Environmental Consulting Services Industry Profile

Companies in this industry provide advice and assistance to businesses and organizations on environmental issues. Major US-based companies include Tetra Tech and Veolia North America, as well as the environmental and consulting divisions of engineering and construction firms such as AECOM, Bechtel, and Jacobs. Other major companies outside the US include Arcadis (the Netherlands), ERM and RPS Group (both based in the UK), and Golder (Canada).

Worldwide, the environmental consulting industry generates about $135 million annually, with peak revenue in 2021, according to PR Newswire. Growth is expected to come primarily from Asia-Pacific, particularly China as it works to clean up its manufacturing sector.

The US environmental consulting services industry includes about 10,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $16 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by the needs of businesses and government agencies to comply with new, existing, or anticipated environmental laws and regulations. The profitability of an individual company depends on its ability to accurately predict project costs and to secure contracts with large organizations such as the US government. Large firms have the advantage of providing a wide range of environmental expertise and can, thus, offer "one-stop shopping" for clients. Small firms are able to compete by specializing in regional markets or particular areas of expertise. The US industry is fragmented: the 50 largest firms account for about 30% of industry revenue.