Across the Table: Vision
The Science & Technology group of a large architectural firm planned to meet at Pittcon. They invited the larger SEFA member manufacturers to present where the laboratory industry was headed. At the last moment our company, a minor player, received an invitation also.
I had to chuckle. This would be the blind leading the blind! Manufacturers don’t do market research. We’re in the construction business, a commodity. Manufacturers think about filling their factories, up to two years out. I planned to actually tell them something interesting, though.
I couldn’t focus on the laboratory furniture industry or even lab planners. Surprisingly to me, laboratory buildings are rarely innovation leaders. What I needed was to know what others outside our industry were thinking, as well as where the science was going. I didn’t have time to find people to talk with. Thank heaven for the internet! I entered search terms and waded through what popped up. Key information came from:
Equipment manufacturers, whose product goes on or beside our furniture.
Gas and chemical manufacturers, whose products were used by the equipment.
Workplace architects and designers, who consider workflow, productivity trends, energy use, etc.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers had to react to where the science was headed.
Facility managers plan for all of the above.
Universities, that planned for capital investment for basic research.
Laboratory managers, to again understand workflow and productivity, but also how the labor force might be changing and corporate cost pressures.
Safety officials are at the cutting edge of where the science is going for, well, safety reasons.
We presented last, but they left thinking about our message (based on follow-up meeting requests). We discussed some big trends, and how they might affect us. Our products, and the infrastructure, don’t drive trends; we react to the trends. We didn’t talk about lab furniture trends; we talked about customer trends and social trends. We worked backward from that.
Not long ago, a lab planner invited me to lunch. I was surprised when he asked where the trends were going, and on what types of labs they should focus. Just like on a construction project, we’re at the tail end of trends! I told him he should know better than me; he meets with lab owners regularly. I suggested life science was a safe bet (anything related to the human genome). I also suggested he follow the money; where is NIH and other funding going, and for what type of research?
Where do you see trends going? If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. Marketing is two-way; we need to ask questions of everyone we deal with at least as often as we promote ourselves to customers. Where do you get your market research? Interestingly, I only know of one lab planner who regularly walked Pittcon. Your thoughts are welcome.
Dave can be reached at dwithee@alum.mit.edu or 920-737-8477.
All opinions expressed in Across The Table with Dave Withee are exclusive to the author and are not reflective of Lab Design News.