AP Benson conducts feasibility study to help agricultural products merchant identify new business opportunities

As part of the Waste & Resource Action Programme, WRAP, scheme AP Benson has been helping an agricultural products merchant to identify new opportunities for its business.

The Waste & Resource Action Programme, WRAP, is a not-for-profit company created in 2000 as part of DEFRA's (the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) waste strategies.

The client was looking to expand into commercial and industrial plastics recycling service providing a service to manufacturing firms in the east of England. To help the company formulate its strategy, AP Benson conducted a feasibility study to identify the volume and profile of plastic polymers in the target region.

Our report:

• Identified key C&I waste producers in the industrial and manufacturing industries 
• Established potential recycling requirements and waste streams that could be addressed and potential feedstock volumes.
• Identified competitor offerings, market share, business models and pricing, market strategies and their financial performance 
• Reviewed market research to analyse local waste market size
• Used the data gathered from the above exercises to provide an outline forecast market share and sales volumes
• Completed limited interviews with key feedstock suppliers 
• Completed interviews with current recycling plants.

This research forecast current and future waste volumes in the region and established the competitive model to enable the client to establish a differentiated offering to the target market. Surveys and interviews with prospects enabled the client to identify shortcomings in competitor services allowing it to address the market through a more innovative product.

AP Benson is a management and economic development consultancy with offices around the country including the West Midlands, London, Cardiff and the Thames Valley. Since the company's formation it has provided services to the public and private sector in a range of fields including feasibility studies, project evaluation, business strategy, business development and financial analysis.

Alex McLaren, Consultant and Business Development