Thiess Pty Ltd
An Australian mining-services contractor providing contract mining, mine operations, engineering, and related infrastructure services internationally.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Thiess Pty Ltd is an Australian mining-services company headquartered in Brisbane. Its roots date to 1933, when Henry Horn and Leslie Thiess established Horn & Thiess in Toowoomba as a road-building and earthmoving business. The company expanded into dam construction, civil engineering, and open-cut mining, eventually becoming known as Thiess Bros and later Thiess Contractors. This early diversification gave the business experience in large-scale earthworks, heavy equipment, infrastructure delivery, and project operations—capabilities that later formed the basis of its contract-mining model. The company developed from a family-associated construction enterprise into a public company during the postwar expansion of Australian infrastructure and resource industries. It was listed on the Sydney and Brisbane stock exchanges in 1951. During the following decades, Thiess pursued activities beyond mining and civil construction. It imported Toyota Land Cruisers for the Snowy Mountains Scheme and became Toyota’s Australian commercial-vehicle franchisee; part of Thiess Toyota was sold to Toyota Australia in 1968 and the remaining interest was sold in 1980. Thiess also distributed White Motor Company products in Australia from 1967 to 1970. In 1987, it entered waste collection through Thiess Waste Management Services, a business later sold to Remondis in 2012. Ownership and corporate structure changed substantially in the 1980s. CSR acquired Thiess in a hostile takeover in February 1980. In April 1981, the construction division was sold to a consortium comprising Hochtief, Westfield Group, and Leslie Thiess. Leighton Holdings acquired Thiess in July 1983, linking the company to the corporate group that subsequently became associated with CIMIC. In 2014, the mining operations of Leighton Africa, Leighton Asia, and Leighton Contractors were consolidated into Thiess. A later restructuring separated civil engineering from the mining business: in 2016, Thiess’s civil-engineering activities were combined with Leighton Contractors, which was renamed CPB Contractors. Thiess then became focused entirely on mining. The company’s core scope includes open-cut and underground contract mining, mine operations and maintenance, engineering, project development, and mining-related infrastructure. It works as an external operator or contractor for resource owners, undertaking activities across the life cycle of mines rather than selling a consumer product. Its capabilities are particularly associated with large-scale production environments requiring heavy mobile equipment, earthmoving, mine development, operational management, and rehabilitation or closure-related services. Thiess has described itself as one of the world’s largest contract-mining providers following the 2014 consolidation, although the precise ranking depends on the comparison and measurement period. In 2021, CIMIC sold a 50 percent interest in Thiess to Elliott Advisors. In April 2024, CIMIC exercised a put option that increased its holding to 60 percent. CIMIC also retained an option, reported as expiring in December 2026, to increase its ownership to 100 percent. Thiess remains an active international mining-services business, with its Australian base and operations extending across parts of Asia and Africa. Its market proposition is built around large-project execution, operational capability, safety, productivity, engineering expertise, and the ability to provide integrated mining services.
History
Thiess began in 1933 as Horn & Thiess, founded in Toowoomba by Henry Horn and Leslie Thiess. The original business concentrated on road construction and earthmoving, but it soon expanded into dam construction, open-cut mining, and other civil-engineering work. After members of the Thiess family acquired Horn’s interest, the company was renamed Thiess Bros and developed into a significant Australian contractor. The postwar growth of Australian infrastructure and mining provided the setting for the company’s expansion. Thiess became publicly listed on the Sydney and Brisbane stock exchanges in 1951. Its history was not limited to mining and construction. In 1959, it imported Toyota Land Cruisers for use in the Snowy Mountains Scheme and subsequently became Toyota’s Australian commercial-vehicle franchisee. Toyota Australia acquired a 40 percent stake in Thiess Toyota in 1968, with the balance sold in 1980. Thiess also distributed White Motor Company products in Australia between 1967 and 1970. Corporate control changed in the early 1980s. CSR completed a hostile takeover of Thiess in February 1980. The construction division was sold in April 1981 to a consortium involving Hochtief, Westfield Group, and Leslie Thiess. Leighton Holdings acquired Thiess in July 1983, with Hochtief at that time holding a majority interest in Leighton Holdings. Thiess later diversified into waste collection, establishing Thiess Waste Management Services in 1987. That business was sold to Remondis in July 2012. The company was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2011. A major reorganisation followed in 2014, when mining operations from Leighton Africa, Leighton Asia, and Leighton Contractors were merged into Thiess. This consolidation expanded the brand’s international mining-services platform and supported its claim to being the world’s largest contract-mining-services provider. In 2016, the civil-engineering business was moved into Leighton Contractors, which was renamed CPB Contractors. From that point, Thiess was dedicated to mining rather than maintaining a combined civil-construction and mining portfolio. Thiess’s modern business is based on contract mining and associated technical services. It can provide open-cut and underground mining, mine planning and engineering, mine operations, maintenance, heavy-equipment management, and infrastructure delivery. The contractor model allows resource owners to outsource some or all operational functions while retaining ownership of the underlying mine or resource project. The company’s geographic footprint has included Australia, Indonesia, India, Mongolia, and African markets. Ownership changed again in 2021, when CIMIC sold a 50 percent stake in Thiess to Elliott Advisors. In April 2024, CIMIC exercised a put option and increased its holding to 60 percent. Public reference material states that CIMIC has an option expiring in December 2026 that could allow it to increase its ownership to 100 percent. Thiess therefore remains part of the CIMIC corporate sphere while operating as a mining-services company with international activities. Its historical development reflects the transformation of an Australian earthmoving and construction firm into a specialised global mining contractor.
- 2024
CIMIC increases its ownership to 60 percent
[1]CIMIC exercises a put option in April and increases its Thiess holding to 60 percent.
- 2021
Elliott Advisors acquires a 50 percent interest
[1]CIMIC sells a 50 percent interest in Thiess to Elliott Advisors.
- 2016
Thiess becomes mining-focused
[1]The civil-engineering business is merged into Leighton Contractors, later renamed CPB Contractors, leaving Thiess focused on mining.
- 2014
International mining operations are consolidated
[1]Mining operations from Leighton Africa, Leighton Asia, and Leighton Contractors are merged into Thiess.
- 2011
Induction into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame
[1]The business is inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.
- 1987
Thiess enters waste management
[1]Thiess establishes Thiess Waste Management Services as part of a diversification beyond construction and mining.
- 1983
Leighton Holdings acquires Thiess
[1]Leighton Holdings acquires Thiess in July, bringing it into the corporate group that later becomes associated with CIMIC.
- 1980
CSR takes over Thiess
[1]CSR completes a hostile takeover of Thiess in February.
- 1959
Toyota vehicles supplied for the Snowy Mountains Scheme
[1]Thiess imports Toyota Land Cruisers for use in the Snowy Mountains Scheme and develops a subsequent commercial-vehicle relationship with Toyota.
- 1951
Thiess is listed on Australian exchanges
[1]The company is listed on the Sydney and Brisbane stock exchanges.
Products and positioning
An international, large-project mining contractor positioned around integrated mine operations, engineering capability, safety, productivity, and delivery of complex resource projects.
Contract mining
Open-cut mining services
Thiess provides outsourced services for surface mines, including mine development, earthmoving, overburden removal, material handling, production support, equipment deployment, and operational management. The offering is designed for large resource projects that require a contractor to manage substantial fleets and coordinated mining activities.
Contract mining
Underground mining services
The company provides underground mining capabilities as part of its broader contract-mining portfolio. These services can include mine development, production support, equipment and workforce management, maintenance, and operational assistance, although the exact scope varies by project and commodity.
Mining operations
Mine operations and maintenance
Thiess can operate mining assets on behalf of resource owners and provide maintenance for mobile and fixed equipment. The service combines operational management, production planning, asset utilisation, maintenance systems, and workforce coordination over the life of a project.
Engineering services
Mining engineering and project development
Engineering and project-development work supports mine planning, design, construction, production readiness, and operational improvement. It complements Thiess’s contracting model by allowing the company to contribute technical and delivery expertise before and during mine operations.
Mining infrastructure
Mining infrastructure and civil works
Thiess has undertaken infrastructure and civil works associated with mining projects, including the development of facilities and supporting works needed to establish or operate large resource sites. Civil engineering was historically a broader part of the business before being separated in 2016.
Mine lifecycle services
Mine rehabilitation and closure services
Rehabilitation and closure-related capabilities address the later stages of a mine’s life cycle. The specific services and responsibilities depend on the project, regulatory framework, mine-owner requirements, and contracted scope.
Brand decisions
2024
CIMIC exercises an option to increase its Thiess stakeM&ABackground
Following the 2021 shared-ownership arrangement, CIMIC held contractual rights affecting its future ownership of Thiess.
Action taken
CIMIC exercised a put option in April 2024, increasing its ownership from 50 percent to 60 percent.
Aftermath
CIMIC retained an option reported as expiring in December 2026 to increase its holding to 100 percent.
2021
Sale of a 50 percent interest to Elliott AdvisorsM&ABackground
CIMIC pursued a change in the ownership structure of its mining-services business.
Action taken
CIMIC sold a 50 percent interest in Thiess to Elliott Advisors.
Aftermath
Thiess operated under shared ownership by CIMIC and Elliott Advisors.
2016
Separation of civil engineering from ThiessStrategyBackground
The corporate group reorganised its construction and mining activities after the 2014 consolidation.
Action taken
Thiess’s civil-engineering business was merged into Leighton Contractors, which was renamed CPB Contractors.
Aftermath
Thiess became focused entirely on mining services.
2014
Consolidation of Leighton mining operations into ThiessStrategyBackground
CIMIC’s predecessor corporate structure contained mining operations across several Leighton businesses and geographic divisions.
Action taken
Mining operations from Leighton Africa, Leighton Asia, and Leighton Contractors were combined under Thiess.
Aftermath
The consolidation strengthened Thiess as an international mining-services platform and supported its positioning as a major contract-mining provider.
Recent events
Thiess and Mine Energy Solutions partner on mining-truck conversions[3]
Reported:
Thiess and Mine Energy Solutions agreed to introduce locally sourced gas in phases to displace diesel in mining trucks, beginning with a fleet of six trucks in the Bowen Basin.
Sources3 sources
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