Clelands Construction Limited

What Clelands Construction Limited does

Clelands Construction Limited is a privately held, family-rooted general building contractor founded in 1916 by WJ Cleland and headquartered in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. The company operates across four service lines — commercial, industrial, residential, and building maintenance — serving government agencies, local councils, iwi (Māori tribal) organisations, property developers, industrial operators, and private clients. It describes itself as the largest and most experienced construction team in Taranaki, with a directly employed workforce of qualified tradespeople, apprentices, quantity surveyors, project managers, and a dedicated HSE advisor, supplemented by specialist subcontractors.

The firm's technical capabilities centre on Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), seismic strengthening and heritage adaptive reuse, sustainable construction using Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and energy-efficient systems, complex façade installation, and large-span structural systems including Coresteel, precast concrete, and structural steel. Notable delivery includes the multi-year $80m Stadium Taranaki (Yarrow Stadium) West Stand repair and East Stand rebuild as principal contractor, New Plymouth Airport terminal redevelopment for 650,000 passengers per year, the 15,000m² Ravensdown blending plant, and New Zealand's first 5 Star Green Star commercial building at Port Taranaki. The company holds Tōtika health and safety prequalification and Toitū Enviromark Gold environmental certification.

Clelands generates revenue through construction contracts awarded via tender or direct appointment, acting as principal or head contractor on fixed-price or cost-plus project scopes. Its go-to-market combines enterprise field sales (large-scale public, civic, commercial, industrial, and residential tenders) with a community-led model that leverages century-long relationships with mana whenua (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Te Whiti, Ngāmotu, Puketapu Hāpu), councils, schools, and charitable partners such as Building Wellness Taranaki and Big Brothers Big Sisters. There are no resellers or distribution partners; all projects are delivered directly. The company remains family-connected (descendant Andy Cleland has served over 33 years) and is led by Managing Director Michael Braggins alongside directors and senior managers in estimating, quantity surveying, operations, and HSE.

Name

Clelands Construction Limited

Legal name

Clelands Construction Limited

Website

https://clelands.net.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clelands Construction Limited is a family-rooted New Zealand general contractor, founded 1916 and headquartered in New Plymouth, Taranaki, delivering commercial, industrial, residential, and maintenance projects for government, iwi, and enterprise clients across Taranaki and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Services

NAICS

Industrial Building Construction (23621), Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

Keywords

• Commercial construction
• Industrial construction
• Residential building
• Building maintenance services
• Seismic strengthening

Headquarters

HQ city

New Plymouth

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Construction Contract Revenue: Clelands generates revenue primarily through construction contracts for commercial, industrial, residential, and maintenance projects. Revenue is project-based, earned as a general contractor delivering agreed scopes of work on a fixed-price or cost-plus basis. Projects range from small maintenance contracts to multi-year, multi-stage infrastructure builds. Clelands employs its own tradespeople, quantity surveyors, project managers, and HSE staff, supplemented by specialist subcontractors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Clelands Construction is a full-service building contractor operating across commercial, industrial, residential, and maintenance sectors in Taranaki, New Zealand, and beyond. The company delivers new builds, refurbishments, seismic strengthening, heritage adaptive reuse, and ongoing building maintenance through directly employed qualified tradespeople, apprentices, quantity surveyors, project managers, and a full-time HSE advisor, supplemented by specialist subcontractors. Projects are frequently secured through Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) where Clelands contributes design input, buildability reviews, cost planning, and risk identification before construction commences.

Product overview

Clelands Construction Limited is a construction services company offering commercial, industrial, residential, and building maintenance services across Taranaki, New Zealand. The company does not offer software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Construction Full principal contractor delivery of civic & community, education & institutions, healthcare & medical, industrial & infrastructure, mixed-use developments, office buildings, retail & hospitality, and specialised commercial builds. Projects are delivered through Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) where Clelands contributes design input, buildability reviews, cost planning, and risk identification, then acts as principal contractor using its own workforce plus specialist subcontractors. Targeted at government agencies, local councils, iwi organisations, property developers, and commercial businesses.
• Industrial Construction Design and construction of cold storage facilities, factories and manufacturing plants, processing facilities, utility and service buildings, and warehouses and distribution centres. Clelands applies large-span structural systems including Coresteel, precast concrete, structural steel, and engineered timber to deliver purpose-built industrial facilities. Targeted at manufacturing, energy, port, and infrastructure companies.
• Residential Construction Construction of architectural homes, additions and renovations, apartments and multi-unit housing, mixed-use developments, and retirement and aged care living. Delivered by Clelands as principal contractor with an emphasis on quality craftsmanship and durable, coastal-resistant construction. Targeted at private homeowners, residential property developers, and retirement living operators in Taranaki.
• Building Maintenance Ongoing building maintenance, compliance, and repair services including Building Compliance and BWOF (Building Warrant of Fitness), general building maintenance, scheduled preventative maintenance, structural and seismic repairs, trade services coordination, and insurance repairs and reinstatement. Targeted at property owners, councils, and organisations needing to protect asset value and regulatory compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered the $80m Stadium Taranaki repair and rebuild project across multiple years as principal contractor
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Taranaki FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClelands partnered with Taranaki Foundation as principal contractor for Destination Kāwaroa, a multi-generational play and learning space at Kāwaroa Park. The project was delivered in three stages (Stage One opened December 2024; Stages Two and Three August 2025), spanning approximately 22,000m² and serving up to 2,000 visitors daily. Taranaki Foundation led fundraising for the project, with thousands of community contributions.
• New Plymouth District Council (NPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Plymouth District Council partnered with Clelands on the Destination Kāwaroa project as part of the project governance group. Clelands was also engaged for Stadium Taranaki West Stand strengthening works and other civic projects. The relationship reflects long-standing collaboration between Clelands and NPDC on regional infrastructure.
• Building Wellness TaranakicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClelands is a founding member and sponsor of Building Wellness Taranaki, a charitable trust dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes across the construction sector. Operations Manager Chris Pye serves as Chair of the Trust. Clelands team members benefit from wellbeing training and the Mentor Mates programme, and the company actively encourages other companies to support the Trust through sponsorship or donations.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters TaranakiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClelands supports the Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based mentoring programme, with staff volunteering during work hours. This community initiative enables Clelands employees to mentor young people in local schools, reinforcing the company's commitment to the Taranaki community.
• Ngāti Te WhiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNgāti Te Whiti is a mana whenua partner on multiple Clelands projects including Destination Kāwaroa, Toitū House, Stadium Taranaki, and other builds. The iwi guided cultural narratives woven into project design, provided building names (e.g., Toitū House name gifted by Ngāti Te Whiti), and participated in early contractor involvement and design collaboration. This is a recurring partnership across the company's project portfolio.
• Boon ArchitectscoreTechnology or IntegrationBoon Architects worked with Clelands as design partner on Stadium Taranaki East Stand, Ngāmotu House, and other significant projects. Clelands' ECI involvement included close collaboration with Boon Architects on design, buildability, and cultural narrative integration. The partnership is referenced across multiple major projects.
• Puketapu HāpucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPuketapu Hāpu provided cultural design input for the New Plymouth Airport terminal redevelopment. Clelands worked with the iwi alongside the client and design team to embed cultural values in the project's outcomes, consistent with the company's approach to mana whenua engagement.
• NP PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNP Partners is a project partner alongside Taranaki Foundation, mana whenua, and New Plymouth District Council in the Destination Kāwaroa development. Clelands delivered the project as principal contractor for this multi-partner initiative.
• Taranaki Stadium TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaranaki Stadium Trust engaged Clelands as principal contractor for Stadium Taranaki's West Stand strengthening and new East Stand construction. The Stadium Taranaki project is described as a complex $80m multi-year undertaking. The relationship has been long-standing and highly collaborative, with Mike Nield (Director-Corporate Services, Taranaki Regional Council) recommending Clelands for future projects.
• Manukorihi Pā Reserve TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManukorihi Pā Reserve Trust engaged Clelands to demolish and rebuild the wharekai at Owae Marae, Ko Tamawahine. The Trust chose Clelands for shared values, dedication, and awareness of the intergenerational significance of the project. Clelands' conduct and workmanship were noted as reflecting understanding of tikanga and cultural protocols.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fletcher Building: New Zealand's largest construction and building products company, listed on the NZX. Comparable as a general contractor across commercial, industrial, and residential sectors, though at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint than Clelands.
• Brian Perry Civil: Major NZ civil and infrastructure contractor (Fletcher Building subsidiary) delivering heavy civil, infrastructure, and seismic projects. Comparable to Clelands on infrastructure/seismic capability, though larger and more focused on civil rather than building work.
• Hawkins Group (ACCIONA): Major NZ building contractor (now part of ACCIONA) delivering commercial, industrial, and civil projects across New Zealand. Comparable to Clelands as a general contractor, but with national reach and significantly larger balance sheet capacity.

Direct peers

• Cook Brothers Construction: New Zealand construction company delivering commercial, residential, and civil projects across the country. Comparable to Clelands in scale, project types, and regional general contractor profile.
• Leighs Construction: Christchurch-based general contractor delivering commercial, industrial, and seismic strengthening projects across the South Island. Closely comparable to Clelands in scale, seismic/structural expertise, and project-based delivery model.
• Naylor Love: Privately held NZ construction company delivering commercial, heritage, and refurbishment projects across the South Island. Most directly comparable to Clelands in business model, regional focus, heritage/adaptive reuse capability, and family-ownership-style culture.
• Scarbro Construction: New Zealand construction company delivering commercial, civil, and infrastructure projects. Comparable to Clelands as a regional general contractor with similar project mix and customer profile.
• Watts Group: New Zealand construction company with capabilities spanning commercial, residential, and maintenance sectors. Comparable to Clelands in vertically integrated offering and regional general contractor positioning.
• Foster Construction: New Zealand construction firm delivering commercial, industrial, and seismic retrofit projects. Comparable to Clelands in scale, project mix, and strong regional presence.
• Apollo Projects: New Zealand design-build contractor specialising in commercial, industrial, and community infrastructure projects. Comparable to Clelands in commercial/industrial project focus and project delivery approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clelands-construction-limited

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clelands Construction Limited