2012 Readers' Choice: New Product Development & Introduction

Brian Doyle and Tom Hartmann for Accenture Consumer Goods & Services pinpoint two transformational trends that will significantly impact new product development in the CG industry. As for the industry’s technology solution options, they see vendor consolidation and “traditional” product lifecycle management (PLM) companies refocusing on CG companies as game changers.

 

Doyle/Hartmann: There are two to watch:

Digital Development: Leveraging increased levels of “in-silico” design for formulations and packaging to “Design Right First Time” with significantly lower costs. This includes formula optimization, 3D digital design, and advance modeling and simulation for digital prototyping, as well as virtual reality/gaming for packaging and retail store layouts to capture customer insights and collaborate with retailers.
 

Management of Change: With “change” as the new norm, we believe that CPG companies need to evolve their approach to “management of change” for products and processes in order to improve return on innovation spending.

We see leading manufacturers launching R&D transformation programs enabled by PLM technology to create greater speed and efficiency. By leveraging PLM solutions to automate, streamline and facilitate re-use, these organizations can improve productivity by upward of 20 percent to 30 percent and begin to enable flexible global operating models providing increased opportunity to outsource non-core activities. This helps to serve two purposes; reducing costs for sustaining renovations, and allowing more resources to be invested in bigger innovations. This is beyond portfolio management but about fundamentally transforming how the work gets done.  

 

Doyle/Hartmann: For the past few years, we have been a proponent for the expansion of PLM processes to include market/consumer insights on the front end, acting as the raw fuel to drive ideation. 

 

Gerber Technology received the 2011 Frost & Sullivan Global Fashion Product Lifecycle Management Product Leadership Award for its innovative YuniquePLM solution. “The Gerber brand has a unique product suite with leading fashion solutions in CAD, PDM, PLM and CAM solutions.”
— Frost & Sullivan Analysts Muthukumar Viswanathan & Karthik Sundaram

 

“With help from Microsoft Dynamics AX and Junction Solutions, we can maintain Peet’s uncompromising focus on delivering the freshest roast-to-order coffee beans possible in minimal time. We can execute flawlessly, every day.”

— Shawn Conway, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Peet’s Coffee & Tea