By Greg Ward, CEO, PTSG
As CEO of PTSG, I am often asked about our growth. “How have you done it?” “How do you manage integrations?” “How do you control it all?”
In my experience, growth through acquisition can be challenging, often attracting third-party commentary…particularly around the risk of dilution in service, culture or expertise.
These are fair questions. But the answers lie in how that growth is executed.
At PTSG, we’ve completed more than 40 acquisitions over the past 19 years. That experience matters. It has enabled us to develop a carefully targeted approach to M&A…one that focuses not just on scale, but on strengthening capability, deepening expertise and delivering more for our customers.
But acquisition is only part of the story.
Sustainable growth comes from the right balance between acquisition and organic performance. Organic growth is what validates the model, it reflects customer trust, service quality and the ability to consistently deliver. Without it, acquisition-led growth quickly loses its foundation. With it, the two combine to create something far more powerful and resilient.
Integration is where value is either realised or lost. That’s why PTSG has invested heavily in building robust, scalable integration systems and processes. These are designed to ensure consistency, maintain standards and, importantly, enhance service delivery…not disrupt it.
Our approach is deliberate:
- We acquire businesses that add technical depth and complementary, scalable capability
- We integrate them in a structured, disciplined way
- …and we retain the expertise and customer focus that made them successful in the first place
Underpinning this is the strength of our five core workstreams – Access & Safety, Electrical Services, Building Roof/Façade Cleaning and Maintenance, Fire Solutions and Water Treatment – each of which provides both focus and scale, while allowing us to deepen expertise and broaden our offering to customers.
The outcome is a business that continues to grow – both organically and through acquisition – while maintaining strong customer relationships. A contract renewal rate of c.90% suggests we are getting much of this right, even as we continue to learn and improve.
Growth is not just about getting bigger. It’s about getting better…more capable, more consistent and more valuable to the customers we serve.
As we look ahead, our strategy remains unchanged. We will continue to invest, continue to acquire selectively and continue to integrate with discipline and purpose.
Because done well, growth should strengthen what matters, not dilute it.
I’m always interested to hear how others are approaching this – what’s working, what isn’t and what lessons you’ve learned along the way.
As Hard Services Markets Grow, Supplier Scrutiny is Intensifying