Situation
Badger Mining Corporation sought to reinvigorate itself with an innovative, forward thinking mindset. The company set out to improve its industrial sand products, pursue expansion opportunities, and generate new offerings utilizing silica sand or by-products of the mining process.
Solution
Badger Mining attended a UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) Innovation Workshop and shortly thereafter began collaborating with UW-Stout MOC to utilize Innovation Management System (IMS), a reliable, scientific method for innovating new products, services, markets, and business models.
Led by UW-Stout MOC Growth Advisor Bob Oliver along with Management Engineers Roger Gehring and Ron Thomas, Badger Mining’s diversified teams generated 160 ideas for new products. To confirm feasibility, the company systematically vetted some of these ideas according to projected cost, market potential, acceptable risk, competitive advantage, growth strategy, anticipated return, and other metrics. With reliable, research-based information to support their decision, Badger Mining chose several for development.
Badger Mining also relied on IMS to help them vet sand processing sites in North America, facilitating their final decision to locate a facility in Kermit, Texas. With improved awareness of industry trends, Badger Mining positioned itself to better predict and respond to market trends, as well as reinvigorating the innovative culture of the organization.
Results
Badger Mining has realized significant value by implementing IMS, including improved skills in research, ideation, vetting, and leadership. The company anticipates increased sales and the creation of several jobs in addition to confirmed impacts to date:
1. Significant financial investment in Kermit, TX, sand processing plant and equipment, developed from a greenfield site.
2. $1M investment in information systems/software to support distribution and planning, customer portal, PLC/infrastructure upgrades.
3. $1M investment in new products, processes, and proprietary ideas.
4. $50K investment in workforce practices including IMS, ideas assessment and vetting coaching.
5. $100K cost savings as a result of IMS training/coaching.
6. $5M investment savings by applying the IMS vetting system to eliminate opportunities with poor potential return.
