By Lee Vettese - Business Development Manager - Environmental and Decommissioning
- How is ASCO thriving?
With a clear focus on growth and diversification, ASCO is expanding its global footprint to unlock new opportunities and strengthen its international presence. Leveraging EICDataStream, local contacts, country visits and its existing presence to identify high potential regions, the firm successfully secured its first major contract for a new decommissioning service offering in Australia. Building on this initial opportunity, ASCO is now targeting regional revenues of AUD$6 million as it strives for continued success.
- The challenge
Founded in 1967, ASCO is a leading logistics and materials management company serving the energy industry, delivering safe, lean, efficient and sustainable end-to-end solutions across logistics, transport and freight, warehousing and storage, materials management, environmental services and more.
Even the most established businesses must constantly evolve to seize new opportunities as global energy markets shift and transform. For ASCO, expanding its well-established range of services into new regions offered a logical path to growth, complementing its strong presence in the UK and other key markets.
However, establishing additional operations in alternative regions is a major undertaking, with potential hurdles including regulatory complexities, resourcing challenges, and competition from local incumbents.
- The solution
ASCO identified Australia as a key market for further growth - not as a new territory, but as a region where it could significantly expand its well-established footprint. With a presence in Australia for over a decade and existing bases in Perth, Darwin and Dongara alongside mobile camps, the business was ideally positioned to strengthen local relationships and leverage its deep regional knowledge.
In 2022, ASCO used EICDataStream to assess the market potential for launching a new service offering - one that was already well established in the UK. This was followed by a fact-finding mission in June 2023, during which it became clear that opportunities were more significant than first anticipated. Encouraged by the market conditions and positive client feedback, the team began formulating an expansion strategy.
The next step was defining the most logical and sustainable route to growth. This included reviewing inbound enquiries from across the country, exploring potential joint ventures, and assessing possible acquisition opportunities.
ASCO also undertook a detailed review of the regulatory environment - carefully navigating the complexities of state-specific laws and differing legislative approaches.
Staffing decisions were another key factor. The company had to consider whether to deploy UK-based personnel on a temporary basis or invest in building a longer-term local presence. Balancing experience with flexibility, ASCO developed a blended approach to ensure it had the right people on the ground at the right time.
Thanks to these concerted efforts, ASCO secured its first new service contract during its second visit to Australia in August 2023. This marked a pivotal milestone, demonstrating the company’s capabilities and strengthening ASCO’s reputation as a trusted provider in the region.
Initially, the project was supported by experienced UK staff as needed. However, the operation has since evolved to include two local staff on the ground - one ASCO employee and one contractor - providing operational flexibility and ensuring the business is well-positioned for sustained delivery.
The results speak for themselves. Having sent the right people at the right time, ASCO capitalised on a significant opportunity after its initial client had been dissatisfied with other service providers. ASCO’s ambitions don’t stop there.
The successful delivery of this project generated AUD$800,000 and opened the door for further growth. The next phase will see the firm secure a subsequent AUD$2 million contract, with Australian revenues now accounting for approximately 22% of total business revenue. Looking ahead, ASCO aims to increase local income to between AUD$4–6 million per year - an ambitious yet achievable target based on the strong foundations already in place.
ASCO’s strategic expansion in Australia - anchored by long-standing local experience and strengthened by global capabilities - is a clear demonstration of the company’s resilience and agility. By combining deep market understanding with a flexible delivery model, ASCO has not only opened up new revenue streams but also enhanced its international reputation.
In a rapidly changing energy landscape, ASCO is proving that its expertise, adaptability, and client-first approach can drive success - shaping the future of energy logistics and materials management on a global scale.
Learn more about our decommissioning capabilities here.