Abaxa
Abaxa is a Western Australia-based specialist in subsurface utility detection and surveying, providing utility location, GPR, concrete scanning, vacuum excavation, and pipeline surveillance to infrastructure contractors, utilities, and government asset owners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersSouth Perth, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Abaxa does
Abaxa is a Western Australia-based specialist in subsurface utility detection and surveying, tracing its lineage to Ward Holdings (founded 1980) and previously operating as WH Location Services before rebranding to Abaxa. The company delivers utility location, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), concrete scanning, vacuum excavation, pipeline surveillance, Rodding Inspection Camera (RIC) services, HP gas supervision, and feature and topographical surveying to AS5488 standards. Its proprietary "3 Degrees of Safety System" underpins a reported 99.9% clearance accuracy and an 82% strikeless success rate over the trailing twelve months, across more than 94,000 cumulative projects, and the firm holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications.
The business is a privately held family-owned company headquartered in South Perth with 51–100 employees and 30 years of industry experience, positioning it as the largest dedicated sub-surface detection operator in Western Australia. Revenue is generated through project-based service contracts with tier-one infrastructure contractors, engineering consultancies, and government or utility asset owners, including Georgiou Group, AECOM, John Holland, Downer, CPB Contractors, the City of Perth, Water Corporation, Main Roads WA, Western Power, APA Group, ATCO Gas, and Telstra. Pricing is project-scoped rather than subscription or SaaS-based, with revenue tied to WA infrastructure and utility capex cycles.
The go-to-market is relationship-led, leveraging long-tenured contractor relationships and safety credentials to win inclusion on infrastructure programme panels. Diversification outside Western Australia is not evident in the available data, and the firm does not disclose AI/ML capability development, suggesting the operating model remains rooted in field expertise, proprietary methodology, and accredited process discipline rather than software-driven differentiation.
Abaxa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Abaxa
- Legal name
- WH Location Services Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://abaxa.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Abaxa is a Western Australia-based specialist in subsurface utility detection and surveying, providing utility location, GPR, concrete scanning, vacuum excavation, and pipeline surveillance to infrastructure contractors, utilities, and government asset owners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Abaxa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Perth
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Abaxa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Utility Location Services: Project-based professional services for locating underground utilities including communications, power, gas, sewer, and water. Charged per crew with minimum booking fees plus hourly rates exceeding minimum. Includes travel, mobilization, and demobilization charges.
- Utility Survey to AS5488: Subsurface utility engineering survey support services providing survey data management with deliverables including DWG files, AutoCAD Civil 3D outputs, and PDF survey plans. Billed per project based on scope and complexity.
- Ground Penetrating Radar & Concrete Scanning: Specialized scanning services using GPR technology for subsurface imaging and concrete structure analysis. Project-based pricing with minimum booking requirements.
- Non-Destructive Vacuum Excavation: Safe excavation services using vacuum technology to expose underground utilities. Wet hire with qualified vacuum technician or dry hire options available. Production-based pricing based on ground conditions.
- Pipeline Surveillance & Maintenance: Ongoing patrol and surveillance services for pipeline infrastructure including ground patrol, easement maintenance, and protection services. Contract-based with daily reporting requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Utility Location Services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Survey and Technical Services |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Regional Services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Emergency Response Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Abaxa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Abaxa is Western Australia's largest dedicated sub-surface utility detection company, providing professional services to identify, locate, and map underground infrastructure before excavation or construction. The company offers utility location, feature and topographical surveying, ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning, concrete scanning, non-destructive vacuum excavation, high-pressure gas supervision, and pipeline surveillance services to civil construction, engineering, government, and utility clients.
Product overview
Abaxa is Western Australia's largest dedicated sub-surface detection company offering a comprehensive suite of underground utility services. The company's service portfolio centers on its core Utility Location service supported by Survey Utilities to AS5488 for subsurface utility engineering, complemented by specialized services including High Pressure Gas Supervision, Pipeline Surveillance, and Recipient in Charge (RIC) safety supervision. Technology-enabled services include Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for 3D subsurface imaging and Concrete Scanning using 3D optical structure scan radar. The company also provides Non Destructive Vacuum Excavation and Feature & Topographical Surveying. These services work together as an integrated damage prevention solution, with the company's proprietary '3 Degrees of Safety System' providing quality risk assessment across all project engagements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Utility Location Services Detection and mapping of underground utilities including water, gas, telecommunications, power, and sewer infrastructure using electromagnetic induction and ground penetrating radar for civil construction, engineering, and infrastructure projects across Western Australia.
- Survey Utilities to AS5488
- Feature & Topographical Surveying
- High Pressure Gas Supervision
- Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Services
- Concrete Scanning Services
- Non-Destructive Vacuum Excavation
- Recipient in Charge (RIC) Services
- Pipeline Surveillance Maintenance
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.9% accuracy on hundreds of thousands of utility clearances for underground pipes and cables
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Abaxa
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Abaxa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Abaxa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dial Before You DigcoreActive member of Dial Before You Dig organization. Abaxa technicians hold Dial Before You Dig Accreditation through theory and practical testing. Participation in DBYD system for utility reference plan searches and damage prevention coordination.
- NULCA (National Utility Locating Contractors Association)coreActive member of NULCA Australia - National Utility Locating Contractors Association. Industry body representing and setting standards for utility locating contractors.
- Civil Contractors Federation (CCF)coreActive member of Civil Contractors Federation. Participation in industry events and CCF Earth Awards program. Multiple project awards received through CCF recognition.
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIWA)minorActive member of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia. Business membership providing networking and industry advocacy.
- Western PowercorePreferred locator for Western Power Network including Network Access and Sub Station Level 2 accreditation. RIC (Recipient in Charge) supervisors authorized by Western Power for electrical network work permits. Ongoing preferred supplier relationship.
- ATCO GascoreAccredited HP (High Pressure) Gas Locators and Approved Locators for ATCO Gas. Permit management and supervision services for work near high-pressure gas infrastructure. ATCO Approved Locator status with specific service capabilities.
- APA GroupcoreAPA Gas Permit Issue Officers (Class B and Class E) providing permit management for APA pipeline corridors. Pipeline surveillance services for Parmelia Pipeline. Ongoing contract relationship for patrol and protection services.
- Water CorporationcorePreferred locator for Water Corporation (Water/Sewer/Drain). Completed major projects including Cast Iron Reticulation replacement in Fremantle. Ongoing project relationship for utility surveys and location services.
- TelstracorePreferred locator for Telstra Network. Company's founder Michael Ward was one of the first Telstra Accredited Plant Locators (APL) in Western Australia. Long-standing relationship for telecommunications infrastructure.
- OptuscorePreferred locator for Optus Network. Ongoing relationship for telecommunications network infrastructure protection.
- Vocus CommunicationscorePreferred locator for Vocus Communications Optical Fibre network. Relationship for fiber optic infrastructure location and protection.
- PTA RailminorPreferred locator for Public Transport Authority Rail assets in Western Australia. Services for rail infrastructure protection.
- ARC InfrastructureminorPreferred locator for ARC Infrastructure rail network. Rail asset protection services.
- Brookfield RailminorPreferred locator for Brookfield Rail infrastructure. Rail asset location and protection services.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Abaxa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GHD: Australian-headquartered engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm. Operates across water, transport, and energy markets where Abaxa provides locating services, and competes for design-phase subsurface investigations.
- Jacobs: Global engineering and technical services firm with significant infrastructure and environmental practices. Competes in utility coordination and pipeline integrity advisory that intersect with Abaxa's pipeline surveillance service.
- Worley: Global engineering and project delivery firm with significant energy and infrastructure exposure in WA. Provides adjacent asset integrity and pipeline services, overlapping with Abaxa's APA and ATCO surveillance work.
- AECOM: Global engineering and infrastructure firm that provides subsurface utility engineering and surveying as part of broader design and project management services. Listed as an Abaxa client, AECOM also has in-house SUE capability that competes with Abaxa on larger pursuits.
- Cardno: Australian engineering and environmental consultancy (now part of Stantec) with a relevant utility and infrastructure heritage. Provides broader engineering services but overlaps with Abaxa on survey and SUE inputs.
- Stantec: Global engineering, consulting, and construction services firm with utility mapping and SUE capabilities following its acquisition of Cardno. Competes for design-phase SUE work that Abaxa partially captures.
Direct peers
- Multiview Inc. US-based locating firm specialising in ground-penetrating radar, subsurface utility engineering, and concrete scanning. Highly comparable operating model — private, regionally dominant, credentialed technicians serving civil construction and engineering clients.
- GPRS (Ground Penetrating Radar Systems): Largest US-based private utility locating and GPR scanning company. Offers utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, and vacuum excavation — a near-identical service stack to Abaxa. They are the closest direct global competitor at scale.
- Subsurface Utility Engineering LLC (SUE): US-based SUE firm providing utility locating, designating, and surveying to ASCE/CI 38-02 quality levels — directly analogous to Abaxa's AS5488 subsurface utility engineering service. Comparable specialised private firm.
Emerging players
- Centurion Group: Pipeline integrity, inspection, and maintenance services provider with a comparable focus on integrity management programmes and compliance — overlapping with Abaxa's APA and ATCO pipeline surveillance work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Customer concentration
Abaxa social profiles
Digital presenceAbaxa compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Abaxa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Abaxa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Abaxa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Abaxa 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 Abaxa
What does Abaxa do?
Abaxa is Western Australia's largest dedicated sub-surface utility detection company, providing professional services to identify, locate, and map underground infrastructure before excavation or construction. The company offers utility location, feature and topographical surveying, ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning, concrete scanning, non-destructive vacuum excavation, high-pressure gas supervision, and pipeline surveillance services to civil construction, engineering, government, and utility clients.
Is Abaxa a public or private company?
Abaxa is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Abaxa founded?
Abaxa was founded in 1980. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Abaxa based?
Abaxa is headquartered in South Perth, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Abaxa make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Utility Location Services are the primary driver. The others are utility Survey to AS5488, ground Penetrating Radar & Concrete Scanning, non-Destructive Vacuum Excavation and pipeline Surveillance & Maintenance.
Who are Abaxa's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GHD, Jacobs, Worley, AECOM, Cardno and Stantec. Direct peers are Multiview Inc., GPRS (Ground Penetrating Radar Systems) and Subsurface Utility Engineering LLC (SUE). Centurion Group is listed as an emerging player.
Does Abaxa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Abaxa.