Industry overview
What is shaping chemical
Chemical and specialty materials companies sell to formulators, manufacturers and procurement teams who need technical support, consistency and safe handling as much as price.
- Technical service is a key reason buyers stay
- Procurement teams compare total cost, not just price
- Safety and regulatory compliance shape supplier choice
Client background
An industrial cleaning chemicals company in Europe, working in United Kingdom, France & Spain. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- An industrial cleaning chemicals company in Europe
- Sector
- Chemical
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Quantitative research, Business panel, Financial modelling
Client challenge
The company planned to introduce concentrated products at a higher price per litre but lower cost per use, and wanted to know whether buyers would understand the value.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: testing price sensitivity for industrial cleaning chemicals.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of facility.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 6 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 400 facility.
- facility400
Audiences we typically reach in chemical
Formulators and R&D teamsProcurement managersPlant and production headsDistributorsSafety officers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: United Kingdom, France & Spain. Markets: United Kingdom, France and Spain.
- United Kingdom
- France
- Spain
Research methodology
A structured analytical design combining desk research, modelling and primary evidence.
- 1Brief
- 2B2B pricing survey
- 3Revenue model
- 4Insight
We surveyed facility and procurement managers using price-acceptance questions and value messaging tests, then modelled revenue scenarios.
Quantitative researchBusiness panelFinancial modelling
Sampling strategy
- facility
- 400
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
Data collection
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
- Secondary sources and client data were compiled and cross-checked before modelling.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Price and trade-off analysis
- Market model built from secondary data and primary evidence
Key findings
- Buyers accepted higher unit prices when cost per use was shown clearly.
How value is expressed can matter as much as the price itself.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: how value is expressed can matter as much as the price itself.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: buyers accepted higher unit prices when cost per use was shown clearly.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The company launched concentrates with cost-per-use calculators for its sales team.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: where is the application opportunity?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.