OC Oerlikon

OC Oerlikon survived multiple near-death experiences (WWII, 2008 financial crisis, strategic pivots) through radical transformation from aerospace components to surface solutions and polymer processing. The company's $2.5B+ revenue comes from coating technologies (extending tool life, improving engine efficiency) and equipment for manufacturing synthetic fibers and nonwovens. This business model - selling productivity improvements rather than commodities - allows premium pricing: customers pay for Oerlikon's coatings because they extend cutting tool life 3-5x, saving more in reduced downtime than the coating costs. Oerlikon's survival since 1906 proves that in industrial B2B, solving customer economic problems creates more defensible businesses than selling technically sophisticated products that don't impact customer P&L.