Supplier Scouting Breakthrough: Mapping alternative chemistries to de-risk critical coatings supply
At-a-glance
| Faced with over-reliance on a handful of suppliers for chemicals used in protective coatings, a global equipment manufacturer needed viable alternatives. We profiled their existing chemistries; collaborated with R&D to set technical property boundaries; and scouted more than 220 potential substitutes.
Our work delivered 42 qualified alternative chemistries and their suppliers as well as revealing critical risks in their current sourcing model. Taking our findings onboard, enabled our client’s procurement and R&D teams to act with greater agility and negotiation power. |
 We expected a few new suppliers, but the depth of options and clarity on critical risks completely reshaped how we approach sourcing for our coatings. |
The Challenge
A leading manufacturer of polycarbonate sheets and films sought to understand how their circularity efforts compared to competitors, including two global chemical giants and two regional players.
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| Single-source dependency
Critical coating chemicals sourced from one or two suppliers, limiting security of supply. |
Difficult substitutions
Switching materials required testing and certifications, slowing supplier diversification. |
Limited negotiation power
Procurement lacked leverage due to minimal supplier options. |
Unclear criticality
Uncertainty around which materials were truly critical versus flexible in reformulation. |
The Solution
We conducted a multi-layered, evidence-based benchmarking study, delivered in two key steps:
| Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 |
| Baseline profiling | Property prioritization | Global scouting | Boundary refinement | Shortlisting and contact sharing |
| Mapped existing chemicals, technical grades, and current suppliers in detail. | Worked with R&D to rank critical technical parameters and set boundary conditions. | Identified more than 220 potential alternatives and their suppliers – comparing properties to benchmarks. | Reassessed and redrew technical boundaries (i.e. location preference, melting points, solubility etc) with our client to shortlist viable candidates. | Delivered 42 prioritized alternatives and shared direct supplier contacts for next-stage evaluation. |
The Findings
What our scouting process revealed about risks and opportunities…
 Findings |
 What It Meant |
| Critical materials identified: Some chemicals had only one or two viable alternatives, flagging supply risks. | Procurement strategies were directed towards these high-risk materials first. |
| Viable alternative heavily restricted: Due to rigid non-compromising technical boundaries, substitution options had been heavily reduced. | R&D teams set out a strategy to accommodate the expanded technical boundary conditions. |
| Uncovered supply origins: One of the client’s current European suppliers was found to be a white-labeler buying from Asia; hence not the true manufacturer. | Improved supply-chain transparency for stronger risk assessment. |
The Impact
Our client gained immediate visibility into alternative chemistries, mitigated single-supplier risks, and accelerated their R&D’s ability to trial new chemistries.
| 40+ qualified alternatives | Strengthened negotiation position | Uncovered supply risks | Cross-team alignment |
| Actionable shortlist delivered for 10 chemicals, enabling rapid testing and adoption. | Procurement now has multiple sourcing options, increasing leverage with incumbents. | Revealed critical risks in aspects of their raw material supply chain which allowed proactive risk mitigation before disruptions could occur. | R&D and procurement now work from a single, data-driven view of available technical and commercial options. |
Want to scout with a clear precision? Contact us to identify, benchmark, and lead.
