Previous Achievements
– Edward de Bono
Inspiration away from the desk
One of the challenges of product innovation is confidentiality — clients are rarely eager to broadcast the breakthroughs we’ve helped them achieve.
However, here’s one product innovation case study we can share.
A company approached us with a seemingly impossible challenge: measuring electrical current in a wooden pole. Other firms had attempted and failed. Some academic voices even suggested it was unworkable.
That same evening, inspiration struck. Less than 24 hours after the meeting, we were able to tell the prospective client that a viable solution existed (though such rapid answers are not always possible!).
At the proof-of-concept demonstration, the client — impressed by both the clarity and technical outcome — paid the agreed fee without hesitation. Our low-risk, high-value approach gave them confidence.
Full development followed. The resulting solution delivered commercial advantage, enabled a completely new service for their customers, and secured patent protection — a hallmark of our innovation and design process.
Real Product Innovation Case Studies: Unusual Technical Challenges
One project involved reviving infrastructure originally laid during the Second World War. The client needed to transmit high-speed communications over these aging cables. With risk kept to a minimum, we successfully demonstrated a proof of concept — and development led to a fully installable solution for the end client.
In another case, a client relied on outdated lead-acid batteries for a 110V DC backup system critical to their operation. We integrated the system into their modern Building Management System, enabling real-time monitoring without a full hardware replacement.
A different organisation needed remote monitoring of industrial boilers. We delivered a straightforward, functional solution that fit seamlessly into their operational environment.
Sometimes the challenge is connecting existing systems to “big data” platforms or modern dashboards. Whether you manufacture biscuits, excavate historical artefacts, recycle waste, or manage communications — we’ve supported innovation in industries as diverse as these.
These are just a few of the product innovation case studies that reflect how we bring clarity, strategy, and commercial outcomes to technically complex problems.
Learn more about how we approach product innovation.
If You Face a Technical Challenge, We’re Here to Solve It
Whether it’s remote monitoring, legacy infrastructure, or system integration, these real product innovation case studies highlight our practical, engineering-led approach.
If you’re facing a technical problem, or simply sense that things could be working better, we’re here to help. You don’t need to have the whole solution mapped out — that’s what we do.
Our first step is always to assess whether we’re the right fit. If we can help, we’ll tell you how. If not, you’ll know quickly — no time wasted, no hard sell.
Either way, you’ll come away with more clarity than you started with.
When it comes to protecting our own innovations, we rely on Marks & Clerk.