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Site Preparation Services in Australia - Market Research Report (2013-2028)

Anthony Kelly Anthony Kelly Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: August 2023 ANZSIC E3212

Revenue

$34.1bn

2023-24

$34.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

63,089

Businesses

20,641

Wages

$X.Xbn

Site Preparation Services in Australia industry analysis

The Site Preparation Services industry is one of the largest specialist construction services industries, as its services are integral to the early stages of most construction projects and resource developments. The industry comprises many small-scale contractors that supply heavy construction equipment within narrow regional or niche service markets. It also includes a handful of larger, multi-disciplined contractors capable of undertaking large-scale or complex projects. The industry's performance has been influenced by widely divergent trends in the core construction markets, and revenue will decline at an average annualised 0.9% to $34.1 billion in 2023-24. Profit margins have narrowed in recent years because of the slump in new housing construction and rising input prices resulting from supply chain bottlenecks.

Trends and Insights

  • Weaker housing construction in recent years has driven down site preparation on residential subdivisions. New single-unit house construction has plummeted from a peak in 2021-22 following the hike in mortgage interest rates and the withdrawal of the Federal HomeBuilder stimulus.
  • Site preparation work on infrastructure projects has paved the way for industry expansion. Contractors have undertaken extensive tunnelling and roadworks on landmark transport infrastructure projects, as well as complex preparatory work for the construction of large-scale renewable power projects.
  • Site preparation activity in New South Wales matches the state's population size. Site preparation was ramped up to meet the flow of landmark road and rail developments in Sydney, like the WestConnex motorway and Sydney Metro Rail projects.
  • Most contracts are awarded by tender or under a long-term relationship with a developer or public authority. Site preparation contractors with proven capabilities and available equipment may be invited to tender for contracts.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $34.1bn in 2023.

Trends and Insights

Site preparation work on subdivisions plummets alongside new housing construction

  • Site preparation contractors derived robust revenue growth from levelling expansive areas and creating topographical features for residential subdivisions as investment in new single-unit house construction surged to a record peak in 2021-22.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Site Preparation Services in Australia
Revenue (2013-2028)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The housing upswing provides scope for expansion

  • The return to favourable conditions in the residential building markets will underpin the industry's positive performance, with much of the drive coming from work on complex high-density apartment building projects.

Biggest companies in the Site Preparation Services in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
CIMIC
683.0
Delta
683.0
NRW Holdings
171.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Site Preparation Services in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Wet hire on building sites , Wet hire on infrastructure projects and Specialist mine preparation . Wet hire on building sites is the largest segment of the Site Preparation Services in Australia.

Trends and Insights

The slump in housing construction dampens wet hire on building sites

  • The wet hire supply of site preparation services on building sites is the largest source of industry revenue and has decreased through 2023-24, corresponding with the deterioration in the residential building market.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry companies primarily conduct earthmoving work, such as levelling construction sites, excavating foundations, digging trenches or removing overburden from mine sites. The industry also includes companies that hire out earthmoving equipment with operators (wet hire).

What's included in this industry?

Wet hire on building sitesWet hire on infrastructure projectsSpecialist mine preparationDemolition servicesAbatement and remediation of development sitesLand regeneration, soil stabilisation and ground dewatering services

Companies

CIMICDeltaNRW Holdings

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

GROUND DEWATERINGREMOVAL OF OVERBURDENSOIL STABILISATIONWET HIREDRY HIREGREYFIELD BROWNFIELD

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 3212 - Site Preparation Services in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Weaker housing construction in recent years has driven down site preparation on residential subdivisions. New single-unit house construction has plummeted from a peak in 2021...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Site preparation work on infrastructure projects has paved the way for industry expansion. Contractors have undertaken extensive tunnelling and roadworks on landmark transpor...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2023
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2023
  • Major market segmentation in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Site preparation activity in New South Wales matches the state's population size. Site preparation was ramped up to meet the flow of landmark road and rail developments in Sy...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Most contracts are awarded by tender or under a long-term relationship with a developer or public authority. Site preparation contractors with proven capabilities and availab...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The industry has no Major Companies as it comprises mainly small-scale developers that are non-employing enterprises. The Site Preparation Services industry comprises several...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
  • Overview of CIMIC's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Delta's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of NRW Holdings's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for CIMIC, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Delta, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for NRW Holdings, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Work on road and bridge construction projects provided robust revenue for contractors delivering earthmoving and levelling services. Stimulus has mainly come from site prepar...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Rising input prices have pushed up purchase costs. Inflationary pressures stem from supply chain disruptions, fuelled by the fallout from the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Average Wage (2013-2028)
  • Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
  • Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2013-2028)
  • IVA (2013-2028)
  • Establishments (2013-2028)
  • Enterprises (2013-2028)
  • Employment (2013-2028)
  • Exports (2013-2028)
  • Imports (2013-2028)
  • Wages (2013-2028)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia is $34.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Site Preparation Services in Australia industry in 2023?

There are 20,641 businesses in the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2018 and 2023.

Has the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2018 and 2023.

What is the forecast growth of the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Site Preparation Services market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Site Preparation Services market in Australia are CIMIC, Delta and NRW Holdings

What does the Site Preparation Services in Australia include?

Wet hire on building sites and Wet hire on infrastructure projects are part of the Site Preparation Services industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Site Preparation Services in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is CIMIC.

How competitive is the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Site Preparation Services industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Heavy Industry and Other Non-Building Construction in Australia
  • Machinery and Scaffolding Rental in Australia
  • Land Development and Subdivision in Australia
  • Hardware Wholesaling in Australia
  • Construction Machinery and Operator Hire in Australia

International industries

  • Land Development in the US
  • Excavation Contractors in the US
  • Demolition & Wrecking in the US
  • Site Preparation Services in New Zealand
  • Demolition in the UK

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.