Sathiya Singh V

1501039

Case: SweetWater
The case talks issues faced by outdoor recreationalists due to the shortage of
safe, clean and good tasting water. Many recreationalists, like backpackers,
campers, hikers and climbers, find it necessary to carry a water filter with
them during their trip to clean and filter the non-potable water available in
the environment in the form of mountain-fed streams in order to consume
them. This is because they cannot carry the amount of water for multiple
days use. Also, the natural sources of water like mountain streams, lakes and
ponds are contaminated by bacteria and viruses. The old solutions to treat
this are limited: one solution is to boil the water but it will take more time and
also it requires a person to carry the cooking resources, another solution is to
treat the water using chemicals but this also took long time and also leaves
the water with some taste. These drawbacks in the old methods gave rise to
the method of filtration using physical filter and the method is called microfiltration.
Micro-filtration uses physical filter, often made of porous ceramics, to screen
out parasites. There were two main types of filters: one was surface or
membrane filter which blocked particles of larger size, and the other was
depth filter which was made of thick porous ceramic material or a packed bed
of extremely small particles with a complex structure of channels to trap
pathogens. The bacteria were as small as .2 - 20 microns and some viruses
were even smaller with size of .02 microns. The pressure needed to push the
water through the depth filter was high due to which there was a need for
pump.
The portable water filter market was consolidated with two models
dominating the market: First Need and Pocket Filter. There was considerable
difference in the overall designs of both the products. The First Need filter
used carbon filter which filtered down to 0.4 micron but it contains separate
parts which needs to be attached together. Also, its PVC body was not
durable and the carbon filter could be cracked easily by rugged use. Pocket
Filter used ceramic filter that filtered down to 0.2 micron but the absence of
carbon would lead to bad taste of water. Also, Pocket Filter had a single body
but was too heavy for a single person. The price of Pocket Filter was about
$250 which was much higher as compared to the price of First Need which
was only $49.95. So, the available model of filters could not be operated by a
single person either because it was heavy or it was having multiple parts
attached together. So, Platter used this opportunity to develop a new filter.
Platter, with his prior experience with semiconductors in the computer
industry, designed a new filter made of glass fibres, with characteristics
similar to ceramic filter, which was much lighter and less susceptible to
breakage. He also used a layer of activated charcoal in his design to remove
impurities that affected the taste of the water. So, the design of the filter has
been complete.
Recommendations:

Sathiya Singh V
1501039

Platter should now build a prototype of the model designed and then test it
for its convenience of use, which motivated the initial design process. After
that, he should hire some sales reps and train them to use this product. The
sales reps should in turn reach out to the retailers and inform them about the
products. Since the retailers themselves are heavy users of such products,
their response should be recorded. Platter should also try to identify the
opinion leaders from the community and see their response. If the response is
good, he should invest in starting production after market research.