COACT has nearly 20 years of experience partnering with engineering organizations. We lead them through change with agility, reduce risk with data and expertise, and get results that matter to their business. In fact, COACT’s very first client was within the engineering space, and they remain a client today.

That client, an engineering consulting and recruiting company, hired COACT to research and develop new business relationships with high-value targets, refineries specifically. They hoped that COACT would position them as an industry leader in the engineering aspect of process safety management (PSM). Spoiler alert: we nailed it.

The Challenge: Establishing Trust Amongst Prospects

Our client has been at the forefront of developing OSHA-specific programs and helping companies in the chemical, petrochemical, and refining industries to meet the strict compliance guidelines of OSHA standard 1910.119 since it was first issued in 1992. However, they were still facing some pushback from prospects concerned about outsourcing their PSM services due to cost, compliance, and trust concerns.

That is when COACT came in. Our mission was to showcase how by working with the client, prospects could mitigate the possibility of risks and hazards in their facilities, avoid lost or wasted time, and operate in the most efficient, safe, and proactive way possible. In addition, we wanted to highlight the client’s Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) capabilities.

The Solution: Becoming a Market Authority

COACT worked with the client to develop and implement a comprehensive, fully integrated business growth strategy. Our plan included market and competitive research, list building of high-value target accounts, business development outreach, a website refresh, content creation, and email marketing. This approach enabled the COACT team to gain knowledge on the client’s target market and profile buying systems to identify buyers at various large refineries.

After multiple touchpoints, COACT was able to secure a promising opportunity for the client which they successfully proposed and closed shortly after meeting with them. Our goal was to eliminate the variable of timing in the sales cycle, continuously reaching out with thought leadership content via phone and email outreach to build a relationship with the prospect, so that when the prospect had a need, our client was strategically positioned to complete the work.

The Results: Successfully Identifying Potential Hazards 

Our client’s new customer is a diversified, innovative energy company that manufactures and sells gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, specialty lubricant products, specialty chemicals, and specialty and modified asphalt. One of their goals was to establish a LOPA PHA program in their refinery. While this program was not meant to replace their current HazOp PHA program, it helped supplement it, as LOPA is an excellent tool to validate the effectiveness of the safeguards identified in the HazOp as IPLs (Independent Layers of Protection).

During the development of the LOPA program, our client reviewed a portion of HTUS PHA information. From there, they made a list of suggestions for improvements to the PHA based on their experience. In addition, during the LOPA review, the LOPA team made two suggestions for potential changes to the new guidance – PSM-GDL-108 “LOPA Methodology and Guidelines.”

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This is just one example of a new business opportunity as a direct result of COACT’s people, process, and tools. Our engineering client has since developed new and ongoing relationships with high-value targets such as these, which have led to significant business growth. COACT’s integrated business development and marketing teams continuously support this client on outreach to their previous customers, enabling our client to stay top-of-mind as a thought leader in process safety for refineries, and positioning their competitive advantage in the market.

Why COACT?

At COACT, our integrated team of inside sales and marketing professionals’ prospect, pre-qualify, and position strategic growth opportunities for our clients to close.

Our portfolio expands across industries and continents. We have had notable success working with engineering firms, supporting them on building strategic, long-term business relationships and strengthening their brand image. Visit our website to learn more.