Plastitehase working with Best Innovation Practice (BIP) Best Innovation Practice (BIP) is an online innovation tool designed to structure a formal innovation process within European plastics and electronics SMEs. Amongst the first ones to be able to test the tool, one of Estonia’s leading plastic recycler, Plastitehase, followed the BIP process. Plastitehase, a small but successful company established in 1999 with 50 employees and a €1m turnover, mainly operates in the recycling of used plastic packages - bottles, boxes, cases, barrels, plastic bags - and industrial plastics. Plastitehase is operating in a highly competitive industry where margins are becoming smaller and smaller; hence there is a need to develop new ideas for new products and services that can put more profit into the business. Additionally, even though Plastitehase have developed long term relationships with their customers, they needed to strengthen their customer base by working with more strategic clients. Kalevi Paluteder, CEO of Plastitehase, was introduced to the BIP tool from contacts with the BIP partner Pera, initially through their Pera Estonia branch. From using the BIP innovation tool, Kalevi Paluteder found the facilitated brainstorming the most useful part of the process; the session helped Kalevi focus his many innovative ideas into a structured innovation plan. Pera took the role of Innovation Facilitator to guide Plastitehase through the BIP process, providing a deeper understanding of the BIP output in relation to Kalevi’s needs. Plastitehase found the online version of the BIP tool easy to follow and self explanatory; nevertheless, Kalevi appreciated the added benefit of support from an Innovation Facilitator; “Pera helped us identify the need to innovate.” Overall it took Plastitehase around one and a half days to go through each of the BIP stages, using the deeper support from their Innovation Facilitator. It is essential to spend the necessary amount of time to fully benefit from the BIP tool. The overall added value was that BIP provided Plastitehase with options of potential areas for innovation to keep one step ahead of the competition. Kalevi was presented with such opportunities as diversifying with new products or joint ventures, and producing higher quality and quantity of their products. Now in the last phase of the BIP process and following the action plan generated, Kalevi has integrated European research and development projects, working with new business partners and accessing new technologies. Keywords European Union
