ATCO
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering, logistics, energy |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | S. Don Southern |
| Headquarters | Calgary , Canada |
Area served | Canada, Australia, Mexico, South America |
| Products | Electric utilities, natural gas production and distribution, construction industries, modular buildings, workforce camp management |
ATCO Ltd., known as the ATCO Group, is a Canadian publicly listed holding company specializing in engineering, logistics, and energy, with its main office located in Calgary, Alberta. The company’s portfolio includes subsidiaries engaged in electric utilities, natural gas production and distribution, as well as construction industries.
Subsidiaries
The ATCO Group encompasses:
Canadian Utilities, which owns:
- CU Inc., controlling:
- ATCO Electric, responsible for electricity distribution in Alberta, the Yukon (operating as ATCO Electric Yukon), and the Northwest Territories (under Northland Utilities)
- ATCO Gas, providing natural gas delivery services within Alberta
- ATCO Pipelines, managing natural gas transportation throughout Alberta
- ATCO Australia – Founded in 2010. In 2011, ATCO expanded by acquiring Western Australia Gas Networks for AUD 1.1 billion, creating ATCO Gas Australia that supplies Perth and other major cities in Western Australia via more than 13,100 km of pipelines and serving approximately 650,000 customers. ATCO Power Australia operates three power generation facilities located in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Karratha. Although distinct from ATCO Australia, ATCO Structures & Logistics operates manufacturing plants and offices throughout Australia.
- ATCO Energy Solutions, specializing in natural gas processing and storage services
- ATCO Power, engaged in electricity generation
- ATCO Energy, offering natural gas and electricity retail services along with home-related services in Alberta; this division underwent rebranding in April 2025
- ATCO Mexico – Established in 2014 to focus on natural gas, electricity supply, power generation, as well as structures and logistics
ATCO Structures is involved in the production, leasing, and sale of modular buildings.
ATCO Frontec delivers workforce camp management services, operational support, facilities management, and emergency response solutions.
History
Founded in 1947 by S. Don Southern as Alberta Trailer Hire with a fleet of fifteen utility trailers serving Calgary, the company later became Alberta Trailer Company before adopting the name ATCO. By the early 1960s, it had expanded operations across North America and into Australia.
ATCO Industries Ltd. went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange in March 1968. During the 1970s and 1980s, the company broadened its business scope to include natural gas, petroleum products, and electricity.
After Alberta deregulated its retail energy market in 2004, ATCO divested the retail arms of ATCO Gas and ATCO Electric to Direct Energy Marketing Ltd. (DEML), while retaining ownership of the infrastructure networks. DEML outsourced call center and billing functions to ATCO I-Tek. In 2016, ATCO re-entered Alberta’s retail energy market through ATCO Energy and further expanded into home services by 2025.
In 2018, ATCO acquired a 40% ownership interest in Neltume Ports, a port terminal operator based in South America.
In 2022, the company agreed to pay a $31 million penalty related to overcharging on a transmission line project.