Clough Group

Clough Group
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryEngineering, construction and asset support contractor, primarily to oil and gas industry
Founded1919; 105 years ago (1919)
FounderJohn Clough
Headquarters
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Peter Bennett
ServicesEngineering, construction
RevenueIncrease $1.51 billion (2012/13)
Increase $90.7 million (2012/13)
Total assets$461.8 million
Parent
Websitecloughgroup.com

The Clough Group is an Australian Engineering and Construction company based in Perth, Western Australia. It has projects in engineering, construction, operations and maintenance services, principally in the oil and gas industry.

Formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, it has been a subsidiary of WeBuild since February 2023.[1]

History

[edit]

Clough was established in Perth in 1919, as builders J. O. Clough and Son.[2] Clough underwent significant growth and diversification from the 1950s through 1970s.[3] In 1964, BAM Clough was established as a 50:50 joint venture with Royal BAM Group to deliver major jetty and near shore marine projects in Australia and Papua New Guinea.[4] Expansion was fuelled by civil engineering and infrastructure contracts from Western Australia's Pilbara iron ore boom. Clough undertook its first oil-and-gas project on Barrow Island in 1965.[2][5][6]

During the 1970s and 1980s, Clough pursued activities in the Middle East, Indonesia and Africa. Branch offices were established in Brisbane, Bangkok and Houston.[7] Acquisition of the Petrosea Group of Companies in 1984 (divested in 2009) was a basis for expansion in the South East Asian region. The company was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in 1998, with the Clough family ceasing to be shareholders in 2007.[2][8][9]

Around 1991, Clough Engineering took over Noyes Brothers, and traded as Noyes-Clough until 2002, when that branch of the company was purchased by Project Solutions Australia.[10] In the 1990s, Clough AMEC was established as a 50:50 joint venture with Amec to deliver brownfield asset support to the Australasian oil and gas sector.[11]

In October 2008, Clough sponsored construction of a First Year Centre for engineering students at the University of Western Australia,[12][13] which opened in 2010, supporting students "with a space to have as their base, to meet, work in groups, and also work on projects [from industry]".[14] It was recorded that former chairman and managing director Harold Clough had been a long-term benefactor of the university.[15]

Having been a shareholder since 2004, in November 2013 Murray & Roberts took full ownership with the company delisted from the ASX.[16] In February 2019, Clough acquired Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit in Houston, Texas.[17]

In 2022 Clough suffered financial distress and was at risk of financial collapse. After a proposed takeover by Webuild collapsed, Murray & Roberts placed it in administration.[18][19]

In February 2023 Clough was eventually acquired by WeBuild.[20]

Notable projects

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References

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  1. ^ "Webuild Completes Acquisition of Clough in Australia and Papua New Guinea". Clough Group. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Historical timeline Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine at Clough official website. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  3. ^ J.O. Clough & Son (1974), The Stirling Bridge, Fremantle, Western Australia : a submission for the 1974 Construction Achievement Award, J.O. Clough, retrieved 25 January 2012
  4. ^ Bam Clough Clough
  5. ^ J.O. Clough & Son (1987), Group history, J.O. Clough & Son?, retrieved 25 January 2012
  6. ^ History Clough
  7. ^ Company locations Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine at Clough official website. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  8. ^ Admission to Official List & Top 20 Australian Securities Exchange 10 March 1998
  9. ^ Harold Clough steps down Archived 9 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Press release at Clough official website, 29 October 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  10. ^ "History of Noyes Bros". Noyes Bros. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  11. ^ About Us Clouch Amec
  12. ^ Clough to fund first year centre at UWA Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine Press release at Clough official website. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  13. ^ Clough to fund first year centre at UWA Press release at UWA, 29 October 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  14. ^ Szymakowski Y Focus on the Faculties: Engineering, Computing and Mathematics at UWA, February 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  15. ^ The real value of philanthropy at UWA, 19 April 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  16. ^ Murray & Roberts set to complete Clough takeover Mining Business Media 15 November 2013
  17. ^ Clough Acquires Gulf Coast Downstream and Chemical EPC Business in Houston Clough 18 February 2019
  18. ^ Snowy 2.0 cost increases inevitable after Clough collapse Australian Financial Review 6 December 2022
  19. ^ Snowy Hydro 2.0 builder collapses after white night walks Sydney Morning Herald 6 December 2022
  20. ^ "webuild". www.webuildgroup.com. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  21. ^ Gregory, Jenny (2003). City of light: a history of Perth since the 1950s. Perth: City of Perth. p. 107. ISBN 0-9594632-5-9.
  22. ^ "Never enough for Clough". Business News. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  23. ^ Roads Australian Transport March 1975 page 15
  24. ^ "Place Record Form: Mount Henry Bridge" (PDF). City of South Perth. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  25. ^ "Graham Farmer Freeway - Perth". Australian Tunnelling Society. Archived from the original on 16 February 2011.
  26. ^ Brisbane Inner Northern Busway Clough
  27. ^ "Preferred contractors announced for Snowy 2.0" (PDF). Australia New Zealand Infrastructure Pipeline. Retrieved 8 November 2022.