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Integration of market aspects into material development: approach and exemplification for a wood composite

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Abstract

Due to a variety of applications and complex requirements in specific fields of use, the number of different materials is increasing. Thereof, the majority fails at the stage of market introduction, because the focus of material development is mostly on technical aspects, while market aspects are often neglected. One possible way of market introduction is material substitution. Thereby, requirements a material needs to meet are well known. However, a certain market focus on material development would be helpful regarding the final goal of the customer satisfaction. Therefore, this study presents an approach, which aims at guiding the technical material development and thus starts one stage earlier than most other studies, which focus on market introduction. A multi-stage approach helps integrating market aspects into material development, using the following methods: (1) method of Ashby to compare materials from a technical point of view and identify theoretically substitutable material groups and potential applications, (2) market data research and comparison for the identification of attractive markets, (3) method of Kano to classify material requirements and prioritize the optimization of material properties to satisfy the customers in selected markets. This approach is showcased and discussed using the example of an innovative wood composite under development, where it represented an aiding tool for guiding the further material development. An adaptation to any other material is possible at each of the three stages, although there are some limitations, which have to be considered, for example the selection of technical properties for the material comparison.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Austrian research promotion agency (FFG) under the scope of the COMET program (wood comet 865905) and Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft (Grant number 868641).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. BEST - Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies GmbH, Inffeldgasse 21b, 8010, Graz, Austria

    Marilene Fuhrmann

  2. Institute of Marketing and Innovation, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria

    Peter Schwarzbauer

  3. Wood K plus, Competence Center for Wood Composites and Wood Chemistry, Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040, Linz, Austria

    Marilene Fuhrmann & Franziska Hesser

Authors
  1. Marilene Fuhrmann
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  2. Peter Schwarzbauer
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  3. Franziska Hesser
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Correspondence to Marilene Fuhrmann.

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Fuhrmann, M., Schwarzbauer, P. & Hesser, F. Integration of market aspects into material development: approach and exemplification for a wood composite. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 79, 1325–1336 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-021-01697-z

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