Tired of the pandemic clichés? The new “normal” or these “unprecedented” times, and the relentless reminding of bad news (virus records, economy shifting, etc.) that has all become, shall we dare say… normal? Yes, we are in a tumultuous time – especially for our country, which has in turn created a business strategy for some that we need to hunker down and ride it out.
And that is one way you could do it, it’s just not how we chose to do it. We would like to share with you one example of success. It happens to be ours, but it is meant to encourage you to take a fresh look – there are opportunities amidst the threats. If that is not enough to get you to keep reading, let us sweeten the pot a little further… NPS Spill Control is experiencing exponential growth this year over last year.
Ready? Let’s begin.
Like many others, our traditional business was down as facilities all over the country began shutting down or just reducing production to manage the threat of Covid-19. So we were faced with two choices: (1) the aforementioned “hunkering down” or (2) getting out of our comfort zone, studying the new gaps in the market and overlaying those “opportunities” against our production capabilities. It sounds too academic we know, but what was the alternative?
The results have been astounding and for those of you who already work with us, hopefully you have shared in that growth.
NPS Spill Control’s recent success is all about attitude and these three product stories:
Wipe Kits
The incredibly high demand for cleaning and disinfecting wipes has opened the door to alternative solutions for managing hot spots or “high touch” areas within end user’s facilities. Even though cleaning products are traditionally a more Jan/San category, the pandemic has blurred the lines between janitorial and facility safety allowing our MRO and Safety base to reach their end users with these new products.
Essentials
This family of sorbents was launched pre-pandemic with the hopes of helping us consolidate our business from previous acquisitions. The pivot came in realizing that here in 2020 the need was around getting what you need, when you need it. So an unbranded solution, stocked in multiple warehouses for shorter lead times, and no MOQ was just the flexible idea that was needed.
Other Meltblown Applications Like Filtration Media
Being open to re-purposing equipment and processes allowed us to quickly shift and take advantage of another demand in the market – filtrations media for face masks. What was once deemed as a short-term solution has now turned in to a long-term strategy which includes a contract award from the Department of Defense to bolster meltblown filtration media production into the foreseeable future.
So, what can you take away from all of this?
Besides the obvious that you should be taking advantage of the wipe kits and our Essential program to expand your business. It teaches us that even in a time of crisis, take a moment and look. Pull out those analysis tools we learned in class and/or early in our careers and look at the market from a different perspective. There are still opportunities that present themselves. New products, partners, and channels that we didn’t “plan” for can make all the difference.
