Shamrock Chemical

This case study is one of 500+ case interview cases from the Case Library.

Case Interview Prompt

The agri-chemical industry has been consolidating for some time, down from 20 to 10 worldwide manufacturers in just 5 years. The market has been declining as genetically modified seed technology and superior farming methods have decreased the need for agri-chemicals.

Shamrock Chemical is a company based in Missouri with several factories across the United States that produce both packaged (dry) and bulk (large quantities of liquid) chemicals used in agriculture production. Shamrock Chemical has long been the beneficiary of its proprietary AIs (Active Ingredients) that have enabled it to charge prices well in excess of its costs. Shamrock has continually invested a large percentage of its sales in its research and development program.

Nonetheless, many of its most profitable AIs are about to come off patent and the VP in charge of sales is concerned that Shamrock’s EBIT will soon take a nosedive.

The VP in charge of sales wants to know your thoughts on how Shamrock could maintain its profitability over the next few years.

Case Overview

The case involves an agri-chemical producer that is anticipating a drop in profit due to many of its patents expiring. You’ve been hired to come up with a strategy to prevent a loss of profitability. How will you frame your approach?

You can apply the Profitability Framework as a starting place for your structure, but don’t stop there. The most effective case interview candidates take the main case frameworks and reorganize them to create a custom, tailored structure that helps them solve the case.

This is one of many case interview cases from the Case Library that will help you prep for a McKinsey final round interview. The case has 1 math exhibit to interpret.

McKinsey Interview Tips

Crush your McKinsey interview by becoming a framework expert.

You must be familiar with every framework, know how to blend them, and know how to use them to build creative, custom structures in your case interviews.

If your frameworks aren’t good enough, book a session with an expert coach. Your coach will work with you to close any gaps in your casing process until you are able to do cases in your sleep.

In addition, emphasize your communication in this case. You can have the best framework in the world, but if you can’t communicate it clearly, all is for naught.

Get more case interview cases back in the Case Library.