In the Cross Innovation Lab, Rehau, a system and service provider of polymer-based solutions, accelerated the development of a resource-saving transport solution for medical products.

Challenge

Innovation cycles are shortening, markets are becoming more complex – the framework conditions for industry are changing. New solutions are needed to keep manufacturing competitive in global competition. In the Cross Innovation Lab, the versatile plastics manufacturer Rehau met these challenges in cooperation with creative minds. The aim was to develop a new type of packaging for the transport of temperature-critical medicines. This had to cover the supply chain of up to 72 hours with intermediate stops in different climate zones safely and cooled. Simultaneously, it had to operate with little use of resources such as dry ice and disposable polystyrene boxes.

Output

Through cooperation with experts from the creative industries, a transport box could be developed within four workshops, which requires only ten percent of the original resources. The creatives were able to enrich the process with spontaneous visualizations, prototypes and a new combination of knowledge from very different fields.

"By participating in the Cross Innovation Lab, Rehau was able to shorten the product innovation cycle and react quickly to changing market needs."

Format & Method

In the Cross Innovation Lab, companies work together in changing constellations over a period of six weeks to create product developments in a stimulating environment. Experts from the creative industries are systematically involved in the process.

• Field research: At the beginning, the challenges of the companies are explored in a new depth in cooperation with creative people – and their fresh perspective from the outside.
• Workshop phase: During four workshop/laboratory days, the companies work together with selected creative professionals to develop new solutions.
• Feedback loops: Between the laboratories, a concept show with all participating companies takes place in order to further improve the products through joint feedback and exchange.

In an iterative work process, companies develop new products or product adaptations with a significantly reduced expenditure of time.