The Power of Private Capital in Altus Group

Altus were very pleased to be featured in an Australian Investment Council campaign highlighting the benefits of private capital for growing businesses. Strong, supportive shareholders have made an immense difference to the pace, professionalisation and quality of our offering to Australian and New Zealand customers. 

The campaign highlights how private capital has enabled Altus to innovate in a traditionally fragmented and underserved sector. With close to 1,000 companies historically operating in the traffic management industry, growth and innovation were often constrained by limited access to funding and high personal risk for business owners. 

“The Australian traffic management industry has always been highly fragmented,” said Beth Lilford, Head of Digital at Altus Group. “Any kind of growth or innovation has needed to be funded by a bank loan. That has resulted in an industry that has tended to be risk averse and stagnant.” 

Strategic investment from private equity has transformed Altus’ trajectory. The business has expanded from 20 depots to nearly 60 across Australia and New Zealand, now employing more than 6,000 people and operating a fleet of more than 2,500 vehicles and many thousands of pieces of equipment. 

“We saw a significant opportunity to invest behind Altus—both in the people and the equipment,” said Duncan Orr of Pacific Equity Partners. “We also saw a pretty innovative opportunity to drive out a digital solution.” 

This digital-first approach is already making a tangible impact. Altus has introduced a suite of smart safety technologies via Workzone Digitisation that provides early warnings to road workers about potential hazards. 

“The equipment we are putting out on the road now is having a subtle impact on driver behaviour,” Orr added. “We’re seeing vehicles move through our work zones much slower than in traditional setups. It’s about keeping both road users and workers safe.” 

For those on the ground, the changes are deeply felt. “My job's getting better because it's getting safer day by day,” said Abdul Chamma, Traffic Control Supervisor at Altus Traffic. “You have more confidence putting your team out on the roads in dangerous situations that you can monitor.” 

Safety remains Altus’ guiding principle. “Whether it's working on a major road project or a small community event, our North Star always remains unwavering,” said Lilford. “And that is to get everybody home safely every day without exception.” 

The transition hasn’t been without its challenges. “We saw traffic controllers say, ‘Hey, we’ve got these new owners come in, they’re injecting all this money, they’re buying technology—we are going to get pushed away,’” Orr recalled. “It wasn’t that at all. It was about re-educating them, saying, ‘No, we’ve now got a partner that’s going to invest in your safety.’” 

At its core, Altus’ transformation is about people and their safety. With private capital backing, Altus is not only growing, but also setting new standards for safety, innovation and professionalism in the traffic management industry. 

 Watch the full video and learn more about Altus’ journey with private capital at the Australian Investment Council website here.