In this case study, CPL Business Consultants was engaged for the technical due diligence of a scientific services company. CPL helped the client understand the nuances of the business and enter a successful joint venture partnership.
Background
A client was interested in investing in a joint venture with a scientific services company and engaged CPL Business Consultants a specialists for the technical due diligence. The client had no previous experience in this business and required information to help answer a number of questions relating to company’s commercial services. These questions concerned existing and potential competition to the company’s services, strategies to diversify the company’s service portfolio and an indication of the potential size of return on investment that could be achieved.
CPL sought to describe the nature of the company’s activities/products so that the client had a complete understanding of the business and where/how value could be added. CPL endeavoured to give its opinion on whether each activity/product had significant potential, if it warranted further investment, and if so, what the approximate magnitude of the ‘upside’ could be.
Armed with the detailed knowledge from CPL’s technical due diligence, the Client was successful in its approach to the scientific services company and a joint venture was established.
Scientific Services Company Due Diligence
CPL’s technical due diligence report contained the following sections:
Views on the Company’s Scientific Services
- Ecotoxicology and Environmental Fate
- Food Quality and Safety
- Knowledge Solutions
- Proficiency Testing
- Training
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Fate
Introduction
- Analytical Chemistry
- Ecotoxicology
- Efficacy Trials and Testing
- Environmental Fate and Exposure
- Human Exposure
Answers to Client’s Questions
- Estimated Staff Footprint
- Estimated Income / Profitability
- Who are Company’s Competitors?
- How Could this Service be Grown?
- What Growth Could be Achieved?
- What is Blocking Company from Growing this Service or Activity?
- Benchmarking Company’s Pricing
- Indicators as to the Ability to Cross-Sell and Up-Sell within the Market
- Opportunities for the Wider Client Businesses Within this new Marketplace
- Business Development Plans
- Company’s Reputation
SWOT Analysis
Food Quality and Safety
Introduction
- Food Quality and Safety Programme
Answers to Client’s Questions
- Estimated Staff Footprint
- What is the estimated income and profitability of the activity?
- Who are Company’s Competitors for the FQS activity?
- What Level of Growth could be Anticipated, Given the Right Investment?
- What is blocking Company from growing this activity at present?
- How Could the Service/Activity be Grown?
SWOT Analysis
Knowledge Solutions
Introduction
- Company’s Knowledge Solutions
Answers to Client’s Questions
- Estimated Staff Footprint
- Estimated Income / Profitability
- Who are The Customers and where are they located?
- Competitors Offering Related Knowledge Solutions and Knowledge Management
- Competitors’ Prices
- How Would you Grow This Service?
- What Growth would be Anticipated, Given the Right Investment?
- How the Activity Fits with Client’s Services and how Client could improve it?
- Ability to Cross-Sell and Up-Sell Within the Market
- The Ability to Grow Internationally
- Business Development Plans
- Company’s Reputation for Knowledge Solutions
SWOT Analysis
Training
Introduction
Food Safety Courses
- Who are the Customers and where are they Located?
- Competitors Offering the Activity
- Other Activities that are Related and Offered by Competitors
- Benchmark Company’s Pricing
- How Could This Activity be Improved?
- What are Customer Opinions on the Courses?
- How would you grow This Service or Activity?
- What is Blocking COMPANY from Growing This Service or Activity Now?
- What Growth would you Anticipate, Given the Right Investment?
Environmental Modelling Courses
- Company’s Environmental Modelling Courses
- Who are the Customers/Service Users and where are They Located?
- Competitors Offering the Activity
- Other Activities That are Related and Offered by Competitors
- Benchmark Course Prices with Competitors
- How Could the Activity Be Improved?
- What are Customer Opinions on the Courses?
- How would you grow This Service or Activity?
- What is Blocking Company from Growing This Service or Activity now?
- What Growth would you Anticipate, Given the Right Investment?
Training Course in Wild Mammals and Birds
- Competitors for Wildlife-Related Training Courses?
- Competitors Offering the Activity
- Who are the Customers and Where are They Located?
- What are Customer Opinions on the Courses?
- Compare Course Prices with Competitors
- How Could the Activity be Improved?
- How would you Grow This Activity?
- What is Blocking Company from Growing this Service or Activity now?
- What Growth would you Anticipate, Given the Right Investment?
SWOT Analysis
FAPAS Proficiency Testing
Introduction
- Proficiency Testing
- FAPAS Schemes
- Quality Control Materials
Answers to Client’s Questions
- Estimated Staff Footprint
- Estimated Income / Profitability
- Benchmark Company’s Pricing
- Who are the Customers and Where are They Located?
- Customer Opinions on the Activity
- What is Blocking Company from Growing this Service or Activity now?
- Competitors Offering the Activity
- Other Activities that are Related and Offered by Competitors
- How Would you Grow This Service or Activity?
- What Growth would be Anticipated, Given The Right Investment?
- How the Activity fits with Client’s Services and how Client Could Improve it
- Ability to Cross-Sell and Up-Sell Within the Market
- The Ability to Grow Internationally
- Business Development Plans
- Company’s Reputation for Proficiency Testing
SWOT Analysis
Competitors
- Chemical Safety
- Higher Tier Ecotoxicology Tests
- Lower Tier Ecotoxicology and Efficacy Tests
- Government / Ex-Government / University Laboratories
- Food Safety Training
- Environmental Modelling Training
- Wild Mammals and Birds Training
- Proficiency Testing
Contacts
- Chemical Safety
- Food Quality and Safety
- Knowledge Solutions
- Proficiency Testing
Tables
- Benchmark Pricing Summary
- Ansoff Matrix for Ecotoxicology and Environmental Fate
- Knowledge Solutions and Competing Knowledge Management Systems and Databases
- SWOT Analysis for Company’s Knowledge Solutions
- Company’s Food Safety Courses
- SWOT Analysis for Company’s Training Courses
- FAPAS Proficiency Testing Schemes
- UKAS Accredited Proficiency Testing Organisations
- Proficiency Testing Schemes Offered by Company and its Competitors
- Price List for Competitor Meat and Fish Microbiological Samples
- Price List for Competitor Microbiology Proficiency Scheme
- SWOT Analysis for Company’s Proficiency Testing Schemes
- Competitors’ Reach Studies
- Comparison of Company’s Analytical Services with Competing Services
- Competing Isotopic Techniques Proficiency Testing Schemes
- Competing Proficiency Testing Schemes
- Meat and Fish Chemical Samples Competitors Pricing
- Meat and Fish Microbiological Samples Competitors Pricing
- Microbial Services Competitors Pricing
- Competing Food Safety Courses
- Competing Environmental Modelling Courses
- Competing Wildlife and Animal Courses
CPL has also worked on Food, the Environment and Consumer Labelling and also many other due diligence projects. For example, due diligence on a food concepts and ingredients provider. Have a look at our PowerPoint Introduction and Brochure describing deliverables, differentiators and case studies. Eight case studies can also be reviewed.