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Thinking outside the keg: How we turned our customer's safety challenge into an opportunity for innovation

A burdensome challenge 

Customer Development Manager Frank Mclaughlin, Caldic UK, had a serious issue on his hands. A customer raised concerns about a recurring problem on their production floor, where workers were handling a combination of chemical products. Stored in 20-liter kegs, the containers proved too strenuous for standard protective gloves, splitting under pressure and posing a significant risk of chemical exposure. At the same time, employees were forced into awkward, stooped positions to access the content of the kegs, leading to potentially long-term back injuries. 

Frank wasted no time diving into the problem. “When I heard what was happening, I started thinking about ways we could redesign the process rather than just work around it,” he recalls. 

With a realistic solution 

His solution was straightforward: switch to larger, taller kegs that could hold the same materials more safely. “By increasing the size and height of the vessel, we could reduce the strain on gloves and eliminate the need for the staff to bend over repeatedly.” It addressed both risks in one go. 

But coming up with an idea was just the beginning, Frank needed to find alternative suppliers that could provide the right kind of keg – one that was both robust enough to handle the chemicals and met all the safety regulations. “It was essential that we didn’t just go bigger, but that we went safer too,” he adds. 

Helping people feel safer at work and seeing a solution make a real impact is the most rewarding part of it all.
Frank Mclaughlin, Customer Development Manager, Caldic Europe

Once he identified a suitable option, he ensured it passed all necessary compatibility and safety checks. Only then did he bring the proposed change to the customer: a locally manufactured, larger drum that fit their needs. His solution was met with unanimous support. “The customer was incredibly pleased,” Frank says, “they were not only relieved to see a viable fix but also appreciated the care we took to think through every aspect of the risk.” 

  • 随着工业发展,推动其进步的材料也必须进化。Caldic将先进的材料化学与技术实验室和应用导向的研发相结合。客户依赖我们共同加速从复合材料到纳米材料的创新,以实现市场准备。

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