The DS&A Objective

DS&A is a thermal market strategy consulting firm focused on electronics thermal management materials, thermal components, and thermal systems.

Thermal management for electronics has grown in significance to become a primary hurdle to system and module design for a broad range of electronics industry market segments. Market expertise is needed by companies investigating new markets to enter and by start-up companies with new material and product concepts. Technical market knowledge is frequently more important to developing a successful company strategy for this market than is performance of materials and components; while product engineering and materials and process development are important, the market expertise to successfully tailor materials and systems for the necessary market requirements and the correct selection of marketing channels are decisions which are frequently outweighed and which can defeat product performance attributes in the building of a profitable business.

This point is sometimes overlooked or is simply not well understood. In a highly-competitive market with many excellent products from well-entrenched suppliers, the rifle is the appropriate weapon. The “build it and they will come” strategy of old is consigned to the dust heap of electronics history, increasingly so as global market change has increased the complexity of identifying the customer and the key design influences in electronics.

We can assist with identifying and implementing appropriate channels, technical marketing, and even identifying the sales and marketing employees that will be the oil for the machine.

Practical market research and analysis for this rapidly-changing market will aid in assessing:

  • Market size and growth potential.
  • Target attributes required for a new material, assembly concept, or thermal component.
  • Target applications offering greatest potential for successful evaluation and adoption of a new technology.

Many companies have become aware of the need for new materials, new materials joining systems, and new thermal management concepts. Selecting the correct market entry strategy is critical to success. Market knowledge, availability of “gatepost” thermal and packaging engineering contacts within primary target markets, and assistance with product strategy development can and has driven success rather than failure.

In many cases in today’s market, business and market strategy for entry and product line expansion can be more important than engineering and technical concepts. An elegant solution that is improperly priced, that is sold through poorly-selected channels, and without practical guidance may never grow to its potential. A less-elegant solution sold with well thought-out sales channels and methods, excellent marketing collateral materials, and a select sales force may dominate a market where the elegant technical solution fails.

Strategy and technical marketing can make the difference.

Here’s how we can help:

  • Determining when a thermal product or material has an opportunity to win, globally.
  • Assessing the market growth potential, realistically, with supporting evidence as to positives and negatives.
  • Guiding product and company strategy discussions and decision-making to arrive at the best entry point.
  • Assessing existing vendors, OEM and CEM manufacturers, and other market influencers.
  • Assessing geographic shifts in design and manufacturing and what the impact is on sales, engineering, and technical marketing requirements globally.
  • Providing intimately-focused primary market research and evaluation.
  • Providing primary contacts for thermal decision-makers in target customers in many market segments, from microprocessors to phased-array radar systems to medical electronics.