Top 100 CEO Interviews
Issue No. 42 - August/September 2008
Consistently, persistently Badged
When Top 100 firm Badge Constructions celebrated its 25th anniversary in July, it was a proud moment for founding shareholder and MD Jim Whiting, who has seen the company grow from a small business specialising in rural sheds and buildings to SA’s largest commercial building company.
During that time the company has been responsible for more than $1 billion in construction work.
A former boss inspired Jim and several other employees from the same company to form their own company back in 1983. Jim, the only original employee who is not represented in the name ‘Badge’, is the only remaining founding member still working at the firm.
Securing work with large corporates such as Inghams Enterprises was critical to company’s early success, along with a burst of activity in rural construction following the devastating 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires when plenty of new sheds needed to be built in the South East.
As Badge progressed the rural side of the business was sold off to allow the company to concentrate on industrial and commercial work but the food processing industry has remained a mainstay.
Today, Badge has offices in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth and has completed many projects in all states and territories of Australia, as well as New Zealand.
The company’s achievements have won recognition in the form of multiple industry awards, the highlight being named the MBA(SA) Commercial Builder of the Year in 2001 and again in 2007. In 2005 Badge was among BRW’s Top 500 private companies.
The company turns over about $200 million a year and employs 150 people.
Concentrating on building projects with a value of $5m to $20m, Badge has undertaken projects ranging from commercial and industrial complexes to hotels and entertainment venues, schools, hospitals, aged care facilities, shopping centres and food processing plants.
Major achievements include the Sir Eric Neal Library, the Mile End Athletics Stadi...
