Overview
A civil engineering contractor commissioned Leading Edge to assess the scale and structure of power, energy and utilities infrastructure activity, to support decisions around potential regional expansion.
The project was delivered in two phases, combining structured analysis of construction pipeline data with deeper investigation into market structure, delivery dynamics, and comparative regional opportunity.
The Challenge
The client was considering expanding its regional presence but required a clear, evidence-based understanding of whether sufficient and sustainable workload existed.
Key questions included:
- Is there enough volume and continuity of civils work to support a sustained presence?
- How is activity distributed geographically?
- What does the client and contractor landscape look like in practice?
- How does the opportunity compare to other established regions?
Without this clarity, there was a risk of committing resource to a market that may not deliver consistent long-term opportunity.
Our Approach
Phase 1 – High-Level Market Assessment
We undertook a structured desk-based review of construction project pipeline data, focusing on power, energy and utilities civils schemes within the defined geography.
This included:
- Analysis of current and forthcoming projects using construction pipeline data sources
- Assessment of project volume, value, and geographic distribution
- Review of contractor and client participation within the pipeline
- Development of clear, practical commentary to support a “go / no-go” decision
This phase provided an initial evidence-based sense check of market scale and continuity.
Phase 2 – Detailed Market Assessment and Benchmarking
Building on Phase 1, we undertook a more detailed analysis focused on larger infrastructure schemes and introduced a benchmark comparison with an alternative regional market.
This included:
- Analysis of pipeline composition by infrastructure type and value band
- Identification and assessment of renewable energy infrastructure activity
- Evaluation of project timing, maturity, and delivery characteristics
- Review of procurement structures, frameworks, and routes to market
- Comparative assessment of differing regional market characteristics
This phase provided a more granular understanding of market structure and accessibility.
What the Research Revealed
The research provided a clear, evidence-based view of the civils opportunity across the defined market:
- The market offers a substantial pipeline of power, energy and utilities infrastructure activity
- Beneath a small number of large schemes sits a broader base of ongoing civils work
- Activity is geographically dispersed, supporting flexibility in delivery
- The contractor landscape is competitive but not highly concentrated
- Access to sustained workloads is often shaped by frameworks and long-term procurement structures
- Renewable energy infrastructure is an increasingly important driver of activity
The Outcome
The project provided the client with a structured, evidence-based assessment of market opportunity, supporting informed internal decision-making.
It enabled the client to:
- Assess whether the scale and continuity of work justified further regional investment
- Understand how opportunity is distributed across project types, geographies, and clients
- Identify how market access is shaped by procurement routes and frameworks
- Compare different regional opportunities to support strategic planning
The phased approach ensured that early high-level findings could be validated and explored in greater depth, reducing risk and supporting a more confident strategic decision.
Infrastructure and Civils Market Research
Understanding the structure and accessibility of infrastructure pipelines is critical for contractors considering expansion. This type of construction market analysis helps organisations move beyond headline project values to identify where real, repeatable opportunity exists.
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