Scott Criddle

Engineering and construction contractor Decmil Group has posted a 4.9 per cent fall in first-half profit to $24.3 million as a result of lower construction margins in the tough market.

Decmil Group has won about $40 million worth of work at Hancock Prospecting’s Roy Hill iron ore project in the Pilbara, building on its portfolio of port, rail and fuel infrastructure work already under way at the site.

Construction and contracting firm Decmil Group has added a $27.3 million fuel terminal expansion deal to its order book, with the works to be undertaken at the Port of Hastings in Victoria.

Former Thiess executive Ric Buratto has been recruited by Decmil Group for a newly created role as chief executive, construction and engineering.

Engineering and construction firm Decmil Group has been selected to build a school in Christchurch for the New Zealand Ministry of Education.

The federal government has awarded $57 million in defence contracts to Perth-based company Decmil Group.The contracts are for work on defence facilities in Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.

Contractors pursuing new infrastructure projects are continuing to diversify across industry sectors and geographies in response to continued weakness in mining-related work.

Perth-based contractor Decmil Group has outperformed most of its peers, reporting a relatively small dip in profit after lifting revenue to record levels, while Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has slumped to a loss after restructurng the business on the back of challenging conditions in the resources sector.

Decmil Group founder and director Denis Criddle has spent another $500,000 buying shares in the contracting company, adding to a string of big trades by company directors includng his son Scott Criddle, Chris Ellison, John Rothwell and Enzo Gullotti over the past month, according to BNiQ data.

Decmil Group has continued to diversify its business from the struggling resources sector by acquiring Osborne Park-based telecommunications solutions provider SC Services.

Perth-based Decmil Group has won a contract to provide temporary accommodation for ConocoPhillips workers at the Australia Pacific LNG facility on Curtis Island for an undisclosed sum.

Decmil Group has expanded its business with the acquisition of Melbourne-based civil engineering company Cut & Fill Pty Ltd for $9.5 million.

Shares in Decmil Group tumbled 18 per cent today after the contractor posted a big half-year loss, cut its dividend, and indicated more restructuring was needed.

Decmil Group has lowered its revenue guidance after announcing a number of one-off costs relating to the closure of one of its local business divisions, coupled with delays to a project and further restructuring, as it seeks to direct its business away from the resources sector.

Perth-based Decmil Group has won another contract to build a school in New Zealand.

Decmil Group and Global Construction Services have swung into the red on the back of large write-downs and restructuring costs, but both are upbeat on the year ahead.

SPECIAL REPORT: The median base pay of newly appointed chief executives at listed Perth companies fell this year to $295,000, a survey by Business News has found.

Business News sat down to lunch at Julio’s with the CEO and managing director of Decmil Group, Scott Criddle, who says building relationships is an important part of his role.

Decmil Group has substantially cut its revenue forecasts for the current financial year due to delays in recent contract wins, while suffering further losses at a Victorian construction project.

Decmil Group has entered into a joint venture agreement with US-based SolarReserve for the construction of a 70-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant in NSW.

Decmil Group has been earmarked for a $NZ60 million ($A56 million) construction contract for work at two prison sites in New Zealand.

Osborne Park-based Decmil Group has won a $75 million contract with BHP Billiton to upgrade and expand accommodation for the miner's existing operations and its planned South Flank iron ore project near Newman.

Decmil Group is well placed to secure a $275 million engineering contract for Chinese group Maoneng's 250-megawatt Sunraysia solar project in NSW, after signing a memorandum of understanding to complete early designs for the project.

Decmil has appointed current executive director Dickie Dique as chief executive, replacing Scott Criddle who will remain with the company as an executive director.

Scott Criddle will be stepping down as executive director of Decmil Group at the end of July. His resignation is the first part of a planned renewal of the company’s board.