Contextual Approaches to Process Development for Products Development,  Process Improvements, and New Process Development

Approaches to process development vary with the specific need.  For example, when developing a new performance product for market introduction the focus is on getting the correct formulation and efficacy of the product for the intended application.  In general, these products are low volume, high margin materials.  Therefore, process development activities for such products primarily focuses on maintaining product performance. Cost of producing the material is a secondary concern.  For initial market introduction, process development work will focus on utilizing existing in-house or external equipment (toll manufacturing).

On the other hand, a new process development for a commodity material will center mostly on process economics.  In general, the market dictates the product value (price of the material, raw material price, and utility costs.  Process efficiency becomes the key focus of such process development programs.

Process improvement activates lies between the two.  Typically, for a commodity material, the priority will be identifying value killers.  Again, the majority of activities will be about reducing raw material cost and /or reducing energy cost and reliability improvements with minimal capital investment as improvements to the process.  Whereas, for performance products, as long as, the performance of the product can be maintained, raw material efficiency, processing efficiency etc. can become the focus.