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Growth Strategy

Climbing the Ladder: The 5 “Rungs” of a Killer Growth Strategy

It seems rather obvious that most companies want to grow, in one way or another, and grow profitably at that. Whether it is to increase revenue, profits, or market share or physically expand with new facilities and more employees, striving for growth is a critical part of nearly every business strategy. 

However, what that growth goal really looks like—and how to get there—are often not quite as obvious. For many companies, growth is an abstract goal. They have no clear and compelling agenda for exactly what they want or need to achieve. Articulating this vision is absolutely crucial, as this forms the solid foundation upon which any successful growth strategy must be firmly based. In order to get there, you have to first establish where “there” is. Otherwise, how will you know if/when you’ve arrived? Or if you’ve veered off course? 

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Lubricants in BRIC Countries

Lubricants in BRIC Countries

According to a September 2013 International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, the global economy is experiencing transition on an “epic” scale, with turbulence within emerging markets potentially negatively impacting global growth by 0.5% to 1.0%. The report further claimed that all emerging markets – in particular Brazil, India, and Indonesia – have suffered due to the threat of slowing asset purchases by the U.S. Federal Reserve, which has effectively tightened their respective money supplies. By contrast, both the United States and European Union have returned to – albeit sluggish – growth.

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Shaking Things Up: How Smart Companies Overcome Industry Stagnation through M&A

Shaking Things Up: How Smart Companies Overcome Industry Stagnation through M&A

Every industry goes through a similar lifecycle, from emerging to evolving, then reaching maturity and finally, decline. Early on, new players enter the market, taking advantage of the broad opportunities that exist during the emerging and evolving phases and often driving stellar growth in the process.

On the road to maturity, consolidation inevitably shifts the balance of market share into the hands of a few key players, just as we’ve seen over the last few decades in the chemicals industry and more recently in consumer products, such as the U.S. toothpastes market, in which three companies control about 80% of the market share. This consolidation typically occurs through M&A, which can breathe new life into stalled portfolios and re-ignite revenue growth. But how do you know when it’s time to pursue this strategy? And what kind of specific challenges can M&A help solve?

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Lubricant Formulations

The Twilight of Group I: How changes in lubricant formulations are driving fundamental shifts in base oil supply and pricing

The move toward lower viscosity, higher VI, lower volatility automotive engine oils demanded by modern vehicles per U.S. ILSAC GF-5 (and, prospectively, GF-6) and European ACEA standards has caused blenders to move to higher-performance Group II+ and Group III, and away from Group I, base oil stocks as they reformulate their recipes. While the initial impacts of these reformulation trends are being felt in the OECD countries, global advancements in engine oil formulations are inexorable.

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Trade Secrets: Seven Key Details You Must Know About Your Competition

Trade Secrets: Seven Key Details You Must Know About Your Competition

Competitive knowledge is critical for every business in order to maintain market positioning, develop and fine-tune new product, business, and pricing strategies, improve cost position, and make capacity decisions. Knowing what your competitors are doing right now—or planning to do in the future—enables your company to make smarter, more proactive decisions to stay ahead, rather than constantly playing catch-up.

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Professional Beauty in France

Vive la différence – Professional Beauty in France

La belle France, a country with a strong aesthetic tradition, widely admired for its taste in style, luxury, and beauty, and where those with an eye for professional primping à la Française continue to pamper themselves – albeit with notable moderation finds our research on professional skin care, beauty devices, and salon hair care markets in France.

When it comes to professional skin care, the discerning French bon vivant is right at home in the largest market, with France accounting for over 20% of skin care product sales in Europe. This figure has remained stable through 2012, save for incremental growth of 0.9%. Ongoing challenging market conditions have seen Guinot, the country’s largest professional skin care brand, which enjoys a loyal clientele, suffer a drop in sales. Conversely, Clarins and Sothys both experienced growth in this period.
France’s aging but vibrant population remains the most vigorous consumer market, with anti-aging products accounting for over 43% of take-home face care sales.

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From Cracks to Crankshafts: How the shale gas boom is shifting natural gas conversion and lubricant base stock manufacturing

From Cracks to Crankshafts: How the shale gas boom is shifting natural gas conversion and lubricant base stock manufacturing

The boom in shale gas resource acquisitions and development in North America over the past three years has brought a formerly niche play into the spotlight. Once primarily the province of under-capitalized independent producers who refined horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology to tap into the once-marginal tight gas reservoirs in Appalachia, the Central U.S. and Western Canada, the massive reserve has now sparked attention from the major industry players. ExxonMobil, through its acquisition of XTO Energy in 2010, other supermajors, and a host of gas-short Asian players have since taken positions in the U.S. and Canadian shale gas play, with total capital commitments exceeding $100 billion.

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Mastering the M&A Dance

Mastering the M&A Dance: How to Turn “No” Today into “Yes” Tomorrow

With companies accruing hordes of cash in the wake of the market crash, private equity continuing to raise more money, and companies scratching at every opportunity to gain a competitive advantage, most companies approach M&A candidates with an immediate need to strike a deal while the iron is hot.

Under intense pressure to meet aggressive growth objectives and lock up deals with the hottest prospects before their competitors do, most companies aim to expand their portfolio with new business that will accrete value now, or at least in the very near term within two to three years. If their offer is declined or rebuffed by a potential candidate, most quickly move on to find another target with high-growth potential. They simply do not have the time to continue the courtship, and most fail to revisit those prospects after some time has passed.

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Brand Building for Industrial Lubes: Lessons from Consumer Marketers

Brand Building for Industrial Lubes: Lessons from Consumer Marketers

Skyrocketing crude oil prices. Increasing standardization of product attributes. Significant overlap among product offerings. As these forces converge to create a perfect storm driving commoditization and competition in the industrial lubricants market, lubricant marketers are beginning to rethink their once-effective product-centric sales approach.

Seeking new strategies to differentiate their company and their products to maintain market share, many lubes marketers are finding that brand building isn’t just for tennis shoes and soft drinks anymore.

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