PROJECTS
Let Richard Assists help your company move to the next level.
Here are just some of our successful projects ...
Marketing a Cutting-Edge Patent
A forest products lab approached Richard Assists about working within their patent office. They had 80 patents on file they wanted to license. This included paper manufacturing processes like biopulping, which included the development of a fungus to eat the lignin but not the cellulous, drastically reducing the energy required to process the wood. For this project, Richard identified two markets that would capitalize on biopulping and identified two target companies to approach regarding this technology. The lab ran into a second issue when they upscaled the process, resulting in too much heat, killing the fungus. However, in the upscale process, they also discovered an acid byproduct that offered the same results without the heat generation. By immediately patenting and licensing the new technology and sub-licensing it, the lab had the ability to earn a significant profit.
Adding Value to Waste
A sawmill business hired Richard Assists to streamline operations of the company by identifying profit centers and areas for management improvement. Through conversation, we learned that, like most sawmills, they were earning more money on waste byproducts than on the wood they cut and sold. Unique to this sawmill was the fact they were processing multiple species of wood, allowing them more options for additional waste wood products. Richard Assists helped them analyze the product to determine if the material could be divided differently and repurposed into another marketable product. Through the process, they discovered they could create hardwood flooring with lengths of 16-feet, made from waste wood. Then Richard Assists helped identify target markets.
Solving a Confectionary Dilemma
Richard Assists was contacted by a gourmet confectionary company. The business owner was creating product in his home. He had a market, experience in the food industry, and a great product, but didn’t know how to turn it into a profitable business. Through the discovery processed, we learned the business needed accounting, manufacturing, and a marketing strategy. Richard Assists helped the owner find appropriate financial services as well as distributers, packaging, and shipping options.
Analyzing Potential in the Home Décor Industry
A client in the Milwaukee area had 50 years of business experience. His company helped clients facilitate the manufacturing and development of product ideas. With multiple cells within the company, such as woodworking and packaging, he was seeking an analysis of the business potential of each cell. What could they do to create a consumer product and sell it at a higher margin? We identified three areas of the home décor industry: toilet seats, storage, and wall art. Richard Assists helped develop 700 SKUs and an entire infrastructure including package, price points, catalogs, pictures, and connections with major ecommerce retailers.
Marketing a Niche Upholstery Company
Marshfield Furniture*, a family-owned upholstering company, approached Richard Assists about improving their marketing approach with a focus on ecommerce. After reviewing their out-of-date website, Richard Assists procured five potential website designers specializing in creating websites for furniture sales. Marshfield Furniture was provided with a presentation and full analysis, including the risks of moving the business toward ecommerce. A company was selected, and Marshfield Furniture moved forward with implementing the new website.
*Company name used with client’s permission
*Company name used with client’s permission
Addressing Shortages in the Hardwood Industry
It takes 100 years to grow a large tree for the hardwood industry. Oak, maple, and ash occasionally face supply shortages, simply because nature takes time. Richard Assists worked with a wood processing company to implement technology that used finely ground ceramic to impregnate soft lumber, turning it into hardwood. Over eight months, Richard Assists worked with the company to vet the technology’s potential in the fields of furniture-manufacturing, treated wood, and window manufacturing. Trial groups, equipment evaluation, and infrastructure led the client to invest in prototype equipment. The final report covered 230 pages of research, database information, test results, and recommendations for implementation.
Structuring a Small Company for Success
Wisconsin Hydrographics* is a business specializing in a unique water-transfer print process. The process is used in many areas including automotive interior/exterior, firearms, ATV, marine equipment and motorcycles. The company needed to implement business infrastructure including accounting, a systems assistant administrator, and sales. Richard Assists found each of the elements for Wisconsin Hydrographics to ensure their business structure was sound and successful.
*Company name used with client’s permission
*Company name used with client’s permission