Case Study
Kobus Pipe Puller: Building Investment Appeal from CEO-Led Sales to Strategic Exit Value
Kobus Pipe Puller is a B2B manufacturer operating in both Texas and the UK, offering a fast, cost-effective pipe replacement solution. Their KPP400 machine mounts on compact excavators and replaces up to 25 meters of service pipe in a single pull, minimizing risk to surrounding utilities. The specialized company serves water and gas utilities as a focused industry player.
Challenge
Before engaging with Craig Group, Kobus faced several foundational challenges that limited its growth potential.
- The company had not yet defined an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) or developed a formal go-to-market strategy, which made it difficult to focus their efforts effectively.
- Customer and lead data were being managed manually without any centralized CRM or data infrastructure, creating inefficiencies and potential data loss.
- Sales responsibilities were primarily handled by the CEO rather than a dedicated sales team, which limited scalability and placed significant burden on leadership.
- The company's digital presence was fragmented due to operating separate UK and US websites, potentially confusing customers and diluting their brand message.
- Additionally, there was no documented sales process, hiring plan, or compensation framework in place, making it challenging to scale operations systematically.
- Marketing efforts were not yet fully integrated into the overall business strategy, and private equity stakeholders had noted the need for more scalable systems and a clearer path to sustainable growth.
Solution
Craig Group led a full sales and marketing transformation, including:
Strategic Discovery
- Conducted stakeholder and customer interviews
- Performed data audit and competitive analysis
- Defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and tiered target prospect list
Sales Infrastructure
- Designed scalable sales org with hiring plan and KPIs
- Created custom compensation model to attract sales talent
- Recommended and implemented HubSpot CRM for pipeline management
Team Expansion
- Hired and onboarded two full-time sales reps
- Shifted CEO away from day-to-day sales activity
Digital and Marketing Improvements
- Consolidated UK and US websites under a single domain
- Launched SEO strategy (keywords, backlinks, content calendar)
- Produced educational blog content to drive organic leads
- Developed ABM framework and supported event/social media marketing
Before & After Impact Assessment
Before
After
Sales Team Capacity
CEO was the sole salesperson.
Two full-time sales reps hired with KPIs and comp plan.
CRM & Pipeline Management
No CRM; data tracked manually.
HubSpot CRM implemented with full pipeline visibility and automation.
Website & SEO
Two domains split by region; no tracked traffic or SEO strategy.
Unified web domain with optimized SEO and growing organic visibility.
Marketing Infrastructure
No dedicated team or processes; skepticism toward marketing investment.
Strategic marketing function launched (ABM, content, events, social).
Investor Readiness
Lacked clearly defined growth strategy and go-to-market approach.
Sales and marketing foundation in place; company was acquired post-engagement.
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Final Takeaway
This engagement wasn’t about a short-term revenue lift — it was about building a sustainable, scalable commercial engine that positioned Kobus Pipe Puller for acquisition. Craig Group’s structured sales and marketing overhaul turned an underresourced manufacturer into an investment-ready business with real growth potential.