
TL;DR: Metal Spinning Manufacturer (MSM), a company known for crafting decorative metal pieces for Laura Ashley, faced a significant challenge when Laura Ashley outsourced metal spinning production abroad to cut costs. With their primary business diminishing, MSM took a bold step to pivot. They transitioned from decorative metalwork to the aerospace and railway sectors, leveraging their metalworking expertise in innovative ways. MSM discovered new opportunities in creating specialised testing facilities for airplanes and cars, a drastic shift from their previous focus. This strategic move paid off, keeping the company relevant and driving growth.
The Challenge: Navigating Market Turbulence
For years, the Metal Spinner’s manufacturer thrived as a primary supplier for Laura Ashley, with their partnership forming the backbone of their revenue stream. This harmonious relationship, however, became a double-edged sword as Laura Ashley pivoted towards more cost-effective manufacturing solutions overseas. This decision left the Metal Spinner Manufacturer at a significant crossroads, with their once-flourishing market rapidly contracting. The company was starkly confronted with a choice that would define its future: evolve its business model and pivot to suit the new market realities where its current customers are disappearing or risk obsolescence in a fast-changing industry.

The Shift: Embracing Competence Over Product
Confronted with the market evaporating adversity, MSM embarked on an introspective journey to find their new market, recognising that their true value lay not in the products made and sold – “what they do”, but the ability to make products from their unique skills and competencies – “what they can do”. Namely, their real competitive edge was NOT the products produced right now for decorative art, but the competences behind those production – the expertise and capabilities in metal spinning, polishing, and precision machining. When they reassess the market through the lens of competencies, the options available increase as skills and capabilities can be rendered into a much wider range of products rather than some fixed existing products. Thinking from the skills point of view opens entirely new industries.

Transformation: The Leap from Art to Automotive & Aerospace
MSM started working on a strategic analysis to align its competencies with market demands and trends, and they have come across an unexpected yet promising opportunity at the time within the mobility sector, particularly in the aerospace, automotive, and railway industries.
The discovered niche was in the development of a new product – specialised testing equipment, an area that was distinctly different from their traditional product line but one that matched their skillsets and manufacturing capabilities almost seamlessly. This new product is a range of small items that can crush into vehicles, and can be delivered via metal spinning, polishing, and precision machining.
MSM recognised that although the market for these specialised testing facilities was not yet fully developed at the time, the potential for growth was immense. There were evidence in a rapidly expanding demands from automotive and aerospace sectors for high-quality facilities with flexible configurations. This warranted a significant opportunity for MSM to conduct a full pivot.
Identifying the Competence-New Product Development (NPD) Fit marks the first crucial step in this strategic pivot. With its existing expertise in developing product-market Fit. This second phase shifted MSM further away from its conventional product-centric approaches to a more dynamic model of co-creating value with their customers to co-define new product specifications in order to better create value for their clients.
By adopting the competence-NPD-market fit approach and pivoting towards the production of specialised testing facilities, MSM had not just diversified its product portfolio to survive but has also strategically positioned itself at the forefront of an emerging market segment.

The Outcome: Crafting a New Future
The foresight of MSM proved to be sharp. The testing market witnessed exceptional growth in its targeted sectors. This transformation was marked by the increase of inquiries jumping from zero inquiry to receive three to four each week and secure its first order valued at £120,000 withing just six weeks, signifying not just financial success but a renaissance of their craftsmanship in a new domain.
Conclusion: Beyond Craftsmanship - Reinventing Manufacturing Through Competence-NPD Fit
This case showcases the adaptability and resilience required in modern business. By aligning core competencies with new market opportunities, MSM demonstrates how businesses can successfully transition from declining markets to thriving new ventures.
In this transformative journey, we’ve witnessed the profound impact of Competence-NPD Fit. It’s not merely about adapting existing products to new markets but a deeper realisation. By taking one step back to revisit and harness their core competencies, unlock the potential to innovate and align with new market opportunities.

This case concludes another feature in the ‘Competence-NPD Fit: Re-imagining Disrupting Ventures‘ series, demonstrating how fundamental strengths can be the bedrock of exceptional business transformations. Every week, we will have one of the cases to show how getting back to the fundamentals could lead to an exceptional journey of Business Transformation.
If you are interested to know more about the Competence-NPD Fit, check out the following cases:
A Car Seat Manufacturer Transformation Journey
UK-based Cluster Leverage Competence to Transform Train Toilet Manufacturer
About the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation
Did you find this case insightful and transformational? Well, this is the day-to-day practice for us in CBIT. We are supporting ventures in their journey to disrupt the industry norms and shifts towards the blue ocean.
The Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT) embodies an integrated research approach, creating a synergistic blend of industry transformation research, disruptive business practices, and education. The aim is to fuel a continuous learning, innovation, and evolution cycle.
A pivotal part of CBIT is the Venture Builder. This dynamic wing of CBIT has steadily gained recognition for empowering disruptive businesses to redefine industry norms. The Venture Builder puts innovative businesses under the microscope, conducting comprehensive ‘fitness assessments’ to identify promising ‘blue ocean’ market opportunities. This process is integral to our vision of fostering transformative growth and steering companies toward untapped avenues of success.
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