Global Environmental Consulting Strategies and Competitor Analysis 2011

Additional Information

Press Release

Globalisation drives green consulting sector to $25bn

• A dozen firms are spearheading the globalisation of the environmental consulting (EC) industry, together accounting for almost a quarter share of the total US$25.4bn global market
• Their combined EC revenues have increased by 51% during the last four years to reach $6.2 billion in 2009/10 in spite of a market slowdown in the wake of the global financial crisis
• The global market is set to reach US$30.0bn in the next five years, with a 50% increase in worldwide demand for climate change & energy consulting services

Increasingly, multinational companies are demanding seamless global service provision from a select list of suppliers, but only a handful of operators in the environmental consulting field are in a position to offer this. In its latest research report1, Environment Analyst provides a unique statistical-based assessment and independent analysis of the regional EC operations, market positioning and business strategies of the largest and most globally-ambitious firms active in this rapidly-evolving marketplace.

Although the global EC sector remains highly fragmented, twelve EC practices have collectively grown their sales by over $2 billion in the last four years to capture a 24.3% slice of the total market worth US$25.4 billion in 2009/10. They are (in order of ranking by global gross EC revenues): URS Corporation, CH2M Hill, Arcadis, Golder Associates, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), MWH Global, RPS Group, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff (Balfour Beatty), Environ, WSP Environment & Energy and WorleyParsons.

NYSE-listed engineering and construction services group URS leads the pack, and is the only player with a global EC market share in excess of 5% - largely thanks to its strong position in the dominant North American sector (see attached figure - regional market leaders). URS significantly expanded the international reach of its EC business - particularly in the European, Middle East/Africa and Asia-Pacific regions - with its acquisition of Scott Wilson in September 2010. According to the report, URS is the market leader in no less than four out of the six major EC service disciplines - including the largest, contaminated land. URS also benefits from a strong public sector client base, deriving 45% of its total EC revenues from governments & regulatory bodies/agencies.