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The CIMIC Group has a rich, diverse, and illustrious history that dates back to 1899. Today, it stands tall as an Australian multinational contractor continuously moving onwards and upwards.

With multiple subsidiaries, including CBP Contractors, Leighton Asia, Thiess, Sedgman, UGL, Pacific Partnerships, and EIC Activities, CIMIC Group continues to undertake some of the most complex and large-scale projects across the globe.

From developing the iconic Antilia building in India, that's the largest private residence in the world, to constructing Westpac Place and White Rock Solar Farm in Australia, Christchurch Convention Centre in New Zealand and South Island Line, as well as a section of West Kowloon railway station in Hong Kong, among hundreds of other projects, CIMIC has done it all. And what's more, is that it shows no signs of stopping.

Following are a few key stats from 2021 that highlight the growing size and stature of the CIMIC Group.

A pioneer in the engineering, construction, mining, and public-private partnership industry, CIMIC Group has had an incredible journey spanning more than 120 years.

Let's review its awe-inspiring journey right from its humble beginnings to today…

From Leighton Contractors To Leighton Holdings

The CIMIC Group, formerly known as the Leighton Group, started out as the humble Leighton Contractors in 1949. The small contracting business would go on to become the successful Leighton Holdings Group in 1971 by growing rapidly over the years and acquiring multiple subsidiaries through strategic mergers and takeovers. Read on to find out how a small house building company went on to become Australia's most extensive construction and mining multinational company.

The Force Behind Leighton Contractors

It all started in 1949 when Stanley Leighton set up the Australian branch of British-based Leighton Contractors Limited. Stanley had joined the family house construction business as far back as 1920 and worked his way up to become the Managing Director in the span of a few short years.

Stanley was always a visionary who wanted to expand the family business outside of the house construction market. He worked round the clock to help Leighton Contractors break into the factory and warehouse construction markets. Under his leadership, Leighton Contractors also managed to secure development projects during this period.

But then WWII happened, and the post-war economic conditions in England were not conducive to expanding the business. Hence, Stanley decided to set up a new business division in Melbourne. He started with what he knew best, and that was building houses, but he soon began to secure civil engineering contracts in Melbourne. The rest, as they say, is history.

By 1962, Leighton Contractors was bringing in an annual revenue upwards of $4 million, and business was booming. The company had managed to grow at a steady rate, and it was finally able to get listed on the Melbourne Stock Exchange.

1962 was also the year when Stanley Leighton was appointed the Chairman of Leighton Contractors, and he would serve in this capacity till 1972. During his tenure, the company saw a period of exponential growth, and annual revenue increased from $4 million in 1962 to a record $58 million in 1972. That same year, the company earned a net profit of $1.74 million. The return on revenue was 3.1% which was an exceptional performance by a construction firm in a highly competitive industry.

This was also when Leighton Contractors was listed on the Perth and Sydney Stock Exchanges for the first time. The company was renamed Leighton Holdings to celebrate this important milestone in its journey. At the same time, Leighton Contractors was designated as the principal operating subsidiary.

File:Leighton Holdings logo.svg

Venturing Out To New Horizons

In 1975, Leighton Holdings ventured into the Asian construction market by establishing Leighton Asia in Hong Kong. The company successfully managed to secure the Registered Building Contractor Certificate from the Government of Hong Kong and commenced work on public projects such as sewerage and drainage projects.

But the big breakthrough came in 1979 when the new venture landed two big projects, which were the five-year Tuen Mun reclamation project and the site formation and infrastructure project at Discovery Bay. The company also secured its first private sector contract to build the Broadwood Road for Hopewell Holdings in Hong Kong.

File:Tuen Mun area 54 public housing estate under construction in September 2015.jpg
Tuen Mun area 54 public housing estate under construction | Source: Exploringlife, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From that point onwards, Leighton Asia went from strength to strength, and in 1980 the company landed six new contracts worth HK$ 461 million, including the Ho Tung Lau Railway Depot project, which was alone worth HK$ 102 million. The following year, the company took on the construction work for the Tai Po Market Station project, and even more, opportunities were on the way as the Hong Kong government made plans for the development of new towns and roads.

Furthermore, in 1982 Leighton Asia successfully landed the Ap Lei Chau site formation project worth HK $ 231 million. It was the largest civil engineering contract ever awarded by the Hong Kong Housing Authority. The company also managed to complete the Tuen Mun reclamation six months ahead of schedule.

The fact that in five years alone, the company was able to secure more public projects than any other contractor in Hong Kong shows that Leighton had cemented its position as the best civil engineering firm in the Asian region. Subsequently, Leighton was able to branch out further and establish its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Big Acquisition

Back on the home front, business was booming for Leighton Contractors even as Leighton steadily expanded its influence in the Asian region. During this period, Leighton Contractors was responsible for the construction of the Ross River Dam, the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Coonabarabran, and the Botany Bay Container Terminal in Australia.

Then in 1983, Leighton Holdings acquired a mining company called Theiss - its biggest acquisition to date. Theiss was then owned by the German contractor Hochtief, and they negotiated for a 30% interest in Leighton in exchange for transferring Theiss assets to Leighton Holdings. Theiss would go on to become the world’s largest contract miner.

File:Thiess Bros. digging machine excavating during construction of the Domain carpark, Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, ca. 1956. - Thiess Bros. Pty Ltd (9781208346).jpg
Source: National Library of Australia from Canberra, Australia, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

Theiss was a well-established mining company that dated all the way back to the 1930s. The company was founded by a group of five brothers who initially constructed roads for Queensland’s Department of Main Roads.

Then came the Australian energy crisis in the 1940s, and the country was hit by the worst coal shortage it had ever seen. That’s when Theiss came to the rescue by pioneering open-cut coal mining in Queensland and New South Wales to reduce the pressure on the existing coal mines in the country.

The move helped Theiss unlock new coal reserves that lifted Australia out of the energy crisis. The newly-found coal not only fulfilled the needs of the national economy but there were vast reserves of coal that could be exported to other countries. Hence, Theiss partnered with the Japanese firm Mitsui Coal Pty Ltd to export Australian coking coal abroad and boosted Australia’s GDP.

In 1958, the company secured contracts for Tooma Dam and Tooma-Tumut Tunnel for the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric scheme. It was the first Australian company to be awarded a contract on the all-important project. The construction of the Tooma Dam took 25 years, and overall the Snowy Mountains project was finally completed in 1974. Theiss was also responsible for constructing the tunnel and shaft for the Hydro-Electric Scheme in New Zealand.

Theiss also constructed a string of other dams across Australia, including the Talbingo Dam in 1967, the Dartmouth Dam in 1973, the Sugarloaf Dam in 1977, and the Wivenhoe Dam in 1984 after its acquisition by Leighton Holdings.

Key Takeaway 1: Acquisition-fueled Growth Works

By 1983, Leighton Holdings had come a long way from its origins as a house-building company. The company grew organically and went public in 1962, which gave it more credibility and helped it secure government projects that allowed it to expand beyond the house construction market towards civil engineering contracts and public projects in Australia.

It then widened its clientele and diversified geographically by venturing out into the Asian market with offices popping up in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

The acquisition of Theiss was also a strategic move on Leighton's part as it allowed the company to diversify the kind of services it offered. Theiss was well-known in the Australasia region as a company with extensive expertise in construction, mining, and hydroelectric projects, so the acquisition allowed Leighton to offer that experience, pioneering spirit, and services to its clients.

Going Full Speed Ahead

By this time, Leighton Holdings had managed to establish a significant presence in the construction and mining industry in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region of Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Vietnam. But this was just the beginning, and Leighton had no plans of stopping any time soon. The company was determined to grow and diversify its services and provide its clients with world-class facilities and public amenities.

Going Strong In the 80s

Leighton Holdings kept up its stellar track record of constructing mega-infrastructure projects at home and abroad. During the 80s, Leighton Contractors successfully bagged distinctive high-profile public projects such as the redevelopment of Sydney’s Darling Harbour as well as the construction of the ABC Centre at Ultimo in Sydney.

Leighton also constructed the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, which was Australia's first fully-integrated convention, exhibition, and entertainment arena. The Convention Centre had an auditorium that could seat 3500 people and more than 30 rooms for meetings and seminars. The exhibition area had five primary halls for exhibitions, galas, and other significant events in Sydney.

The company was also awarded the contract to construct Brisbane’s International Airport in 1988. The new airport had a domestic terminal, two runways with parallel taxiway systems, state-of-the-art maintenance facilities, and a freight apron at the passenger terminal.

File:Brisbane Airport (31649590441).jpg
Source: Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Leighton Asia, too, was moving forward steadily in the 80s, and the company secured the building contract for the Tai Wai railway station in 1984. It also secured contracts for the Light Rail Transit System, which was worth HK $1.2 billion, and the West Kowloon Expressway, worth HK $160 million in 1985. The following year, the company successfully landed two high-profile projects for the Hong Kong House Authority, which included the site formation project at Lam Tin and the Chuk Yuen Housing project worth HK $344 million.

By 1987, Leighton Asia was teaming up with local Cantonese and Japanese contractors to penetrate the local market further and secure more projects. The company also landed a contract worth HK $6 billion for the construction of the Hong Kong Polytechnic. The situation in the Asian construction market remained favorable and allowed Leighton Asia to open its first office in Thailand in 1988. The construction of the Berli Jucker House was the first project Leighton Asia secured in Thailand in 1990.

In 1992, Leighton Asia gained entry into the Hong Kong Government's List 1, which allowed it to bid for any government project of unlimited value opening the door for more lucrative opportunities in the public sector construction market. The company also got international accreditation for its commitment to building safety measures. Consequently, profit and revenue improved considerably for Leighton Asia.

Between 1992 and 1996, Leighton Asia secured multiple public and private contracts such as the West Kowloon reclamation and the Tai Lam Chung water pipeline in Hong Kong, the Amornphand Tower, and the BBC tracking station in Bangkok.

Breaking Into New Industries

Leighton Holdings journey is marked by a determination to grow and diversify its services by targeting new industries. In 1996, the company acquired Visionstream from Telstra to become a significant player in the telecommunications industry. Under Leighton Contractors, Visionstream branched out into Australia and New Zealand's telecommunications sector. Visionstream also won Sydney's Eastern maintenance contract when Leighton Contractors Service was established in 2000.

That same year, Leighton Holdings purchased a 70% stake in John Hollands which gave the company better access to newer markets and regions. John Holland was an engineering company that had started operations in 1949 when Stanley Leighton had first set up shop in Melbourne.

Over the years, John Holland continued to grow and deliver state-of-the-art construction projects such as the Parliament Building in Canberra. The company further expanded in the 1990s and built the Toyota car manufacturing plant in Altona and the Alice Springs Darwin railway.

John Hollands had experience working in both densely populated urban areas as well as remote and hostile environments in Australia, so it was a sensible acquisition for Leighton Holdings as the company had a proven track record of overcoming technical, physical, and logistical difficulties.

As part of Leighton Holdings, John Hollands became a Leading Tier 1 Contractor in Australia. Work-in-hand had surpassed $2 billion in 2004, and that same year John Hollands embarked on a joint venture with Theiss to start work on the EastLink project worth $2.5 billion.

Key Takeaway 2: Service Diversification Is The Way To Go

Leighton Holdings managed to keep the momentum going, and the company secured access to newer markets and regions in the 80s and 90s. It continued with its policy of strategic acquisitions, as seen with the takeover of Visionstream and John Hollands. The move allowed Leighton to access newer markets in Australia and gain entry into up-and-coming industries such as the telecommunications sector.

The acquisitions helped Leighton extend its capabilities to provide more services, primarily in the construction sector. Leighton Holdings created an operation system that allowed it to execute each and every primary activity in the construction value chain. This was largely possible through its strategic acquisitions of Theiss and John Hollands.

In the Asian region, the company continued to secure contracts in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Vietnam. The company established credibility with governments in the Asian region by obtaining international accreditation, and that allowed it to secure large-scale public projects. It also established symbiotic relationships with local Asian contractors that helped Leighton penetrate further into the market.

The Creation of CIMIC

This period of Leighton Holdings history is a testimony to the Group's ability to deliver on its commitments and execute world-class projects come rain or shine. It also highlights the company’s vision, its innovative spirit, and its ability to complete each project with the highest safety standards in mind. This period is a precursor to the establishment of the CIMIC group and shows why the company had all the ingredients to become one of the biggest multinational contractors globally.

Five Years, Five Landmark Projects

Leighton Asia started out 2005 with a bang by securing its first-ever contract in Sri Lanka. The company was tasked with constructing a 100 MW power plant in Embilipitiya – a remote town close to the jungle. The project was a matter of vital national interest as the developing nation needed a high-capacity power plant to meet the electricity needs of the entire country, and Leighton left no stone unturned to deliver on its promises even though the process was not without its fair share of troubles.

The location for the project was in the south-eastern part of the country and at least 4-5 hours' drive from the capital Colombo. It was a spot deep in the Sri Lankan jungle, and the employees would encounter wild elephants on the way to the construction site. But that was the least of their worries. To make matters worse, a massive tsunami battered the tiny island nation not long after work started on the plant. But Leighton Asia powered through and even managed to complete the power plant on schedule.

Moreover, Leighton Asia worked with a diverse group of new employees for the project in Sri Lanka. The power plant needed a large workforce, so Leighton recruited employees from all parts of the country to create a dynamic team of local and foreign talent. The company quickly integrated the new employees into its operational system and completed the project in a record 14 months.

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Source: Google Maps

Back in Australia, 2005 was also a big year for Leighton contractors, who teamed up with the Civic Nexus Consortium to design and construct the new Spencer Street Station in Melbourne. It was the biggest public private partnership contract to be awarded in the State of Victoria and a first for the Leighton Group.

Dubbed a 'civic landmark,' the new station featured the latest wave-form roof structure that made the station a distinctive part of the cityscape in Melbourne. The entire station redevelopment had to be done without disrupting the daily operations as more than 55,000 people used the station every single day. Hence, the Leighton team worked in a piecemeal fashion during off-peak times and weekends. But they made it work and created an outstanding transport facility with 22 lines and a smooth transition for passengers between trains, trams, buses, and taxis. The new station also had luggage check-in facilities and bars, lounges, and shopping complexes for a leisurely passenger experience.

In 2006, Leighton Contractors was tasked with constructing Westpac Place as the new headquarters for Westpac Banking Corporation-one of Australia’s biggest banking groups. The 166 m skyscraper became an iconic part of Sydney’s landscape and was inaugurated by Prime Minister John Howard. The unique rooftop structure included a weather beacon barometer with an LED display to indicate the air pressure on any given day. The LED lights would ripple upward to indicate good weather and could be seen from multiple parts of the city.

File:Westpac Place from the Western Distributor.jpg
Source: Gareth Edwards, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Given its successes in the Australasia region, Leighton Holdings decided that it was high time to venture further and expand its construction empire. In 2007, Leighton Holdings acquired a 45% stake in Al Habtoor Engineering based in the U.A.E. This was the Group's first foray into the Gulf region, and right from the get go, it managed to secure a contract for an important 6.5 km expressway in Abu Dhabi called the Saadiyat Link. The contract, worth US $550 million, was awarded by a leading Abu Dhabi developer called the Tourism Development and Investment Company.

In fact, the Leighton Group was performing so well in the Australian, Asian and Gulf markets that the Group reported a 63% increase in operating profit from $276.1 million in 2006 to a record $450 million in 2007.

But bigger things were on the way. In 2010, Leighton Asia secured the contract for the construction of the Antilia Building commissioned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani. The building is 173m tall with 27 floors that have exceptionally high ceilings. It is also equipped with three helipads, a 168 car garage, spa, terrace gardens, temple, ballroom, swimming pool, indoor theater, and a winter wonderland-themed room that drops snowflakes from the ceiling. It is truly a masterpiece by Leighton Asia, and at the time, it was said to be the world's most expensive private residence.

Setting The Stage for CIMIC

In 2010, Leighton Holdings recorded an operating revenue of $18.6 billion and employed a total of 45,340 direct employees. The company also opened up new offices in Mongolia and the wider East Asian region during this time. Next, Leighton Holdings also opened up its first office in South Africa with plans to diversify further into the African region. By 2010, the geographical footprint of Leighton Holdings covered 20 countries across the Australian, Asia, African and Gulf regions.

On the management side of things, Hochtief had increased its stake in Leighton Holdings to 70% by 2013. The Hochtief group was acquired by the Spanish group ACS, effectively putting Leighton Holdings under the management of the ACS Group. In 2013, Leighton reported a revenue exceeding $24 billion under the new leadership team.

ACS Group had further plans for restructuring. In 2014, the new ACS Executive Chairman Marcelino Verdes, including the top leadership at Leighton, called for a strategic review of Leighton Holdings to streamline the operating model, which resulted in the sale of multiple assets, including John Holland.

The ACS Group also kick-started a complete re-branding of Leighton Holdings to reflect its leaner organizational structure better. CIMIC, which stands for Construction Infrastructure Mining Concessions, was the name Leighton Holdings chose for itself to better represent what the company stands for. Leighton shareholders approved the new name at the Annual Meeting in 2015, and CIMIC officially came into existence, all geared up to take the company to new heights.

Key takeaway 3: There Is No Substitute For Excellent Service 

Establishing a geographical footprint in 20 countries in multiple parts of the globe is no mean feat, and Leighton Holdings would never have penetrated into newer markets and regions without a laser-focus approach toward service delivery.

The company has a well-established record of working in remote and often challenging and hostile environments. It has also put systems in place that allow it to recruit new employees from multiple corners of the globe and incorporate them into its operational structure to make the most of the diverse talents and capabilities of its dynamic Group of employees that hail from all segments of society.

In fact, the very reason the company has been in high demand for both public and private projects is because of its commitment to excellent service, as evidenced by Leighton's construction of landmark projects like the Spencer Street Station and Westpac Place.

Five Years of CIMIC

Today CIMIC is far from just a construction company. Instead, it prides itself on being a major service provider to clients in a diverse range of industries. The Group retains its dominant position in the construction business, but it is also a significant player in the mining, infrastructure, resources, telecommunications, and property sectors. Let's take a look at all that the CIMIC Group has achieved in recent years and how it envisions itself in the future.

The CIMIC Family

Today, the CIMIC Group comprises of industry leaders in the construction, mining, and consultancy fields. Its main construction arm consists of CPB Contractors, Leighton Asia and Broad, while Sedgman handles the mining and mineral processing side.

The Group also includes services specialist UGL and its own public private partnerships venture called Pacific Partnerships. It also includes the engineering consultancy firm EIC Activities. CIMIC also continues to have investments in Theiss and Ventia.

CPB Contractors was established in 2016 when CIMIC decided to merge Leighton Contractors and Theiss into a single entity to handle construction projects in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Papua New Guinea. The company provides construction services in all sectors, including roads, rail, tunneling, building, and defense.

Broad also operates under CPB contractors and has almost 30 years of experience in building construction. The company has wide-ranging experience in constructing new buildings and retrofitting and redeveloping existing structures.

The CIMIC Group acquired Sedgman in 2016. The company has been operating since 1979 and has a proven track record of excellence in the mineral processing and metal sector. Through Sedgman, CIMIC aims to provide holistic mineral processing and engineering solutions to its diverse group of clients.

CIMIC also acquired UGL in 2016. The company came into existence in the 1960s and has developed into an excellent asset management firm that provides integrated asset solutions. It provides support to clients with assets in the water, power, resources, telecommunications, and transport infrastructure.

Leighton Holdings has a long and well-established history of producing landmark destinations through strong public private partnerships. As CIMIC, the Group wanted to keep that legacy and established Pacific Partnerships in 2014. The company provides solutions for investments in infrastructure under public private partnerships and handles infrastructure assets for the CIMIC Group.

EIC Activities was also set up in 2014 to provide the newly emerging CIMIC Group with the ability to provide consultancy services in the engineering and technology sector. The company provides CIMIC a competitive advantage by delivering profitable projects that provide value for clients and shareholders.

CIMIC is the culmination of Leighton’s desire for service diversification, and it has actualized that goal through a three-pronged strategy. Firstly, the CIMIC Group has a decentralized structure that allows each operating company to pursue its own independent strategy to dominate the market and compete in perpetually changing market environments.

Secondly, the Group has aligned itself around four fundamental principles, which are integrity, accountability, innovation, and delivery. These principles are anchored by the underlying focus on maintaining stringent safety standards in all ventures.

Lastly, CIMIC believes in its people and encourages them to provide their best in terms of service delivery as the very success of the Group depends upon it.

Furthermore, the current structure of the CIMIC Group is a result of the top leadership’s decision to streamline the operating model by establishing dedicated businesses that specialize in their own field. Hence, the decision to establish CPB solely for construction and Sedgman for mineral processing while EIC Activities exclusively focuses on engineering and consultancy.

CIMIC Takes Construction Into The Future

So, what’s on the cards for CIMIC? The Group continues to provide excellent service in the construction and mining fields, and currently, work is being done on multiple projects, some of which are nearing completion. These projects range from constructing new rail and road networks to building new airports, commercial buildings, shopping centers, and educational institutions.

In 2018, CPB Contractors teamed up with the Downer Group to build the larger part of the Parramatta Light Rail that will connect multiple destinations in Western Sydney. It will be a 12 km line with a main route and one side route to the Sydney Olympic Park. The project is underway, and work will be completed by 2023. At the same time, Leighton Asia has constructed a 16-floor office building in Hyderabad in India that covers an area of 150,000 square meters.

The CIMIC Group is also operating in Chile and is working on the Encuentro Oxides project for Antofagasta Minerals. The Group is operating through Theiss, which is involved in copper mining that will result in the production of 50,000 tons of copper cathode each year.

Furthermore, the Australian government has selected the CIMIC Group to construct the new Western Harbor Tunnel that will be connected to the pre-existing Sydney motorway network. Work has already started, and the project is due to be completed in 2025.

But CIMIC has greater ambitions and plans to usher in a new age of innovation in the construction industry. The Group plans to improve its digital capability by entering digital partnerships and creating digital work environments. CIMIC is well aware of the fact that digitalization can prove to be a game-changer in the construction sector, and it aims to incorporate new technologies into each step of the delivery process, from project conceptualization to final design and construction.

The company recognizes the importance of integrating technology and data-driven decisions into all new projects. CIMIC has already started to use the latest technology and coding programs to map data. It also uses a virtual simulator to construct models and prototypes and to test out each option before the final construction of a project.

Their latest project is a collaboration with researchers at Monash University to create safer pavements in a cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly manner. Technology has played a big role in achieving those goals. The company has aggressively pushed for innovation in Smart Pavements initiative, especially when it comes to smart sensing, construction, and maintenance.

Key takeaway 4: Innovation Is The Lifeblood Of Future Growth

Embracing change and adapting to changing environments is the only way for a business to thrive and expand further. That’s only possible through a dedicated effort to innovate continuously and try out new technologies to streamline operations and improve project outcomes for clients. CIMIC has done just that by revolutionizing the way things are done in the construction sector through the adoption of new technologies in every project, from the design stage all the way to final construction.

Growth By Numbers and Key Strategic Takeaways

The CIMIC Group has proven itself in the construction, mining, and infrastructure industries and has achieved a number of milestones in its 120-year journey. As of 2021, the CIMIC Group has constructed 80+ railway stations and laid down more than 1000 km of railway tracks. It also remains Australia’s sole manufacturer of heavy locomotives. The Group has also constructed more than 1000 km of roads that meet the highest road safety standards and play a key role in reducing congestion on Australian motorways and expressways. CIMIC has also built 400 km of next generation tunnels in Australia and South-East Asia and 150+ dams and reservoirs. It has also built nine major solar farms to date and laid down more than 6000 km of transmission lines. That is a tremendous achievement and has helped to cement the Group’s position as the world’s leading contractor. None of this would have been possible without a clear-sighted and holistic strategy to foster growth and expansion.

Growth By Numbers

 

2010

2019

Revenue

$14.6 billion

$17.2 billion

Profit

$615 million

$800 million

Share price

29.0 AUD

33.1 AUD

Key Strategic Takeaways

Service Diversification Through Acquisitions

The Group has a history of strategic acquisitions and takeovers that help it tap into a wealth of experience and technical know-how from companies that have a proven track record in the field. Timely acquisitions have also given the group access to newer regions and allowed it to increase its market penetration in many countries. In fact, expansion on the scale achieved by the company is only possible through acquisitions, as it has allowed the CIMIC Group to break into new industries and expand its services far beyond that of a simple construction company. By tapping into the mining and infrastructure industries, CIMIC now has the capability to complete all the primary tasks in the construction value chain, from mineral processing to construction and engineering.

Focus On Impeccable Delivery

Credibility can only be established with excellent service provision, which is why that has remained a core strategy for the CIMIC Group. The company has highlighted its commitment to service delivery by showing that it can deliver large-scale projects in multiple industries ranging from construction, mining, resources, infrastructure, transport, and telecommunications. Investing in its people has also been a priority for the Group. The company places emphasis on empowering its employees and fostering talent from a wide variety of socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds to create a diverse team of employees with specialized skill sets because profitable project outcomes ultimately rest on the performance of its people.

Responsible Restructuring

The company has evolved far beyond the construction business and now provides services in multiple sectors. It not only has expertise in engineering and construction but also provides consultancy services and critical asset support to its clients. But seamless service provision is only possible through restructuring done at regular intervals. Hence, Leighton Holdings streamlined its operations and restructured the company to set up dedicated businesses working in specific fields such as contract mining, engineering, construction, and public private partnerships.

A Culture Of Innovation

Investments in innovation and technology are crucial in a rapidly digitalizing world. This is especially true of the post-Covid industrial environment. Companies such as CIMIC understand that a digitally innovative way of doing business is the only way forward because that is what clients now demand. People want digital solutions that are sustainable as well as feasible, so innovation in the construction industry is the need of the hour to boost productivity and resilience and to deliver efficient outcomes in the shortest time possible.

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