Business Consulting

We bring together business, technical and operational competencies to evaluate a proposed investment and validate the business case.

Often centres around the transformation of an existing manufacturing supply chain but can include market analysis and related value propositions.

A structured approach is followed to ensure all potential options and implications are explored including:

• Demand and portfolio projections and sensitivities
• Supply chain models and configuration including make vs buy
• Technology options
• Facility and infrastructure options
• Organisational requirements
• Capital investment and cost-to-operate

Various options are configured into shortlisted scenarios whose business cases can be compared including financial evaluation metrics (contribution, payback, NPV).

Risks are collated with mitigation measures proposed and residual impacts quantified.

Studies are typically undertaken pre-site masterplanning phase but can be completed alongside.

We help develop the required future manufacturing footprint by analysing the key requirements and interdependencies such as:

capabilities (product portfolio, service levels, accreditation)

capacity (forecasted demand, dual/contingency sourcing, supply models)

cost (CAPEX, total delivered cost, working capital)

The study starts by collecting baseline data on customer requirements, production capacities, logistics flows and projected demand to develop the 'As Is' case.

The actions and improvements that can be implemented before considering further investments are defined to develop the 'Optimised As Is' base case scenario to assess any investment scenarios against.

Investment opportunities are then explored to further optimise footprint through scenario and sensitivity analysis to shortlist the potential future state options. This can include changes to volume and product allocation, changes to technologies, number of sites and logistics network.

The chosen future footprint is the refined and validated with supporting a business case.

Finally, a 'Transition strategy' is developed to describe how to future state structure and operating model can be realised.

The scope of NIRAS assessment can cover all aspects of a manufacturing supply chain but typically focuses upon capacity, productivity, and cost improvement as well as energy and water efficiency.

Typically 1-2 weeks in duration, and follows a structured collaborative approach to brainstorm, assess, and prioritise an improvement list and develop an actionable initiative list.

Involves sharing of relevant industry benchmarks, project experience and transition implications.

Provides a framework to compare less tangible opportunities such as sustainability and capability improvement alongside more standard cost saving opportunities.

Can be a targeted standalone scope or form part of a wider initiative such as site masterplanning, footprint optimisation or decarbonisation roadmap.

We assess processes, asset condition, system reliability, leadership and culture. Supply chains, compliance and sustainability are also reviewed to highlight hidden risks or costs.

Our approach is practical. We don't just flag issues — we show what to fix, where quick wins lie, and where investment may unlock value or avoid unnecessary spend.

The result is a clear roadmap to guide decisions, whether you're integrating an acquisition, raising funding or preparing to sell.

ODD is especially valuable when entering new markets, scaling fast, or reviewing operations that have grown without structure. It also reassures investors that a business is resilient and fit for the future.

At NIRAS we start with a clear view of assets, processes, utilities and supply chains, benchmarking against industry standards to expose inefficiency and waste.

Our focus is practical: quick wins that save money now, targeted investments where needed, and long-term changes that deliver lasting benefit.

This could mean improving hygienic design, optimising clean-in-place (CIP) systems, reducing energy and water use, or aligning maintenance with actual asset performance. Each recommendation is backed by engineering expertise and a clear financial case.

The result is a roadmap that balances cost, risk and resilience — giving you confidence to expand, integrate or simply get more from existing facilities.

We begin by understanding where you are today: how teams work, how decisions are made, how assets and technology support delivery, and where bottlenecks or overlaps exist.

From there, we create a model that aligns structure, governance and processes with your objectives. That might mean simplifying decision chains, redefining roles, or introducing new ways of working.

Technology, data and systems are part of the picture too. We ensure they support transparency and scalability, while sustainability and regulatory needs are built in from the start.

The outcome is a framework that balances efficiency with flexibility — making it easier to integrate acquisitions, scale into new markets or adapt to future challenges.