Plastecowood: A future for plastic trash
The case is about Plastecowood, a company that turns plastic packaging waste into assembly products and sustainable lumber. It was founded by John Northcott in 2012 with the vision of taking a global issue – waste from plastic packaging – and turning it into a business. Two years later, when Plastecowood was struggling with ineffective production and lack of profitability, Henning von Spreckelsen came to the rescue and invested in the company. With his approach to radically rationalizing the production process and focusing on gross margin, he succeeded in pulling the company into profit. The company received orders from a number of large respectable clients and finally was able to make to stock rather than to order, which opened the door to larger volumes than ever before. Although the first COVID-19 phase caused disruption, Plastecowood quickly recovered with record sales. Today, with the company building up speed, it has several strategic options. Should the company enter new markets or expand in existing ones? Should it develop new, higher margin products? Will organic growth suffice, or should it consider acquisitions? Finally, might new business models, such as licensing the technology, bear fruit? Henning needs to present a clear strategy on where to take the company next.
- Defining an original value proposition for a technology that solves a major environmental challenge
- The benefits and challenges of various business models
- The financial implications of strategic choices, in particular working capital and capital expenditure and their risk implications
- The challenges and dilemmas related to working capital management in fast-growing firms, especially the tradeoffs between control and speed – the two concepts are perhaps not necessarily antagonistic after all
Plastecowood, Manufacturing, Lumber and Wood Products
2012 – August 2021
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
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