Auckland Airport is partway through building a new integrated jet terminal. Downer's Hawkins has the contract for the job. Photo / Michael Craig
Auckland Airport is partway through building a new integrated jet terminal. Downer's Hawkins has the contract for the job. Photo / Michael Craig
Downer New Zealand, which owns New Zealand’s busiest builder Hawkins, has pushed up profit 247% to make $66 million in the latest year.
Revenue of $2.5 billion (previously $2.6b), earnings before interest and tax of $114m ($54m) and pre-tax profit of $91m ($27m) resulted in net profit after tax of$66m ($19.7m).
The accounts are for the year to June 30, 2025 and were posted on the Companies Office yesterday.
The profit boost partly came from spending significantly less.
Subcontractor costs fell from $900m to $794m and wages or employee benefit expenses fell from $804m to $783m.
Data specialist BCI Central released a list of the 50 most-active builders nationally, following a 2024 list out last June and a 2023 inaugural list.
Hawkins was started by a Kiwi, Fred Hawkins, in his garage in the early 1940s.
Craig Treloar heads Hawkins. Photos / NZME
Last year, Auckland Airport said Hawkins would manage the construction and delivery of an $800m new domestic jet terminal building, an “economic engine” creating 2500 jobs at its peak.
Hawkins’ executive general manager is Craig Treloar.
The airport is Hawkins’ biggest job but Downer has won many road contracts, particularly for roads of national significance.
In August, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) named Downer New Zealand as the business for early contractor involvement on the Mill Road to Redoubt Road SH1 interchange to Hilltop Rd contract, valued at $59m.
Inside the new Karanga-a-Hape Station for the City Rail Link. Photo / Auckland Council
Also in August, Downer said it had signed a contract for part of the Ōtaki to north of Levin highway. Downer is to deliver the southern section of that 24km highway with McConnell Dowell, Beca and Tonkin + Taylor.
The company was named the prime contractor of the year in May in the Ministry of Defence excellence awards for 2024.
“Hawkins partnered with the Ministry of Defence to construct new facilities for the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft fleet at RNZAF Base Ōhakea,” that award citation said.
Te Whare Toroa has many facilities, including two hangars, a flight simulator, office space, flight stores, ground service equipment storage and an apron to the runway.
“The complicated construction process required a number of bespoke solutions to meet strict compliance requirements and a high earthquake standard,” the ministry award said.
“The nominators described the Hawkins team as flexible, perseverant and collaborative with health and safety a part of the culture.”
In March, Downer said it had won a new $600m electricity field services contract with Powerco to provide maintenance, minor capital works and fault-repair services in two regions of the electricity distribution network in the North Island.
Hawkins built the $300m Tōtara Haumaru building, which includes 150 beds and eight operating theatres, as part of the $600m North Shore Hospital upgrade.
Downer is also a core member of the Link Alliance for the $5.5b City Rail Link, now nearing completion and due to open next year.
During the year, Downer sold its Catering (New Zealand) business and Cleaning (Australia) and Cleaning (New Zealand) businesses, resulting in it employing 5000 fewer people. It made a A$23.3m ($26.6m) loss on the sale of its Australian cleaning and New Zealand catering businesses.
Downer says it employs approximately 26,000 people on more than 300 sites here and in Australia.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald‘s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
