Case Study

Hunt Graham, Corac Group PLC

Client/Employer
Hunt Graham, Corac Group PLC (Design and Manufacturing of Heat Exchangers)
Type of Support
Growth Transformation Strategy Development
Appointment
Managing Director
Disciplines
Business Transformation, Business Development, Post-Acquisition Integration, Strategy
Sectors
Oil & Gas, Chemical Processing
Geographical Remit
UK, Middle East, Europe, North Africa, Far East
Type of Contract
Interim

Testimonial

Chris brought a pragmatic approach to his assignments at Corac Group and it was obvious, from very early within the first assignment, that he possessed broad brush cross functional skills that enabled him to quickly achieve some very satisfactory outcomes. Personable and undoubtedly a team player, Chris has the intellectual ability to grasp complex technical issues and rapidly achieve credibility with all those around him. In addition his business experience means that he can bring a business brain to an engineering environment and quickly see and add value. I would commend him to you.

Martin Blomley, Corporate Development Director, Corac Group PLC

Challenge

Following acquisition, the business needed to be integrated into the Corac culture. Sales processes produced untailored quotes in response to enquiries, with minimal success at low margins and unquantified risks. Communications between management, sales, design staff and the unionised shop floor were very poor. Overseas agencies were not managed and had very low success rates. With a rapidly decreasing order book, there was no plan to recover the situation. Six weeks into the assignment, when the business lost the MD, Finance Director and Sales Manager, I took over the role of Interim MD, and had to recruit and integrate a new management team.

Solution

It was crucial to identify key accounts and implement new processes to deploy the company’s limited technical resources most effectively and drive repeat valuable business.

After targeting signature projects proactively, we began to win higher-value projects and improved our win ratios.

I completed a review of overseas agencies, met with each of them and repositioned our relationships.

In order to maximise design and drawing office resources, we severely culled the unqualified sales pipeline and professionally addressed the high-value, high-probability opportunities.

By developing existing relationships with third-party engineers and EPCs, the company came to be selected as a supplier for major projects.

We raised awareness of Hunt Graham further through a targeted marketing programme supported by new operational promotional materials. 

Results

Under the sales recovery strategy agreed by the Board, I identified and led major bids, closing deals that increased the average order value in all business streams by between 150% and 400%. Through targeted opportunity management we doubled the company’s overall order book year-on-year.

Rebuilding relationships with our overseas agencies resolved concerns about their/our performance.

We achieved approved supplier status with top-tier oil and gas clients, technical intermediaries and compliance organisations.

The new permanent management team we integrated into the business embedded the new culture, transforming communications at all levels, so that shop floor employees were instrumental in the business transformation.