test programs for general marketing information, for defined applications or for specific projects.
General Testing:
Standard testing that provides an indication of a products generic performance under standard conditions can be defined. Such testing gives a very broad impression of a products performance such that users can determine if the product might be suitable to their applications. Where the test data show that use of the product mitigates a given risk adequately no further data may be required. Interestingly two products, of the same or different compositions, may be deemed similar in this type of assessment because performance of both products exceeds the general requirements by significant margin. Selection of the appropriate product might be by cost or other advantages offered.
Application Testing:
Standard, but more targeted, testing is generally used to demonstrate a products performance specific to an application. For example, in marine environments the chloride diffusion coefficient may be measured in a manner that gives an indication of a products ability to restrict chloride ingress relative to a control or relative to industry information on products. Application tests may be sufficient where users are confident that project variations, and actual placing methods, will not lead to uncertainty over a products suitability.
Project testing:
Where a products application performance tests shows its performance is likely to be well above that required for an exposure and method of use than no further testing may be required. However, performance can vary enormously from one case to the next. For example, in concrete various cement systems, admixture types and curing regimes can mean that an additive will give much higher performance on one project than another. Performance requirements also vary from project to project. Also, standard application testing is generally undertaken on laboratory controlled samples and testing specific to the projects placing and curing methods may be necessary to confirm that laboratory properties can be relied on in the field. BCRC can determine if the application testing is adequate for a projects purpose or if specific project testing is required. They can also advise on project specific tests the results of which might then be used in modelling
Whatever type of testing is undertaken results obtained are specific to the mix, curing and general test conditions. Performance of a product may vary significantly depending on these factors. The relative performance of similar products (by type or application) may also vary. Hence performance tests suitable to each project may be required to ensure the required performance is obtained. highlighting the need for project assessment. The performance of a product may also vary over time as its raw materials and how it is used (e.g. the nature of concrete in the case of additives) change. Hence in general following a more extensive program when a product is introduced some ongoing control testing is required. Typically, 2 yearly intervals would be suitable. This may demonstrate a product improvement over time or its reduced actual or comparative performance.
BCRC are aware of the various specific test methods for general assessment and different application and know how these test methods are regarded. They also understand the importance of statistical assessment to define the number of tests required and what control samples will be valuable. Hence, they are ideally partner to establishing test programs for new and existing products and to provide assessments of that product for general usage, a certain application or for a specific project.
Market Research
BCRC are knowledgeable about the industry processes, know the people involved personally and are respected as leaders in their field. This gives them access where marketing professionals alone may not be able to gain entry. BCRC will assess, and use in the strategic development, the following:
- Client objectives
- Current and required product status
- Supply structure
- Competitor cost structure
- Quality requirements
- Barriers of entry
- Market awareness
- Sales & distribution methods
- Income forecasts
- Consumer acceptance trends
- Value acceptance
- Regulatory restrictions
- Strategic Planning
Market knowledge is used as a fundamental background to building the strategic plan which provides guidance and methodologies for the client team to:
- Create added value
- Increase customer ownership
- Secure long term sales
- Increase net returns
- Developing geographic and industrial spread
- Create strong brands
- Optimise sales and distribution
- Continuously improve market awareness, and business strategies.
- Understand and harness development opportunities by assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
Consultants Background
Frank Papworth is recognised as a leader in concrete technology and durable construction but has also been responsible for three major business success stories (Taywood Engineering Consultants, Microsilica’s silica fume and Scancem’s steel fibres) in the construction industry. As part of these he assisted with the launch of ‘Micropoz’ for CSR, Firth, Buildcon and Trumix and with Firths launch of Steelcrete. He is a civil engineer with training in marketing.
Marton Marosszeky has principally been involved with the development of research business. As head of the original BCRC he grew the business to be major research organisation in the NSW construction and building sector. He later went on to Head the Australian Centre for Construction Innovation and holds the Multiplex Chair as Professor at NSW University.
Robert Munn has been involved with business development across Australia and South East Asia as a manger with Boral. He has also been involved in the development of fly ash and slag businesses in Europe and USA.
Projects
The following lists a few of the many projects BCRC have been involved with. BCRC consultants have also been directly responsible for a number of products introductions.
- Concrete Pipes – Review of the marketing advantages and barriers of entry of a new type of concrete pipe. Preparation of a technical/commercial brochure that differentiated the product.
- Silica Fume – Review of technical data produced by various laboratories for Golden Bay Cement. Preparation of the promotional literature. Assistance with development of market launch. Key speaker on lecture tour throughout New Zealand. Presented papers in Australia and Asia.
- Silica Fume Alternative – Advice to a US company on silica fume markets world wide, barriers of entry, pricing and product requirements. Included presentation to full management team in Chicago
- Pre-Production Marketing – Preparation of a pre-production marketing drive for silica fume from an Australian company.
- Precast – Review of product technical information and market requirements. Identification of technical advantages to differentiate the product. Development and monitoring of R&D programme.
- Concrete – Development of high performance concrete capability and marketing tools. Training of sales team. Promotional assistance for Trumix Indonesia.
- Concrete Additive – Development and implementation of Xypex concrete additive evaluation programme. Assistance with preparation of marketing information, including presentation of conference papers. Review of market and advice on market development including leading of an in house marketing workshop.
- Concrete Repair Mortars – Research programme to identify the key parameters involved in cracking and the development of predictive model and testing method.
- Cathodic Protection – Research to develop a paint based cathodic protection system and its installation on real structures
- Testing Equipment – Development of various pieces of non-destructive testing equipment
- Geopolymers – BCRC provide management of a companies product development in geopolymers to give rapid launch.
Benefits of Using BCRC’s Services
- Combined expertise in technology and marketing to quickly identify clients needs.
- Experience in distribution and barriers to entry in local and international markets.
- Proven ability to differentiate and value add with construction products.
- Assistance with contacts and market entry.
- Technical expertise to identify product differentiation.
Advantages of Using BCRC’s Consultants
BCRC’s consultants have:
- Extensive experience in technical marketing and product development.
- Experience developing systems and solutions.
- Ready access to international experts
- Access to construction industry leaders
