Highway Specialties
Highway Specialties, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Salem, Oregon, sells, rents, and leases traffic control equipment and custom signage to highway and bridge contractors across Oregon and Washington as a member of the Helix Traffic Solutions network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSalem, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Highway Specialties does
Highway Specialties is a regional traffic control equipment provider founded in 1996 and headquartered in Salem, Oregon, selling, renting, and leasing work zone safety equipment to construction contractors and infrastructure projects in Oregon and Washington. The company's product line centers on traffic control devices (channelizing equipment, barricades, cones), trailer-mounted traffic control devices for mobile work zones, custom signage manufactured in an in-house sign-making department (work zone-approved roll-up signs, regulatory and warning signs, rubber and metal bases), and personal protective equipment such as vests, hard hats, and safety glasses. It complements these products with services including traffic control plan design, traffic control maintenance, permanent Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), guardrails, pavement markings, and sanitation. The company operates four physical locations — Salem, OR and Port Hadlock, Puyallup, and Vancouver, WA — providing regional equipment access for the Pacific Northwest.
The business runs a hybrid revenue model combining one-time equipment sales and usage-based equipment rentals, with quote-based pricing, pay-as-you-go billing, and no publicly disclosed price list. Go-to-market is sales-led: direct contractor relationships, repeat business, referrals, phone and email quote requests, an online PDF catalog, and a forthcoming online store. The primary customer segment is highway and bridge contractors in the Northwest; a secondary segment comprises event organizers and municipalities with short-term equipment needs. Marketing channels are predominantly direct (company website, phone, in-person at the four locations) and referral-driven, including cross-referrals from the Helix Traffic Solutions parent network.
Highway Specialties is a wholly owned subsidiary operating within Helix Traffic Solutions, a nationwide network of more than 20 traffic supply companies headquartered in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In 2024 the company updated its logo to align with the Helix "seal of excellence" branding, reflecting formal integration into the parent platform. Management is a small leadership team — President Jeff Peterson, Vice President Jim Versusky, and Estimator Josh Smith — with 11–50 total employees. The company is privately held, with no disclosed funding, revenue, or M&A activity.
Highway Specialties firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Highway Specialties
- Legal name
- Highway Specialties
- Website
- https://highwayspecialties.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Highway Specialties, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Salem, Oregon, sells, rents, and leases traffic control equipment and custom signage to highway and bridge contractors across Oregon and Washington as a member of the Helix Traffic Solutions network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Highway Specialties industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Traffic Control Equipment
- NAICS
- Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Work Zone Traffic Control Device Supply & Rental (Cones, Drums, Barricades, Delineators) (TLAJALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Portable/Temporary Signage & Message Systems (Temporary Signs, PCMS/VMS, Arrow Boards) (TLAJALAC), Traffic Control & Work Zone Management (Flagging, Lane Closures) (BPABAKAE)
Keywords
Where Highway Specialties is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Highway Specialties business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales: Sale of traffic control equipment including trailered traffic control devices, traffic control devices, signage, pavement markings, guardrails, and personal safety equipment such as vests, hard hats, and safety glasses.
- Equipment Rentals: Flexible rental options for traffic control equipment and safety gear for short-term projects, providing time-efficient solutions for contractors needing temporary equipment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment sales and rentals with quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Highway Specialties product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Highway Specialties sells, rents, and leases traffic control and work zone safety equipment to contractors, municipalities, and event organizers across Oregon and Washington. Its inventory includes trailered traffic control devices, channelizing equipment, cones, barricades, custom signage (roll-up, regulatory, warning, and bespoke signs), and personal protective equipment. The firm also delivers complementary services such as traffic control plan design, maintenance, pavement markings, guardrails, permanent ITS, and sanitation for work zones.
Product overview
Highway Specialties operates as a traffic control equipment provider offering a unified product portfolio of sales and rentals across the Pacific Northwest. The core offerings center on Traffic Control Devices and Trailered Traffic Control Devices (mobile units), complemented by Custom Signage Solutions featuring in-house sign-making for roll-up signs, regulatory signs, and custom designs. The company also provides Personal Safety Equipment and Channelizing Equipment as essential work zone components. These products are supported by professional services including Traffic Control Plan Design, Traffic Control Maintenance, Permanent ITS, Guardrails, Pavement Markings, and Sanitation Services. Equipment is available for both short-term rental and long-term purchase to accommodate projects of varying scales.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Traffic Control Devices Stocked traffic control devices including channelizing equipment, barricades, and traffic cones available for sale and rental to support work zone safety during road construction and maintenance projects.
- Trailered Traffic Control Devices Trailer-mounted traffic control devices for mobile work zone applications, available for sale and rental to provide portable traffic management on construction and maintenance sites.
- Custom Signage Solutions State-of-the-art in-house sign production for work zone-approved roll-up signs, regulatory signs, warning signs, and custom designs, with rubber and metal bases for temporary signage stability.
- Personal Safety Equipment Personal protective equipment including vests, hard hats, and safety glasses stocked for sale and rental to protect workers on construction and maintenance work zones.
- Channelizing Equipment Channelizing equipment for directing traffic flow and maintaining safe work zones, available within Highway Specialties' full traffic control device inventory for sale and rental.
- Traffic Control Plan Design Professional traffic control plan design services that produce customized plans for construction zones and maintenance projects.
- Traffic Control Maintenance Ongoing maintenance services for traffic control equipment to ensure optimal performance and compliance with safety standards on active work zones.
- Permanent ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) Permanent Intelligent Transportation Systems solutions delivered for long-term traffic management infrastructure projects.
- Guardrails Guardrail installation and supply services for roadside safety infrastructure on highways, bridges, and roadways.
- Pavement Markings Pavement marking services for road markings and lane delineation that enhance driver guidance and safety.
- Sanitation Services Sanitation services supporting temporary and long-term work zone operations and maintenance.
Companies that use Highway Specialties
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Highway Specialties technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Highway Specialties partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Helix Traffic Solutions (Parent Network)coreHighway Specialties is a member of the Helix family, a nationwide network of leading traffic supply companies. The Helix 'seal of excellence' provides a brand promise and cross-referrals within the network of over 20 traffic supply companies across the United States.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Highway Specialties competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Highway Safety Services: A sister company in the Helix Traffic Solutions network offering traffic-control equipment sales and rentals in a different region but with identical product portfolio, customer type, and parent-network affiliation — the closest apples-to-apples peer.
- Northeast Traffic Control: Another Helix network sister brand providing traffic-control devices, equipment rentals, and work-zone services to highway contractors in the Northeast US under the same Helix umbrella, with overlapping product mix and customer profile.
- Traffic Safety Supplies: Helix network member supplying traffic-control devices and safety equipment to contractors; competes with Highway Specialties within the same parent network, offering a directly comparable catalog and target customer.
- Southeastern Traffic Supply: Helix affiliate selling and renting traffic-control safety equipment in the Southeast US; same product lines, same GTM approach, and same parent brand — comparable in everything but geography.
- LoneStar Traffic Safety: Texas-based Helix network member focused on traffic-control equipment and work-zone safety services; direct competitor within the Helix family serving highway/bridge contractors.
- Superior Traffic Control: Another Helix network traffic-control equipment supplier overlapping with Highway Specialties on product portfolio (cones, barricades, signage, rental fleet) and customer type (highway/bridge contractors).
- Roadway Traffic Control: Helix network peer providing traffic-control devices, rentals, and related work-zone services to contractors; directly comparable business model and product catalog to Highway Specialties.
- US Traffic Control: Helix network member offering work-zone traffic control equipment and services; operates with the same sales + rental hybrid model serving DOTs and contractors as Highway Specialties.
Broad incumbents
- Ver-Mac: Well-established North American manufacturer and provider of portable traffic-control devices, including trailer-mounted message boards, arrow boards, and work-zone safety equipment that compete with Highway Specialties' trailered devices line.
Emerging players
- Horizon Signal Technologies: Specialty manufacturer/renter of portable variable message signs, arrow boards, and work-zone ITS equipment competing directly with Highway Specialties' trailer-mounted traffic control device rentals across the Pacific Northwest.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Highway Specialties social profiles
Digital presenceHighway Specialties financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Highway Specialties leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Highway Specialties funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Highway Specialties M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Highway Specialties
What does Highway Specialties do?
Highway Specialties sells, rents, and leases traffic control and work zone safety equipment to contractors, municipalities, and event organizers across Oregon and Washington. Its inventory includes trailered traffic control devices, channelizing equipment, cones, barricades, custom signage (roll-up, regulatory, warning, and bespoke signs), and personal protective equipment. The firm also delivers complementary services such as traffic control plan design, maintenance, pavement markings, guardrails, permanent ITS, and sanitation for work zones.
Is Highway Specialties a public or private company?
Highway Specialties is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Highway Specialties founded?
Highway Specialties was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Highway Specialties based?
Highway Specialties is headquartered in Salem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Highway Specialties make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rentals.
Who are Highway Specialties's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Highway Safety Services, Northeast Traffic Control, Traffic Safety Supplies, Southeastern Traffic Supply, LoneStar Traffic Safety, Superior Traffic Control, Roadway Traffic Control and US Traffic Control. Ver-Mac is listed as a broad incumbent. Horizon Signal Technologies is listed as an emerging player.
Does Highway Specialties have an API?
No public API is recorded for Highway Specialties.
What industry is Highway Specialties in?
Highway Specialties's product category is Traffic Control Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJALAB, Work Zone Traffic Control Device Supply & Rental (Cones, Drums, Barricades, Delineators), with a secondary code of TLAJALAC, Portable/Temporary Signage & Message Systems (Temporary Signs, PCMS/VMS, Arrow Boards). Its NAICS code is 53241 and its SIC code is 7350.