Breaking Free from Dependency:
NPI (New Product Introduction) Roadmap to Innovation and Market Power
Problem Statement
For decades, We relied on an Asian vendor for certain applications of pretreating crude oil. Given the fact of almost monopoly product, this dependency created three critical challenges:
Lack of innovation – the incumbent supplier had little incentive to improve performance, leaving refiners with stagnant technology.
Pricing disadvantage – We were forced into a passive role during negotiations, with limited leverage to reduce costs.
Supply chain risk – long lead times and reliance on overseas production disrupted customer planning and eroded trust.
As a result, our customers faced higher operating costs, limited flexibility, and uncertainty in product availability, while we lacked control over product roadmap and profitability.
Voice of Customers
Refiner, Middle East: “We’ve been using the same XX catalyst for >10 years. It works, but there’s been no real innovation—cycle lengths haven’t improved, and we’re paying more every year.”
Refiner, U.S. Gulf Coast: “Our biggest frustration is lead time. If the Asian supplier delays, our entire turnaround schedule is at risk. We need a second source we can trust.”
Refiner, India: “Catalyst costs are eating into our margins. We want a competitive alternative that delivers the same performance but at a lower cost.”
Refiner, Europe: “We’re under pressure to increase margin in our products. Without new technology, we can’t meet tightening regulations efficiently.”
My Role and Contribution
Customer Discovery & VoC: Conducted structured interviews with refiners to capture pain points (cost, lead time, lack of innovation).
Strategic Roadmapping: Defined a two‑phase roadmap:
Short term: me‑too product for immediate market entry. Then →
Long term: pioneer product for leadership.
Cross‑Functional Leadership: Coordinated R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and commercial teams to align technical feasibility with market needs.
Impact and Outcome
I managed ~$3M budget for the project, and commercialized 2 products from concept within 18 months, which is 25% shorter than the averaged new product launch cycle.
Broke Supplier Dependency: Reduced reliance on a single vendor, restoring our pricing leverage and negotiation power.
Customer Value Delivered: Offered refiners a cost‑competitive, reliable alternative, directly addressing pain points of high cost and long lead times.
New revenue stream: Secure a contract immediately after the product launch with $3M revenue.
Innovation Pathway: Created a clear trajectory from market follower to technology leader, ensuring long‑term differentiation and customer loyalty.