Clough Group
Clough Group is an Australian engineering and construction company based in Perth, with expertise in infrastructure, energy, resources, operations and maintenance.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Clough Group is an Australian engineering, construction, operations and maintenance business headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The company traces its origins to 1919, when it was established as the building firm J. O. Clough and Son. Over more than a century, it developed from a Western Australian contractor into an international project-services group with activities spanning civil engineering, infrastructure, marine works, oil and gas, energy, resources, construction and asset support. Clough's growth was closely linked to Western Australia's postwar industrial development and the Pilbara iron ore boom. During the 1950s through the 1970s, the business expanded its construction and civil-engineering capabilities and began taking on large public and industrial projects. Its early marine work included the establishment in 1964 of BAM Clough, a 50:50 joint venture with Royal BAM Group. The venture delivered jetty and near-shore marine projects in Australia and Papua New Guinea. In 1965, Clough entered the oil and gas sector through work associated with the development of the Barrow Island oilfield, a move that helped establish the energy industry as a long-term focus. The company later expanded beyond Australia. During the 1970s and 1980s it pursued work in the Middle East, Indonesia and Africa, while opening offices in Brisbane, Bangkok and Houston. Its 1984 acquisition of the Petrosea Group of Companies supported a broader Southeast Asian presence; Clough subsequently divested Petrosea in 2009. Other corporate developments included the creation of Clough AMEC in the 1990s, a 50:50 joint venture with Amec focused on brownfield asset support for the Australasian oil and gas market. A civil-engineering unit acquired Noyes Brothers around 1991 and operated as Noyes-Clough until 2002, when that business was purchased by Project Solutions Australia. Clough became a public company on the Australian Securities Exchange in 1998. The Clough family ceased to be shareholders in 2007. Murray & Roberts, which had held a stake since 2004, completed its acquisition of Clough in 2013, after which Clough was delisted. The business continued to pursue energy and industrial opportunities, including the acquisition in 2019 of Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business in Houston, Texas. The group encountered severe financial pressure in 2022. A proposed acquisition by Webuild failed to complete at that stage, and Murray & Roberts placed Clough into administration. Webuild ultimately acquired Clough in February 2023, making it part of the Webuild Group. Its project history includes major Western Australian bridges, transport infrastructure, marine and oilfield works, as well as later energy, downstream, chemical, civil and electro-mechanical projects. Notable projects associated with the company include Perth's Narrows Bridge, the Barrow Island oilfield development, Stirling Bridge, Mount Henry Bridge, the Graham Farmer Freeway, Brisbane's Northern Busway and work on Snowy 2.0 in a joint venture with Webuild.
History
Clough Group was founded in Perth in 1919 as J. O. Clough and Son. Its earliest activities were in building and construction, but the company expanded substantially during the economic and industrial development of Western Australia after the Second World War. The Pilbara iron ore boom created demand for civil engineering, industrial facilities, transport infrastructure and marine works, providing a foundation for Clough's later diversification. A major early turning point came in 1964, when Clough formed BAM Clough with Royal BAM Group. The 50:50 joint venture focused on major jetties and near-shore marine projects in Australia and Papua New Guinea. The following year Clough undertook its first oil and gas project on Barrow Island. This entry into the energy sector became strategically important as the company developed expertise in engineering, construction, operations and maintenance for oil and gas and related industrial assets. During the 1970s and 1980s, Clough pursued projects outside Australia, including work in the Middle East, Indonesia and Africa. It established branch offices in Brisbane, Bangkok and Houston. In 1984, it acquired the Petrosea Group of Companies, giving it a stronger platform in Southeast Asia. Petrosea was later divested in 2009. Clough also broadened its specialist capabilities through joint ventures and business acquisitions. Around 1991, Clough Engineering took over Noyes Brothers and operated that business as Noyes-Clough until 2002, when Project Solutions Australia purchased the unit. In the 1990s, Clough established Clough AMEC with Amec as an equal joint venture to provide brownfield asset support to the Australasian oil and gas industry. The company's project portfolio included significant Western Australian bridges and transport works. Among the projects associated with Clough were Perth's Narrows Bridge, completed in 1957; the Barrow Island oilfield development in 1965; Stirling Bridge in 1974; Mount Henry Bridge in 1982; and the Graham Farmer Freeway, delivered in 2000 in partnership with Baulderstone. Clough also participated in Brisbane's Northern Busway, completed in 2004 in a joint venture with Seymour Whyte. In later years, its work extended to Snowy 2.0, where Clough and Webuild worked together on civil and electro-mechanical works. Clough entered the Australian Securities Exchange in 1998. The Clough family ceased to be shareholders in 2007, marking a further transition away from family ownership. Murray & Roberts had been a shareholder since 2004 and completed the purchase of the company in November 2013. Clough was then delisted from the ASX and operated as a subsidiary of Murray & Roberts. The business continued to seek international and industrial growth. In February 2019, Clough acquired Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit in Houston, Texas. The transaction strengthened its position in downstream and chemical contracting in the United States and complemented its established energy and construction capabilities. Clough experienced a major corporate crisis in 2022. Financial distress placed the company at risk of collapse. A proposed takeover by Webuild did not proceed at that point, and Murray & Roberts subsequently placed Clough into administration. Webuild eventually acquired the company in February 2023. Clough therefore became part of the Webuild Group, while retaining its identity as an Australian engineering and construction business based in Perth. Its historical profile combines local infrastructure construction, international expansion, energy-sector specialization, industrial contracting and long-term project delivery.
- 2023
Acquired by Webuild
[1]Webuild acquired Clough, bringing the Australian business into the Webuild Group.
- 2022
Placed into administration
[1]Financial distress led Murray & Roberts to place Clough into administration after a proposed Webuild takeover did not proceed.
- 2019
Houston downstream and chemical acquisition
[1]Clough acquired Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit.
- 2013
Acquired by Murray & Roberts
[1]Murray & Roberts completed its acquisition of Clough, which was subsequently delisted from the ASX.
- 2009
Petrosea divested
[1]Clough divested the Petrosea business it had acquired in 1984.
- 2004
Northern Busway project
[1]Clough participated in Brisbane's Northern Busway project in a joint venture with Seymour Whyte.
- 2000
Graham Farmer Freeway project
[1]Clough participated in delivery of the Graham Farmer Freeway in a joint venture with Baulderstone.
- 1998
Australian Securities Exchange listing
[1]Clough became listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
- 1984
Petrosea acquired
[1]Clough acquired the Petrosea Group of Companies, supporting expansion in Southeast Asia.
- 1982
Mount Henry Bridge project
[1]Clough was associated with construction of Mount Henry Bridge.
Products and positioning
An engineering and construction contractor serving complex infrastructure, energy, resources and industrial projects, with a particularly strong historical association with Australia and the oil and gas sector.
Professional engineering
Engineering and design services
Clough provides engineering and project-development capabilities for complex infrastructure, energy, resources and industrial assignments. Its historical work has included civil, marine, oil and gas, downstream and electro-mechanical scopes, often as part of integrated project delivery rather than as a standalone consumer-facing product.
Construction
Construction and civil infrastructure
The company delivers construction and civil-engineering work for bridges, roads, transport systems, marine facilities and major industrial developments. Representative projects include the Narrows Bridge, Stirling Bridge, Mount Henry Bridge, Graham Farmer Freeway and Brisbane's Northern Busway.
Energy engineering and construction · 1965
Oil, gas and energy projects
Energy has been a core area since Clough's first oil and gas project on Barrow Island in 1965. The offering includes engineering, construction, project execution and support for oil and gas and related energy infrastructure, together with operations and maintenance services.
Asset services
Operations and maintenance
Clough supports operating industrial and energy assets through brownfield services, operations support and maintenance activities. Its Clough AMEC joint venture was created to serve the Australasian oil and gas sector's brownfield asset-support requirements.
Industrial construction · 2019
Downstream and chemical contracting
Following its 2019 acquisition of Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit, Clough expanded its industrial contracting presence in Houston and the wider United States Gulf Coast market.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008University of Western Australia First Year Centre sponsorship
Australia
Clough sponsored construction of a first-year engineering centre at the University of Western Australia. The initiative reflected the company's support for engineering education and industry-linked student facilities.
Outcome. The centre opened in 2010 and provided engineering students with a dedicated space for study, group work and industry-related projects.
Brand decisions
2023
Webuild acquisitionM&ABackground
Webuild pursued ownership of Clough after the company entered administration.
Action taken
Webuild acquired Clough in February 2023.
Aftermath
Clough became a subsidiary within the Webuild Group.
2022
Administration following financial distressStrategyBackground
Clough experienced financial distress and faced a risk of collapse after a proposed Webuild takeover did not proceed at that stage.
Action taken
Murray & Roberts placed Clough into administration.
Aftermath
The administration process was followed by Webuild's acquisition of Clough in February 2023.
2019
Acquisition of Saulsbury Gulf Coast businessM&ABackground
Clough sought to expand its United States industrial and energy capabilities.
Action taken
It acquired Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit in Houston, Texas.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened Clough's downstream and chemical-sector presence in the US Gulf Coast market.
Recent events
- 2023
Clough becomes part of Webuild after administration process[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
Webuild completed the acquisition of Clough in February 2023 following Clough's financial distress and administration process.
- 2022
Clough placed into administration after financial distress[1]
Bankruptcy · M&A
Clough faced financial difficulties after a proposed Webuild takeover failed to proceed at that stage, leading Murray & Roberts to place the business into administration.
- 2019
Clough acquires Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business[1]
M&A
Clough acquired Saulsbury's Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit in Houston, Texas, expanding its United States industrial and energy activities.
- 2013
Murray & Roberts completes acquisition and Clough delists[1]
M&A · Other
Murray & Roberts, a Clough shareholder since 2004, took full ownership in November 2013 and Clough ceased to be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
- 2008
Clough sponsors engineering student centre at the University of Western Australia[1]
Campaign · Other
Clough sponsored construction of a first-year engineering centre at the University of Western Australia; the facility opened in 2010.
- 2007
Clough family ceases to be shareholders[1]
Leadership change · Other
The Clough family no longer held shares in the company, following the company's period as an ASX-listed business.
- 1998
Clough lists on the Australian Securities Exchange[1]
Other
Clough became a publicly listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Sources2 sources
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