RESILIENCE IN THE TIME OF COVID AS BUSINESSES IN THE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR SET THEMSELVES UP FOR POST LOCK-DOWN RECOVERY, WE SPEAK TO THE TEAM AT CITYWIDE ABOUT HOW THEY’VE NAVIGATED THE CHALLENGES AND COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE STRONGER.
T
he peak of a pandemic might not be the best time to consider adding an entirely new service division to a multi-disciplinary business. But, then again, it might just be the right one if you’ve already envisioned the growth trajectory and set yourself up strategically and operationally. That was exactly what Citywide, an integrated service solutions company active in the eastern seaboard, did. Late in October 2020, when most of the country was going through strict lockdowns, Citywide kickstarted its Energy and Utilities division by acquiring Victoria’s leading electrical services company, the Gordon McKay Group and its Tasmanian subsidiary, Frontline Electrical. This was followed by the acquisition of New South Wales-based utilities and infrastructure specialist service provider, Ultegra, in March this year, which further broadened Citywide’s existing presence in the NSW market. Together, the three strategic acquisitions helped to establish Citywide Utilities, which adds to the long list of service divisions within the Citywide Group, including Civil Services and Traffic Management, LGA Capital Works, Arboriculture and Trees, Commercial Waste, Horticulture and Open Space. Looking back at the decision, Andrew O’Neill, Citywide’s General Manager for Strategy and Growth, says the acquisitions were well aligned with Citywide’s Vision 2025 strategy for growth. “We have a clear vision of where we want to be as a company and setting ourselves up as a successful business in the energy and utilities sector has been part of 24
ROADS DECEMBER 2021
The new business acquisitions are aligned with Citywide’s Vision 2025 strategy for growth.
that vision,” he says. “All three acquisitions fit very well into that business model as these businesses have themselves been very successful in their respective regions and they bring a significant electrical engineering design and construction capabilities to the mix.” The integrations have so far proven to be very successful operationally, O’Neill says, with Citywide’s broader service portfolio complementing the new service offering. “When paired with our 25+ year heritage and experience in delivering civil works programs, it has enabled us to develop a compelling end-to-end utilities and energy service offering,” he says.
“Pole-to-Pit is a typical example: Citywide as an integrated services provider now provides a unique offering in the market with a truly end-to-end service by combining our newly acquired utilities and infrastructure capability with the experienced civil reinstatements capability, including permanent restorations, road works and traffic management offerings.” CITYWIDE’S CULTURE AND PEOPLE O’Neill, however, notes that a successful acquisition, as part of a sound growth strategy, is not just about acquiring a new brand entity: it is acquiring the vast experience and expertise of a team who are
