Six members of the New Zealand Construction Alliance (NZCA) have cracked the top 50 in this year’s Construction League, compiled by BCI Central, powered by Hubexo—a testament to how the collective’s “National Coverage, Local Delivery” model is resonating in an otherwise cautious market. 

The Alliance’s showing comes as the construction sector struggles to regain momentum after a slowdown in government work and a return to more traditional, hard-dollar tendering. Despite those headwinds, NZCA members have managed to keep the spades turning, with results that speak to the group’s collaborative model and on-the-ground ties. 

“The market had its challenges last year—government work was thin on the ground and the commercial sector remained cautious”, NZCA CEO Warren Luxton told BCI Central. “Yet despite the headwinds, six of our member firms ranked in the Construction League.”  

Together, the six NZCA builders ranked in the top 50 kicked off 158 projects across New Zealand last year, with a combined construction value of just over $682.45 million. 

“That comes down to a shared approach, local knowledge and consistent delivery”, Luxton said. 

Formed in 2018, the NZCA was born out of a pragmatic need: clients wanted the same reliable builder experience in multiple locations, without the overhead of shipping entire crews across the country.  

For many regional firms, chasing projects outside their home patch often meant stretched teams and higher costs. “Being locally owned and operated means the benefits flow back into the community where the building is happening”, Luxton said. “That’s something we’re deeply committed to.” 

The NZ Construction Alliance brings together eight leading regionally based construction firms, each with deep roots in their communities and decades of experience delivering quality projects across New Zealand. These partners include Scott Construction, Fosters Construction, Alexander Construction, Amalgamated Builders Ltd (ABL), Clelands Construction, Trigg Construction, Kalmar Construction, and Maycroft Construction.  

Maycroft led the pack in volume, kicking off 42 projects at a total value of $72.29 million. Kalmar stood out on the other end of the spectrum, commencing construction on just nine projects but sitting high on the value charts with $305.2 million. Fosters broke ground on 13 projects in 2024, at an impressive total value of $104.47 million. Meanwhile, Scott and ABL started 32 and 33 projects respectively, with corresponding values of $97.42 million and $62.67 million. Rounding out the group was Alexander Construction, with 29 projects worth $40.4 million. 

“We’re not interested in flying staff all over the country for 18 months at a time”, Luxton says. “It’s not good for our people, it’s not good for our clients, and it pulls investment away from local communities.” 

Luxton notes that with more than 1,000 staff, 235 apprentices, and a combined 650 years of director-level experience, the group fosters knowledge-sharing and innovation while maintaining a local focus.  

“We believe in best practice, but it has to be practical—systems, sustainability, health and safety, procurement, and digital tools that actually work for our market”, Luxton says. 

BCI Central’s Construction League ranking is based on the total value of new project commencements in the previous calendar year. Luxton sees the ranking as evidence of the Alliance’s growing reach. “When you can take learnings from one project to the next, it makes a huge difference”, he says. “It’s how we build better outcomes for everyone.” 

Luxton highlighted a standout example of the NZCA model in action: the Ministry of Social Development’s national rollout, which saw 126 sites delivered by NZCA member firms across the country. He said it’s a prime example of the Alliance’s strength—leveraging regional builders to deliver consistent, repeatable outcomes at scale. “It’s this kind of model that keeps costs down, maintains quality, and shows exactly why local delivery with national coordination is the way forward”, Luxton said. 

With the construction pipeline starting to recover in early 2025, NZCA is looking to leverage its collective buying power to explore new materials, project methods and procurement models that benefit clients and communities alike. “We’ve got the buying power of $600 to $800 million worth of business across the Alliance”, Luxton said. “That allows us to explore new materials, project methods, and procurement models that deliver more value for our clients.” 

“Clients want value, but they also want certainty”, Luxton adds. “That’s what we’re delivering. We’re rooted in our regions, but we operate nationally—and we’re showing you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.” 

For now, the Alliance’s top 50 result sends a message to the market: locally based builders can still pack a national punch—and may just hold the key to building better outcomes for everyone. 

Want to learn more about the NZ Construction Alliance and how its local strength is shaping the future of New Zealand construction? Click here to explore the Alliance’s story and impact. 

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