Casebeskrivelse:
Sintex A/S
Sintex A/S is a fast-growing company that supplies metal components to multiple industries such as automobile, food, pharmaceutical, electronics, etc. Since 1997 they have been constantly improving their knowledge within sintered and powder technology. Being an expert in those fields Sintex wants to be also recognizable as a competence center and actively participate in product designing process with their clients, simultaneously aiming to be a pioneer within innovation, technology and high-tech production.
The Case
As a company producing components to wide range of industries, they use standard marketing methods in terms of informing existing clients about their products, as well as acquiring new ones. Therefore, the clients receive 10 both-side-printed sheets attached to the brochures, describing comprehensively each product within four different fields of their activity: Stainless Steel Sintered Parts, Metal Injection Moulding, Magnets and Magnetic Systems, Wear Resistant Coatings. Thus, the clients get a bundle of information that usually they do not read.
Those complex marketing materials had to be reconsidered and presented in a new and creative way to better reach customer’s expectations. The solution must explain about Sintex product areas and capabilities in a clear manner and be easily understood by the clients. In addition, the idea must be versatile in order to complement existing brochures and also apply to the fairs, conferences, seminars and business meetings.
Group Members
Andreas Baastrup Henriksen – Entrepreneurial Engineering AAU
Marek Piojda – Entrepreneurial Engineering AAU
Petrina Petkova Ganeva – Natural & Heritage Cultural Management UCN
Samanta Katinaite – Natural & Heritage Cultural Management UCN
Konceptvideo:
At the request of the Sintex, our concept video will not be uploaded on the UCrAc webpage.
Designprocess:
Visit to the company
In order to put the case in context and identify the different aspects of the problem, we began with a visit at Sintex a/s, Hobro.
We had a presentation about the company and its history and an extensive tour around the production lines. We got to learn about their patented technologies which are used to create innovative solutions for their partners and we saw up close and personal how the stainless steal powder is pressed into the desired shape and is heated up to 1300 degrees to obtain the strength and durability of the final product. This helped us gain insight into the work process and the values and aims the company has set.
Sintex aspires to be recognised not merely as a supplier but as a competence centre that can offer professional advice in the various areas it operates in. Therefore, it needs suitable marketing material to effectively reach and communicate to the target audiences.
Interviews
To determine where the focus of the problem formulation should be, we conducted interviews with both clients and staff. The innovation and design manager shared with us some difficulties that have occurred in the past regarding knowledge sharing. Furthermore, our talk with the the marketing manager revealed some bumps in the road – restrictions in funding and sending marketing material and insufficient feedback from clients for the existing one.
Our conversation with the clients confirmed the suspicions that they are unwilling to receive repeatedly emails and printed materials and that they would much rather have personal contact with representatives.
In addition, we defined the touchpoints of the company with the different target groups, analyzed the effectiveness and agreed on which ones need improvement.
Object theatre
When we were introduced to this method we have to admit that we were sceptical. Neither of us had imagined playing with toys in a sandbox as part of their curriculum in their academic studies. What could a Homer Simpson with a pie tell us about the weak points of the marketing strategy or how could Snow White show us the unexplored possible solutions. But when we picked and placed the figures in the sand they somehow interacted and contradicted with one another. They became symbols for our thoughts and questions. The constellations of characters and objects carried various meanings for each of us and by discussing those implicit meanings we created a fuller picture of the case. Even though we couldn’t extract any new notions, it got us talking and laughing.
Videoskitser:
These videos showcases how the new digital platform can be used during both presentations and the following discussions, fairs and everyday life, as well as its fluent change of use. The video has been made as a concept sketch, and its sole purpose is to visualise the use on the platform in different scenarios.