A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Construction intelligence platform Buildots has signed a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with NCC’s Building Nordics business area, securing its position as a preferred supplier to the leading Nordic construction company.

Operating across Denmark, Finland, and Norway, NCC Building Nordics has already deployed the Buildots platform across residential, commercial, education, and healthcare projects. The new agreement formalises and expands a collaboration that has delivered measurable improvements in project visibility, performance, and risk management.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision, Buildots transforms construction site activity into actionable intelligence, cross-referencing progress against project schedules and 3D models to identify potential risks before they escalate.

The agreement strengthens Buildots’ presence in the Nordic region while supporting NCC Building Nordics’ ambition to remain at the forefront of digital innovation and establish new standards for construction efficiency.

PROVEN RESULTS ON SITE

The decision to extend the partnership follows several years of collaboration between the companies in Finland and Denmark, where the Buildots platform has demonstrated its value across a range of construction projects.

Key achievements include more proactive risk management, with early identification of production pace risks and deviations from planned sequences enabling project teams to make corrections before schedules were affected.

The platform has also helped improve project performance through its tracking of Percent Plan Complete (PPC), a measure of how many planned tasks are completed on time. One project recorded a 230 percent increase in this metric.

Additionally, objective project data has supported closer collaboration between trades, helping teams verify critical milestones, strengthen accountability, and allocate resources more effectively. At the executive level, the resulting insights have given senior leadership greater visibility into project health, performance, and potential risks.

Kati Tauriainen, Head of Division Building Finland, NCC Building Nordics, highlights the importance of these capabilities.

“Our experience using Buildots on live projects gave us the evidence we needed. We saw what happens when our teams have true on-the-ground visibility: faster decisions, fewer surprises, and better outcomes for our customers,” she says.

DRIVING DIGITAL INNOVATION

Beyond the construction phase, NCC is also using the data generated through Buildots to analyse completed project performance and identify opportunities for further optimisation.

Tauriainen explains that establishing this framework across the company’s high-value project pipeline represents a natural next step in its commitment to construction innovation.

Patrick Cope, Director of Major Projects & Programmes at Buildots, also recognises NCC’s forward-thinking approach to technology adoption.

“After years of working together, we are now building a systematic, data-driven way of running complex projects at scale,” he says.

With experience spanning hospitals, commercial developments, and schools, the collaboration demonstrates the potential for construction intelligence to deliver value across diverse project environments.

A NORDIC TECHNOLOGY LEADER

The agreement further reinforces Buildots’ growing footprint in a region that continues to demonstrate strong adoption of construction technology.

Tommy Cooke, Regional Director UK&I and Nordics at Buildots, points to the Nordics’ established approach to building information modelling (BIM) as an important foundation for further digital transformation.

“NCC’s move to leverage AI-driven construction intelligence is exactly the kind of strategic, committed adoption that the rest of Europe should be watching closely,” he says.

As the partnership develops, Buildots and NCC Building Nordics will continue to build on their shared experience, using data-driven insights to strengthen project delivery and advance construction efficiency across the region.

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A NEW GLOBAL BRAND

Hitachi Construction Machinery is preparing for a significant new chapter, announcing a global brand campaign ahead of its planned transition to LANDCROS Corporation on April 1, 2027.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the LANDCROS name among stakeholders worldwide, while building understanding of the company’s ambitions, values, and the solutions it intends to deliver.

Beginning November 2, four key graphics will be unveiled to communicate the new brand’s central message, ‘Solutions Beyond Machinery’, with a gradual rollout across the markets in which the company operates.

The initiative will reach countries and regions worldwide, including Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Latin America, reflecting the global scope of the company’s ambitions as it prepares to adopt its new identity.

SOLUTIONS BEYOND MACHINERY

Since introducing its first mechanical excavator in 1950, Hitachi Construction Machinery has spent more than 75 years establishing itself as a leading construction and mining machinery manufacturer, building a reputation for delivering reliable solutions.

Now, as LANDCROS, the company intends to build on this heritage while evolving beyond the traditional role of a machinery supplier. Its new brand message reflects a commitment to addressing the real challenges facing customers, construction sites, and society through solutions developed in collaboration with partners.

Three core principles underpin this vision: Reliability, Openness, and Professionalism.

Reliability reflects the Japanese manufacturing excellence and global sales and service network that the company has developed over decades. Openness represents its commitment to collaboration with partners both inside and outside the organisation, while Professionalism is rooted in specialist expertise and a deep understanding of worksites and customer requirements.

Together, these principles will shape how LANDCROS approaches the changing needs of the construction and mining industries, positioning the business as a solutions provider extending beyond the machinery itself.

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOLUTIONS

Central to LANDCROS’s future ambitions is developing next-generation construction machinery that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, sensing, and communication technologies.

However, the company’s vision extends beyond equipment innovation. It also aims to provide integrated support encompassing services and digital solutions, helping customers maintain stable machine operations while improving safety and productivity across worksites.

Through these developments, LANDCROS intends to create new value beyond the traditional boundaries of the construction machinery industry, combining advanced technologies with its established manufacturing, sales, and service capabilities.

The transition therefore represents an evolution of the company’s existing strengths rather than a departure from its heritage, with its longstanding customer relationships and reputation for reliability remaining central to its identity.

A LEGACY BUILT ON TRUST

Commenting on the transition, Masafumi Senzaki, President and COO of Hitachi Construction Machinery, emphasises the importance of maintaining the trust established throughout the company’s history while adapting to increasingly complex customer requirements.

“For more than 75 years, we have worked closely with customers at worksites around the world, continuously strengthening our Japanese manufacturing capabilities and our global sales and service capabilities. The unwavering trust we have built along the way will remain at the heart of who we are, even as we become LANDCROS,” he says.

Senzaki also highlights the importance of listening closely to customers, demonstrating professionalism through a thorough understanding of worksites, and embracing openness by connecting with a wider network of partners.

He describes “Solutions Beyond Machinery” as an expression of the company’s determination to move beyond conventional industry boundaries, create new value alongside customers, and shape the future of worksites.

As April 2027 approaches, Hitachi Construction Machinery will continue developing LANDCROS as a global brand built on more than 75 years of experience, with an ambition to deliver innovative solutions that extend well beyond machinery.

The post Hitachi Construction Machinery Unveils LANDCROS Brand Campaign appeared first on Construction Outlook.

SETTING THE WHEELS IN MOTION

Costain, the UK infrastructure specialist, will work alongside WSP to support the next stage of development for Transport for London’s (TfL) West London Orbital project.

The proposed 18.5-kilometre London Overground route would connect Hounslow in the south with Hendon in the north. By creating new orbital links across West and Northwest London, it could make journeys between communities and key destinations – including Brent Cross, Brentford, Acton, and Old Oak Common – more direct and convenient.

ON TRACK TOGETHER

Alongside Fereday Pollard, WSP has selected Costain to support TfL in progressing the programme. The appointment draws on Costain’s strong track record of delivering engineering-led solutions for complex rail infrastructure.

As the programme develops, Costain will provide engineering, constructability, and consultancy expertise. This support will include further stakeholder engagement, timetable development, and demand forecasting, helping TfL assess how to deliver the programme.

Costain also brings an established working relationship with TfL.

Most recently, TfL selected it to deliver transformative upgrades to South Kensington Tube station through its £700m Infrastructure Improvement Framework, after it completed detailed design work for the Piccadilly Line upgrade.

In addition, Costain is overseeing upgrades to the A40 Westway and Brent Cross Interchange. It has also recently completed the refurbishment of Gallows Corner Flyover.

The post Ahead of the Curve: Costain Advises on West London Orbital’s Constructability appeared first on Construction Outlook.

Nemetschek Expands AI Offering

Nemetschek Group has expanded its artificial intelligence (AI) portfolio with three premium software offerings targeting architecture, engineering and construction.

Archicad Max, Allplan Max and Bluebeam Max are powered by the company’s Nemetschek Intelligence Platform.

The solutions aim to automate repetitive tasks, improve access to project information and identify potential problems earlier, addressing growing project complexity, tight schedules and workforce shortages.

Rather than introducing standalone tools, Nemetschek is embedding AI into existing design, engineering and construction workflows.

AI Across the Project Lifecycle

Archicad Max, developed by Graphisoft, introduces an agentic AI Assistant (beta) capable of completing multi-step tasks within building models. It also provides access to company-specific project knowledge and early access to Nemetschek Creator, a browser-based design platform scheduled for commercial release in 2027.

Allplan Max 2027 extends AI across Nemetschek’s engineering portfolio, including Allplan, SCIA, FRILO, RISA and SDS2. Its capabilities cover building information modelling (BIM), structural analysis, drafting and visualisation.

According to Nemetschek, early beta users completed selected tasks up to 36 percent faster.

Bluebeam Max, available globally since May 2026, focuses on construction documentation and coordination.

Its Smart Review functionality identifies design discrepancies and missing information, while Smart Overlay highlights changes between drawing sets. Other features automate markups and takeoffs and combine drawings into navigable views.

Nemetschek reports that more than 2,000 early adopters have experienced productivity improvements across preconstruction, design coordination and construction management.

Open AI for Construction

A central part of Nemetschek’s strategy is ensuring its AI tools work across different software platforms rather than restricting customers to a single ecosystem.

Julian Geiger, Chief AI Officer of Nemetschek Group, said:

“AI in our industry only creates real value when it understands the project, works where professionals work and connects with everything else on the job.”

“With Archicad Max, Allplan Max and Bluebeam Max, we are scaling one AI strategy across design, engineering and construction, built on a shared intelligence platform rather than isolated features.”

The company supports open standards, including Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), and the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which enables connections between AI applications and software.

Archicad Max provides a beta MCP server connecting compatible AI applications directly to building models, while Bluebeam Max supports integrations with Anthropic Claude, GitHub Copilot CLI and AnythingLLM.

Nemetschek says professionals remain responsible for reviewing AI-generated work and approving final decisions.

Improving Project Coordination

The technology also aims to improve collaboration between teams using different software.

Connected Studio Sessions link Bluebeam markups directly to corresponding locations in Autodesk Revit drawings and models, connecting PDF reviews with BIM information.

Nemetschek’s shared Intelligence Platform is designed to allow AI developments created for one discipline to be extended across other products.

The expansion builds on the company’s AI Layer, introduced in 2024, and its subsequent rollout of AI assistants across its software brands.

The post Nemetschek Expands AI Capabilities Across Design, Engineering and Construction appeared first on Construction Outlook.

DELIVERING THE WORLD’S MOST COMPLEX PROJECTS

As a trusted engineering, construction, procurement, and project management partner to industry and government, Bechtel is proudly differentiated by the quality of its people and relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, aligning capabilities to customers’ objectives to create a lasting positive impact.

For more than a century, the company has helped customers complete over 25,000 projects across 160 countries, creating jobs, growing economies, and improving global infrastructure’s resiliency. By increasing access to energy, resources, and vital services, Bechtel has helped to make the world safer and cleaner.

To continue that stalwart legacy and meet the demand for new energy, advanced manufacturing, and critical infrastructure acceleration, the company is using its vast expertise to lead the industry’s next step forward – using artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and robotics to deliver projects faster, safer, and more efficiently.

“The industry is asking for more and more every day. It’s a tremendous time, whether it’s additional energy demand, infrastructure, chip manufacturing, etc. Every day, I’m seeing new ways for us to leverage AI in the way we execute engineering, procurement, and construction,” states John Platt, Bechtel Senior Vice President, EPC Transformation.

Having long embraced new tools that improve how projects are delivered, the company has implemented an enterprise-wide initiative to bring its work in digitization, robotics, automation, and AI together under one strategy.

Michael Dorris, Bechtel Senior Project Manager, notes: “Energy, advanced manufacturing, and infrastructure continue to expand at a rapid rate. If we look at each project individually and do them in singularity, we’ll never be able to meet the demand that’s coming. When we look at the way we do work, we have one team across an entire scope. We have a playbook for how we go and do these things, over and over again. So the first time we do it and we learn it, we implement that in a more structured way going forward.”

BUILDING FOR WHAT’S NEXT

What sets Bechtel’s work apart from the rest is its foundation. The company’s technologies are built on 128 years of project experience, data, and proven work processes. Teams are able to make decisions faster, reduce rework, and improve overall project performance because engineering, procurement, and construction are all connected under a single integrated model.

Bechtel’s industry-leading approach was recently showcased in a segment of Advancements with Ted Danson, highlighting how robotics, autonomous equipment, and AI-enabled tools are enhancing everyday work for Bechtel craft professionals and staff.

The segment also demonstrated how integration closes the gap between the design office and the field.

“If we make design changes and drawings today, we are currently leveraging autonomous equipment in the field that will take that design directly to the equipment and, in almost real time – same day – work through the changes in the field to meet the design conditions. This is something in the past that would have taken weeks, maybe days – never hours,” details Platt.

Also featured in the segment is how engineering and construction careers are increasingly combining hands-on project work with advanced technology, providing people with the chance to solve difficult challenges and deliver projects that will be beneficial to local communities for years to come.

Samantha Bowman, Bechtel Earthworks Foreman, explains: “The beautiful part about construction today is you don’t have to choose anymore. It’s not a desk job or construction. You can come to construction, and it’s constantly evolving. You’ll be out in the field; you can deal with the people and the equipment, but you can also go in the office, and you’re dealing with drone scans, AI scans, and the data. It’s not one or the other anymore.”

The post Bechtel Leads the Next Era of Building Innovation appeared first on Construction Outlook.

UNPARALLELED MINING EXPERTISE

As a global leader in construction solutions, delivering premium products and services that combine power and performance with sustainable working, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is driven by a purpose to build a world it wants to live in.

The company is connected to the wider Volvo Group and shares in the holistic perspective of shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions.

Recently, in an effort to create a dedicated mining entity to strengthen its position in the ever-expanding mining sector, Volvo Group has announced the upcoming launch of Volvo Mining, which will be hosted within Volvo CE. This new entity will begin on January 1, 2027, and will provide the focus needed to help customers meet increased demand for productivity, safety, and resilience.

Melker Jernberg, President of Volvo CE, states: “Mining has been an important part of the Volvo Group for decades, but the industry’s growing significance calls for an even greater level of focus. With Volvo Mining as our centre of expertise, we are combining capabilities from across the group to further enhance customer value in collaboration with our retail partners. This will create new opportunities to strengthen our position in a strategically important and growing segment.”

This newest initiative will drive product and service portfolio management for Volvo Group’s mining segment internationally and take on a coordinating position in different research projects across the company.

The initial focus will be on mining customers and contractors in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, followed by phased expansion into additional markets.

“Success in the mining industry is built over time. Customers make long-term investments and value trusted partners that combine high performance, operational expertise, and a deep understanding of their business. By creating one organisation focused solely on creating a world-class product and services portfolio for the mining industry, with an end-to-end perspective, we can better leverage the Volvo Group offer in a more seamless approach,” notes Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.

DELIVERING MEASURABLE VALUE

To expand successfully across the Nordic region, the company provides mining operations with multiple types of machines and vehicles that work together across excavation, hauling, loading, and transportation in demanding, remote conditions. By creating Volvo Mining, businesses can continue to focus on improving productivity, reducing emissions, and enhancing safety, ultimately increasing the need for integrated solutions.

Nils Jaeger, President of Volvo Autonomous Solutions, states: “By combining our proven autonomous technology and operational experience with Volvo Group’s broader expertise, portfolio, and customer relationships, we can provide integrated solutions that also deliver measurable value for mining customers – improving safety, productivity, and efficiency across their operations.”

Leading this charge is Per-Erik Lindström, who will be transitioning from Senior Vice President, Volvo Trucks International, to Head of Volvo Mining starting January 1, 2027.

“As the mining industry evolves, customers are looking for partners who can help them improve productivity, strengthen safety, and meet growing sustainability expectations. Our goal is to be a long-term partner in that transformation, helping customers create greater value through the combined strengths of Volvo Group. I look forward to working closely with customers and partners as we build this next chapter together,” Lindström notes.

The post Volvo Group Strengthens Position in Mining Industry appeared first on Construction Outlook.

BETTER WAYS TO BUILD

Over the last decade, Raubex Building has meticulously pieced together a reputation as one of the leading construction companies in South Africa (SA).

The scope of its commercial work includes both public and private projects as well as partnership initiatives between government and the private sector.

Raubex Building is an integral part of the Raubex Group, one of SA’s leading infrastructure development and construction materials supply groups.

The Raubex Group was established in 1974 and boasts 50 years of experience across the construction industry.

It now operates successfully in countries across Southern Africa and consists of five divisions – Materials Handling and Mining, Construction and Materials, Roads and Earthworks, Australia, and Infrastructure, which Raubex Building forms part of.

“Today, in the construction industry, there are a lot of opportunities, but it often feels as though nobody is making money. Developers, contractors, and professional teams are all under pressure.

“Therefore, I think a reset is needed in the SA market in terms of how projects are procured and executed,” introduces Barend Badenhorst, Managing Director of Raubex Building, who we last spoke to in December 2024.

Keen to address this, the company is now spearheading a reset and leading the way for a new continuum of innovative construction methods for the nation.

Meanwhile, the company has diversified further with Raubex Building Cape, a subdivision that carries the Raubex Group’s lineage into the Western Cape with a dedicated local company, under the expert leadership of Badenhorst.

The coastal building specialist is now developing shopping centres, hospitals, hotels, student accommodation, and some of the country’s largest housing programmes.

Raubex Building Cape was formed in July 2020 to give the Cape regions a building contractor that is run from the Western Cape – with the backing of one of SA’s largest listed construction groups.

ADJUSTING THE MODEL

Drawing on the vast amount of experience he has accrued throughout a plethora of roles within the construction industry across both SA and the US – including managing high-end residential projects and learning about procurement – Badenhorst was presented with the exciting opportunity to start Raubex Building 14 years ago.

“We began with existing clients we knew in the industry and delivered several housing projects, and from there the business started growing steadily. Then, because we had the financial backing of the Raubex Group and wanted to expand, we began looking for additional resources,” Badenhorst recalls.

Influenced by his time working in the US, and studying the procurement methods he witnessed there, Badenhorst identified that many tenders were being delivered on a design-and-construct basis.

“We are now working to promote that approach and show clients, developers, and listed funds that the traditional SA model can sometimes lose value,” he expands.

Under the current approach, clients assemble professional teams who go through many design and cost permutations without necessarily producing the most value-optimised product.

“We are therefore trying to demonstrate that involving the contractor at an early stage can create better value in the finished product and setting up an in-house design team, including a full architectural team, to deliver bespoke design-and-construct projects can shorten delivery timelines, simplify the process, and provide better value for clients, developers, and end users,” elaborates Badenhorst.

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

At present, Raubex Building is focusing strongly on construction technology, particularly modular construction – a method of breaking a complex system down into smaller, self-contained, and independent parts known as modules that connect using standardised interfaces.

This transformative methodology is where buildings are created off-site in a factory using repeatable volumetric sections or panels then transported and assembled on location.

“We see a major opportunity in SA, especially in housing, where modular elements can reduce time on-site and improve efficiency and quality. We are also very interested in applying this approach to student housing,” Badenhorst excites.

“Our modular drive has brought a great deal of new energy into the business and we’re now seeing opportunities to approach clients directly, knowing we can deliver a better product if they come to us on a design-and-construct basis.”

Because Raubex Building has developed intellectual property in modular delivery, the company now believes it can offer clients a better deal and a stronger overall product, which has created a lot of momentum and energy across the whole business.

There are numerous key benefits associated with this method of construction, such as speed of completion – projects typically finish 20 to 50 percent faster than traditional methods.

Additionally, modular construction avoids delays relating to adverse weather conditions such as extreme rain, snow, or temperature delays.

Modular construction also means less waste, as a controlled environment reduces material waste by up to 50 percent compared to traditional building sites, and a higher level of quality control as repeatable processes in a factory lead to stricter quality and safety standards across the board.

GUIDED LEADERSHIP

For Raubex Building, mentorship is a major focus, particularly when it comes to growing people internally rather than simply looking externally for new talent.

In this way, the company tries to map out clear career paths for its staff.

“We prefer to look within the business, identify people with potential, mentor them, work through any areas where they need support, and empower them to overcome those challenges,” Badenhorst emphasises.

“Beyond that, we have developed a strong training programme in partnership with a training facility we have worked with for some time, supported by our internal HR managers.”

Badenhorst believes that respect is the most crucial characteristic to mentorship within the company.

“I always handle people with respect, not for their position, but for who they are as a human being,” he affirms.

Alongside its staff, another key reason for Raubex Building’s growth since it was established in 2012 are partnerships and relationships.

“Much of our success is attributable to the fact we value relationships and place great importance on how we engage with clients and professionals – ultimately, we are a solutions-driven business,” acknowledges Badenhorst.

THIRST FOR INNOVATION

Agile and responsive to new emerging industry trends within the realm of construction, Raubex Building is always ready to embrace fresh innovation.

For example, it recently sent a team to China, including one of its newly appointed architects and three senior colleagues, on a fact-finding trip to explore the best and latest building materials currently emerging from the Chinese market.

On top of this relentless drive for innovation, the next year will be an extremely busy period for the business.

“Raubex Building was awarded the National Assembly reconstruction project, which is progressing well – we look forward to delivering a cleverly designed building that reflects our nation’s heritage,” Badenhorst enthuses.

“Over the next 12 months, we will focus specifically on product design, bringing our architectural team fully on board, and developing a range of products for the housing market,” he sets out.

The aim is to have these products designed and ready for market so the company can offer clients design-and-construct and potentially turnkey solutions.

“Meanwhile, we will consolidate our current projects and continue to progress the National Assembly towards completion,” Badenhorst closes.

RAUBEX BUILDING PARTNER

The post Raubex Building : Better Ways to Build appeared first on Construction Outlook.

STAR OF THE SHOW

The construction industry across Africa presents both significant opportunities and considerable challenges.

Whilst the market remains buoyant in many regions, operating within the continent requires resilience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of local conditions.

One of the primary challenges is the availability of resources, including both human capital and construction materials. Meanwhile, logistics can be complex, and the process of sourcing and transporting materials across vast geographic areas often requires careful planning and execution.

“Construction in Africa is certainly not an environment for the faint-hearted,” opens Derek Wheals, CEO of Tri-Star Construction (Tri-Star).

South Africa (SA), by comparison, offers a more structured and efficient operating environment.

Much of the infrastructure, logistics networks, and supply chains that support projects elsewhere on the continent are routed through SA, making it a strategic gateway into the broader African market.

Tri-Star has responded to this by establishing a procurement company called Supply Sphere Solutions, which procures material and goods for export to Africa using its logistics partners to ensure reliable and competitive supply into the greater African continent.

“That said, SA faces its own challenges – prolonged economic pressures over recent years have resulted in a shortage of skilled human capital. Many experienced professionals have emigrated, semigrated, or sought employment opportunities abroad as expatriates.

“In addition, the government’s ability to provide basic skills and artisanal training is hopelessly short of what the industry requires, putting the responsibility for training and education into the contractor’s hands,” he sets out.

As a result, there is now an increasing shortage of experienced construction professionals and artisanal skills within the local industry.

Despite these challenges, Wheals believes that the construction industry in SA has reached the bottom of its cycle and is now showing positive signs of recovery.

“Improved political and economic stability, together with increased investment and population growth, are creating renewed momentum within the sector, but overall, the outlook for construction in the nation is encouraging,” he predicts.

DIVERSE CAPABILITIES

As a diversified construction group that operates across a broad spectrum of construction sectors, Tri-Star has been growing for more than 45 years and has evolved largely through organic expansion.

Many senior managers and directors have spent decades within the business, helping to establish a strong culture, deep institutional knowledge, and long-term stability.

The company operates across residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, and student accommodation sectors – diversification which enables Tri-Star to manage market fluctuations and benefit from opportunities across different sectors of the construction industry.

“Today, Tri-Star directly employs approximately 700 people, whilst indirectly employing a further 7,000 people on its sites daily through its subcontractors,” Wheals reveals.

“We recognise our responsibility to employees, subcontractors, suppliers, and communities and remain committed to maintaining a sustainable long-term business,” he tells us.

Additionally, the company promotes from within wherever possible. Many directors began their careers as site agents, foremen, or contract managers before progressing into leadership roles, whilst short-term and long-term incentive programmes assist with staff retention and development.

“Employing people from local communities, training them, and building small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) has become an essential and critical part of our DNA,” he enthuses.

FOUNDATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Wheals’ career in the construction industry began shortly after completing national service at the age of nineteen, whereby he was fortunate to receive a scholarship from Stocks & Stocks, a construction company that sponsored his studies towards a quantity surveying degree at the University of Natal, now known as the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

“This opportunity provided the foundation for what has become a lifelong career in construction and property development,” he recalls fondly.

During his university years, Wheals worked for Stocks & Stocks during holiday periods and, upon graduation, continued employment with the company whilst fulfilling the service commitment associated with the scholarship.

“These formative years provided valuable practical exposure to the construction industry and helped develop both my technical and commercial understanding of the sector,” Wheals informs.

Indeed, Wheals has been the driving force behind Tri-Star’s success for over 29 years. His unwavering dedication, industry expertise, and passion for excellence continues to propel the company forwards, delivering innovative construction solutions and building a strong industry reputation.

DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

One of Tri-Star’s greatest strengths is the consistency, experience, and stability of its leadership team.

“Of our 12 directors, the average tenure within the company is approximately 22 years, whilst most have accumulated around 30 years of experience within the construction industry,” acclaims Wheals.

This depth of knowledge provides confidence in Tri-Star’s ability to deliver projects successfully and consistently.

“Working with and including local communities in the construction process by creating employment opportunities, training, mentorship, and building is a critical and important part of our success story,” he continues.

Furthermore, Tri-Star’s extensive experience enables it to maintain high standards in quality assurance, project delivery, productivity, contract management, and client service.

“We are particularly proud of the loyalty and dedication demonstrated by our employees – the longevity of our management team has enabled us to build a culture of reliability and accountability, positioning Tri-Star as a trusted and dependable construction partner,” prides Wheals.

NINETY ONE HEAD OFFICE

One of Tri-Star’s most notable recent projects was the refurbishment and conversion of the Ninety One head office in Cape Town.

A milestone in sustainable construction, the project involved the complete transformation of a nine-storey commercial office building where the structure was fully stripped internally and rebuilt to meet modern workplace requirements.

In addition, the entire external façade was reclad, resulting in a highly efficient and visually striking building.

“The project was completed over an eighteen-month period and achieved a prestigious 5-star Green Star rating. The quality of workmanship and level of finishing required were exceptionally high, making this one of the projects we are most proud of,” Wheals excites.

“Rather than demolish and rebuild, the existing building was retained and substantially refurbished, an approach that required careful planning and coordination whilst avoiding the embodied carbon associated with a new structure.”

Delivering a major refurbishment while preserving the building’s structure takes considered work at every stage, from planning through to execution.

“For our team, the project demonstrates how construction can extend the life of existing buildings and support a lower-carbon built environment,” he adds.

In addition to the Ninety One head office project, Tri-Star has completed 23 Lower Long, a 10-storey apartment building in Cape Town central business district. The development incorporates a borehole water treatment and distribution system together with rooftop solar installations that support the building’s energy requirements.

SHAPING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

For Tri-Star, a key strategic objective for the future is the continued improvement of systems, governance, and operational excellence.

The company is pursuing enhanced quality management practices and ISO-aligned standards to strengthen consistency, efficiency, and client service, whilst artificial intelligence (AI) is being incorporated into the business to assist with efficiency across the board.

With these goals in place, today, Tri-Star continues to play a significant role in shaping communities throughout SA.

“From my beginnings as a young quantity surveying student to my current role as CEO of Tri-Star, my career has been shaped by a passion for building, developing people, and delivering quality projects,” Wheals affirms.

“Supported by an experienced leadership team, strong strategic partnerships, and a diverse portfolio of projects, we remain committed to delivering exceptional construction solutions whilst contributing meaningfully to the growth of the built environment,” he concludes.

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RE-ENGINEERING AFRICA’S BUILT ENVIRONMENT

The construction industry in South Africa (SA) has evolved alongside the country’s built environment and urban growth, demonstrating resilience through successive periods of economic, social, and technological change.

Since the 19th century, the construction industry has had a profound impact on SA’s socioeconomic makeup, driven by the changing needs of the nation’s infrastructure and rapid technological change.

Construction has been closely linked to SA’s mining sector for more than a century, supporting industrialisation, urbanisation, labour mobility, and infrastructure development since the late 1800s.

Indeed, the growing mining industry at the time generated greater demand for critical infrastructure such as railways and bridges, logistics and transport, industrial buildings, roads, and evolving urban settlements.

The expansion and diversification of the construction industry was therefore not an isolated event, as it evolved in the early 1900s from local building activity into an increasingly multidisciplinary landscape concerning labour movement, transport, materials, and urbanisation.

The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886 led directly to the founding of Johannesburg, which within a decade had become the country’s largest town. Into the 20th century, deep-level mining and a growing manufacturing base drove sustained investment in transport, industrial, and urban infrastructure.

Once again, this highlighted the construction industry’s position as an economic driver, forging a connection between mines, ports, manufacturing facilities, and housing, thus helping to physically connect the emerging industrial landscape.

By the late 20th century, SA had developed a substantial infrastructure and construction base, spanning civil engineering, energy infrastructure, complex water systems, and modern urban planning, although Apartheid-era policies severely restricted labour mobility and skills development across the sector.

Following the 1994 democratic elections, the sector became central to redressing housing shortages and infrastructure inequality, with the Reconstruction and Development Programme driving a significant phase of public investment in housing and services.

Industry Obstacles

Fast forward to the 2020s, and the past five years have tested SA’s construction industry, which faced declining fixed investment, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and severe loadshedding that disrupted project delivery until mid-2025.

Reduced investment

A prolonged period of fixed investment instability resulted in the industry operating in an environment with limited financial backing for many years. In 2024, real fixed investment across the South African economy declined by 3.7 percent (after growing by 3.9 percent in 2023) and construction output contracted by 5.1 percent, the sector’s eighth consecutive annual decline. More recent Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) data shows gross fixed capital formation in construction fell a further 5.4 percent in 2025.

This reduced infrastructure investment had tangible consequences for the construction sector: when fewer factories, housing developments, mines, and renewable energy projects proceed, contractors face a smaller pipeline of work.

At the same time, the public sector’s construction pipeline also reduced, with significant delays in roads, hospitals, schools, and water and rail infrastructure ultimately restricting the industry’s contributions to national GDP.

In 2026, Infrastructure South Africa reported that fewer than 30 percent of advertised public construction tenders had been awarded, with the remainder either cancelled or not concluded.

Addressing an infrastructure delivery forum in September 2026, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, noted that only one in six public infrastructure tenders had been concluded in the past 12 months, stating: “This is simply not good enough.”

COVID-19 pandemic aftermath

During the COVID-19 pandemic, clients across both the public and private sectors held back on their original investment decisions, and 70 percent of industry professionals surveyed reported that construction projects were being cancelled (Musonda & Rakolote, Acta Structilia, 2022). That caution persisted well beyond the pandemic.

The pandemic impacted project economics, with direct consequences on material shortages and price fluctuations, labour disruptions, changes to contractual obligations, delays, and substantial health and safety requirements, all culminating in greatly reduced activity, increased costs, and limited revenues.

Other obstacles

Although SA has now recorded more than 500 consecutive days without loadshedding, years of frequent power disruption left a lasting mark on the sector, resulting in lost working time and complicating project scheduling.

Combined with logistics constraints, cost volatility, and criminal disruption on construction sites, this has placed contractors under sustained pressure.

Site disruption has since become a national priority. Following the Durban Declaration in November 2024 (which brought together the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, South African Police Service (SAPS), National Treasury, and CIDB, the South African cabinet approved the Integrated Social Facilitation Framework in July 2026 as a binding national policy to prevent disruptions before they occur. Since September 2025, 52 contractors have been blacklisted.

Meanwhile, the failure of several major domestic contractors has reduced local capacity, and international firms have increased their presence in selected markets, intensifying competition for large-scale work.

For contractors that have remained in the market, this has created a clear opportunity. Clients increasingly require partners with proven delivery records, strong local knowledge, and the multidisciplinary capability to manage complex projects across SA.

A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

With more than 80 years of delivery across SA’s economic cycles, Stefanutti Stocks understands the challenges the industry has faced and has the multidisciplinary capability to deliver through them.

“I am cautiously optimistic. The country’s water, energy, transport, mining, and digital infrastructure needs are substantial, and there is encouraging activity in private sector investment and public-private collaboration,” opens Russell Crawford, CEO.

Public-private partnerships are gaining traction across the sector, which bring with them significant budget improvements, particularly for transport logistics, water, sanitation, and renewable energy projects such as expanded solar, wind, and power grid capacities.

“Sustainable growth will however depend on converting announced pipelines into bankable, properly procured projects and ensuring fair competition, payment discipline, and accountable delivery,” he says.

The Stefanutti side traces its roots to 1971, when Gino Stefanutti and Ivo Bressan began building bridges and culverts in KwaZulu-Natal.

The group’s heritage also incorporates Stocks & Stocks, whose origins date back to 1945, which later became Stocks Limited.

Stefanutti & Bressan (S&B) listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in August 2007 and merged with Stocks Limited in 2008 to form Stefanutti Stocks.

The group therefore draws on more than 80 years of combined construction heritage.

12 DISCIPLINES UNDER ONE ROOF

Today, the group brings together a broad range of 12 specialist construction disciplines to provide world-class services to clients across diverse markets.

These disciplines span building, civils, geotechnical, roads and earthworks, marine, renewable energy, data centres, electrical and instrumentation, mechanical, oil and gas, concrete rehabilitation and repairs, and mining services.

Decades of experience afford the group unique insight into the business challenges faced by the sectors it serves, and this supports its ability to propose innovative, project-specific solutions.

The building discipline offers the full scope of traditional and niche building expertise (airports, hospitals, and data centres) to local and international clients and has pioneered international project development trends in Africa by offering the traditional building market (including industrial, retail, residential, office accommodation, and hotels) alternative procurement options.

Its civils discipline supports major infrastructure and industrial projects, with capabilities spanning water and wastewater treatment works, reservoirs and dams, transport infrastructure, bridges, rail and marine facilities, industrial civils, caisson construction, desalination infrastructure, and precast concrete solutions.

The geotechnical discipline’s complementary services include piling in all soil conditions, design and construction support, lateral support, rock anchoring, shotcrete, void fill, specialist grouting, dolomitic treatment, and sinkhole remediation and repairs.

Stefanutti Stocks is also sub-Saharan Africa’s leading concrete repair and rehabilitation specialist, with the discipline applying proven concrete repair, rehabilitation, and maintenance strategies to keep infrastructure assets performing for their full intended lifespan and beyond.

The roads and earthworks discipline delivers road construction and rehabilitation, bulk earthworks, bulk civil services and infrastructure, large earth dam construction, rail and water infrastructure, pipeline installation, crushing and screening, tailings storage facilities construction, and agricultural land preparation.

The group’s mining services discipline is focused on two principal areas: materials handling and tailings operations. Its services include dump reclamation, screening, blending, placement, slurry disposal, final dump rehabilitation, waste rock dump management, tailings storage facility design, construction and operation, digital monitoring and reporting, and hydraulic mining or reclamation.

Stefanutti Stocks’ extensive mechanical, electrical, and piping (MEP) capability covers control systems, field instrumentation, materials handling systems, mechanical equipment, switchgear and motor control centres, overland and underground pipelines, process plant construction, process piping, structural steel and pipe support fabrication and erection, pipe spool fabrication and installation, tank and tank farm construction, turnarounds, shutdowns, maintenance, and commissioning support.

The group’s electrical and instrumentation service offering supports high-, medium- and low-voltage installations, electrical step-down facilities, control and instrumentation systems, industrial process plants, shutdown and maintenance projects, data centre fit-outs, and renewable energy infrastructure.

Its oil and gas capability further strengthens this multidisciplinary platform, supporting pipe-spool fabrication, bulk tank construction, petrochemical plant work, refinery upgrades, maintenance, and related industrial infrastructure.

Moreover, the group’s renewable energy discipline delivers civil and electrical balance of plant (BoP) services for wind and solar projects, including main transmission substations, independent power producer (IPP) substations, solar photovoltaic (PV) balance of system works, battery energy storage systems (BESS), medium-voltage reticulation networks, and overhead lines.

The data centre discipline provides a one-stop solution for large-scale data centre roll-outs, covering earthworks, civil, structural, and architectural (CSA) works, MEP services, in-house 3D modelling, building information modelling (BIM), and specialist fit-out support. Since 2018, the group has continuously delivered fast-track projects for hyperscale and colocation clients and has to date delivered 70 megawatts (MW) of IT capacity.

The marine discipline has delivered complex port, wharf, and marine infrastructure projects across Africa, supported by its wider civil, geotechnical, roads and earthworks, mechanical, and digital delivery expertise.

EXCELLENCE IN EXECUTION

Stefanutti Stocks’ multidisciplinary expertise has cemented it at the forefront of the construction industry in SA, offering end-to-end capabilities with a transparent delivery model.

From the outset, the group offers clients a range of procurement and delivery options tailored to each project’s requirements, including conventional contracting, turnkey and design-and-build solutions, early contractor engagement, and project management support.

Its multidisciplinary structure allows buildability, sequencing, risk allocation, and cost considerations to be addressed early, with CSA and MEP inputs coordinated through a single delivery platform.

Supported by BIM, 3D modelling, and specialist technical expertise, this approach strengthens design coordination, improves constructability and provides clearer accountability across the project lifecycle, from planning and procurement through to construction, commissioning, and handover.

“Our multidisciplinary model brings the key construction interfaces together under one accountable delivery structure,” says Crawford.

A SINGLE POINT OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Depending on the scope of the project, the group can combine earthworks, geotechnical works, civils, structural, and architectural delivery with mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation services, as well as offering commissioning support and digital modelling.

This substantially reduces client interface risk through a single counterparty model, which means each customer only works with one contracting entity that is accountable for coordinating and delivering the integrated scope.

This model allows risks to be identified earlier, improves constructability and sequencing, and reduces the gaps that often arise between separate contractors, thereby significantly improving the client experience.

Moreover, Stefanutti Stocks’ multidisciplinary model means regional teams remain close to clients and local supply chains where they are most needed, whilst group disciplines, shared systems, and specialist resources can be easily deployed wherever required.

“For the client, the result is clearer accountability, fewer interfaces, and more predictable safety, quality, cost, and programme outcomes,” states Crawford.

Stefanutti Stocks operates across all of SA’s provinces. Beyond its borders, the group’s businesses in Botswana, Eswatini, and Zambia are established local contractors; it has numerous cross-border operations, including in Namibia and Zimbabwe, and the ability to mobilise across selected sub-Saharan African countries.

The group is a Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) contributor, and its CIDB Grade 9 rating allows it to tender for projects without restriction on size.

SOLUTIONS THAT ENRICH PEOPLE’S LIVES

Stefanutti Stocks is guided by a clear vision: to re-engineer the built environment.

This is underpinned by its mission of being a multidisciplinary construction group delivering exceptional engineering solutions that enrich people’s lives.

“We give practical meaning to this by delivering infrastructure that supports economic activity and communities across water and sanitation, energy, transport, mining, industrial facilities, public buildings, and digital infrastructure,” explains Crawford.

The group works hard to combine technical excellence with local employment, skills and enterprise development, responsible procurement, and environmental stewardship.

“Our success is measured not only by the completion of a structure, but also by its safe delivery, lasting capability, and the fact we leave clients and communities with infrastructure that performs as intended,” he shares.

This ethos is further supported by the group’s long-standing operating philosophy – the Stefanutti Stocks Way.

This central pillar has guided the business since its inception, ultimately always putting stakeholders first.

“It brings together an owner’s mindset and frontline obsession, client-centric and solutions-driven relationships, flawless execution, and energised and engaged employees,” Crawford details.

“Putting stakeholders at the centre does not mean compromising execution; it improves it.”

The Stefanutti Stocks Way additionally helps to foster early alignment with clients, employees, suppliers, and communities, resulting in shared expectations, faster decision-making, and stronger accountability.

Internally, leaders support their teams through professional development, recognition, and a visible presence on site. With clients, meticulous pre-planning, transparent communication, and a solution-based culture protect safety, quality, programme, and commercial outcomes.

This set of values helps maintain client relationships and cements the group’s industry-leading position.

“I believe long-term relationships are earned through consistent delivery. Our values require us to understand each client’s objectives, raise risks early, propose practical solutions, and honour our commitments,” says Crawford.

A combination of technical depth, local experience, disciplined execution, and transparent engagement has helped Stefanutti Stocks build repeat business and maintain its standing as one of SA’s prominent listed construction and engineering groups.

REGIONAL RESPONSIVENESS

In a market shaped by logistics constraints and cost volatility, procurement is a delivery discipline in its own right.

Stefanutti Stocks organises its procurement regionally, with four principal teams supporting its Inland, Coastal, Western Cape, and Africa operations within a common group governance framework.

This keeps decisions close to projects, suppliers, and site requirements, whilst allowing the group to coordinate strategic sourcing where its scale creates value.

“Standard controls cover approved specifications, delegated authority, safety and environmental requirements, quality, cost, delivery, ethical conduct, and preferential procurement,” Crawford tells us.

Supplier relationships are managed through Stefanutti Stocks’ vendor management system (VMS), a central database of supplier information, compliance records, and B-BBEE certification that integrates with the group’s accounting systems.

The VMS allows Stefanutti Stocks to identify expired documentation, manage supplier risk, and track procurement spend and B-BBEE performance down to site level, supporting both the group’s transformation objectives and client-specific compliance requirements.

The result is a procurement model that secures the right goods and services at the right time, without compromising governance or transformation goals.

INNOVATING PROJECT DELIVERY

As the construction industry evolves alongside SA’s economy, digital innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the rapid growth of data centre development are reshaping how projects are planned and delivered.

At Stefanutti Stocks, digitalisation is a core part of business transformation rather than a standalone technology initiative. BIM is embedded in the group’s project processes, creating a trusted single source of project information that supports clash detection, improves constructability, and enables 3D and 4D planning.

“We are progressing towards ISO 19650-aligned information management and expanding our use of digital surveying, drone mapping, common data environments, automated workflows, project dashboards, and digital assurance,” highlights Crawford.

AI is being introduced in a governed and practical manner to automate routine tasks, improve reporting, identify trends, and support faster decision-making. These capabilities are underpinned by the group’s ISO 27001-certified information security management system, which provides a structured framework for protecting information, managing cyber and data risks, and supporting secure digital collaboration.

“Our objective is not to replace engineering judgement, but to equip our people with better information, reduce rework and manual effort, strengthen controls, and improve the predictability and efficiency of project delivery,” he says.

THE FOREFRONT OF DATA CENTRE CONSTRUCTION

Data centres underpin SA’s cloud services, digital commerce, and growing data-driven economy, and Stefanutti Stocks has established itself as a mission-critical contractor in this market, delivering fast-track data centre developments and associated infrastructure for hyperscale and colocation clients.

The group offers a one-stop, end-to-end service that brings together earthworks, piling and geotechnical works, CSA works, MEP services, in-house 3D modelling, and quantity surveying.

This provides clients with a single point of accountability from breaking ground through to Level 3 commissioning and integrated systems testing, removing interface risk from the client’s domain.

The group’s in-house modellers use 3D modelling and BIM platforms to coordinate on-site and deliver an as-built digital model on completion. Specialist partners for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), cabling, fire protection, security, and racking are integrated into a single delivery structure, reducing interfaces and supporting safe, timely, and high-quality delivery in technically demanding environments.

“Data centres demand higher standards of coordination, energy resilience, information management, and delivery certainty. Given our multidisciplinary capability, digital expertise and experience in this market, Stefanutti Stocks is well-placed to deliver on these requirements,” Crawford acclaims.

AVENUES FOR GROWTH

Mining

The mining industry also remains a major growth market for Stefanutti Stocks.

“Our diversified offering enables us to support both new mine developments and stay-in-business requirements with one accountable multidisciplinary team,” explores Crawford.

The group’s current mining construction portfolio includes work associated with the expansion of the USD$2 billion Lumwana copper mine in Zambia. The wider expansion aims to double the mine’s copper-processing capacity, whilst Stefanutti Stocks’ awarded scopes include camp infrastructure, bulk earthworks, and civil works for the dry plant, stockpile, and reclamation areas.

“The project demonstrates our ability to mobilise multidisciplinary teams and specialist resources at scale across our established African footprint,” says Crawford.

Elsewhere, Stefanutti Stocks is constructing DRDGOLD’s regional tailings storage facility (TSF) for the Far West Gold Recoveries (FWGR) project near Fochville in SA.

Set to span approximately 1,000 hectares, the facility is designed to store up to 800 million tonnes (t) of mine tailings upon completion.

“The FWGR TSF is widely recognised as one of the largest lined tailings depositories of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and is frequently cited as one of the largest plastic-lined tailings facilities in the world,” Crawford notes.

The Blinkwater 2 TSF is a key infrastructure expansion project taking place at the Mogalakwena platinum mine in the Limpopo province. It involves a major tailings expansion to sustain the mine’s capacity as the nearby Blinkwater 1 facility reaches its closure window in 2028.

On top of this, the Mareesburg TSF is a multi-phase deposition facility in Mpumalanga, which serves the concentrator plant of the Mototolo platinum mine owned by Valterra. Currently in Phase 5, Stefanutti Stocks’ participation in the project has so far included roads and earthworks, civils, and geotechnical services.

The mining sector portfolio is supported by repeat tailings management work for established mining clients.

Energy, Water, and Marine

Renewable energy and water infrastructure address two of Southern Africa’s most pressing needs, and both draw on capabilities that already exist across Stefanutti Stocks’ disciplines.

The group’s renewable energy discipline self-executes all civil works and the majority of electrical BoP works for wind and solar farms, high-voltage substations, and BESS, including substation construction, underground cable networks, and overhead lines.

“Our team’s collective experience spans more than four gigawatts (GW) of generation capacity,” Crawford says.

For water and wastewater projects, the group combines civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and process capabilities, including specialist water clarification and sludge handling solutions.

“The renewable and wastewater markets address two of Southern Africa’s most pressing needs: energy security and water security. For Stefanutti Stocks, these two areas allow us to diversify our order book whilst using skills and resources that already exist across the group; for the industry, they represent a shift towards infrastructure that is more integrated, sustainable, and performance-driven,” he explains.

At Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Cluster in Mpumalanga, planned as SA’s largest hybrid renewable energy cluster at more than 900 MW, Stefanutti Stocks has delivered multidisciplinary BoP works across three phases totalling 465 MW.

“The first phase has been completed and commissioned, whilst the other two are currently under construction,” Crawford confirms.

In the Western Cape, the group is delivering Phase 2 of the Paarl Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), which combines complex water infrastructure with a centralised sludge handling facility and the potential for future biogas-based electricity generation.

In KuGompo City (formerly East London), Stefanutti Stocks is using BIM-supported construction to restore the historic Latimer’s Landing quay in a constrained marine environment.

“Together, these projects demonstrate our ability to deliver technically complex infrastructure across energy, water and marine markets whilst creating enduring economic and community value,” he says.

BUILDING BEYOND THE SITE

For Stefanutti Stocks, investing in people and communities is central to how the group operates.

Its corporate social investment (CSI) and socioeconomic development activities focus on education, skills development, community upliftment, and local economic participation, often in the communities surrounding its construction sites.

Eye health in schools is a long-standing focus. Through its partnership with the Vision 4 Change charity and its own Framing the Future programme, the group funds eye screening and prescription spectacles for primary school learners whose poor eyesight is a barrier to learning.

“Since its inception, the initiative has screened approximately 10,000 learners and provided almost 600 pairs of prescription spectacles, enabling those affected to participate more and act confidently in the classroom,” shares Crawford.

The group also supports educational facilities, community-based training, local contractor development, and initiatives that assist vulnerable children and families, contributing time, skills, and materials.

“Infrastructure is ultimately about people: those who build it, those who benefit from it, and the communities whose long-term prospects are improved by it,” he reflects.

In August 2024, Stefanutti Stocks handed over a fully equipped physical and life sciences laboratory at St David’s Marist Inanda’s Alexandra Campus, converting an unused classroom into a facility intended to inspire learners towards careers in science and engineering.

In the Western Cape, the group’s long-standing partnership with The Umtshayelo Foundation’s Komani social enterprise (meaning ‘queen’ in isiXhosa) addresses period poverty, a common reason young women miss school.

Komani provides reusable, hygienic, and environmentally friendly menstrual packs, together with education on period health. At Ihlumelo Secondary School in Paarl, nominated by the group’s client Drakenstein Municipality, Stefanutti Stocks sponsored almost 1,000 Komani packs, one for every female learner at the school.

ENERGISED AND ENGAGED EMPLOYEES

Alongside its CSI, the development of the group’s people is of equal importance.

“At Stefanutti Stocks, our employees are our greatest investment; they are our colleagues, our family, and our differentiator. Without their commitment, resilience, and dedication, we would not have successfully navigated our recent restructuring plan,” Crawford says.

An engaged and energised workforce is one of the group’s strategic drivers, and its most recent employee engagement survey achieved a score of 90 percent.

“We are also proud of the role we play in social transformation, with 92 percent of South African employees deemed previously disadvantaged individuals,” he proudly states.

In the past financial year, the group invested approximately ZAR13 million in skills development and supported 271 bursaries, learnerships, and apprenticeships.

Its accredited Stefanutti Stocks Academy offers 134 courses, including 32 specialist earthmoving equipment mechanic apprenticeship modules, delivering industry-relevant curricula, site-specific skills, and operational training that maintain performance standards across the group’s disciplines.

A comprehensive employee wellness programme supports health and well-being at work and at home, offering telephone and face-to-face counselling, trauma counselling, and financial and legal advice. This is complemented by benefits including medical aid, retirement funding, children’s educational cover, and funeral cover.

SAFETY, QUALITY, AND ENVIRONMENT

Safety remains central to how Stefanutti Stocks operates, guided by its commitment to zero harm.

In FY26, the group recorded zero fatalities, a lost-time injury (LTI) frequency rate of 0.06 against a benchmark of 0.10, and 31.6 million LTI-free hours.

“These numbers were achieved through a shared culture of accountability, vigilance and continuous improvement, supported by visible leadership and planning,” says Crawford.

The group’s safety, health, environment, and quality (SHEQ) management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 (quality), ISO 45001:2018 (occupational health and safety), and ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management), and applied across all operations to manage the risks inherent in construction and continuously improve standards.

Stefanutti Stocks’ board and senior management apply the principles of the King IV Code on corporate governance: an ethical culture, strong performance, effective control, and legitimacy. A flat management structure and hands-on leadership style enable the group to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges, both on-site and with clients.

Visible felt leadership is central to the group’s culture, with senior leaders engaging regularly with construction teams on-site.

“In construction, leadership must be visible. You need to spend time on sites, understand the detail, recognise good performance, and intervene early when safety, quality, programme, or commercial outcomes are at risk,” Crawford says.

“Ultimately, leadership is about aligning people behind a common objective and giving them the clarity, support, and confidence to execute.”

SUSTAINABLE, PROFITABLE GROWTH

Over the next 12 months, Crawford has a clear set of priorities. Top of the list is executing Stefanutti Stocks’ existing order book safely and efficiently whilst protecting quality, strengthening cash conversion, and maintaining disciplined risk management.

“I will continue to support selective investment in our people, plant, and digital capabilities, including BIM and the practical use of data and AI,” Crawford sets out.

The group’s growth focus will remain on sectors where it has proven expertise and can add meaningful value, including water and wastewater, renewable energy, data centres, mining infrastructure, marine works, roads, and rail, together with the continued development of design-and-build solutions.

Alongside this, Stefanutti Stocks aims to deepen its established presence across Southern Africa, evaluating new opportunities selectively based on client demand, appropriate risk allocation, and sustainable returns.

“We are not pursuing turnover or growth for its own sake. Our focus is on securing profitable projects where our experience, multidisciplinary capability, and solutions-driven approach give us a clear competitive advantage.

“The objective is sustainable, profitable growth underpinned by disciplined project selection and execution,” concludes Crawford.

STEFANUTTI STOCKS PARTNERS

The post Stefanutti Stocks : Re-Engineering Africa’s Built Environment appeared first on Construction Outlook.

Port Houston Reaches Major Infrastructure Milestone

Port Houston has completed its sections of Project 11, a major infrastructure programme designed to improve maritime safety, shipping efficiency and trade capacity along the Houston Ship Channel.

The expansion has widened the channel through Galveston Bay by 170 feet, increasing its width from 530 feet to 700 feet.

The improvements are intended to support growing vessel traffic along the waterway, which serves as a critical gateway for US energy exports, petrochemicals and international cargo.

Project 11 is the eleventh major expansion of the Houston Ship Channel, with further work being undertaken by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Wider Shipping Channel Reduces Vessel Restrictions

The expanded channel is already improving navigation for larger commercial vessels.

In 2025, the US Coast Guard, US Army Corps of Engineers and Houston Pilots recognised the widened 700-foot channel between Bolivar Roads and Morgans Point, effectively removing daylight restrictions for larger vessels travelling through Galveston Bay.

The change allows vessels to move more efficiently, reducing the need for oversized ships to wait at anchor or alongside berths before departing.

Port Houston CEO Charlie Jenkins said: “Now, ships are moving through a wider, safer channel because our team, the Army Corps, industry, and elected leaders found a way to get it done.”

The improvements are expected to strengthen supply chain reliability by supporting more flexible vessel movements and reducing navigational constraints.

Construction Partnership Accelerates Project Delivery

The expansion was delivered through collaboration between Port Houston, the US Army Corps of Engineers, industry partners and government representatives.

Port Houston and industry stakeholders agreed to contribute funding to accelerate construction, reducing the overall delivery timeline by several years.

The remaining investment is being provided through federal funding sources.

Port Commission Chairman Ric Campo said: “Port Houston completed its portion on time and on budget, and faster than any comparable project in the U.S.”

The project has received significant federal support, including more than USD$140 million through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The milestone demonstrates how coordinated public and private investment can accelerate major maritime infrastructure improvements.

Dredging Creates New Coastal Habitats

Alongside the navigation improvements, Project 11 has incorporated environmental restoration through the beneficial reuse of dredged materials.

Sand, clay and other suitable materials recovered during construction have been used to create:

• 10 acres of bird islands
• 324 acres of oyster reefs
• 800 acres of marsh habitat

These projects are designed to deliver longer-term environmental benefits across Galveston Bay while supporting the expansion of maritime infrastructure.

Supporting US Trade and Economic Growth

The Houston Ship Channel is a major contributor to the US economy, connecting industrial facilities, energy producers and logistics operators with international markets.

The wider Port of Houston region includes more than 200 private facilities and eight public facilities.

The port supports approximately 1.89 million jobs in Texas and 3.53 million nationwide, alongside economic activity valued at USD$538 billion in Texas and USD$987 billion across the US.

The completion of Port Houston’s sections of Project 11 represents a significant step in modernising this infrastructure.

With the remaining US Army Corps of Engineers-led improvements continuing, the wider programme aims to strengthen shipping efficiency, support industrial growth and improve the long-term resilience of US supply chains.

The post Port Houston Completes Major Ship Channel Expansion to Boost Trade and Supply Chain Efficiency appeared first on Construction Outlook.

Moy Group (Moy), the trusted partner for high-performance roofing that protects mission-critical facilities across the globe, has begun an exciting new chapter by naming Kelly Phillips as its new CEO.  

Phillips has been promoted to CEO from her prior role as Chief Growth Officer, and current CEO Cathal Quinn will continue to serve the company as Chairman.  

Moy has become a trusted roofing partner to some of the world’s leading blue-chip companies, from hyperscale data centre operators to pharmaceutical manufacturers, all of which rely on dependable and resilient waterproof roofing solutions.  

At the heart of Moy’s success has always been its end-to-end approach, providing specialist advice, system design and specification, supply, installation support, and technical assurance.  

This ensures critical facilities are protected to the highest standards throughout the lifecycle of the building, helping safeguard the continued delivery of mission-critical infrastructure services. 

“Kelly is an extraordinary leader whose impact on Moy has been immense since she joined us. She is deeply connected to our clients, people, and partners, understands our markets, and has played a central role in shaping the growth strategy,” said Cathal Quinn.   

A GROWING PRESENCE 

Founded in 1979, Moy has grown its footprint from its roots in Ireland to an international presence in 19 countries across EMEA and North America. 

Moy provides high-performance, end-to-end roofing and waterproofing systems designed to meet the standards of critical infrastructure projects. Each solution is designed to deliver long-term watertight protection, exceptional durability, and reliable performance under demanding conditions.  

As Moy enters its next phase, the group plans to build on its presence across 19 countries by developing an increasingly global proposition, growing alongside its clients, whilst building the organisational capability required to support complex critical infrastructure projects at scale. 

Phillips added, “Many of our clients are scaling their operations internationally, and our ambition is to continue growing alongside them. That means expanding Moy’s geographic reach and strengthening the expertise and capabilities that allow us to advise, design, and deliver end-to-end roofing solutions consistently across global markets.  

“We will also continue to evolve our solutions in line with the changing requirements of data centres and other critical infrastructure”  

ABOUT MOY 

Founded in 1979, Moy is an international specialist in end-to-end roofing solutions for mission-critical infrastructure. Working with clients and their project teams from the early stages of a project, Moy provides specialist advice, system design and specification, supply, installation support, and technical assurance. 

Today, Moy operates across 19 countries, supporting leading organisations across data centres, pharmaceuticals and other critical infrastructure sectors. Its solutions-led approach combines technical expertise with long-term client relationships to help protect some of the world’s most valuable and operationally critical assets.

The post Moy Group Begins Next Chapter of Global Growth as Kelly Phillips Becomes CEO appeared first on Construction Outlook.

GROWTH BY DESIGN

As the property development landscape in Western Australia (WA) continues to present both challenges and opportunities, it is an exceptionally exciting time for the industry.

Indeed, Perth’s combined population growth, influx of employment opportunities, and lifestyle appeal have resulted in a growing recognition that the city requires a broader range of housing choices.

“A significant demand for well-designed homes in established locations has arisen – particularly apartments and medium-density housing that allows people to remain connected to their communities as their circumstances change,” introduces Cameron Alder, Director of WA’s privately-owned, diversified property investment and development group, Locus Property (Locus).

At the same time, delivering new housing at this scale has proven complex, with construction capacity, labour availability, cost escalation, infrastructure coordination, approval timeframes, and access to development funding all influencing whether a project is commercially viable.

For capable and disciplined developers like Locus, however, these conditions create opportunity.

“Demand alone does not make a successful project. Developers need to select the right locations, understand their customers, maintain financial discipline, and assemble experienced teams capable of navigating the full development process,” Alder points out.

“We remain optimistic because WA has strong long-term fundamentals. Our focus is on creating developments that respond to genuine housing and community needs rather than simply following short-term market cycles,” he adds.

CREATING LASTING VALUE

Established in 2015 and headquartered in Cottesloe, WA, Locus’ current portfolio spans residential, mixed-use, retail, and industrial property.

Its residential portfolio includes projects such as Harbour Sorrento, Harbour Hillarys, Monument East in Fremantle, Park Lane in Stirling, Norfolk Residences in Cottesloe, and Altimo Wembley.

“Our commercial and investment portfolio includes assets such as the Alkimos Gateway Shopping Centre, Woodvale Boulevard Shopping Centre, and Hutton Street precinct in Osborne Park,” Alder informs us.

As a company that places considerable emphasis on transparency, communication, and alignment throughout the investment and development process, Locus’ clients and stakeholders include residential purchasers, private investors, wholesale investors, joint venture (JV) partners, retailers, and commercial tenants.

“Our core operations are currently concentrated in WA, particularly metropolitan Perth, where we deliberately maintain a relatively focused and experienced internal team, supported by specialist consultants, architects, builders, planners, engineers, sales professionals, and other delivery partners,” he explains.

Combining the discipline of an investment business with the creativity and customer focus of a property developer, Locus seeks to be recognised for the quality of its decisions, the places it creates, and the value it delivers to investors, purchasers, and communities.

The company is highly selective about the opportunities it pursues, carefully considering the location, planning environment, customer profile, capital structure, delivery risk, and long-term relevance of the proposed development before acquiring a site.

“That discipline continues through design, approvals, funding, construction, marketing, and settlement,” clarifies Alder.

Placing quality before quantity, Locus is supported by three fundamental principles – daring to be different, maintaining a strong local focus, and creating lasting value.

Further setting it apart from the competition is the company’s investment in high-quality design, alongside its ability to maintain close relationships with investors, customers, and project partners.

“Decisions are made by people who are directly invested in the outcome and accountable for delivering it,” he confirms.

FULL DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE

With an integrated approach that maintains continuity and accountability across the entire lifespan of a project, Locus is involved from initial site identification and due diligence through to acquisition, construction, marketing and, where relevant, asset management.

“That continuity is important because decisions made at the beginning of a project can have significant consequences several years later; a planning assumption can affect construction efficiency, a design decision can affect marketability, and a procurement decision can affect quality and cost,” Alder cautions.

As Locus remains involved in the full development lifecycle, it can assess these decisions in the context of the overall project instead of treating each stage in isolation.

Rather than dealing with disconnected advisors responsible for only one component, investors and project partners have access to a clear point of accountability throughout.

“Our team coordinates the various disciplines and maintains the project’s strategic direction, from acquisition through to delivery,” he prides.

Locus’ development, funds management, and syndication capabilities also allow it to structure opportunities around the particular characteristics of each project, including bringing together aligned investors, providing regular reporting, and ensuring commercial objectives remain connected to the development strategy.

MAJOR STEP FORWARD

Harbour Sorrento represents a major step forward for Locus and is an important part of its long-term vision for the gateway to Hillarys Boat Harbour.

Comprising 83 premium residences with an estimated value of approximately AUD$166 million, the development was designed by Hillam Architects to be a high-quality coastal development offering ocean views, residential amenities, and direct connectivity to the harbour.

“Our involvement has extended across the complete development process, from site acquisition through to sales and construction planning.

“One of the most important elements has been ensuring the design responds sensitively to its coastal setting, with the building form, landscaping, material palette, and apartment orientation developed to create an appropriate transition between the coast, harbour, and surrounding residential community,” Alder emphasises.

Although a commercially significant property for Locus, Harbour Sorrento’s importance goes beyond monetary value, demonstrating the company’s capacity to deliver larger, design-led developments whilst establishing the foundations for the broader harbour precinct.

“The strong market response to Harbour Sorrento also reinforces our view that there is genuine demand for high-quality apartment living in established coastal locations – particularly amongst people who want to downsize without leaving the area and community in which they have built their lives,” he adds.

Harbour Hillarys, meanwhile, has reached an important milestone, having recently received development approval in June this year.

It comprises two multi-storey buildings containing 87 premium residences, a substantial ground floor retail and commercial complex incorporating food and beverage premises, landscaping, and public realm improvements.

The project is valued at approximately AUD$220 million and expected to enter the market in 2027.

Like Harbour Sorrento, the design of Harbour Hillarys has been carefully considered to optimise ocean views whilst creating a welcoming gateway to Hillarys Boat Harbour.

Together, Harbour Sorrento and Harbour Hillarys represent a transformational investment, offering greater housing diversity, new retail services, and employment opportunities whilst strengthening the connection between the surrounding community and harbour.

For Locus, receiving development approval for Harbour Hillarys is not only a significant achievement, but also the beginning of the next phase.

“Our focus now turns to detailed design and project delivery to ensure the development fulfils the quality and community outcomes we set out to achieve,” details Alder.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS

Fundamental to Locus’ daily activities are its investors, partners, and suppliers.

“Property development is not an individual pursuit. Every successful project depends on the collective expertise of investors, architects, planners, engineers, builders, trades, sales teams, local authorities, community representatives, and other stakeholders,” Alder sets out.

Indeed, Locus’ investors provide more than just capital – they bring long-term relationships, commercial experience, and an understanding of the WA market.

The company’s syndication model brings together aligned investors and seeks to create a transparent environment in which they remain informed and have confidence in the project strategy.

“Local consultants and suppliers understand the characteristics of building in WA – from planning and climate considerations to construction conditions and buyer expectations. Their knowledge helps us identify risks earlier, make more informed decisions, and create projects that are appropriate to their location,” he reflects.

As a company that values long-term relationships over transactional ones, Locus chooses partners who understand the way it works, enabling a more collaborative and efficient project timeline.

“We also believe that supporting WA businesses allows more of the economic benefit generated by our developments to remain within the local community,” asserts Alder.

With its developments becoming a central part of local neighbourhoods for many decades, community engagement is central to Locus’ approach.

“Our first responsibility is to listen. This includes engaging with neighbours, local authorities, community representatives, and relevant organisations during planning and design.

“Constructive engagement can identify issues that may not be apparent from a technical review alone and can help produce a better project,” he adds.

Locus also seeks to support local organisations and community initiatives through sponsorship, participation, and direct contribution.

BUILDING QUALITY AND INTEGRITY

Fostering a genuine and connected relationship with the places in which it operates, Locus’ goal is to create developments that contribute positively to their surroundings.

“Our published community commitment is based on transforming urban landscapes through sustainable and considered design and maintaining active involvement with local groups and initiatives,” Alder states.

In this way, the company’s ambition going forward is to remain disciplined, sustainable, and consistent with its values.

Recognising the significant opportunities in established metropolitan locations where new housing, retail services, and urban renewal can create lasting community value, Locus intends to expand its portfolio across residential, mixed-use, and commercial property whilst maintaining a strong focus on WA.

As such, the company will continue building its funds management and investment platform, giving investors access to carefully selected opportunities supported by rigorous due diligence, transparent communication, and active management.

Locus also seeks to increase the scale and complexity of the projects it can deliver, exemplified by developments such as Harbour Sorrento and Harbour Hillarys.

Growth in project size, however, will not come at the expense of attention to detail or financial discipline.

“Our goal is not simply to accumulate projects but to build a respected, enduring WA property company known for quality, integrity, and the ability to deliver on commitments.

“We will continue investing in our people and relationships because the strength of our business ultimately depends on the quality of our team, partners, and the confidence placed in us by our investors and customers,” Alder passionately concludes.

The post Locus Property : Growth by Design appeared first on Construction Outlook.

REDEFINING QUEENSLAND’S PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT LANDSCAPE

Founded in 2012 on the belief that property development could be done differently, KDL Property Group (KDL) is a fast-growing Queensland residential property developer with an increasingly integrated approach to land development and housing delivery.

Headquartered in Broadbeach, the company’s land development and housing delivery operations are primarily focused on high-growth regions across Southeast Queensland.

“At its core, KDL identifies and acquires well-located development sites, manages planning and approvals, and designs communities. We then oversee the civil works required to create serviced residential lots, taking projects through registration, sales, and settlement,” opens Kent Leicester, Managing Director.

KDL’s wholly owned construction arm, Ryse Construction, adds the capability to deliver completed homes across selected projects.

This integrated model gives KDL a broad customer and partner base. Alongside traditional builders, the business is increasingly working with government, institutional investors, and community housing providers to deliver large-scale affordable housing programmes.

KDL is also expanding into community-focused projects such as childcare, medical, and neighbourhood centres that complement its residential developments.

The KDL and Ryse Construction team now totals 26 people, supported by a long-standing network of civil contractors, planners, engineers, and other specialist consultants. The company has a pipeline of approximately 3,700 lots, with approximately AUD$2.5 billion in value across its land and housing development pipeline.

RYSE CONSTRUCTION

With a growing portfolio of projects underway and planned, Ryse Construction has become an important part of KDL’s integrated delivery model.

“Ryse Construction connects KDL’s property development knowledge with what happens on-site every day,” says Leicester.

The division allows KDL to consider housing design, procurement, and trade capacity earlier in the development process. It also provides direct feedback from construction teams that can help improve the planning and delivery of future stages.

“The advantage of having KDL and Ryse Construction working collaboratively is that we can test lot dimensions, driveway locations, and general buildability early in the process before the design is locked in. That reduces wasted land, avoids unnecessary construction costs, and generally produces a more functional home,” he sets out.

This designed-by-builders philosophy means layouts are more practical, specifications can be better controlled, and the company has repeatable systems that support volume without making every home the same. It can also reduce some of the delays and complexity associated with traditional retail building, including repeated design variations and fragmented administration.

Leicester says this is an important point of difference for the business.

“Ryse Construction isn’t trying to be a traditional retail home builder. We don’t carry a huge catalogue of designs or deal with individual variations.

“Our point of difference is that homes can be designed around the land and project requirements from day one. That is particularly valuable when delivering hundreds of homes through affordable housing programmes,” he outlines.

SUPPORTING CRITICAL DEMAND

KDL’s capabilities are increasingly relevant to one of Southeast Queensland’s major challenges: delivering enough housing to meet population growth and demand, including affordable housing.

“I believe the industry still has to overcome a difficult delivery equation. It’s not just about affordability – it’s about identifying the right land, zoning more land, and getting it approved with the right mechanisms and supportive infrastructure in place to achieve completion,” says Leicester.

Amongst the major constraints are the timing and availability of enabling infrastructure. New housing depends on the coordinated delivery of roads, water, sewers, and other essential services, with sufficient capacity to support growing communities.

Infrastructure such as this therefore requires effective planning and swift delivery to support the timely development of new land.

“Infrastructure delays don’t just affect the developer. They can delay a builder’s start, a buyer’s home, and ultimately the date a resident can move in. When you’re delivering housing at scale, those delays can have a significant impact,” he states.

KDL is also broadening the housing mix across its pipeline to help deliver greater choice and make efficient use of well-located land.

“Instead of just delivering detached housing, we’re looking at smaller more efficient homes, townhouses, and dual-key designed homes where standardised layouts and procurement allow more properties to be constructed in the same areas,” informs Leicester.

Whilst the housing mix is becoming more diverse, Leicester says quality remains a priority.

“Improving affordability shouldn’t mean reducing quality. The opportunity is to remove waste from the process, use land intelligently, and shorten the time between land registration and construction by designing homes earlier and making them efficient to build and economical to live in,” he says.

DYNAMIC HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

With the Queensland government recently announcing a target to build one million homes by 2044, Leicester sees an opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together to overcome the housing demand challenge.

“For KDL, it creates an opportunity to deliver affordable housing programmes at scale. We have a substantial pipeline of land, and Ryse Construction gives us another capability to help translate that pipeline into a broader range of completed homes,” Leicester highlights.

The company is already participating in major affordable housing initiatives involving government, institutional, and community housing partners.

For example, in collaboration with the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF), KDL and Ryse Construction are currently delivering 359 homes across four different communities in Logan City and the City of Moreton Bay.

The housing mix includes a range of bedroom configurations and dwelling types, including dual-key homes.

“Dual-key housing allows two self-contained dwellings to be delivered on one residential lot, creating greater flexibility in the mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom homes we can provide,” notes Leicester.

The approach can increase housing choice within established suburban areas and make more efficient use of residential land.

“The real advantage of this model is that we can produce a different kind of dwelling mix that’s well-designed and supportive of dual-key living homes, delivering what we call ‘gentle density’ – increasing the number of residents in a house without changing the character or standards of a suburban neighbourhood,” he explains.

This allows projects to cater for a wider range of households, including couples, families, key workers, older residents, and multi-generational households.

KDL is also the exclusive land partner in the Everyone’s Place affordable housing initiative, with 291 of the company’s lots supporting the delivery of 483 homes across four communities.

STRATEGIC, COORDINATED GROWTH

KDL’s multi-billion-dollar pipeline is the result of long-term acquisition and planning, with the business focused on sustainable growth rather than growth for its own sake.

“We’re not a company that needs to grow as quickly as possible – we need to grow sustainably, which is why we’re focused on expanding in the areas that reflect our model and what we do.

“It’s very easy to get distracted in property development, but we have stayed true to our core product – residential, low-density housing,” affirms Leicester.

KDL is further distinguished by its ability to manage the entire project lifecycle, which offers numerous advantages.

Bringing acquisition and planning, development, sales, and construction under a common strategy can improve coordination and allow decisions to be made with the completed home and future resident in mind.

“There are many parties involved in our projects – developers, consultants, civil contractors, sales teams, and others. Alignment helps everyone work towards the same outcome and can improve both speed and certainty.

“For the end buyer, that can mean greater consistency, clearer accountability, and shorter delivery times. We’re seeing that when the different parts of the process work together, we can deliver a more reliable and efficient product that is suited to the land,” Leicester observes.

Oversight across the complete development lifecycle also improves visibility of civil works, titles, procurement, and construction, allowing potential cost and delivery issues to be identified earlier.

FORGING STRONG COMMUNITY BONDS

Supporting the communities in which it operates has been part of KDL’s philosophy since its founding.

“Our business is ultimately about communities. We want our contribution to extend beyond just the physical development of homes by supporting organisations that promote wellness and a sense of connection,” Leicester emphasises.

The company has built strong connections with notable charity organisations across Southeast Queensland, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities and OneWave – a not-for-profit surfing charity that offers meaningful mental health programmes across the community.

KDL also supports a number of sporting organisations, such as the Bond University Rugby Club and Queensland rugby union pathway programmes.

The company is particularly proud to be a naming-rights sponsor for the Emerging Reds Cup in collaboration with Queensland Rugby Union.

“We look for partnerships that have a real tangible local impact and where the organisation’s values align with our own. We also try to involve our team and industry partners because shared participation creates more impact than just a corporate donation,” Leicester expands.

SCALING AND EXECUTION EXCELLENCE

Having built a substantial pipeline of approximately 3,700 lots, KDL’s priority is now to convert that pipeline into approvals, serviced lots, and completed homes at a reliable and consistent pace.

This includes the continued delivery of its Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF)-supported projects, with the current programme expected to be completed by the end of Q1 2027.

The company is also progressing projects across Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, and Toowoomba, with a continued focus on quality and delivery.

Another priority is the responsible growth of Ryse Construction, with hundreds of homes in its forward pipeline alongside its commercial projects.

“We want to invest in experienced leadership, build stronger systems, have more disciplined procurement and trade capacity relationships, and make sure growth is controlled,” Leicester adds.

KDL also plans to expand selectively in emerging residential growth areas and continue building its capability to deliver community infrastructure alongside housing.

Waraba and Ripley are major focus areas, with KDL having assembled a substantial long-term development pipeline across Ripley and South Ripley already.

“We’re proud that we can design and deliver these projects the right way through major product diversifications. Alongside the acquisition and purchase of more land, our primary focus is on the sustainable, responsible scaling and execution of what we have in our pipeline,” concludes Leicester.

The post KDL Property Group : Redefining Queensland’s Property Development Landscape appeared first on Construction Outlook.

FROM DESIGN TO DELIVERY

“Project & Development Services (PDS) has become far more than traditional project management.”

The PDS teams at global commercial real estate services leader, Cushman and Wakefield, manage every phase of the project lifecycle, delivering end-to-end solutions.

“Clients are increasingly looking for strategic advisors who can help them navigate complex property decisions, from the earliest stages of planning through to delivery and long-term asset performance,” continues Todd Hanrahan, Head of PDS – Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

Project delivery has become significantly more complex over the past few years, with clients also asking Cushman & Wakefield to become involved much earlier in the project lifecycle.

Indeed, they’re often seeking advice before sites are acquired, designs are finalised, and funding decisions have been made.

“Today’s projects are being delivered against a backdrop of rising construction costs, evolving procurement models, artificial intelligence (AI) impacts, planning reform, and changing occupier expectations. Early strategic advice has become just as valuable as the delivery phase itself,” insights Hutch Bykerk, Head of PDS – Australia.

At the same time, clients are after advisers who understand the bigger picture.

“They’re not simply asking us to deliver a building – they’re asking us to help them achieve broader business, investment, and operational outcomes,” Hanrahan sets out.

“That’s where being part of Cushman & Wakefield makes a real difference. We can draw on expertise from across our capital markets, leasing, valuation, research, and asset services teams to provide advice that extends well beyond project delivery.”

INTERNATIONAL EXPERTISE, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

The breadth of PDS is one of Cushman & Wakefield’s greatest strengths.

As part of a global business with a significant presence across Asia Pacific (APAC), it combines international expertise with deep local knowledge.

“Our clients benefit from both the scale of a global organisation and responsiveness of teams that understand their local markets,” Hanrahan states.

That national capability is particularly important in Australia, where clients are delivering increasingly complex projects across multiple locations and sectors.

“Our teams operate across every major market, giving us the ability to deliver consistent outcomes whilst still tailoring our approach to local conditions,” outlines Bykerk.

“It’s also the diversity of our expertise that sets us apart. Whether it’s workplace, industrial and logistics, government, healthcare, education, data centres, or emerging living sectors, we’re applying lessons from one market to another and helping clients make better-informed decisions.”

Complementing the PDS platform is Building Consultancy, which has become an increasingly important part of Cushman & Wakefield’s offering.

Clients are looking for integrated advice throughout the entire lifecycle of an asset, from acquisition and technical due diligence through to redevelopment, repositioning, and ongoing capital planning.

“Building Consultancy strengthens our ability to provide that end-to-end advice,” Hanrahan clarifies.

Having those technical specialists working alongside Cushman & Wakefield’s project delivery teams enables it to identify risks earlier, improve decision-making, and ultimately deliver better outcomes.

“It provides a more holistic service offering and reinforces our position as trusted advisors rather than simply project managers,” explains Bykerk.

INDUSTRY APPEAL

Having spent nearly three decades working across construction, infrastructure, and the built environment, Hanrahan joined Cushman & Wakefield seven years ago.

Since then, he has had the opportunity to lead PDS in Japan and ANZ, working across everything from major commercial developments and workplace projects through to infrastructure and emerging sectors.

Projects such as Salesforce Tower and the Porsche Experience Centre in Japan have been particular highlights, whilst more recently, PDS has been expanding into areas such as digital infrastructure and social infrastructure.

“What attracted me to commercial real estate was really the complexity of it. Property sits at the intersection of investment, development, construction, and the way people ultimately use buildings – you’re constantly solving different problems and working with clients to turn an idea or business requirement into something tangible,” Hanrahan tells us.

For Bykerk, who has spent more than 28 years across property development and construction, the appeal has always been that no two projects are quite the same.

“There’s a very practical side to development and construction, but there’s also a strategic and commercial element,” he notes.

“The challenge is understanding what a client is ultimately trying to achieve, then finding the best way to deliver it, manage risk, and create long-term value.”

SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY

Currently, the commercial real estate industry in ANZ is at an interesting point in the cycle.

Greater clarity is returning to the market, but clients remain very disciplined around where and how they deploy capital.

Across the region, that means there is a much stronger focus on the fundamentals of a project: location, infrastructure, feasibility, delivery risk and, ultimately, the resilience of the asset.

At the same time, the definition of commercial real estate is broadening. Traditional office, industrial, and retail remain incredibly important, but some of the strongest areas of growth are increasingly around data centres, living, healthcare, education, and social infrastructure.

“For our PDS business, that creates a significant opportunity because these are often highly complex projects where clients need specialist development, cost, programme, and delivery expertise,” highlights Hanrahan.

“Cushman & Wakefield’s 2026 Australian outlook similarly points to structurally supported demand across key asset classes, whilst emphasising asset selection, infrastructure readiness, and income durability.”

From an Australian perspective, clients are being much more forensic about projects before they commit.

Construction costs, funding, programmes, procurement, and risk all have a much greater influence on whether a project proceeds and how it is structured.

However, that doesn’t mean activity has stopped; in many respects, it has made good advice and project management more important.

“Clients want to understand the risks earlier, test feasibility properly, and make informed decisions before significant capital is committed,” Bykerk acknowledges.

The built environment is also responding to some very significant structural changes, from population growth and housing demand through to digital infrastructure, sustainability, and the changing requirements of occupiers.

That is creating opportunities across a much broader range of sectors than what is traditionally considered part of the commercial property market.

“The challenge for our industry is making sure we have the skills and capability to deliver that next generation of assets,” he affirms.

DATA CENTRE GROWTH

Data centres continue to be one of the most significant growth sectors across the APAC region.

This is underpinned by cloud computing, AI, and the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure.

“ANZ is well-positioned within that broader regional growth story, and we’re seeing increasing demand from both local and international investors seeking experienced project partners,” Hanrahan observes.

From a delivery perspective, data centres are amongst the most technically demanding assets in the market.

Every project requires careful coordination around power, resilience, commissioning, security, and operational continuity.

“Our teams have developed considerable experience managing those complexities whilst helping clients balance speed to market with long-term performance,” assures Bykerk.

They’re also active across the industrial and logistics and emerging living sectors.

Industrial and logistics continues to evolve rapidly, particularly in markets such as Sydney where land constraints are driving more innovative development solutions, including multi-level industrial facilities.

Meanwhile, there is significant momentum across student accommodation, build-to-rent, co-living, and senior housing as developers respond to demographic change and Australia’s ongoing housing supply challenges.

“What links all of these sectors is increasing complexity. Clients are looking for advisers who understand not only how to deliver projects, but also the commercial drivers behind them,” Hanrahan explores.

“Whether it’s logistics, living, or social infrastructure, success depends on aligning delivery with long-term operational outcomes.”

BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES

Cushman & Wakefield’s focus is on continuing to build a connected ANZ business that’s closely aligned with its broader APAC platform whilst investing in the sectors experiencing the strongest long-term growth.

“We’ll continue expanding our capabilities in areas such as data centres, industrial and logistics, infrastructure, and living, whilst ensuring clients have access to the best expertise from across our global network,” reveals Hanrahan.

At the same time, the company will continue investing in its people, technical capability, and project delivery expertise.

“As projects become more complex, clients increasingly value advisers who can combine strategic thinking with practical delivery experience – that’s exactly where we see our greatest opportunity,” Bykerk closes.

The post Cushman and Wakefield ANZ : From Design to Delivery appeared first on Construction Outlook.

DELIVERING PURPOSE-DRIVEN PROJECTS ACROSS ASIA PACIFIC

Across Asia Pacific (APAC), project delivery increasingly requires a broader view of real estate. Decisions made at the planning stage can influence everything from cost exposure and operational continuity to workplace performance and long-term asset value.  

For Colliers, this means bringing project management closer to the way clients make business decisions, rather than treating delivery as a standalone process. 

Whilst many real estate firms are structured around individual transactions, Colliers’ project management practice is built around long-term client partnerships. By understanding each client’s operating model, portfolio priorities, and internal processes, the team can tailor advice, anticipate delivery challenges, and provide the level of professional guidance needed to support decisions well beyond a single project. 

PROJECT DELIVERY WITH PURPOSE

Colliers’ Project Management team delivers more than programme oversight. Its professionally qualified project managers support clients through fully integrated project management and advisory.  

The focus is practical: protect budget, manage risk, keep stakeholders aligned, and deliver spaces that are ready to perform from day one.  

Instead of applying a fixed delivery model, the team adapts its role to the assignment, from full project management to targeted advisory support. Technology-enabled tools provide structure, whilst local judgment and close client coordination help keep projects moving through each stage.  

Rather than imposing a separate operating model, Colliers works within each client’s existing governance framework and functions as an extension of their in-house team. 

“Our approach is grounded in data, guided by expertise, and driven by purpose. Every decision we support is calibrated to our clients’ strategic goals, enabling smarter, more resilient outcomes that are not only effective today but adaptive for tomorrow,” says Wing Yan Chang, Head of Project Management at Colliers Singapore. 

From Singapore, the Project Management team now supports work across Malaysia, Taiwan, and India, with experience spanning corporate workplaces, industrial facilities, chemical plants, and data centres. Under Chang’s leadership, the team has built its regional reach around technical rigour, transparent delivery, and close client alignment. 

This way of working is reflected in repeat appointments from organisations including Arrow Electronics, QBE Insurance, and Digital Realty, where Colliers has supported clients across markets, sectors, and project types whilst maintaining consistent delivery controls. 

The team’s recent work with Murex, a global leader in capital markets technology, offered a different but equally complex brief. After 12 years in its previous premises, the company engaged Colliers to support its relocation to a new APAC headquarters, with the project requiring careful coordination across programme, workplace experience, business continuity, and sustainability considerations.  

THE COST IMPERATIVE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS

In 2026, cost performance has become one of the clearest tests of capital project leadership.  

For corporate occupiers managing portfolios, success depends on more than keeping spend inside an approved budget. It requires delivery models that give leadership visibility across markets whilst allowing project teams to respond to local conditions, procurement realities, and operational constraints. 

Colliers applies that discipline from early planning through to close-out, examining each stage through cost optimisation, operational resilience, and measurable value.  

AI is playing a transformative role in how teams optimise scheduling, leverage AI-driven insights, and make faster decisions, but for Colliers the value comes from combining those tools with experienced project judgment and market-specific knowledge. 

BUILDING LONG-TERM VALUE

Colliers believes project delivery is one part of a broader value equation. A project that opens on time but does not support its people, manage operating risk, or advance sustainability commitments has only delivered part of the brief.  

Clients are increasingly measuring success by how well a completed space performs after handover. 

Colliers’ sustainability strategy, Built to Last, gives that work a clear framework: helping clients manage decarbonisation and climate resilience, creating workplaces and communities where people can thrive, and upholding strong standards of ethics, transparency, and accountability. 

“As sustainability expectations become more performance-driven, our focus is on delivering outcomes that fortify, de-risk, and create lasting value within our own operations and our clients,” says Bastiaan van Beijsterveldt, Managing Director of Colliers Singapore. 

Colliers’ 2025 Global Sustainability Report shows how that framework is being put into practice, with progress across emissions intensity, renewable electricity, workplace experience, governance, and the responsible adoption of AI. 

In APAC, Colliers achieved a 41.3 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity compared to five years earlier, alongside a 9.26 percent year-on-year improvement. 

It also sourced 36 percent of electricity for its APAC portfolio from renewable energy and recorded more than 7,260 volunteer hours across the region. 

“We are proud of the progress our professionals in Singapore and across APAC are making and the way Built to Last is sharpening how we deliver impact for our clients, people, and communities. It reflects where we are today and the practical action needed to keep creating value over the long term,” Beijsterveldt concludes.  

The post Colliers : Delivering Purpose-Driven Projects Across Asia Pacific appeared first on Construction Outlook.