Case study

Arbtech is a leading ecology consultancy providing arboricultural and ecological surveys to support planning application approval

Challenges

• Challenge #1: Evidencing market size and headroom potential
• Resolution: In the absence of credible existing market data, PMSI analysed ~12k planning applications to build a robust market model, which has since been used in thought leadership and responses to DEFRA / Government consultations

• Challenge #2: Sustainability of market growth underpinned by new, nascent regulations
• Resolution: With no Political Due Diligence undertaken as part of the transaction, our work effectively argued for the long-term sustainability of existing ecology regulations and the new BNG requirements

• Challenge #3: Sustainability of Arbtech’s competitive differentiation
• Resolution: Historical growth in excess of the market had to be explained and the sustainability of those factors evidenced (e.g. SEO positioning). Many were ‘intangible’ factors (e.g. cultural approach to work) that were robustly proven through our customer referencing exercise

• Challenge #4: Demonstrating recruitment and retention as a genuine commercial differentiator
• Resolution: In a capacity constrained market where resource was expensive to buy-in, we demonstrated how Arbtech’s employee proposition and effective graduate programme flowed through into service quality and share gain

Outcomes

Value-add market data: PMSI’s bespoke market model analysing ~12k planning applications has since been used in thought leadership and consultations with Government

Smooth process: Early release of selected PMSI material pre-round 1 to educate bidders on the market. Seven strong 2^nd round bidders (with negligible challenge to the VCDD)

Successful exit: Limited top-up work required for successful bidder and short exclusivity window, with Arbtech successfully sold to private-equity backed Celnor Group