“Synergistic Continuum”

as appeared in ISHN “FDO”

Sept 2005

 

No,  - -   not “Synergistic Leverage”,  - -  “Synergistic Continuum”.

 

Many times, industrial safety focused manufacturers ask me “What other products should/could  we make (or source)?” What they mean is they are not at their capacity and/or they want to get into some categories that others are selling, or – “what’s hot?”

 

Much of the time they haven’t really fully considered completing their own “synergistic continuum” – “The accumulation of (many) like (synergistic) products in an uninterrupted and continuous progressive succession within a specific product category.”  (GJH 2/05)

 

This is where I try to first direct them to concentrate their efforts.

 

For example, in gloves, it makes sense, first, to complete the hand protection, “synergistic continuum”, before venturing into full face respirator manufacturing, or back supports categories, if ever.

 

Or fall protection to be explored by a rainwear manufacturer, etc.

 

In the industrial safety manufacturers’ representatives world it would be like pursuing a grinding  wheel line or computer or software lines. They don’t fit or make sense in the category. If, in industrial safety, rep agencies would be best off focusing on manufacturers of products that mostly reflect the industrial safety “synergistic continuum” and the markets therein.

 

Manufacturers, or distributors who go offshore outsourcing products, without completing their own “synergistic continuum”, too, are suspect.

 

Some Safety distributors, too, look “outside the box” (which isn’t always all bad) but, without completing their “synergistic continuum” first. It’s the same for all in the safety channel

 

Everyone wants to diversify, to expand into other markets, other channels. Do what you do, best, first – complete your “synergistic continuum” first. Then, take those products or sources into other markets that fit best.

 

I think mostly it’s agreed that “horizontal”, industrial manufacturers, distributors and manufacturers’ representatives have had some success in the vertical industrial safety industry but vertical industrial safety manufacturers, distributors and manufacturers’ representatives, in reverse – have not been as successful in the “horizontal” “ industrial market.

 

Think about it.

George J. Hayward