Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

L–R: UniSuper’s Nick Stephens, GPT Group’s Chris Davis, FDC Construction’s Cameron Jackson, Asahi Beverages’ Adrian Benson, HB+B Property’s Luke Wilson, and TMX Transform’s Adam McDonald. (Image: HB+B Property) Construction is underway at the new $1 billion Deer Park Estate in Melbourne’s west, marking the start of a major industrial development anchored by a new distribution centre for Asahi Beverages. Located 15 kilometres west of the CBD, the 340,000-square-metre estate was announced in February 2024 and is owned by UniSuper. Once complete, it will feature facilities with strategic links to Melbourne’s planned intermodal freight precincts, the Port of Melbourne, Melbourne Airport, other industrial and retail precincts, and households. To mark the start of construction, Asahi Beverages general manager of manufacturing and project delivery Adrian Benson attended a sod-turning event with Nick Stephens from site owner UniSuper, Luke Wilson from developer HB+B Property, and Chris D...

Backed by her crew, Holly Gray is learning fast and helping lift standards in the workshop. (Images: NexGen) One Semco apprentice is proving that when barriers come down, skills, safety and culture rise. By Lauren Fahey, executive director at NexGen. Semco didn’t set out to tick a box; it set out to build a stronger team. Holly Gray, a diesel mechanic apprentice, was hired because she was the right person, not because the company needed a photo for LinkedIn. Today, women make up 24 per cent of Semco’s team. Lauren Fahey, executive director at NexGen. Gray joined the team with a very normal goal: to be seen for her skill on the tools. That decision is already lifting standards in the workshop. Communication is cleaner, safety discussions are more focused, and the team is solving problems faster. This is what happens when you widen the gate and back talent. “I wanted to be known for the work, not my gender,” says Gray. “The boys have had my back from day one. I am learning fas...

Artist's impression: Hillsdale development. (Images: Homes NSW) Homes NSW is seeking experienced developers and builders to deliver three major housing redevelopments across Sydney, with proposals now open through the NSW Government’s procurement portal. The projects – located in Hillsdale, Pagewood and Sylvania – form part of the state’s $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW program. Homes NSW CEO Rebecca Pinkstone said the developments would deliver high-quality, modern homes while providing industry with confidence through government-backed investment. “We’re calling on developers and builders to partner with us and be part of the solution to the housing crisis,” said Pinkstone. “Each project will deliver new, sustainable homes at scale and give industry the confidence that comes with partnering on government-backed social housing.” Across the three sites, more than 800 new dwellings are planned, replacing ageing properties with hundreds of fit-for-purpose social homes al...

At Opt Hire, partnership is more than a word. (Image: khwanchai/stock.adobe.com) One of the strongest themes to come out of last month’s Converge Expo in Melbourne was the importance of partnerships, highlighted by Opt Hire’s Dave Ewan during his panel discussion on ‘Powering Productivity’. By Dave Ewan, business unit manager at Opt Hire. Across the industry, there’s growing recognition that true progress doesn’t happen in isolation. In today’s construction and infrastructure landscape, the projects that run smoothly, stay on schedule and deliver real value are built on partnerships, not transactions. Opt Hire believes that collaboration is the foundation of smarter site management. Every project we support is an opportunity to work with our clients, not just for them. Because when we understand their on-site challenges, we can design the best solutions. Partnerships that drive progress Truly optimal outcomes come from teams that share goals, insights and a collective understa...

Digital claim management tools like Payapps automate submissions, approvals and compliance checks. (Image: Dusan Petkovic/stock.adobe.com) Insights from the FCON-Tech summit signal construction leaders want technology that delivers, not dazzles. By Ian Moss, marketing leader for Australia & New Zealand at Payapps. At this year’s FCON-Tech summit, I had the pleasure of listening to a panel of construction CEOs and CIOs cut through the buzzwords with a refreshingly honest message: technology in construction must solve real business problems. Throughout the discussion, three priorities stood out as the lenses through which technology decisions are made: efficiency, cost and user experience. These principles are shaping how Australia’s top builders choose and scale digital tools. Efficiency Rising project complexity, tighter margins and compliance pressure are forcing contractors to look for efficiencies beyond the job site. Many are finding them in the back office, particular...

Skills can be taught, but values must align. Cultural fit shapes success. (Image: InfiniteFlow/stock.adobe.com) In her latest Inside Construction contribution, Dr Gretchen Gagel explores three more fundamentals of high-performing teams. By Dr Gretchen Gagel. Dr Gretchen Gagel. (Image: Heidi Victoria) In the last edition I shared my thoughts on the first three critical elements of creating high-performing teams – defining purpose, goals and objectives; building organisational culture and values; and executing strategies and tactics. Be they construction project teams or the internal teams that are the engines of our industry’s success, these three elements are critical, as detailed in the fifth part of my book, Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction . Three additional elements are fundamental to creating high-performing teams – hiring the right talent, developing team norms and social contracts, and remaining nimble in the face of ever-changin...

More than 550 construction representatives came together, filling the forum with energy and purpose. (Images: Australian Constructors Association) Earlier this year, more than 550 representatives from across the construction industry gathered at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena for the second Foundations and Frontiers (FF25) forum. Hosted by the Australian Constructors Association (ACA), the event carried a powerful theme – From Me to We – calling on industry to treat construction as a team sport. By Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association. Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association. The sense of urgency was unmistakable. With construction productivity declining over the past three decades, despite record levels of activity, reform is no longer optional. The Queensland Productivity Commission’s recent inquiry painted a stark picture: without change, Australians face weaker economic growth and lower living standards. Yet Queensland , with its ambitiou...

Triumph in Tasmania – the New Bridgewater Bridge project team celebrated victory at the black-tie gala in Brisbane. (Images: Australian Constructors Association) The New Bridgewater Bridge project in Tasmania has claimed the 2025 Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA). Presented by the Australian Constructors Association and Engineers Australia, the award recognises not just engineering and construction excellence, but also how projects are reshaping sustainability, workforce capability and social impact across the industry. By Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association. Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association. Delivered by McConnell Dowell for the Tasmanian Government, the $786 million bridge is a 1.28-kilometre feat of modern engineering, connecting key freight and passenger routes. It includes two new interchanges, seven upgraded intersections and a dedicated shared path for cyclists and pedestrians. Judges were impressed by the...

The redevelopment of Chatswood Chase introduces new retail and dining spaces designed for light, accessibility and sustainability. (Images: Aran Anderson) Multiplex has completed Vicinity Centres’ $300 million redevelopment of Chatswood Chase on Sydney’s North Shore, transforming the iconic shopping centre into a modern and sustainable retail destination. Located at 345 Victoria Avenue and 5 Havilah Street in Chatswood, the redevelopment was designed by architectural firms Make and Webber. The project adds 20,000 square metres of new floor space, bringing the total to 84,000 square metres across five levels, and introduces more than 100 new retail tenancies, including the new Chase Market food hall on the Lower Ground floor. Chatswood Chase is targeting a 4 Star Green Star rating and a 4.5 Star NABERS rating, reflecting its improved sustainability credentials. Patrick Murphy, regional director at Multiplex, said completing the redevelopment was especially rewarding given the c...

Patterned precast panels showcase how formliners bring design flair to functional concrete. (Image: Ausliners) Previously limited to smooth surfaces or finishes requiring specialist machinery, precast concrete in Australia has entered a new design era. By Sarah Bachmann, executive advisor at National Precast. Formliners – flexible mould inserts that create textures and patterns on concrete surfaces – are now being used to bring visual depth and creative variety to façades across the country. By Sarah Bachmann, executive advisor at National Precast. (Image: National Precast) Whether it’s replicating brickwork, stone, timber grain or creating abstract or organic forms, today’s formliners offer designers and builders an expanded creative toolkit. This shift is not just aesthetic; it’s practical. Durable, easy to use and suitable for a range of projects, formliners are making it easier than ever to add visual appeal to structural elements. In many cases, formliners are replacing...

Lucy Whalen, sustainability construction lead with Webuild in the Spark North East Link Design & Construct Joint Venture. (Image: Webuild) From Melbourne’s suburbs to London’s rail corridors, Lucy Whalen has made it her mission to embed carbon accountability in major infrastructure. On Melbourne’s North East Link project, carbon was tracked as a critical element, measured, challenged and designed out through an approach that delivered a national first: PAS 2080 certification . The UK-developed standard requires that key decisions, from design to procurement and construction, be aligned with a rigorous carbon management framework. Lucy Whalen, sustainability construction lead with Webuild in the Spark North East Link Design & Construct Joint Venture (Spark), helped steer the process. She drove the embodied carbon reduction targets, worked with teams to optimise materials and processes, and played a key role in securing the buy-in that ensured carbon management was part of ...

The words we use matter. (Images: Empowered Women in Trades) If the construction industry wants progress, its language must move first, and Empowered Women in Trades is leading the charge. By Melinda Davis, general manager of Empowered Women in Trades . “Hey guys, it’s Mel from Empowered Women in Trades. In case you missed the memo, women can apply for trade roles and apprenticeships. If you are bullied, isolated or harassed in this male-dominated industry, we can arrange support and counselling through women in trade mentoring services.” Melinda Davis, GM of Empowered Women in Trades. Read that again. Would you want to enter an industry if this is how it is being described? As the general manager of Empowered Women in Trades, I attend many industry events with great people working to make trades accessible for everyone – as they should be. Hours are spent putting these events together, we share powerful stories from women in the industry, and we hear from men who are advoca...

Holcim won the inaugural Contractors’ Choice Award at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 Next Level Awards. (Images: Association of Equipment Manufacturers) With an expanded awards program, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 will acknowledge the innovations in equipment and technology steering the industry forward. Every three years, Las Vegas becomes the meeting ground for the construction world, with CONEXPO-CON/AGG showcasing machinery, technology and ideas that signal where the industry is heading. Among the towering cranes and cutting-edge demonstrations, recognition has become just as important as exhibition. Awards spotlight those who challenge convention and set the pace for the wider sector. In 2026, the Next Level Awards return with an expanded format that underscores their growing influence. The program, introduced at the last show, will now include two new categories – Equipment and Technology – highlighting the areas that continue to drive advancement across the construction industry. Acco...

BlueDeck is applied for structural decking in large-scale industrial projects. (Image: Trent Perrett/IndustriArc) With rigorous testing and assured supply, FTI Group gives contractors certainty on cost and labour despite market volatility. Australia’s commercial projects are growing in scale and complexity, and the demands on cost, compliance and labour are only intensifying. Since 2016, FTI, an Australian family-owned business, has responded with building solutions engineered to take uncertainty out of construction. FTI’s leadership team, with more than 150 years of combined experience, has long-standing roots in high-rise concrete construction. The family has been supplying the sector since 1996, building a foundation of expertise that now underpins its growth. “It is not a small family-owned operation that has happened upon manufacturing preformed stairs, decking and door frames,” says Cameron Arkcoll, CEO of FTI. “The company was built on deep in-house expertise, and that ex...

Kennards Hire project managers bring capability, solutions and expertise to every stage of a project. (Image: Dan Stephens/Kennards Hire) As 2026 approaches, construction leaders are balancing growth ambitions with ground realities, according to new insights from Kennards Hire. Across Australia and New Zealand, construction leaders are voicing optimism for the years ahead. Decision makers believe the sector is entering a growth phase over the next five years, buoyed by infrastructure investment, housing demand and advances in technology. Yet almost all are tempering that optimism with restraint, implementing cost-saving measures to protect margins. Tom Kimber, general manager of sales at Kennards Hire. (Image: Kennards Hire) The 2025 Kennards Hire Construction Confidence Check (CCC) captures this balancing act. The survey of more than 600 senior industry figures paints a picture of a sector gearing for expansion but mindful of the persistent headwinds eroding project perform...