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Article originally posted on <a href="https://www.supplychainbrain.com/blogs/1-think-tank/post/35652-repairing-customer-relations-after-the-supply-chain-crisis">SupplyChainBrain</a>

<a href="https://www.xenonarc.com/expert/mica-zuniga">Mica Zuniga</a>, SCB Contributor

Global supply chain woes have forced manufacturers and retailers to operate in survival mode. Meanwhile, their customers are using this frustrating lull to reexamine their own needs.&nbsp;

There were some hard choices to make when the upheaval began. Suppliers were forced to focus on what they could do “right here, right now.” The long-term result was poor planning, inconsistent communication, and ultimately, the alienation of customers.

It’s time to refocus from a survival strategy to one of sustainability and growth. The supply chain will stabilize, the workforce will return and businesses will reopen, but things won’t be back to “normal.” Customers want and need more from suppliers, and will flock to those who are providing the best communication and buying experience.

Build sustainable customer relations now by refocusing the lens. Start with clear messaging that allows customers to plan and implement omnichannel options for e-commerce purchasing.

Predictions are that supply chain stabilization will happen like a flipped switch, opening the flow of product. But will demand for goods still be there when that happens?

Customer behavior continues to evolve toward the need for transparent messaging and omnichannel methods for retailing. Sellers must act now to reengage customers with digital tools, omnichannel offerings and remote sales forces, or be left behind by those that do.

Suppliers need to look ahead and ask: How are we going to go to market? How are we going to build a foundation for growth out of the ashes? How will we catch and keep customers when the supply chain resolves?

Most importantly, if they aren’t in communication with their customers now, how do you know whether those customers remain with them, or have turned to the competition? And how much do those lost customers cost?

The decision to focus on the most impactful and profitable customers is a good one for the immediate situation, but the tradeoff is sending a message to others going without supply: You don’t matter to us, and you never did.

So how can companies repair customer relations today? It begins with remote customer engagement and the implementation or updating of digital tools, as part of a larger effort to reengage lost customers and plan to attract new ones. Steps to take include:

It’s not too late to win back customers and strategize ways to win new ones after the supply chain resolves. If you can recognize the issues, you can work to fix them. Heal your soured customer relations with open communications. Invest in the technology and talent that customers need and want from you. Earn back their trust to win back their loyalty.&nbsp;

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Customer Relations

Repairing Customer Relations After the Supply Chain Crisis

The newest evolution of the industry leading eCommerce solution that has changed the way customers connect with brands in the materials manufacturing industry.

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON , USA, June 4, 2023 --&nbsp;Xenon arc, the materials industry customer experience, marketing, and sales leader, announced the launch of&nbsp;directibility™2.0.&nbsp; directibility™2.0 is the next iteration of the fully integrated research, selection, and ordering ecommerce solution first pioneered by Xenon arc in 2020. Xenon arc continues evolve cutting edge products in their suite of digital tools that power modern, innovative business models on behalf of their clients.&nbsp;&nbsp; directibility™ 2.0 is the first roll-out in a series of investments currently in R&amp;D.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

At its core directibility™2.0 eliminates barriers between manufacturers and customers, increases speed and provides greater access to real-time information largely for small-to-mid-sized businesses (SMBs) in the materials industry.&nbsp;directibility™ 2.0 personalizes the customer experience, and is one of the cutting edge tools in Xenon arc’s disruptive Exterprise business model.

“Embracing the power of ecommerce is essential for our goal of holistic customer intimacy. By leveraging the core capabilities of our ecommerce platform, we can create a seamless online buying experience, personalize our marketing efforts, integrate various digital marketing channels, streamline operational efficiency, and make informed decisions based on business intelligence.” Said Murali Penubothu, Chief Digital and Information Officer. “These aspects deepen our customer relationships, drive growth and position us as a leader within our industry.”

Powering&nbsp;directibility™&nbsp;2.0 is a deep, fundamental understanding of SMB customer requirements and their overall customer journey, from product discovery through to product purchase, delivery tracking and re-order.&nbsp; Some of the key advancements in this new version are: Advanced Frictionless Online Purchasing, Personalized Marketing, Integrated Digital Marketing Channels and Business intelligence services. directibility™&nbsp;2.0 allows users to order, view documentation and get expert live service and assistance on-demand.&nbsp;

directibility™&nbsp;2.0 is at the center of Xenon arc’s Exterprise model that brings materials producers closer to their customers with a host of digital and analogue solutions that drive growth, simplicity and transparency into their relationships.&nbsp;

“For years there has been a service imbalance between customers and producers in the materials industry,” Commented Paul Warburg. Chief Executive Officer of Xenon arc. “Through the&nbsp;directibility™&nbsp;2.0 release and its new suite of capabilities, customers can now rely on a holistic solution that brings them closer to selected manufacturers’ products, services and overall brand promise, while manufacturers develop deeper, more intimate relationships with their end-users in a significantly more cost-effective manner.

Xenon arc was founded in 2010 in Bellevue, Washington and has offices in Ireland, The Netherlands, Brazil and Mexico.&nbsp;

Xenon arc Launches directibility™ 2.0. eCommerce Platform

Article originally posted in&nbsp;<a href="https://solutionsreview.com/crm/2022/11/09/data-is-the-untapped-source-needed-for-successful-customer-intimacy/">CRM Solutions Review</a>

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed columns written by industry experts in maturing software categories—Mica Zuniga, the Chief Strategy Officer at Xenon Arc, explains how the secret to better customer intimacy is in the data.

Data and customer intimacy; how do the gathering numbers, actions, and trends relate to successful customer relationships? Here’s how: one cannot happen without the other. The correct data used effectively results in customer intimacy. The key is knowing the “right” data to gather, to focus on, or to use in decision-making—and using it in a way that ultimately builds and sustains a continued cycle of customer loyalty and growth. It’s not a new concept, but it’s one that organizations seem to grapple with.

Creating intimacy with customers is more than sending birthday wishes or rehashing the latest sports news over lunch. While this is great for learning who the customers are, it doesn’t tell you what they need from you. Authentic customer intimacy results from leveraging extensive customer data and operational flexibility by tailoring goods or services to targeted consumers. It’s making service models scalable, enhancing the ability to make data-driven decisions, and having a deep understanding of customers’ needs and wants and how they use products.

In short, you know what the customer wants, how they want to get it, and whenever they need it—all by using data. And importantly, consider the data with a people-first, not number-first, mindset. How can you use this data to deliver exactly what the customers want and need?

Supply Chain Woes Shouldn’t Hinder Delivery of Superior Customer Experiences&nbsp;

Delivering a service or product can be challenging when nature, politics, or global logistics are in chaos. Companies can use data to tailor products and services precisely to customer applications. For example, as the manufacturing sector fully embraces digitalization, there are more and more new sources of data to learn about how customers use your products. You can quickly and accurately use that data to identify critical trends and tailor your offering to target segments, applications, or individual customers.&nbsp;

Communications can be personalized and tailored to keep customers notified about what they need to know to inform their buying strategies better, expand their awareness of your product and service offering, and create a “stickiness” that will help you both weather challenging times.

In 2005, Bain &amp; Company found that 80 percent of firms believed they delivered a “superior experience” to their customers—but only 8 percent of customers felt companies were delivering. Almost 20 years later, the customer experience is still lacking. According to Siegel+Gale, $402 billion each year is left on the table by companies that fail to provide basic experiences to their consumers. Not a new problem, but there are new solutions.

The Science of Holistic Customer Relationships.

Good customer relationships on any scale are challenging to build. In a rapidly evolving digital-first world, how do you know how to adjust offerings to keep up with customer needs? How do you build intimacy when customers engage in a variety of ways?

By gathering data that gives deep and actionable insights, you understand buying preferences and how products or services will be used—and ultimately, use that data to drive innovation and improvement. When you leverage industry-leading technology, expertise, and processes to create holistic customer relationships, you improve your ability to maintain a competitive edge. Clients with complete access to comprehensive analytics via a business intelligence engine unlock relevant, real-time visibility into customer behavior, transaction and SKU-level views, forecasting and pricing insights, business performance metrics, and more. In essence, all of this customer information is used to tailor formulations and services specifically to customer needs—and that intimacy is a critical part of differentiating one company from the competition.

The Difference is Data When it Comes to Customer Loyalty

The ultimate customer intimacy model continually reshapes offerings using robust data environments’ insights. It uses that customer data to refine the understanding of how products are used in the field, what type of value customers find in the products, the ROI on marketing and sales efforts, collateral development, and web analytics. The resulting customer intimacy organically creates a base of loyal advocates and continued growth.

The modern digital market requires data to drive innovation and decision-making and build successful customer relationships. That data is the key to intimately knowing what they want, how they want to purchase it, and how they will use it—and continue to stay loyal to the companies that give them exactly what they need when they need it.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Data is the Untapped Source Needed for Successful Customer Intimacy

Business Insights Application Delivers Market Intelligence, Customer Intimacy &amp; Product Performance Transparency for Manufacturers in the Materials Industry

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON , USA, September 13, 2022 (<a href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/590514441/xenon-arc-launches-conntact-2-0">EINPresswire.com</a>) - Xenon arc has launched conntact™ 2.0, the latest iteration of its industry-leading business insights application designed to meet the data analytics needs of manufacturers in the chemical and materials industry. conntact™ 2.0’s market, product and customer transparency advancements provide actionable insights that deepen customer intimacy, accelerate business development, drive operating efficiencies, and further foster innovation.

“A major source of discontent for materials producers is a lack of real-time customer data and feedback,” says Mica Zuniga, Chief Strategy Officer, Xenon arc. “With conntact™ 2.0, Xenon arc offers our clients a unique, interactive visualization of critical company data—actionable insights—to propel the growth and transformation of their businesses. The key to holistic customer intimacy and reducing friction between manufacturers and their end-use customers is the ability to quickly decipher, interpret and translate data into value-creating strategies.”

conntact™ 2.0 builds upon the original, innovative conntact™ platform to provide more impactful data visualization and greater granularity into market dynamics, customer behavior and SKU-level performance. It enhances ease-of-use requirements by simplifying the creation and customization of dashboards, reports, and action items.

Specifically, conntact™ 2.0 creates convenient and visually appealing dashboards giving detailed customer analytics revealing patterns and trends for a big-picture view. These actionable insights include real-time end-user visibility, transaction-level views, customer pricing and price insights, demand planning and forecasting, business performance metrics, and business plan and ROI metrics.

“We formed a client advisory committee consisting of strategic and day-to-day users of conntact™ to understand usage objectives to develop impactful enhancements and functionality to the application,” Zuniga added. “The result of this process is a dynamic platform that provides timely, actionable information and visualization on a macro-level with the capability of drilling down into end market, customer and SKU specific details to formulate fact-based business decisions and strategies.”

“conntact™ 2.0 is an important component of Xenon arc’s overall value proposition as we enhance our clients' brand experience with their end-use customers,” commented Paul Warburg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Xenon arc. “Our technology solutions, including our client-facing conntact™ 2.0 and our customer-facing directibility™ applications, combined with our industry-leading technical and commercial teams, strengthen the intimacy between manufacturers and their products, with their end-use customers. Our determined focus on understanding the unique needs of smaller, non-core customers enables us to continuously develop innovative, industry-leading solutions for our manufacturing clients worldwide.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Xenon Arc Launches conntact™ 2.0

Murali Penubothu joins a leading technology company as the Chief Digital and Information Officer

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, USA (<a href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/587057783/xenon-arc-expands-executive-team-with-key-new-hire">EINPresswire.com</a>) - Xenon arc, a global managed service provider that is transforming the way materials producers go-to-market, is pleased to announce the addition of Murali Penubothu in the key position of Chief Digital and Information Officer.

Penubothu has more than two decades of proven business and technology leadership experience and is responsible for building Xenon arc’s industry-leading technology platform focused on providing engaging experiences and transactional capabilities in a secure manner for end-use customers in the materials industry, while capturing insights that amplify the value proposition for its producer-clients.

“Technology and digital transformation represent one of the key foundational pillars as Xenon arc continuously tightens the bond and intimacy between global materials producers and their non-core business customers, said Paul Warburg, President and CEO of Xenon arc. “Murali’s global perspective, combined with a host of dynamic experiences and skill sets attributed to scalable digital transformation will enable us to advance our industry-leading technology platform creating greater value for our producer-clients while making it easier for end-use customers to engage with their respective producers’ brands and offerings.”

Formerly the CIO at Nicholas and Company, a privately held food service distribution company, Penubothu rebuilt the IT function by implementing emerging technologies that modernized the business for a competitive advantage and resulted in reinvigorating the trust of the business and partnership with existing customers, while attracting new clients. While Head of Business Systems at Airware, an aerial data startup, he designed and implemented a mix of systems and scalable business processes to support rapidly growing teams in sales, marketing, customer success, professional services, finance, and HR.

“I am tremendously impressed with Xenon arc’s leadership team, and its unique culture that offers a working model that invests in a supportive environment fostering team collaboration and creative problem solving.” said Penubothu. “I’m excited to be part of a high-growth organization committed to excellence where the potential is limitless while ensuring the positive resilience of the workforce,” he added.

Warburg concluded, “Murali’s involvement in the advancement of our leading customer-facing ecommerce solutions, including directibility™, and the latest iteration of our business intelligence platform, conntact™ 2.0, significantly enhances Xenon arc’s value proposition to all of our key stakeholders. We are very excited to welcome Murali to the Xenon arc team as we continue to accelerate our growth trajectory.”

Penubothu is a transformational technology leader, who leverages design thinking principles and agile methodologies to align technology innovation with strategic goals. Throughout his career, he has built best-in-class engineering teams by cultivating a high-performance work culture that attracts and retains diverse talent.

Penubothu holds a master’s degree (MS) in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&amp;M University and completed executive education in the General Management Program (GMP) at The Wharton School. He is also a founder and board member of two private limited companies in India.&nbsp;

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Xenon arc Expands Executive Team with Key New Hire

Xenon arc provides Braskem with a data-driven marketing and sales platform focused on enhancing the way the company engages online with its clients and partners

Braskem (NYSE:BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK)

BELLEVUE , WASHINGTON , USA, August 15, 2022 /<a href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/584198367/xenon-arc-partners-with-braskem-to-bring-new-innovative-3d-printing-materials-to-market-throughout-north-america">EINPresswire.com</a>/ -- Xenon arc and Braskem (B3: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK), the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas, as well as a market leader and pioneer producer of biopolymers on an industrial scale, are excited to announce the launch of Braskem3D – an advanced direct to consumer technology platform that greatly simplifies and accelerates the accessibility of Braskem’s 3D materials to the North American market. This latest innovation will provide a strategic platform for growth to help support the growing demand for Braskem’s unique line of sustainable and innovative products. The platform is available at www.braskem3d.com.

Leveraging Xenon arc’s directibility™ solution, Braskem is able to pair its dedicated team of thermoplastic experts with a sophisticated e-commerce platform to maximize the use of data and technology to drive alignment and brand loyalty across strategic and small to medium-sized business (SMB) customer segments.

“We are pleased to partner with Braskem, a forward-thinking company who shares our commitment to utilizing advanced technology to build a sustainable future,” notes Alyssa Cunnington, Chief Operating Officer at Xenon arc. “Coupling Braskem and Xenon arc’s digital-first, data-driven philosophy with a strong commitment to developing greater customer intimacy opens both organizations to endless growth opportunities.”

Braskem supports technology and innovation to achieve sustainable solutions through chemicals and plastics. The company's strategic vision is to become the world leader in sustainable chemistry and to strengthen the entire petrochemical chain.

With an ever-growing portfolio, Braskem focuses on making polypropylene, polyethylene, recycled and bio-based filaments, powders, and pellets easily accessible to the additive manufacturing industry.

“Directibility™ was engineered for client convenience and sustainability,” said Jason Vagnozzi, Braskem Commercial Director of Additive Manufacturing. “All our inventory, logistics, analytics, and client communication systems are integrated into one fully integrated and professionally supported online e-commerce platform. From product discovery through purchase and post-sale support we can deliver a better overall experience for our SMB clients.”

Braskem offers solutions across 3D printing technologies such as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), and High-Speed Pellet Extrusion. Through Braskem's decades of expertise in materials science and product development, its state-of-the-art 3D printing labs, as well as its strategic partnerships with industry leaders, Braskem is committed to delivering new and innovative products to the market.

Xenon Arc Partners with Braskem to Bring New Innovative 3d Printing Materials to Market Throughout North America

Strong global experiences &amp; industry perspectives

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, USA (<a href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/582823688/xenon-arc-appoints-chris-brink-dr-hans-josef-ritzert-to-its-board-of-directors">EIN Presswire</a>) – Xenon arc, a global managed service provider that is transforming the way materials producers go-to-market, today announced the addition of two new members to its board. Chris Brink, CEO at Hasa Pool Inc., and Dr. Hans-Josef Ritzert, most recently a senior executive with Evonik Industries, jointly bring decades of global experience and insights into the materials industry.

“We are very pleased to welcome Chris and Hans to the Board as we continue to advance our strategic vision and strengthen Xenon arc’s commitment to leveraging technological innovation and sustainable solutions to re-define how major manufacturers engage with their non-core business customers,” said Paul Warburg, President and CEO of Xenon arc. “Over the past 10 years we have demonstrated the effective portability of our business model into adjacent markets and geographies, matching our deep understanding of the unique needs of these end-use customers with our tech-enabled solutions. As our company continues to broaden its expertise and expands globally, we will benefit from the expertise, industry acumen, strategic insights, and shared values that Chris and Hans bring.”

Brink has a demonstrated track record of overseeing strategic initiatives that have resulted in accelerated growth. He currently serves as the CEO of Hasa Pool Inc., a leading specialty chemical producer and distributor of high-quality water treatment products based in California. Under his leadership, the company has successfully grown its footprint to 11 facilities spanning across the western US to Texas and built a recognized brand in the Recreational, Municipal, and Industrial markets. Brink’s experience in the chemical and materials industry include positions at Dow, Henry Company, Accella Polyurethane Systems, and Stepan Company. He began his career as a chemist and has hands-on experience and understanding of the industry from product development to executive leadership.

Ritzert holds a doctorate in chemistry and has spent his career managing strategically important initiatives for global chemical industry giants including Evonik Industries, a world leader in specialty chemicals operating in more than 100 countries. He was most recently Managing Director of Evonik’s Nutrition &amp; Care division, and President of Evonik China. Ritzert continues to leverage his extensive global business experiences by serving on the Board of several renowned European specialty chemical and polymer industry leaders.

Xenon arc Appoints Chris Brink & Dr. Hans-Josef Ritzert to its Board of Directors

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA, (<a href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/579017997/xenon-arc-unveils-new-brand-identity-as-the-company-embarks-on-its-next-phase-of-innovation-and-tech-enabled-growth">EIN Presswire</a>) – Xenon arc, a global managed service provider that is transforming the way materials producers go-to-market, revealed a new brand identity that represents the company's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation. Xenon arc also recast its vision to broaden the definition of value for clients, partners, and team.

The new visual style and logo demonstrates the company’s data-driven, customer-first philosophy through the deployment of multi-channel customer engagement solutions while aiming to reflect Xenon arc’s commitment to sustainability and dynamic philosophical approach. 

“Our purpose is to extend the reach and improve the experience of our clients’ brands by increasing intimacy across historically underserved customer segments in the food &amp; beverage, industrial, and chemical industries,” said Paul Warburg, President &amp; CEO of Xenon arc. “Our new brand embodies our strengthened commitment to our business model and directly speaks to our organizational purpose. From a business model perspective, the iconography represents the intersection of the uniqueness of our clients, the customers we service on their behalf, our leading-edge technology, and those responsible for the delivery of our value proposition – our people.”  

Mr. Warburg continued, “Digging deeper, we believe the imagery appropriately reflects our cultural pillars behind our track-record of success, namely: our unwavering investment in the greatness of our people, the leveraging of individual strengths for the betterment of the team, deliberately engaging in small actions to drive outsized outcomes for all stakeholders, and adopting and promoting social responsibility. We are a team of tremendous aptitude, attitude and character and the driving forces behind future innovations, deepened client and customer collaboration, and executors of change across the industries in which we serve.”

Under the new brand, Xenon arc will continue to expand its current and build new tech-enabled solutions that serve the same goal – balancing technology automation with customer demand to seamlessly extending the producer’s brand and make the brand experience better for customers.

The new logo reflects what the company has become: more mature and future-focused, at the same time growing dynamically, reaching new milestones, entering new markets, and always moving forward. We go above and beyond, and have people – our team, clients, and partners – at the center of everything we do.

Xenon arc Unveils New Brand Identity as the Company Embarks on its Next Phase of Innovation and Tech-Enabled Growth

20220603-Xenon Arc-Stabilizing Business Use Case.pdf

Stabilizing Business and Building Market Share in Smaller Markets by Improving Relationships and Decreasing Service Costs

Article originally posted on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/01/07/navigating-change-capital-management/?sh=3fbffafb639a">Forbes</a>.

Paul Warburg, President and CEO at <a href="http://Xenonarc.com">Xenon arc</a>, discusses how to empower your team and improve profitability. <a href="http://xenonarc.com">Xenon arc</a> is an innovative tech company seeking to revolutionize distribution in the chemical industry.

The past year saw the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/global-markets-ma-2021-08-12/">highest mergers and acquisitions activity in history</a>, with more and more CEOs finding themselves transitioning in their roles to become stewards of change capital management. If deployed effectively, sustainable corporate and financial growth can be achieved — and just as importantly — so can the advancement of employees’ careers and personal development. Longer-term results can include better client experiences, sustained growth trajectories and an enduring organization that upholds and optimizes its core values.

But how do you invest change capital in the most judicious manner to ensure the organization doesn’t lose its innovative, competitive and differentiated edge? How do you create alignment when transitioning from an existing model and operating structure to new oversight and objectives? You need to switch your lens.

Switch the lens from a financial to a human focus.

In the business world, “capital” is most often used in parallel with a tangible asset or assets. Currency, inventory, intellectual property, etc., are all nouns associated with an identified monetizable value. As a former CFO, I am continuously learning to piece together plans leveraging these assets with qualitative, intangible assets such as cultural dynamics, team development, nonfinancial motivators and other aspects to drive strategic focus and desired outcomes as we build and grow a disruptive organization.

As a steward of change capital management, the lens must shift from the transactional mindset of discounted cash flows, detail analysis and statistics to a forward-leaning perspective toward organizational behavior and development.

This requires patience. Cultural shifts impact all facets of business and must be handled methodically, pragmatically and in a disciplined manner to ensure limited disruption to growth and development. This doesn’t happen overnight; it evolves, taking days, months and even years.

Strategic planning must focus on the intangibles and friction points that will inevitably evolve over time — balancing the positive with risk mitigation — for sustainable success.

For many, handling the “what” is more intuitive than considering the “how” of change capital management. Numbers are easy. Common sense can be hard.

Developing a list of needs is critical. Perhaps you need to build out your technology, expand your infrastructure, hire more strategic contributors and invest in more talent. But how will you execute? How will you achieve these goals while preserving the important attributes of the company culture that has enabled and driven growth? How do you make sure these upcoming changes and additions to the organization will be positive?

It starts with clear, focused and open communication, not spreadsheets and reports. Executive and senior leadership teams should be part of the deeper conversations about what’s in store for the upcoming year. No one should be surprised. Prepare teams early, and emphasize priorities while creating lofty goals to collaborate with new team members to build alignment and understand where the tactical change pieces are going to come into play.

Consider how you will mitigate risk and capitalize on anticipated outsized returns and career, personal and financial growth. For a “Big Bang” company innovation, the biggest piece is preserving the strongest elements that have enabled an innovation-first company culture. Because you are bringing new people to the table, you need to focus on ways to keep true to the core principles that have enabled success and bring them to the newly expanded table.

Numbers matter, but people count. Your “how” should be people-first for judicious change capital management.

As leaders, we strive to make things better. But are you making things better for now — or better for the future? I believe that thinking short-term short-changes an organization’s permanence. My tenure will come and go, but how can I create an enduring legacy that embraces evolution, progress, performance and value creation? I consider what’s best for the organization.

Change is inevitable. And we should embrace it. Creating a people-first culture and accepting change will create a sustainable future. With this mindset, your organization can thrive through change and continue to advance — while always aiming to advance your people.

How to Navigate Change Capital Management in 2022

BELLEVUE, Wash., February 01, 2022--(<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Xenon arc today announced the promotions of Alyssa Cunnington to Chief Operating Officer and Mica Zuniga to Chief Strategy Officer. These promotions expand and strengthen the executive team, as the Company embarks on its next phase of innovation and growth.

Alyssa Cunnington has over a decade of experience serving in various senior management roles at Xenon arc and within the materials industry, most recently as Senior Vice President, Exterprise Operations. Ms. Cunnington was one of Xenon arc’s earliest team members. She joined from ChemPoint, a subsidiary of Univar Corp, where she served as Product Manager in addition to several other roles.

Mica Zuniga also brings over a decade of experience serving in leadership positions within the Company and the materials industry. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, Strategic Growth at Xenon arc. Prior to joining Xenon arc in early 2011 as one of the first employees of the company, she held management roles at ChemPoint and SanMar Corporation. She is also an active promoter of women in leadership and served on the board for the Women’s Global Leadership Initiative for several years.

Paul Warburg, President and CEO of Xenon arc, said: "Xenon arc is entering a new chapter of accelerated growth, including new market and product development. Both Mica and Alyssa have contributed to our growth since our earliest days, helping to build a successful business model that leads the industry in innovation, customer satisfaction and excellence."

"Their contagious character and attitude enhances our executive team and the organization as a whole. We are thrilled to announce their promotions, especially at a moment when we are seeing such positive momentum in our business and are poised for continued growth, as we innovate for our clients and end-use customers. I’m thrilled to recognize their accomplishments and looking forward to continuing to deliver outsized returns to all stakeholders."

Xenon arc Expands Executive Team with Key Promotions

SEATTLE--(<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Xenon arc is on the precipice of transforming business for even more manufacturers as the result of its recent acquisition by an affiliate of Peak Rock Capital, a leading middle-market private investment firm.

“Xenon arc represents a unique opportunity to invest in a technology-enabled services platform with a strong leadership position in managed services to materials producers”

“A new day is here,” said Paul Warburg, President and CEO of Xenon arc, who, along with the company’s existing management team, will continue to lead Xenon arc and the materials industry into our digital future. “We’re excited to partner with Peak Rock as we embark on this next phase of growth – their values of innovating and driving growth through technology while putting people first are a perfect fit for our vision and mission.”

Xenon arc is transforming the go-to-market strategies for manufacturers across the materials industry; leading the digital charge by using new and emerging technologies to extend the brand promise of manufacturers to all of their customers - including those with exceptional needs or highly-fragmented markets. They do so by driving growth, simplicity and innovation, producing out-sized profitability for clients. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with operations in Europe and South America, Xenon arc has earned an exceptional reputation for excellence, technical capabilities and driving growth in typically hard to reach customer segments.

“Xenon arc represents a unique opportunity to invest in a technology-enabled services platform with a strong leadership position in managed services to materials producers,” said Steve Martinez, President and Managing Director of Peak Rock. “We are impressed with Xenon arc’s track record of growth and look forward to helping accelerate implementation of their business plan, which includes complementary acquisitions to further expand their service capabilities, technology offerings and geographic coverage.”

“Peak Rock is committed to investing in high growth technology-enabled services businesses. We continue to seek tech-enabled platforms that we believe can benefit from our ability to drive transformational growth through organic initiatives and add-on acquisitions,” added Anthony DiSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Peak Rock.

“Peak Rock has a deep understanding of our business, and a compelling track record of supporting companies and management teams in driving innovation and building leading platforms,” said Warburg. “While clients will continue to experience the exceptional outcomes they’ve come to expect from Xenon arc, this new chapter empowers us to continue investing in our two biggest assets – technology and industry-leading talent.”

Xenon arc Announces New Chapter With Peak Rock Capital Affiliate Acquisition

This new dedicated team will operate as Jet-Lube | OilSafe Solutions and provide personalized service and enhanced attention to SMB customers

SEATTLE – Month Day, 2021 – Xenon Arc, Inc. (“Xenon arc”) and Whitmore Manufacturing, LLC (“Whitmore”), a wholly owned subsidiary of CSW Industrials, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSWI), are excited to announce the formation of Jet-Lube | OilSafe Solutions, an inside sales and services team specifically dedicated to delivering a seamless customer experience to domestic, small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers.

With the understanding that these customers’ equipment must perform at optimal levels in highly demanding environments and extreme conditions, Jet-Lube | OilSafe Solutions will sell and service Whitmore’s reliability products through a dedicated team of account managers with in-depth market knowledge and a desire to address the unique needs of each customer.

“The formation of this new business team reinforces our commitment to customer experience optimization,” said Douglas Reid, VP – Marketing and Product Management at Whitmore. “Through Jet-Lube | OilSafe Solutions we are committed to delivering enhanced customer integration, improved customer service levels, and additional innovative offerings.”

Leveraging Xenon arc’s Xa-DIRECT business model, both companies foresee improvements in overall operational efficiencies, increased connections and reach, improved team bandwidth, and higher visibility into market demand, production planning, and stocking levels.

“We are thrilled to work with a mission-focused company like Whitmore,” notes Alyssa Cunnington, SVP – Exterprise Models at Xenon arc. “By combining Whitmore’s innovative products and systems with our expertise in customer insight, we anticipate increased sales growth from previously underserved accounts and markets.”

Whitmore and Xenon arc are confident that combining forces through the client success and inside sales organization at Jet-Lube| OilSafe Solutions will equip SMB customers with the technologies needed to accelerate business growth and successfully accomplish strategic goals. 

Xenon arc and Whitmore Jointly Develop World-Class Client Success and Inside Sales Organization

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- An affiliate of Peak Rock Capital ("Peak Rock"), a leading middle-market private investment firm, announced today that it has completed an acquisition of Xenon arc Inc. ("Xenon arc" or the "Company"), in partnership with the management team of the Company.

Xenon arc is a leading technology-enabled provider of managed services to food &amp; beverage, industrial, and chemical producer clients. The Company manages its clients' long tails of thousands of SMB customers collectively through its service offering including technical sales, support, technology and distribution services. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with operations across the United States, Europe and South America, the Company has built a strong reputation in the industry for exceptional service, technical capabilities and driving clients' revenue growth.

Steve Martinez, President and Managing Director of Peak Rock, said, "Xenon arc represents a unique opportunity to invest in a technology-enabled services platform with a strong leadership position in managed services to materials producers. We are impressed with the Company's track record of growth and look forward to partnering with the Company to accelerate the execution of its business plan, which includes strategic growth investments that would expand Xenon arc's service capabilities, technology offerings and geographic coverage."

Paul Warburg, President and CEO of Xenon arc, commented, "We are excited to partner with Peak Rock as we embark on our next phase of growth. Peak Rock has a deep understanding of our business, and a compelling track record of supporting companies and management teams in driving innovation and building leading platforms. We look forward to our partnership, which will position the Company to accelerate its rapid growth by expanding its service capabilities, geographic footprint, and empower Xenon arc to continue to invest in its technology and leading talent."

"This transaction exemplifies Peak Rock's commitment to invest in high growth technology-enabled services businesses. We continue to seek tech-enabled platforms that we believe can benefit from our ability to drive transformational growth through organic initiatives and strategic acquisitions," added Anthony DiSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Peak Rock.

Peak Rock Capital Affiliate Completes Acquisition of Xenon arc

Article originally posted on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/11/18/how-to-foster-continuous-innovation/?sh=1badfbc322d9">Forbes</a>.

Paul Warburg, President and CEO at <a href="http://xenonarc.com">Xenon arc</a>, discusses how to empower your team and improve profitability. <a href="http://xenonarc.com">Xenon arc</a> is an innovative tech company seeking to revolutionize distribution in the chemical industry.

If you read my <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/10/25/the-small-innovation-mindset/?sh=2bfe5f6574d7">prior article</a> on the small innovation mindset, then perhaps I have convinced you that incremental innovations are equally as valuable as one big bang innovation. But how do you create an environment in which small innovations are not only welcomed but also in continuous development?

I believe the intent to foster incremental innovation must be baked into the very fabric of your company and permeate all decisions and structures. There are several ways in which I have done this as CEO of a tech company in the chemical industry, and I believe these strategies can be applied to any business that is seeking innovation in the technical sphere.

Can you imagine the stir it would cause to put a business leader with zero technical experience in an IT strategy role? It sounds disastrous, but this has been a key part of our recipe for success. My approach is to find smart problem-solvers from the business side of the house and put them in charge of IT strategy with the goal of optimizing the way we do business on the technical side.

These business leaders have intimate knowledge of the customer and critical use cases, so they are driven to find the best solutions for the customer. They also benefit from their own naivety and are willing to ask the “dumb” questions because they don’t know what is impossible on the technical side. They are free from the constrained mindset that is naturally developed by anyone working in the same field for a long time. These leaders push their IT teams to find solutions they may not have otherwise pursued.

Part of the reason this works for us is because these business leaders are humble and committed to learning. We also have an excellent team that is willing to teach them the ropes. These things must go hand-in-hand. Even if you think you cannot do this, whether it is because you don’t have a business leader you can spare or there is too much resistance internally, then you still might try a version of this on a smaller scale. Try out rotational roles in which business leaders walk alongside the IT team for periods of time to learn what they do, get to know them on a personal level, and get involved in decision-making. A smaller step like this will likely result in increased respect and collaboration — and ultimately better ideas.

As a business leader, you might intellectually understand that the people working at every level of your business have more intimate knowledge of your customers than you do simply due to the nature of their roles. Perhaps you might assume that managers will solicit and float their good ideas to senior management. But a faster way to surface good ideas is to create a suggestion box with a robust process that includes a commitment to review every idea submitted.

I hesitate to call it a “suggestion box” because that sounds trite. For us, it truly is an “idea accelerator” and an effective way in which we crowdsource ideas from within. We have a cross-functional team that reviews each and every submission in a rigorous process. This allows us to surface good ideas and insights quickly. These ideas fuel the IT strategy pipeline that often leads to exceptional innovation and increased customer satisfaction. For example, one idea that came from someone in the business intelligence side of the company led to an order automation tool that streamlined the overall process, which significantly reduced the number of touches needed by our internal team and considerably improved the overall customer experience.

“Amazon will allow us to better serve smaller makerspaces, hobbyists, and educational institutions that would benefit from our polypropylene innovations”

When the goal is incremental innovation, there needs to be a well-oiled machine in place to generate small innovations at scale. After all, when more ideas are suggested, there are more ideas to review and thus more decisions to be made. The secret sauce is always your people and the way you manage them. Hire good people, and then empower them to make decisions without constant executive oversight. This creates a more efficient environment in which innovative ideas can be executed in a continuous cycle.

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How To Foster Continuous Innovation

Braskem Partnered with Xenon arc to Launch its New Online Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Sales Channel and Simplify Supply Chain Complexity

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Braskem (B3: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6;NYSE: <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/braskem-launches-amazon-e-commerce-store-to-make-polypropylene-filaments-for-3d-printing-accessible-to-consumers-301434379.html#financial-modal">BAK</a>; LATIBEX: XBRK) ("Company"), the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas, as well as a market leader and pioneer producer of biopolymers on an industrial scale, and Xenon arc partnered to launch Braskem's first-ever consumer-facing e-commerce marketplace on Amazon. Through the partnership Xenon arc is providing Braskem data-driven marketing and sales platform technologies focused on enhancing the way Braskem engages online with its small-to-mid-sized clients. Braskem's new Amazon online storefront features Braskem's polypropylene (PP) filaments for 3D printing in 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm diameters, as well as their award-winning carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) filament, made from 100% recycled carbon fiber.

Polypropylene is ideal for additive manufacturing based on its dimensional stability, impact strength, chemical resistance, durability to support living hinge capabilities as well as a lower density than other plastics making it up to 40% lighter than traditional PLA. These properties, combined with the recyclability of polypropylene, make it an attractive material for a wide range of 3D printing and additive manufacturing applications. 

Jason Vagnozzi, Braskem Commercial Director of Additive Manufacturing, stated, "We are continuously looking for new ways to make our materials more accessible to consumers and small enterprise clients. Through our partnership with Xenon arc, we have built a new e-commerce channel that overcomes some of the supply chain complexities that larger commodity producers face when trying to directly reach consumers. Amazon will allow us to better serve smaller makerspaces, hobbyists, and educational institutions that would benefit from our polypropylene innovations."

"Braskem is transforming the way they connect with customers, and we are excited to expand our partnership to the Amazon platform. Using our unique approach to marketplace management, we will generate profitable growth in a sustainable manner," stated Mica Zuniga, Senior Vice President, Strategic Growth.

Braskem filaments are designed with the end user in mind, making them a great choice for rapid prototyping, custom product design, lightweighting, optimizing geometries, and designing spare parts. Braskem filaments are available in both 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm diameters to fit a wide range of printer applications. To learn more about Braskem's expanding portfolio for 3D printing and additive manufacturing, visit <a href="https://www.braskem.com/usa/3d-printing">https://www.braskem.com/usa/3d-printing</a>.

Braskem Launches Amazon E-Commerce Store to Make Polypropylene Filaments for 3D Printing Accessible to Consumers

Xenon arc partnered to launch <a href="https://www.braskem.com.br/usa">Braskem's</a> first-ever consumer-facing e-commerce marketplace on Amazon. Through the partnership Xenon arc is providing <a href="https://www.braskem.com.br/usa">Braskem's</a> data-driven marketing and sales platform technologies focused on enhancing the way <a href="https://www.braskem.com.br/usa">Braskem's</a> engages online with its small-to-mid-sized clients. The online storefront features their polypropylene (PP) filaments for 3D printing in 1.75 mm &amp; 2.85 mm diameters, as well as their award-winning carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) filament. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/EECD5E69-30FE-4F83-B713-86055DBDE6AC?ingress=3">Visit their online storefront. </a>

<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/braskem-launches-amazon-e-commerce-store-to-make-polypropylene-filaments-for-3d-printing-accessible-to-consumers-301434379.html">To learn more, read the full Press Release!</a>

Xenon arc reframes and refocuses fragmented processes that materials producers are currently managing internally; taking the strain and stress off of their operations and empowering them to redeploy their internal resources to core strategic initiatives that drive higher profitability for the organization.

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Xenon arc Partnered with Braskem to Launch Their Consumer-Facing E-Commerce Marketplace on Amazon

Article originally posted on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/08/23/how-to-flip-priorities-to-empower-your-team-and-improve-the-bottom-line-for-all/?sh=2f8e6dda8e71">Forbes</a>.

Paul Warburg, President and CEO at <a href="http://xenonarc.com">Xenon arc</a>, discusses how to empower your team and improve profitability. <a href="http://xenonarc.com">Xenon arc</a> is an innovative tech company seeking to revolutionize distribution in the chemical industry.

The word “innovation” carries the weight of expectation, and it can be intimidating. But it shouldn’t be. As a business leader, a key principle that I espouse is that innovation doesn’t have to be earth-shattering — it can be continuous and include small improvements.

It can be innovations in sales and marketing. It can be innovations in supply chain. It can be innovations in product. It can even be innovations in operations technology, such as a custom modification to a backend system that noticeably improves the customer experience.

In my experience, there’s value in encouraging a much broader definition of innovation because it’s just as powerful in smaller doses.

Why is this simple mindset shift so important? Because if we change our perception about innovation to define it as continuous improvement on a smaller scale, then we can foster an environment within our companies that is more rewarding for our people while maintaining a critical competitive edge. It’s an approach that can prevent companies from resting on their laurels or getting complacent. And the beauty of this philosophy is that, because it’s incremental, it doesn’t require a large upfront investment in a major project. Instead, the investment is diffuse and your company reaps the benefits that snowball over the long term.

I’ve seen the value of this mindset play out while in my current role as CEO of a technology company in the chemical industry. We encourage our people to innovate in every aspect of the business, from supply chain to accounting. It’s not always sexy and exciting on the outset, but all the small innovations are what give us our competitive edge.

The key to doing this well is starting with a clear vision and strategic framework and knowing where you can and can’t make compromises. Then you can work on fostering an environment where smalls innovations can take flight.

For us, our mantra of “effective first, efficient second” has been the grounding vision. Our first priority is to be as effective as possible in meeting the needs of our customers. Because at the end of the day, the customers don’t care if you’re really efficient if the user experience is less than desired. And in our industry — the chemical industry — we have a complex supply chain that requires high-touch customer service and tailored solutions. Our customers need us to be a reliable partner because any hiccups in their supply chain are costly.

To satisfy this high-touch service model, we reverse-engineered the entire supply chain. We first focused on creating systems and processes that would be best-in-class for our customers at the expense of everything else. Then we tackled the efficiency part second, and that’s where the innovations happened.

We focus on driving what I call “substantial incremental efficiencies.” We were constrained by our value proposition of being effective first at all costs. This forced us to find ways to use technology to be more efficient within our inefficient framework. For one example, we tackled improving efficiency in our supply chain processes and technology without compromising the customer needs.

The way in which we’ve fostered innovation is part of our secret sauce. I’m relentlessly in pursuit of innovation and continuous improvement, and so this mindset initially permeated from the top down at our company. In my next article, I’ll share actionable ways executives can foster incremental efficiencies and small innovations.

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The Small Innovation Mindset

The small business dilemma is real. Collectively, the SMB represent almost one-third of your potential market. However, managing those accounts and fulfilling them is time-consuming and can take as much time and labor – if not more – than servicing the other 67 percent.

You’ve got a dilemma on your hands and there are two mutually exclusive options you can choose from.

It leaves you between a rock and a hard place. You don’t want to lose market share to your competitors, and you don’t want to be known as a company that ignores the little guy. However, if you don’t make tough choices, you stand the risk of alienating your shareholders and sullying your brand — which is the last thing you want to do.

News & Resources

Repairing Customer Relations After the Supply Chain Crisis

Xenon arc Launches directibility™ 2.0. eCommerce Platform

Data is the Untapped Source Needed for Successful Customer Intimacy

Xenon Arc Launches conntact™ 2.0

Xenon arc Expands Executive Team with Key New Hire

Xenon Arc Partners with Braskem to Bring New Innovative 3d Printing Materials to Market Throughout North America

Xenon arc Appoints Chris Brink & Dr. Hans-Josef Ritzert to its Board of Directors

Xenon arc Unveils New Brand Identity as the Company Embarks on its Next Phase of Innovation and Tech-Enabled Growth

Stabilizing Business and Building Market Share in Smaller Markets by Improving Relationships and Decreasing Service Costs

How to Navigate Change Capital Management in 2022

Xenon arc Expands Executive Team with Key Promotions

Xenon arc Announces New Chapter With Peak Rock Capital Affiliate Acquisition

Xenon arc and Whitmore Jointly Develop World-Class Client Success and Inside Sales Organization

Peak Rock Capital Affiliate Completes Acquisition of Xenon arc

How To Foster Continuous Innovation

Braskem Launches Amazon E-Commerce Store to Make Polypropylene Filaments for 3D Printing Accessible to Consumers

Xenon arc Partnered with Braskem to Launch Their Consumer-Facing E-Commerce Marketplace on Amazon

The Small Innovation Mindset

Turning Dozens of Accounts into One

How To Flip Priorities To Empower Your Team And Improve The Bottom Line For All

There Is A (Digital) Transformation Happening In Our Industry, You Are Either Onboard Or You’ll Be Left Behind

Effectively Cross Sell Your Products to Fragmented Markets

Learn How to Minimize Disruption When Going Digital

What are the Barriers to Third-Party Fulfillment and How You Can Overcome Them

The SMB Market and How You Can Expand Your Market Shares Through It

DuPont Water Solutions and Xenon arc Launch directibility™

Xenon arc Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary

Griffith Foods and Xenon arc Launch Griffith Foods Connect

MacDermidConnect Streamlines and Expedites Screen Printers’ Customer Experience With the Launch MacDermidConnect.com a New Online Commerce Site

Xenon arc Announces New Mobile Work Environment Program

Xenon arc Unveils Groundbreaking Voice of Customer Study Results Focused on Small-to-Mid Sized Business Customers

Xenon arc cited in new BCG article "Innovative Chemical Distributors Gain a Digital Edge "

Xa Shareholder Update - July 2020

Xenon arc Appoints Scot R. Benson to Board of Directors

Xenon arc Launches directibility™Online Commerce Platform

Xenon arc Donates Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the State of Washington

2019 Year End Letter to Shareholders

Huntsman Textile Effects Partners with Xenon arc to form NaviColor

Xenon arc and WGLI host a Panel Discussion on Customer Intimacy: The Intersection of Channel & Digitization

Xenon Arc Announces Senior Management Evolution to Support Rapid Growth