United States consulting and engineering firm Tetra Tech has acquired Adelaide-born SAGE Group in a landmark deal reported to be worth $150 million.
Announced via press release on 1 May 2025, industrial automation and digital transformation company SAGE Group attributed the acquisition to their goal of global expansion.
“This partnership will position SAGE for long-term growth, broaden its service offering, and provide new global resources - enhancing the value, innovation, and support we deliver to our clients and expanding opportunities for our employees,” said Adrian Fahey, SAGE Group’s Managing Director.
SAGE Group has become an Australian success story, growing from a backyard operation in the early 90s before it was it was officially founded by Andrew Downs in 1994.
It began by Mr Downs tinkering with computer programming and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and installing a security light for a strata title unit as the companies first paid job.
By 1996, SAGE Automation, as it was known, established its first Adelaide office and workshop, before delivering its first $1 million contract in 1999.
They became part of the ecosystem at Tonsley Innovation District in 2017 to enhance business agility and efficiency, and to work among peers in the tech industry.
SAGE Group is now a global company employing almost 800 people in offices across Australia and the Asia Pacific.
They are the parent company of SAGE Automation, Nukon, Skills Lab, and Embedded Expertise, and since 2001, have acquired businesses including PEP, Prisma, Rowanco Switchboards, Ailytic, Traffic Control System and the automation and controls division of Wellard Technologies.
SAGE Group is responsible for the digitalisation of billion-dollar road infrastructure projects and the complexities of power management systems for 154MW of solar and battery capacity.
Locally, they are known for their work on the Smart Cities Upgrade project throughout the King William Road precinct, implementing industry-first solutions including smart street lighting, event and power bollards, smart street furniture, and touchscreen digital kiosks.
They also partnered with electrical infrastructure company Enerven to help SA Water reduce water bills through a renewable energy initiative by designing and engineering an Energy Management System (EMS).
Earlier this year, SAGE Group was ranked as the world’s 11th largest system integrator in the 2025 System Integrator Giants Report, while reporting gross revenue earnings north of $200 million the year prior.
NASDAQ-listed Tetra Tech, with an estimated valuation of $US8.4 billion provides complementary services as a leading provider of high-end consulting and engineering services in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure.
Their acquisition of SAGE Group will expand their digital systems solutions to a broader suite of clients and provide advanced electrical and instrumentation design, engineered control systems, cybersecurity, and cloud integration.
Dan Batrack, Tetra Tech Chairman and CEO said, “The addition of SAGE Group’s digital automation capabilities will further enhance our offerings by bringing additional expertise, AI-enabled technology, and demonstrated client solutions to our collective team.”
Tetra Tech was founded in 1966 and has more than 30,000 employees and 550 offices worldwide, including nearly 2,500 employees in more than 50 offices throughout Australia and New Zealand.
This is the companies third Australian acquisition, following the purchase of Coffey International in 2015 and Noman Disney & Young in 2018.
SAGE Group will remain in their local headquarters within the Assembly Building at Tonsley Innovation District, with offices currently undergoing redevelopment, while reporting to their new head office in the United States.
The agreement for Tetra Tech to acquire SAGE is subject to customary closing conditions, including FIRB approval.