The Right Time for Innovation: Lessons from Huntsman

Innovation is hard. Especially in large organisations. But it doesn’t have to be chaotic or impossible. Read in this article the Lessons from Huntsman, a $10 billion chemical company, based on a chapter in Breaking Innovation Barriers, a new innovation book which will boost your innovation impact.

Back in 2013, Huntsman Polyurethanes—a division of the $10 billion chemical company—faced a critical question: how can we innovate beyond product tweaks? The answer? Timing, teamwork, and the right method.

At the time, Huntsman’s Polyurethanes European Business Development Team was tasked with driving non-core innovations. They had ambition but lacked a structured approach. Enter Gijs van Wulfen’s FORTH Innovation Method . It was a revelation. Unlike other methodologies, FORTH was practical, structured, easy to communicate, and built to deliver results.

The Secret Sauce: Simplicity and Engagement

FORTH turned the vague “fuzzy front end” into clear, actionable steps. It combined both creativity and business thinking. The process involved cross-functional teams and senior leadership—ensuring alignment from day one. Over six months, the method delivered mini business cases, ready to move forward. But the FORTH Innovation Method wasn’t just about generating ideas; it reshaped Huntsman’s innovation culture in Europe.

Yet, the journey wasn’t smooth. Initial attempts to start with FORTH stumbled. Why? Timing. Huntsman was prioritising operational efficiency over innovation. Lesson one: timing is everything. Innovation needs fertile ground.

Picking the Perfect Moment

By 2016, the tides had shifted. Huntsman’s Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) business faced a stark reality. Incremental tweaks weren’t enough. The vice president saw the urgency. A six-month FORTH innovation journey began in 2017. Teams wrote clear assignments, collaborated across departments, and delivered six radical ideas. Four became full-fledged projects.

FORTH didn’t just deliver results—it created ambassadors for innovation. The methodology’s success in a smaller, agile business unit (TPU) proved its value and paved the way for broader adoption.

Key Takeaways for Innovators

1. Timing is Everything: Don’t push innovation when efficiency rules the day.

2. Start Small: Demonstrate value in an agile team before scaling up.

3. Engage Everyone: Innovation isn’t just for R&D—it’s a team sport. That's why in FORTH we call it WE-nnovation instead of I-nnovation.

Innovation professionals on LinkedIn: take note. Breaking barriers isn’t about having more ideas. It’s about having the right method, at the right time, with the right people.

Want to learn more strategies for driving innovation in your organisation? Check out my new book, Breaking Innovation Barriers, on Amazon. It’s packed with practical lessons and actionable tools to help you win buy-in and make real change happen.

Innovation doesn’t have to be a mystery. With the right approach, you can make it a success story. Start your innovation expedition today.

Wishing you lots of success.

Innovative regards,

Gijs van Wulfen

LinkedIn Influencer, Speaker on Design Thinking Innovation, Founder FORTH Innovation method, author of six Innovation Books, Global Number One Thought Leader on Design Thinking 2024

This LinkedIn post is based on an innovation story written by Denis T. 'How To Pick the Right Moment to Innovate at Huntsman' in the new book Breaking Innovation Barriers

Ps. Click on this link to boost your skills to lead innovation with the FORTH innovation method as certified facilitator.

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