SPECIALITY INGREDIENTS
Open innovation
– a powerful mechanism to drive change Steve Foots, Croda’s chief executive, talks to P C Review about open innovation, Since then, most R&D for textured and sustainability and how the curly hair types has moved from North global company’s team in America to its African operations. ‘In North America, Croda’s hair South Africa is changing care R&D focused specifically on two industry perceptions on different types of curly hair. Yet we soon African hair and skin. realised there are more than 16 types,’
Open innovation Croda aims to be the partner of choice for its customers, potential customers, academia and technology developers, to build new supply chains, evaluate disruptive technology and provide the market with solutions at a faster pace.
Foots explains. ‘This is a key example of
These developments are achieved
how being closer to market has given
through what the company calls ‘
he global speciality chemicals
Croda a sharp focus in its innovation
open innovation’.
company innovates for its
strategy, connecting the company
customers’ needs. To do so
with its customers, both big
successfully, Foots says Croda
and small, subsequently
By Abby Vorster
T
Mine Enustun, Steve Foots, Sebastien Moughli and Lumbidzani Moyo
works closely with its customers, employing
connecting our customers
a unique business model.
to their consumers.’
Over the past seven years, the global
The company’s
Croda provides those it
DID YOU KNOW?
works with, with access to specialist market,
60 percent of global companies practice open innovation, combining competitions with partnerships to solve complex problems.
company’s presence in emerging markets
team in South
has increased. Using regional centres, the
Africa has taken a
business has transferred its competitive
proactive approach
products, processes and expertise to
to generating real data
operations in Asia, Latin America and Africa,
on real African hair.
where they are tailored to local conditions.
Because hair care research
‘Croda has established technical teams,
With its open innovation programme,
Source: www.accenture.com
is an expensive and sensitive
formulation and product application knowledge in exchange for access to their world class knowledge, expertise, facilities and equipment. To date, Croda has
undertaken 400 projects with universities in the UK. It has also
sales teams, and production facilities in
process, strict ethics and protocols
acquired 12 technologies through its
some of the fastest growing economies
had to be established before the
open innovation programme. Croda
in the world, doubling its number of R&D
team began recruiting consumers
is internationalising the programme to
centres worldwide,’ says Foots. ‘This has
from the surrounding community. As
scout for next generation technologies in
put the company in the best position to
a result, Croda South Africa founded
Africa, particularly focusing on
understand what consumers really want and
the right programme, propelling the
locally developed, natural plant actives
to innovate for customers’ needs.’
global company to the forefront of
and ingredients.
research and innovation in the African
South Africa is a breeding ground for
hair care market.
innovation. Its plant diversity is the third
The Centre of Excellence for Africa at Croda South Africa was established in 2015.
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| FEBRUARY 2019 | P C Review
