Propaganda wins MCA Award for Strategy with BSW Group
Propaganda is proud to announce our prestigious win at the 2023 Management Consultancies Association (MCA) Awards for Strategy. This highly coveted award is a resounding testament to our transformative work with BSW Group, a major player in the timber sawmilling industry.
Our innovative approach, praised by judges, stands as a true demonstration of the power of consulting, delivering outstanding value through strategic work. In a fiercely competitive category, which featured industry giants like PwC, Arup and KPMG, Propaganda emerged victorious, reaffirming our commitment to excellence in consultancy.
Following the acquisition of BSW Timber by PE fund Endless LLP, the business strategically acquired five companies in the timber supply chain, creating the UK’s largest vertical ‘seed-to-sawn’ forestry business. Our role involved unifying their entities under one umbrella, resulting in the formation of the BSW Group.
Our comprehensive Brand DiscoveryTM process, engaging both colleagues and clients of BSW Group, identified two critical issues – lack of integration and understanding among the acquired businesses.
Our strategic recommendation shifted the Group from ‘seed-to-sawn’ to a ‘circle of experts’, branding BSW Group as “the most innovative, technologically advanced, and sustainable timber business in the UK”. We also provided a clear direction on investments in innovation, technology and education.
This repositioning set BSW Group on course for transformative growth, allowing them to achieve exit ambitions three years ahead of schedule and deliver Endless LLP’s biggest-ever return, demonstrating a new culture of collaboration between the Group businesses.
Beyond exit value, other quantifiable results also surged. Group revenue increased from £350 million in February 2020 to an impressive £900 million in January 2023. The number of employees also soared from 2,000 to 3,050 during the same period. Notably, BSW Group broke records by securing the largest harvesting contract with Forestry Scotland.
The MCA Awards, hosted by the Management Consultancies Association, recognise and celebrate excellence within the consulting industry. With MCA member companies representing around 60% of the UK consulting industry, this accolade underscores the quality and impact of Propaganda and BSW Group’s partnership.
This win is not just a triumph for our team but also a celebration of BSW Group, who fully embraced our transformative strategies in the competitive timber sawmilling industry. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the MCA for this esteemed recognition and reaffirm our commitment to setting new standards in strategic consultancy.