Investigation and Security Services in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
Melbourne, Australia
Last Updated: August 2024
ANZSIC O7712Revenue
$13.0bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$X.Xbn
Employees
93,397
Businesses
6,704
Wages
$X.Xbn
Investigation and Security Services in Australia industry analysis
In recent years, security and investigative services firms have weathered mixed trading conditions. The crime rate dipped during COVID-19 lockdowns, while demand for event and crowd management services plunged. As pandemic health measures eased and consumers flocked to airports, events and businesses, demand for crowd control and patrol services has rebounded. The crime rate has also picked up as foot traffic increased again, necessitating security services. Businesses and households have continued to invest in security services and crime-prevention measures to protect themselves and their assets. Professional services firms are the biggest market for security providers, as businesses look to manage their risk and meet insurance obligations. Revenue is anticipated to inch up at an annualised 0.3% over the five years through 2024-25, to $13.0 billion. This includes an expected uptick of 0.2% in 2024-25. Revenue volatility remained low as larger firms incorporated long-term service contracts with businesses, government bodies and financial institutions to mitigate revenue fluctuations.
Trends and Insights
- Crime rates influence Australia's Investigation and Security Services industry. Since plummeting in 2019-20, crime rates have climbed and are approaching pre-pandemic levels. Demand for patrol, alarm monitoring and surveillance measures has remained steady thanks to long-term contracts with downstream markets.
- Mobile guard and patrol services are gaining demand due rising criminal activity, which is approaching pre-pandemic levels. Shoplifting is increasingly common due to cost-of-living pressures, and a strong professional services sector is contributing to greater revenue in this segment.
- New South Wales's burgeoning services sector is attracting a large number of commercial security services companies. These firms protect a wide array of industries, including the financial, legal, scientific, and utility sectors, with cluster-growth contributing to the state's economy.
- Some large companies are choosing to manage their own security infrastructure. By having in-house security services, these firms have a higher level of control and may prefer in-house staff for sensitive areas like military or research sites.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $13.0bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Demand for security services has been steady, despite a fluctuating crime rate
- Australia's crime rate has a flow on effect to security services. When the crime rate is high, or when people think it's high, households and businesses turn to security patrol, alarm monitoring and surveillance measures.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Critical infrastructure reforms will drive demand for specialised security services
- Under the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act 2018, firms that control vital parts of the economy must register their assets and develop risk management plans.
Biggest companies in the Investigation and Security Services in Australia
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
MSS Security | 963.0 | |
Wilson Group | 625.3 | |
Certis Security Australia Pty Ltd | 455.8 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 10 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Mobile guards and patrol services, Crowd control services and Security system monitoring services. Mobile guards and patrol services is the largest segment of the Investigation and Security Services in Australia.
Trends and Insights
Demand for mobile guard and patrol services is strengthening as criminal activity approaches pre-pandemic levels
- Downstream markets employ on-site guards to provide a security presence at the front desk or gate, guard compounds or equipment, monitor computer rooms, check automatic machinery and assist with product control.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- Police and Firefighting Services in Australia
Complementors
- Audio Visual Electronic Equipment Manufacturing in Australia
- Fire and Security Alarm Installation Services in Australia
- Wireless Telecommunications Carriers in Australia
International industries
- Security Services in the US
- Armored Transportation Services in the US
- Background Check Services in the US
- Security Services in Canada
- Investigation and Security Services in New Zealand
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Industry companies provide security, protection or private enquiry services other than those provided by police forces and government security agencies. Services include guards and patrols, monitored security systems, locksmiths, casual and permanent security staff, and crowd controllers. Companies also offer automated teller machine (ATM) and cash-collection services, and some aspects of secure document and computer data storage.
What's included in this industry?
Cash-in-transit and armoured guard servicesCrowd control Locksmith servicesMobile guard and patrol servicesSecurity consulting, personal medical alert systems and training servicesSecure document handling and storageSecurity system monitoringPrivate investigationCompanies
MSS SecurityWilson GroupCertis Security Australia Pty LtdPurchase this report to view all 10 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
ATMCCTVARMOURED GUARDSCITIndustry Code
ANZSIC 7712 - Investigation and Security Services in Australia
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Crime rates influence Australia's Investigation and Security Services industry. Since plummeting in 2019-20, crime rates have climbed and are approaching pre-pandemic levels....
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Mobile guard and patrol services are gaining demand due rising criminal activity, which is approaching pre-pandemic levels. Shoplifting is increasingly common due to cost-of-...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
New South Wales's burgeoning services sector is attracting a large number of commercial security services companies. These firms protect a wide array of industries, including...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Some large companies are choosing to manage their own security infrastructure. By having in-house security services, these firms have a higher level of control and may prefer...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Large security providers have relied on long-term contracts to mitigate revenue fluctuations. To secure these, they leverage their scale, expertise and reputation.
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of MSS Security's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Wilson Group's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Certis Security Australia Pty Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 7 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for MSS Security, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Wilson Group, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Certis Security Australia Pty Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 7 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
The Security Industry Act 1997 and Private Security Act 2004 enforce licensing requirements for security services in New South Wales and Victoria, respectively. Both Acts ens...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
The Security Services Industry Award has significantly influenced wage costs for security companies. Regulations like the one implemented by the Victorian Government, which r...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Australia include:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Australian Taxation Office
- Australian Securities & Investments Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia in 2024?
The market size of the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia is $13.0bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Investigation and Security Services in Australia industry in 2024?
There are 6,704 businesses in the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Investigation and Security Services market in Australia?
The biggest companies operating in the Investigation and Security Services market in Australia are MSS Security, Wilson Group and Certis Security Australia Pty Ltd
What does the Investigation and Security Services in Australia include?
Cash-in-transit and armoured guard services and Crowd control are part of the Investigation and Security Services industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Investigation and Security Services in Australia?
The company holding the most market share in Australia is MSS Security.
How competitive is the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Investigation and Security Services industry in Australia.
