to justify a full-scale application research and development program. This included: A. Further work o n modified resins. B. Variations in preparation of the resin solution. C. Variations in application methods. D. A complete review of the method of producing the resin. E. The enlistment of the aid of the physicists and physical chemists in explaining the mechanism. Finally a resin formulation was selected and an application procedure adopted, and we were ready f o r t h e next step. T h e sales department w a s given a, demonstration in laboratory equipment simulating paper mill equipment, armed with the best technical information available, and asked to find suitable "guinea pigs" for field trials. Laboratory m e n accompanied
t h e field service men and assisted in making t h e early trials. As the latter gained experience they not only ran trials "solo" b u t brought back to the laboratory m a n y helpful suggestions for improvements. Although our men are familiar with paper mill practice and equipment and the process had been designed for application without major alterations, their ingenuity was frequently taxed by the many variables encountered. There have been occasions w h e n the problem had to b e brought back t o the laboratory for further work. Throughout t h e work field reports and laboratory reports were exchanged and studied and evaluation meetings with both groups present held at the laboratories. A t these all reports and experiences were correlated at first hand. The process has been in commercial
Organized
J»«»fWfl»/*—4>»*
4Jomm&rciai
Chemical
operation for several years, to the advantage both of the American Cyanamid Co. and its customers. I n other words, returning for a moment to my definition, we were successful in translating fundamental chemical research into a chemical product saleable a t a profit. I n conclusion, I want to emphasize that the subject of technical service is broad and controversial. There are so m a n y ramifications that a thorough treatment in an orderly manner is difficult. I have no doubt that there have been omitted for lack of time many things which have a direct bearing on the problems of those charged with the direction of such work. I have, however, tried to present the picture of technical service as we see i t at Cyanamid, and to describe the major steps we have taken to accomplish the desired ends.
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Qualifications and Training of Personnel LAWRENCE W. B A S S
Director of Research and Development, U. S. Industrial Chemicals, and Director of Chemical Research, Air Reduction Co., Inc., N«w York, N . Y .
J. HE vitality of a, manufacturing company depends in large measure upon its success in offering new and improved products t# its customers. T h e concerns in the chemical industry are thoroughly committeed to this doctrine. They have translated theory t o practice by investing heavily in research a n d development programs. Experience has p r o v e d to the industry the need for special handling of the problems involved in commercializing new products. On the production side, engineering development or pilot plant work has become generally recognized a s the most effective way of bridging the gap between laboratory and industrial scale operation. On the sales side, commercial development is becoming widely established as a parallel function. T h e group responsible for promoting new products o r new uses is given a variety of names and i s variously located in the organization charts of different companies. I t s activities may include wider responsibilities, such, as the direction of sales service or application research laboratories. T o discuss the various ramifications is outside the scope of this paper,
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which is limited t o the thesis t h a t a special group, with functions recognized alike b y sales and by research, provides a n invaluable service' to the aggressive company in introducing new developments and applications. T h e commercial development department, however, has often faced severe handicaps in attaining proper recognition. Engineering development or pilot plant work, its production counterpart, has necessarily been s e t up separately in m o s t companies because of the large investment, required in pilot plant facilities and operation. A more fundamental difficulty lies, however, in the fact that the commercial development program merges gradually into sales, on one hand, and into application research or sales service on the other. A s a result, sharp definition of its sphere of responsibility i s not easy.
Functions of the Commercial Development Department T h e activities included in commercial development vary considerably with, t h e individual company. It i s hoped that the definitions implied in this paper, -which certainly will n o t be accepted without
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modification by ail members of this group, may serve to stimulate a clarification of teams and not to confuse the situation. My concept of the functions of such a department includes three main classifications: 1. Market research: the collection of systematic information about potential demand for new or present products, with due regard to competitive products. 2. Market development: the establishment of customer ueinand for new products or for present products in new uses. 3. Technical service: aid to customers on specific problems in the use of company products, based o n information from application research or other similar sources. These three types of activities are usually carried on concurrently. I n a small department they may be performed
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b y all the members, but as the staff grows, specialization will develop. It is implicit in a successful commercial development program that close liaison and cooperation must be maintained with the general sales department on one hand and with the research department on the other. Contacts with customers must be carried out jointly with one or both of these departments, or internal relations— and hence the sales possibilities—will eventually suffer. The successful conduct of the work in relation to other departments requires a very high degree of judgment and tact. Many other types of activities may fall within the scope of the commercial development department. The staff may h e asked to take responsibility for or to c /nsuit on trade advertising, t o help in technical purchasing, or in any problem of the company in which specialized technical knowledge bearing on customers' needs can be useful. Relation to Research and Development An extremely important service can be performed by the commercial development department in the planning of the research program. I am firmly of the opinion that continued economic appraisal is invaluable as a guide to initiating, changing the emphasis of, or interrupting research projects. Incidentally, in my experience i t is much more difficult for a research group to evaluate sales possibilities than to estimate production costs. Such appraisal should go on continually, but there are three critical periods when it is essential. First, because of the long term nature of research, the commercial future of new fields of investigation must be analyzed with clear vision before projects are started. Scientific judgment must predominate at this stage, but broad economic considerations must be given their proper weight. Secondly, when the laboratory program has been rounded out, the commercial development department should have a part in the decision to embark on pilot plant work and should a t the same time develop its^ plans for "pilot sales", particularly in the case of a new product. Finally, when the time comes for industrial scale operation, the commercial development group should already have worked out with the general sales department a program for moving the product into trade channels. General Qualifications of Personnel From the foregoing statements regarding the scope of activities embraced in commercial development, it is obvious that very broad outlook and experience are necessary assets for men who enter this type of work. I n a general way their backgrounds should include:
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1.
2. 3.
4.
5. 6.
Working technical knowledge of t h e chemical industry with specialization in the technologies of the company and its customers. Thorough familiarity with sales techniques and policies. Understanding of the value and also of the limitations of application research. Working knowledge of manufacturing operations within the company and i n customers' industries. Basic interest and experience in a p plied economics. Personal qualifications to bring about wholehearted cooperation with other departments in a sphere of activities which i s necessarily vague in definition.
These requirements are exacting, and i t would be surprising if full-fledged commercial development experts were forthcoming in large numbers without effort. This is a new field of specialization, manned mostly by younger men who through their own interests and initiative have d e veloped their talents in these directions. The opportunities are expanding, and planned training of promising candidates is the best way t o develop additional men to fill the needs. Because the qualifications for success in commercial development work are s o unusual, selection of candidates will normally be made after the men have served i n other departments long enough to demonstrate their talents and bents. If the commercial development group takes an a c tive part, a s it should, in carrying out t h e company's general program for training and developing technical personnel, i t will be in a much better position t o pick o u t the men w h o are to be guided toward market research, market development, and technical service. Ideal Background for Commercial Development Assuming the basic interests and personal qualifications of selected candidates for this t y p e of specialization, what course of training should be laid out for ripening their experience? An ideal program would include t h e following provisions: 1. 2.
3.
4.
A candidate should have a sound technical background in chemistry or chemical engineering. He should first go through a technical cadet course in various departments of the company, along with other new technical personnel. He should spend two o r three years i n application research to develop specialized knowledge of the company's products and their uses. He should acquire a n understanding of the problems of large scale manufacturing operations. preferably through a period in pilot plant work or in the production department, .to supplement the contact he may have had w i t h customers' plants while i n the application research laboratory.
C H EM I C A L
5.
6.
He should have regular sales department experience, preferably through two or three years of actual selling, to become grounded in sales techniques. He should be guided throughout this training period by the commercial development department, who can arrange with the successive departments in which he i s located for the assignment of projects selected to develop special techniques, such a s market research methods.
This comprehensive training course is laid out for t h e creation of a versatile expert in all phases of commercial development. For men who are to specialize in market research, market development, or technical service, modification would naturally be in order. Nevertheless, thetraining program should be such as to give the man a balanced background of experience in the handling of t h e company's products.
Practical Procedure for Development of Personnel The above background is admittedly a theoretical optimum that i s difficult to provide in an individual case. Nevertheless, the essential features can be achieved by careful planning. A simplified procedure can, for example, be worked o u t along the following lines. After a general cadet course for new technical men, the candidate is likely to show a preference for application research. By working out with that department opportunities for him t o gain large scale operating experience, he can have the advantage of familiarity with manufacturing methods in the company and also in the use of products b y customers. After two or three years in application research he is moved to the sales department; often men will remain in sales but those with the bent for commercial development will be transferred after a reasonable period. During the sales department experience, the promising candidate is worked into assignments of special problems o n market research or on t h e introduction of new products. I n this way there is obtained a final check of his real interest in, and talents for, commercial development. This sounds like a complicated procedure, but I submit t h a t it h a s been done again and again. I a m sure that many members of the Chemical Market Hesearch Association and of t h e Technical Service Association h a v e gone through essentially this sequence of training. The number of men being trained for commercial development activities i n a company at any one t i m e will be limited. Therefore, t h e task of developing a course will not be heavy. T h e time spent on giving the men thorough experience in the required fields will be more than repaid by the contribution they make to t h e company's welfare b y making possible effective introduction of new products.
AND E N G I N E E R I N G
NEWS
