Multiplex celebrates 60th anniversary in Australia

Premier global construction company Multiplex has achieved a major milestone, reaching its 60^th year of business in Australia.

Founded in 1962 by the late John Roberts AO, Multiplex originally started as a small construction firm in Perth named after a cactus, 'Echinopsis Multiplex', which is known to multiply rapidly.

60 years on, Multiplex is a global business with some 2,600 staff around the world and a $14.2 billion workbook.

It has left its mark on Australia’s city skylines delivering more than US$68.2 billion in projects across the country. This includes many recognisable and recently completed projects such as Brookfield Place Sydney and Quay Quarter Tower in New South Wales; The Jewel and Brisbane Quarter in Queensland; Australia 108 and 405 Bourke Street in Victoria; and Optus Stadium and The WA Museum Boola Bardip in Western Australia.

"We are obviously very proud of our achievements over the past 60 years, and particularly grateful to our people, our subcontractors and the workers who are critical to our success and make us who we are today," said John Flecker, Chief Executive Officer of Multiplex.

While currently navigating widespread post-pandemic issues, including materials costs, supply chain delays and skilled labour shortages along with unprecedented extreme weather events, Multiplex is adept at working with the cyclical nature of construction.

“We’ve been riding the cycle for 60 years now but we’ve always been focused on certainty of delivery,”’ said Mr Flecker.

“We’ll evolve how we get there to suit the current environment – whether that’s adjusting work practices to accommodate COVID restrictions, or our approach to risk when costs are rising – but certainty has always been our end game.”

Looking ahead, Mr Flecker identifies a greater focus on ESG and diversity as important opportunities for the business.

“We remain committed to broadening participation in our industry and our approach is very grassroots, focused on creating positive and material change,” he said.

“Our support of the Literacy for Life Foundation is helping boost literacy and has created employment pathways for Indigenous communities across Australia, and our Jump Start program, started by a group of young women at Multiplex, has educated hundreds of young women about what a career in construction has to offer.

“Widening the pool of talent both within our business and industry will remain a focus.”

According to Mr Flecker, clients’ aspirations for greater environmental and quality outcomes continue to grow, and early collaboration will be critical to leveraging the opportunities, a skill-set that is ingrained in Multiplex.

“We have been prepared for this for some time, drawing on research and evidence to demonstrate how the design and delivery of buildings can generate better outcomes across the spectrum of ESG,” he said.

“For example, we were a founding member of the Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living back in 2012 – the outcomes of which set our business and industry on an evidence-based pathway to decarbonisation.”

Mr Flecker added, “I also acknowledge the unwavering support of our parent company, Brookfield, a powerhouse with $600 billion worth of assets under management.”

The Multiplex Story 1962-2022

• 1962: Multiplex was founded as a small construction company in Perth.
• 1978:1978 marked the company's expansion into New South Wales and Victoria.
• 1980s: During the 1980s, Multiplex continued to expand interstate, opening offices in Canberra in        1987 and in South Australia and Queensland in 1989.
  
  By 1989 it had become the largest privately-owned construction company in Australia.
  
  
• 1990s: By the end of the 1990s, Multiplex had a firm presence in offshore markets - opening an office in the United Arab Emirates in 1997 and the United Kingdom in 1999.
• 2003: ASX listing.
• 2007: Multiplex is acquired by Brookfield Asset Management.
• 2011: Established offices in Canada.
• 2020:Over 1,000 projects completed around the world.