Top 5 construction companies in Australia

The following are the top 5 construction companies in Australia led by CIMIC Group. This list is based on the company’s ability to undertake most of the required work on a project. In other words, these are tier-1 companies in the country.

They have the capacity to implement large projects with their own employees and equipment. They also have a large balance sheet, therefore, they can take on project risk and major procurement functions.

List of Top Australian Construction Companies by Market Capitalisation 2022/2023

1. CIMIC Group Ltd (Market capitalisation $10 Billion)
2. Mirvac (Market capitalisation $7.5 Billion)
3. Lendlease (Market capitalization $5.4 Billion)
4. John Holland Group (Market Capitalisation $5.1 Billion)
5. Downer Group (Market Capitalisation $3.07 Billion)

1. CIMIC Group Ltd

Headquartered in Melbourne, CIMIC is an engineering-led construction, mining, services, and infrastructure development leader with a history dating back to 1899. With over US$ 10bn market cap, the company is active in the telecommunications, engineering and infrastructure, building and property, mining and resources, and environmental services industries.

The company operates in Australia, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and the Middle East. Some of its notable projects include the M4 East dual carriageway motorway in Sydney, the Canberra Metro, Sydney Metro Northwest, and the West Gate Tunnel in Melbourne. Others include Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Sunbury railway line upgrade project in Melbourne, and Parramatta Light Rail in Sydney.

Noteworthy, CIMIC is an abbreviation for Construction, Infrastructure, Mining, and Concessions.

2. Mirvac

Mirvac is a leading development and management property group and is the second-largest construction company in Australia by market cap. Headquartered in Sydney, the company specializes in residential, retail, office & industrial and build-to-rent sectors.

Founded back in the 1960s the company has a market share of approximately US$ 7.5bn. It also has award-winning residential apartment projects and master-planned communities across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria & Western Australia. These protect include the  8 Chifley Office Tower and Broadway Shopping Centre, both in Sydney.

3. Lendlease

Lendlease is an international property and infrastructure group with core expertise in shaping cities and creating strong and connected communities. Headquartered in Sydney, they have a presence in four operating regions: Australia, Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

The company delivers critical infrastructure, stadiums, and entertainment facilities around the world, hospitals, schools, shopping centers, residential communities, and high-rise apartment buildings to the highest sustainability standards.

With more than 60 years of experience, Lendlease has been entrusted with many projects of public, cultural, and social significance. These projects include the construction of the Sydney Opera House and the creation of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York.

In addition, Lendlease carried out the restoration and renovation of historic buildings such as London’s Tate Britain and National Theatre.

4. John Holland Group

Lastly, we have the John Holland Group, an infrastructure, building, rail, and transport business headquartered in Melbourne. The company is reportedly connected with the China Communications Construction Company, Ltd. (CCCC), a majority state-owned, publicly traded, multinational engineering and construction company that was included in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2016.

CCCC aside, John Holland has a market cap of upwards of US$ 6bn and footprints across Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia. The company is involved in the development of projects such as the West Gate Tunnel in Melbourne, the Calvary Adelaide Hospital in, Adelaide, and the Sydney Metro City & Southwest in Sydney.

Additionally, the company has hands on the Sydney Football Stadium, the Sunbury railway line upgrade project in Melbourne, and the Metro Tunnel project in Melbourne.

5. Downer Group

Downer is a multinational company that has been in operation for over 150 years. The company specializes in designing, building, and sustaining infrastructure, assets, and facilities across Australasia.

Downer has carried out projects such as Gorgon Gas, Wheatstone, NBN, The Great Eastern Highway upgrade, and the New Plymouth Power Station. Other include the $460m Newcastle Light Rail, Princes Highway Upgrade, BELECTRIC GmbH’s Limondale Solar Farm, and Carrapateena Mine just to name a few, alongside a flurry of minor and major infrastructure and mining projects across Australia.

Also Read: Top 6 construction companies in Dubai

As far as the tier 1 construction companies are concerned, Australia has close to 20. These include Multiplex, Probuild, Hutchinson Builders, Hansen & Yuncken, BMD, BGC Group, Adco Constructions, and Clough Group among others. In 2021/2022 these and other companies in the building and construction niche contributed approximately  AUD 360 billion in revenue. This is about 9% of the Oceania country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).