Voice of Customer Presentation R 15701 ABVI Project

Voice of Customer Presentation R 15701: ABVI Project Opportunities Sabrina Caliri, Joseph Lee, Christine Lochner, Ian Nanney, Courtney Smith, Thomas Visalli, Kenneth Wilkinson

Background Summary ● Big Picture: The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to carrying out its mission to prepare and empower people who are blind or visually impaired to be self-sufficient and contribute to their families and communities. ● Zoom In: Currently two of ABVI’s businesses are their sale of textiles for processing and their softgoods manufacturing. ● Gap: ABVI would like to increase the revenue they produce in these areas.

Project Description ● Goal/Mission Statement ● Increase business potential, create jobs, and generate revenue for ABVI ● Objectives ● Identify potential softgoods manufacturing operations that ABVI could add to current production capabilities ● Identify and evaluate potential upcycling techniques to maximize donation value of bulk textile materials.

Stakeholders ● Primary Stakeholder ● Joe Kells, Director of Sales & Business Development ABVI ● Joyel Bennet, VP of Business Operations ● Secondary Stakeholder ● Employees of ABVI ● Blind and visually impaired population and their families ● RIT Community (Gerald Garavuso, DPL ABVI Team, MSD Team assigned) ● Goodwill customers and donors

Objective Tree Softgoods Production New material is sewed into a finished product. The finished product is of high quality. Purchase additional machines if proven to increase profit. Quick Return on Investment (TTM). Increase business potential, create jobs, and generate revenue for ABVI maintains status of having high integrity and consciousness. The final products needs to have a reliable and sustained market for product viability. Both Utilize existing resources. The process is competitive in the US market and potentially in the global market. The process increases employment opportunities for the blind and visually impaired community. ABVI will upcycle the material instead of selling it to an outside manufacturer to upcycle. Upcycling Textiles One Goodwill location per region will grind up the textiles for that region. Compare the profitability of selling the shredded material vs. processing further to create a product. Shredder should look for product opportunities to increase the value of the shredded fabric.

Project Both Category CR 1 Important CR 2 Desired Utilize existing resources. CR 3 Desired The process increases employment opportunities for the blind and visually impaired community. Increase Profitability CR 4 Important CR 5 Critical Quick return on investment (TTM). CR 6 Critical ABVI maintains status of having high integrity and consciousness. CR 7 Critical The final products need to have a reliable and sustained market for product viability. CR 8 Important CR 9 Critical CR 10 Critical CR 11 Desirable A total of 400 million pounds of textiles from Goodwills all over the country need to be recycled. CR 12 Desirable One Goodwill location per region will grind up the textiles for that region. CR 13 Desirable Create pilot upcycling program at Rochester ABVI location CR 14 Critical The recycling manufacturing process is operational by the visually impaired community. CR 15 Critical Shredder should look for product opportunities to increase the value of the shredded fabric (Sound deadening, insulation, cotton based non apparel, paper). CR 16 Critical Separating specific fabrics, turning shredded material back into thread or other useful commodities CR 17 Desirable Purchase additional machines if proven to increase profit. CR 18 Desirable Manufacturing utilizes current machinery. CR 19 Important Process uses pre-cut material for sewing. CR 20 Critical CR 21 Important CR 22 Critical Usage Resources Capabilities Usage Softgoods Resource Capabilities Project expands customer base. Customer Requirements Expand Current Business Capabilities Ethics Textiles Need # Importance Description The process is competitive in the US market and potentially in the global market. ABVI will upcycle the material instead of selling it to an outside manufacturer to upcycle. The recycling process needs to maximize profit per pound of donated material. The upcycling process needs to be more profitable than selling the material to a secondary company. Utilizes a workforce of 20 -30 skilled workers or more. New material is sewed into a finished product. The finished product is of high quality.

Next Steps ● Follow up interview with Stakeholders ● Verify customer requirements ● Obtain additional project information ● Identify potential products or product categories ● Refine customer requirements with background and benchmarking

Product Ideas Softgoods ● ● ● Sailboat sails Clergy robes Sports teams clothing Parachutes Other Military Apparel Textiles ● Sound dampening ● Cushions ● Insulation

Questions ● Do you have any ideas for high end soft good products ABVI could create? ● Do you have any suggestions for uses of grinded cotton materials?