ICI

A new Technology strategy

Research is all about making change possible, so ICI is changing the way it plans and delivers R&D across the Group.

ICI’s corporate strategy is to increase profitable growth by: creating bolder, business-led innovations; developing leadership in formulation science; building capability in developing markets; and being more efficient and effective in what it does. To achieve these goals, the company has updated its approach to R&D.

Following an extensive review of R&D throughout ICI, a new Technology Strategy has been developed that will ensure all of the company’s businesses make the most of the possibilities created by more intensive and focused R&D.

The strategy sets out to achieve:

• leadership in Formulation Science, leading to world-class formulation practices implemented across ICI;
• bigger, bolder, business-led Programmes, supported by integrated ICI-level applied research – organised in Pillars;
• growth of ICI's technology strength in Asia, particularly China;

and it will be underpinned by improved resource utilisation and functional excellence in innovation management.

Formulation

With formulated products as diverse as paints, adhesives, flavours and fragrances, ICI is uniquely placed to deliver its vision of Leadership in Formulation Science. Members of the Technology function will use their knowledge and know-how in formulation to:

• create modern and effective business processes for producing formulated products that embrace all the key functions involved – from raw material sourcing to product distribution;
• develop and apply formulation science platforms to optimise formulated product architectures;
• become more efficient in the design and production of formulated products through the development and use of advanced tools for knowledge management;
• streamline organisational structures and optimise the interfaces within and between different functions; and
• be the best formulators in the world through training and motivation of our people.

Programmes & Pillars

To achieve growth through technologically driven innovation, the businesses’ critical Programmes need to create and draw upon more sources of scientific knowledge and know-how to feed their key projects. They will do so by leveraging ICI’s combined science and technology base.

To make this possible, ICI has reorganised its applied research into three Centres of Excellence; Materials Science, Molecular Science and Measurement & Modelling. Each Centre of Excellence will consist of several Science & Technology Pillars – areas of science of common interest across ICI’s businesses (see Box).

The Pillars will focus on applied research. Their goal is to invent new molecules and materials, develop skills and capabilities, and create the scientific understanding we need to support and enhance product development within the businesses.

The resources needed to build and maintain the Pillars will be provided by staff in ICI-level laboratories and in the businesses. Together they will become integral parts of the teams working on major business-led innovation projects.

China

Asia Pacific in general and China in particular, is a large and rapidly growing market for ICI, and whilst the businesses already have substantial product development and technical support capabilities in the region, ICI needs to enhance the technical infrastructure and research capabilities rapidly.

ICI's Executive Management team has just approved the largest single investment in research capability in our recent history. This will establish the new China Technical Centre (CTC) on the site of National Starch’s Adhesives facility in Songjiang, 40 km southwest of Shanghai.

The CTC will accommodate a new ICI China Research Group (CRG), a new Asia Technical Centre for the Adhesives business, and development laboratories for the Decorative Paints and Packaging Coatings businesses. Construction has started and the centre will open at the end of 2007.

The CRG will develop as an ICI-level laboratory, performing applied research within the scope of the Science & Technology Pillars for the businesses, globally as well as for the region.

The CRG will create close links and strategic collaborations with leading universities. It will help make ICI a sought-after employer for the very best of China’s deep pool of scientific talent.

Resource Utilisation and Functional Excellence

ICI must ensure the cost effective use of our R&D resources. The Technology function will do this by producing a common approach and language to the collection, interpretation and use of data for R&D management across ICI. Rigorous planning of programmes and projects will allow ICI scientists to identify and deploy the resources needed for different research activities more quickly. Simply put, the Resource Utilisation BAP will ensure the right people with the right sets of skills and experience are available to contribute to the goals of the strategy.

No matter how good the individual projects within the new strategy, effective innovation management is needed if ICI is to produce project pipelines that involve all the right people throughout the organisation.

ICI’s businesses are taking a long, hard look at their product pipelines and their current innovation processes and capabilities. When the strengths and weaknesses in their innovation management are identified, we will create a common set of externally validated standards. Individual businesses will then focus on plugging their own gaps to improve output and efficiency.