General

• Where does the licensor believe the product and technology are positioned in relation to the product and technology life-cycles ?

• Has the technology owner been long in the business of coatings ?  What ranges of coatings are offered ?

• Does the candidate product belong to the latest generation of coatings for miscellaneous exteriors ?  Is the coating technology unique?  If not, how competitive is it with other coatings of the same category in terms of price?  What sales ranking does the product have ?  Is the technology owner  a leader in the coatings field ?

• Is/was the product covered by a patent  in the licensor’s home market ?  Are there established product standards for this category of products in the licensor’s home market ?

Project features

• Product types and range in the context of demand in the host country

• Site suitability with regard to the application of the technology

• Scope for project phasing

• Volume sensitivity of the product to cost of production.

Product specifications, product-mix and outputs

• Suitability of product with respect to prevailing national and international standards for similar products and suitability of technology

• Product specifications in relation to the entrepreneur’s “positioning” and “segmentation” of the product in the market-place.

• Product mix capabilities of the technology; product adaptability.

• Suggested current mix; ease with which output can be varied and product specifications changed.

• Product packaging requirements and design design features.

• Product quality determination standards

• Customer convenience features

• Consumer safety profile of the product

• Patent-related advantages (if product is patented and/or if there are competing patented products)

• Product design that allows easier recycling or disposal as conventional  solid waste rather than hazardous waste.

Raw materials

• Suitability of local raw materials; or identification of critical raw materials; or identification of critical raw materials and minimum specifications.

• Variability possible in raw material specifications, i.e. quality trade-offs; possibilities of determining suitability by laboratory tests/pilot-planting/process simulation.

• Assurances of availability and supply of ancillary raw materials and products such as catalysts, which are outside the control of the technology recipient.

• Features of transportability stability of raw and auxiliary materials, hazards, containers, transportation modes, loading/unloading requirements, warehousing.

Energy forms and utilities 

• Intensity of energy usage in the production system.

• Preferred energy forms and combinations, i.e. steam, electric power, fuel oil, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) etc.

• Other process/production  utilities required, e.g. water and air

• Desired features of utilities (pressures, temperatures) and  means of obtaining them.

• Interchangeability of energy forms, and plant design in relation thereto.

• Environmental consequences (air, water and soil) of alternative fuels and the extent to which the use of a particular fuel