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Medium Profitability Operations

Sticky Surfactants

#Chemicals #Manufacturing
ProHub Comment

This case tests the candidate's ability to diagnose profitability issues through cost-volume-price analysis. The key insight is recognizing that costs are identical between CavalierChem and its competitor, making pricing the critical lever. Candidates must also consider strategic alternatives (repurposing or divestment) rather than fixating on a single solution.

Estimated Time 15 minutes
Difficulty Medium
Source Darden
50 / 100
Your client, CavalierChem, is a global chemicals manufacturer. CavalierChem recently acquired a manufacturing facility that makes surfactants as part of a larger purchase of competitor assets. Surfactants are a specialty chemical used for a variety of purposes, including laundry detergent, and the client has very little prior experience with this type of product. The manufacturing facility is not currently generating profits, and the client wants your help in determining what to do.

Clarifying Information

  1. Does CavalierChem have a target in mind? The client wants to make the highest return from this facility as possible in the next 5 years
  2. What is CavalierChem’s core business/how do they make money? 80% of CavalierChem’s revenues come from the sale of commodity plastics to other manufacturers. The other 20% comes from a wide mix of products that are either downstream or byproducts of their core business.
  3. Why did they make this acquisition? The manufacturing facility in question was part of a bundled acquisition of other manufacturing assets that are of strategic importance to CavalierChem. CavalierChem now wants to evaluate the surfactant factory on its own.
  4. What does the surfactant market look like? The market for this particular surfactant is $300M annually. CavalierChem and one other competitor are the only significant manufacturers.