McConnell Dowell

McConnell Dowell is a major infrastructure construction company founded in New Zealand in 1961.[2] In 2003 it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Aveng, which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in South Africa.[1]

McConnell Dowell
Industryconstruction and engineering
Founded1961 (1961) in Auckland, New Zealand
FoundersMalcolm McConnell and Jim Dowell
OwnerAveng
Number of employees
over 3,500[1] (2019)
Websitemcconnelldowell.com

History

McConnell Dowell was formed in 1960 by two New Zealand engineers, Jim Dowell and Malcolm McConnell. It was involved in pipeline projects in New Zealand before expanding to Australia, Asia and the Middle East in the 1970s.[3]

McConnell Dowell was listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 1983 as part of the arrangements to take over Hamilton construction company Hawkins Holdings. During the remainder of the 1980s, McConnell Dowell also ventured outside of the engineering field int banking and finance, through shareholdings in National Insurance Company of New Zealand, National Pacific Corporation, Renouf Partners, Kupe and property development of the Robert Jones Tower in Auckland.[3]

Following the 1987 stock market crash, McDonnell Dowell merged with Inter-Pacific Equity,[4] an Australian investment bank, and sold off National Pacific to Government Life Insurance. Morrison-Knudsen (USA) took up 48.9% of McConnell Dowell in 1991, but in the mid-1990s sold its share to Dominion Bridge Corporation (Canada) who then held 63%.[5] In 1999, Dominion Bridge sold its share to LTA Ltd (South Africa) which was acquired by Aveng the next year.[3] Aveng acquired full ownership from the remaining minority shareholders in 2003 via a scheme of arrangement.[6][7][8]

McConnell Dowell bought a majority interest in South Australian company Built Environs in 2008.[9]

McConnell Dowell was one of the construction partners in Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team which was responsible for rebuilding infrastructure in Christchurch following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.[10]

Major projects

Some of the major projects that McConnell Dowell has built include:

Safety

In the early 2010s, McConnell Dowell was accused of lacking safety culture, and encouraging workers to report injuries as having occurred in their own time to preserve clean injury reports to leverage getting future large contracts.[15] It claims to have improved its safety practices significantly over the last 30 years.[16]

Incidents

EPA vs Trevor Morgan

In 1995, McConnell Dowell's CEO Trevor Morgan was found guilty of an offence in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. Morgan had signed a return which showed that McConnell Dowell had only rarely contravened the licence’s permitted pollution level when, in fact, there were many occasions the level was exceeded. Morgan was fined $4,000.[17]

Woolloomoolloo oil spill

In 2003 A pipeline was damaged at the Finger Wharf during construction works. In a court action initiated by the Environment Protection Authority against McConnell Dowell (found not guilty), Moltoni Corporation, a subcontractor working for McConnell Dowell in New South Wales was implicated for the discharge of oil into the waters of Woolloomooloo Bay. Moltoni was exonerated from any responsibility for damage to the pipeline and the consequent spillage. [18]

References
  1. "About Us". McConnell Dowell. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  2. "History". McConnell Dowell. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  3. "Brian Gaynor: National sale worries central bankers". The New Zealand Herald. 29 July 2003. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  4. "MCCONNELL DOWELL GROUP LIMITED (MDG) Delisted from ASX 20/01/1988". Deslisted.com.au. Investogain Limited. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  5. Honolulu selects MK-AEG hoint venture Railway Age October 1991 page 22
  6. Aveng scheme nets McConnell Dowell Sydney Morning Herald 26 July 2003
  7. "MCCONNELL DOWELL CORPORATION LIMITED (MDC) Delisted from ASX 29/08/2003". Deslisted.com.au. Investogain Limited. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  8. "MCCONNELL DOWELL CORPORATION LIMITED (MDC) Delisted from ASX 29/08/2003". Deslisted.co.nz. Investogain Limited. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  9. "About: McConnell Dowell Group". Built Environs. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  10. "Who we are". Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  11. Singapore International Cruise Terminal McConnell Dowell September 2009
  12. More SA jobs as tender awarded for O-Bahn tunnel design and construction Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
  13. Planning approval and contract awarded for Barangaroo Ferry Hub Transport for NSW 4 September 2015
  14. GoldlinQ selected to build Gold Coast light rail Railway Gazette International 6 May 2011
  15. Wall, Tony (25 August 2013). "McConnell Dowell workers allege 'appalling' safety culture". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand Limited. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  16. Naidu, Vijay (5 June 2015). "McConnell Dowell – a view from the top". Contractor. Contrafed Publishing Co. Ltd.
  17. Symes, Christopher (1 August 1997). "Environmental law - Polluting activities" (PDF). Alternative Law Journal. 22 (4). Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  18. "Liability for Environmental Incidents – Are You In Control?". www.findlaw.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
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