Case Study: Good Riddance (Hazardous Waste Expert)
Problem
The research and development team at a major surgical device company was experimenting with a new acid etch process for production of medical implants from high strength, corrosion-resistant alloys. The etching process worked well, but it resulted in the presence of chromium, molybdenum, and cobalt ions in the effluent stream. The company had not employed such a process before, and struggled to develop a safe and cost-effective method of disposing of the waste it generated.
Without such a method, the team risked hazardous working conditions in their plant and potential environmental liabilities. Although six engineers had worked on the problem for several weeks, none was a hazardous waste expert, and little progress had been made toward a solution.
Critical Issues
On-The-Ground Insights Targeted Perspectives Specific Process Experience
The Solution
Maven recommended launching a Telephone Consultation inquiry to identify a hazardous waste expert who had direct experience with processing liquid waste containing chromium, molybdenum, and/or cobalt. Of the several qualified candidates delivered by the Maven platform, one individual stood out due to her direct experience with a quick and cost-effective way of handling almost identical acid waste in a different industry. During a brief Telephone Consultation the Maven shared her solution and explained how it could be modified to the company’s specific situation and scaled up for mass production. After the discussion, the customer retained the consultant through Maven for an extended time to assist with implementing her process in the customer’s manufacturing facility. Within a few weeks the customer and the Maven arrived at a solution for their acid waste disposal problem that saved months of research time and significant budget.
“Maven saved us millions of dollars and six months of my team’s time. With their help, we created a new industry standard for the handling of acid waste.” – Front-End Research Director
