
Buckeye Technologies: Lean Tools for Strategic Alignment • 91
THE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
PROCESS AT WATLOW
Company: Watlow provides thermal solutions, like heaters, sen-
sors, controls, systems, and soware, primarily for industries
where it’s important to manage the thermal control loop. e
family-owned company was founded in 1922 in St. Louis,
Missouri.
Problem: Watlow set the goal to achieve growth at a rate that
was much faster than the company has historically been able
to grow. e company planned to grow by initially focusing
more deeply on three key markets: semiconductor processing
equipment, diesel emissions reduction ...