B&C Plastics – Continuing its innovation journey with 3D printing technology

April 5, 2011 - PRLog -- B&C Plastics specialises in plastic injection moulding and toolmaking for a variety of industries including homeware, mining, building and construction and electronics. It has an extensive capability of turning design ideas into prototypes and market-ready products using a sophisticated range of machinery and processes.

Since its purchase by two Directors in 2006, the company’s focus has been on building strong relationships with customers, providing a rapid response to new requirements and offering innovative solutions. This focus has enabled B&C Plastics to quadruple its customer base and turnover by concentrating on its key unique selling points of superior customer service and product quality.

Always looking to improve, and a strong advocate for innovation, the company has engaged with a number of innovation programs in the past to remain at the cutting edge of what it does. These programs include Innovation Coaching, a joint initiative of the Australian Institute for Commercialisation (AIC) and Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI).

The program assists SMEs with innovation strategy, knowledge transfer, commercialisation advice, access to networks and referrals to specialists. In 2009 the AIC supported B&C Plastics to grow the business through business model innovation and developing additional revenue streams. The program also assisted the company to more effectively manage intellectual property (IP) and to identify and attract government funding to support further growth.

Since completing the program, B&C Plastics has continued to grow, acquire new machinery and improve quality standards, having recently begun the application process for ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditation.

In its ongoing desire to grow and improve, the company looks for new opportunities and ways to innovate by scanning the environment for new ideas in Europe, North America and Asia as well as closer to home.

B&C Plastics recently identified some UK-based technology which will complement and expand upon B&C Plastics’ existing activities.

The technology involves a new three dimensional printing process that  the B&C Plastics team has now brought to Australia, with exclusive rights to use it here and in New Zealand. The technology involves surface decorative technology and a sublimation printing process.

The B&C Plastics team have created a sister company, iPersonalised, to focus specifically on the new technology, working with a range clients to create customised products for single and mass production.

Royston Kent, of B&C Plastics and iPersonalised is delighted with the feedback so far:

“We’ve shown the new 3D printing process to a number of existing customers, as well as potential customers at trade shows, and the response has been phenomenal. From mobile phone covers to fishing reels, the way this technology can be used is endless and our customers are suggesting even more ways this unique process can be applied!

We can print on a range of surfaces including steel, plastic, glass and ceramic and we already have our first orders”.

To make purchasing one-off items as easy as possible for the consumer, the iPersonalised website will allow certain items to be selected and paid for completely online, such as mobile phone covers:

“We aim to provide a straightforward way for customers to select an image they would like to use, and to select the medium they would like it printed on and to complete the transaction online quickly and efficiently” says Royston.

A collaborative approach to doing business is instrumental to the B&C Plastics and the iPersonalised team. One collaboration being developed at iPersonalised is working with local designers to encourage them to submit designs to be used by prospective customers.

Royston sees the new venture as an ideal way to increase the value provided to clients: “Our sister company will have something to offer our existing B&C Plastics clients, while new clients who come to us via iPersonalised may also have the need for B&C Plastics products and services”.  

It also offers the opportunity for additional revenue streams through the development of a new business model around the exclusive distribution licence for the technology in Australia and New Zealand.

iPersonalised is now operational  and the transactional website will go live on 1 May 2011. This will be followed by an official company launch on 16 May.

The new company and its technology demonstrate the desire by the team to continually improve and evolve the value proposition offered to customers.

Denise Raybould, Senior Commercialisation Consultant at the Australian Institute for Commercialisation, worked with the team via the AIC’s Innovation Coaching program: “The team is a great example of a client we’ve given innovation support to and who have run with it and built on what they’ve learnt. They are always looking for better and more innovative ways of doing things and this is paying dividends for them in business growth, new product development and in the new markets they are reaching out to”.

www.injectionplasticmoulding.com.au

To find out more about this innovative new technology, contact Royston Kent: Royston(at)bcplastics.com.au

To find out more about the AIC’s Innovation Coaching program, visit www.ausicom.com or e-mail us at info@ausicom.com.

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The Australian Institute for Commercialisation provides innovation services that help organisations grow. We work with entrepreneurs, businesses, research organisations and governments to convert ideas into successful business outcomes.