Master Builders Board of Management member Michael Clemenger tells us about his journey with Cockram Construction and how a Master Builders membership has worked for him and his team.

Michael Clemengerjoined Cockram Construction in 1995 and has progressed to his current position as Victoria State Manager and Associate Director.  He has worked for Cockram Construction on overseas pharmaceutical projects in China and Puerto Rico, and their seconded services business in the United States.  He played a leading role in the establishment of Leighs Cockram JV Ltd in New Zealand, a joint venture partnership between Cockram Construction and New Zealand builder Leighs Construction.

“As the Victorian State Manager for Cockram, I enjoy leading a large and very talented team delivering high quality projects on time and on budget for our clients,” Michael explains.

He works on projects across a range of sectors including health and aged care, research and education, sport and defence.

“The opportunity to work across Australia, delivering projects in several states and internationally has enabled me to sharpen my cross cultural communication skills,” he continues.

“I am passionate about leading, training and mentoring staff to allow them to progress and continue to have successful careers at Cockram.”

His close involvement with Master Builders began in 2011 when he joined the Council of Management. Since then he has been made a member of the Board, a position he considers a great privilege.

“I enjoy putting something back into our industry, contributing and helping to foresee issues that are coming up and playing my part,” he said.

“I enjoy helping to shape where our industry is headed. There’s no point complaining about where things are at, I think you should be getting in there and doing your own little bit in terms of where the industry is headed.”

Michael got his start in the industry after deciding against his initial interest in architecture, and going with a Bachelor of Planning and Design (Building) instead.

“Working on a diversity of different construction projects has such variety, and working with people, that’s for me,” he says.

He graduated with honours in 1993 and after working on commercial sites including Bandiana Military Base near Wodonga, he got his start with what was then Hooker Cockram.

His work with Cockram has extended to projects across the state and globe, notably the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons project, the DSTO Stage 2 Rationalisation project for the Department of Defence and Pharmacia Nicorette in Puerto Rico.

But the project that he says was a turning point in his career, one that he and his Cockram colleagues still talk about today, is SmithKline Beecham (now Pfizer) JV2 in the city of Tianjin in the north of China, a pharmaceutical development worth US$60 million in the late 90’s. He worked on the job as a contract administrator and programmer from 1998 to 1999.

“I certainly enjoyed the two years I spent in China, for the life experience, cultural experience and also building a large pharmaceutical plant in the middle of nowhere was a real experience,” he explains.

“Having to go out and educate and find the right contractors and suppliers for our client. That was something that you didn’t need to do at all in Australia.”

Michael recalls working among trades-people and staff from Australia, UK, US, China, Italy and Belgium all working on the one site.

“For someone in their 20s that was a really exciting and interesting job.  A cultural melting pot of different work practices”

Michael says the Cockram culture lends itself exceptionally well to retaining staff.

“People start their careers with Cockram and are able to grow within the company,” he explains.

“We’ve changed a heck of a lot since I started in 1995, back then we were just a Melbourne builder, now we’ve branched out considerably across the country and internationally. You look at where we are and the size of our business and what we’re doing in places like China and how we’re continuing to grow.”

“It’s pretty unusual for me to have two days the same. I’d probably struggle being in a different, less challenging industry”

He says his keys to success are simple.

“Personally I think having a head down, bum up approach to my work has worked for me for over 20 years. It’s the mantra I was brought up with. And being well organised. It’s a must if you want to succeed in our industry.”

From a company perspective, he says the focus is on reputation.

“Cockram’s reputation is crucial to us. We treat every job as though it’s the most important, because at the end of the project, what our client has to say about our performance has a big bearing on our ability to roll onto future comparable projects.”

Some of his favourite Victorian buildings are the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the MCG.

“I love the MCG, for extra-curricular reasons,” the avid North Melbourne supporter says.

“We were fortunate enough to do a project there, the digital stadium upgrade, over the past 12 months.The project included stadium wide high definition Wi-Fi, exterior themed lighting and a significant broadcast infrastructure upgrade. An exciting project for our team.”

With such a physically and mentally demanding occupation, Michael enjoys keeping healthy in his spare time.

“I try to keep fit, just to keep myself sane.”

He has completed several marathons, last year finishing the Noosa Triathlon and plans to give it another crack this year to improve on his time.

How Cockram has got the most out of their Master Builders membership

• Sector Committees (Michael is previous chairperson of the General Contractors Committee), COM and BOM

“Our company has had a long association with Master Builders. Our former Director of the business Len Barlow who unfortunately passed away last year (2016), was a former past president.”

“I enjoy putting something back into our industry and contributing and help foreseeing issues that are coming up and playing your part.”

“I enjoy helping to shape where our industry is headed. There’s no point complaining about where things are at, I think you should be getting in there and doing your own little bit in terms of where the industry is headed,” he said.

• Awards

“Being able to draw on things like the awards is very good because we are able to say not only was this a very successful project but it won a Master Builders Excellence in Construction awards which is a pretty coveted award that is difficult to win.”

• 2011 Excellence in Construction of Industrial Buildings, Cockram Construction Limited, Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, Monash University Science Research Park, Clayton
• 2011 SPECIAL COMMENDATION Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $20M – $30M, Cockram Construction Limited, Melbourne Brain Centre, Heidelberg
• 2012 Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $15M – $20M, Cockram Construction, Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership, North Melbourne
• 2012 Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $30M – $80M, Cockram Construction, Australian Red Cross Blood Service Victorian Tasmanian Principal Site
• 2012 Master Builder of the Year, Cockram Construction, Australian Red Cross Blood Service Victorian Tasmanian Principal Site
• 2013 Excellence in Construction of Industrial Buildings, Cockram Construction Limited, CSL Behring Cell Culture Facility, Broadmeadows
• 2013 Excellence in Health & Safety, Cockram Construction Limited, Costco Ringwood,
• 2014 Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $20M-$30M, Cockram Construction Limited, Wesley College – New Moubray Street Precinct
• 2014 Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $30M-$80M, Cockram Construction Limited, Box Hill Institute Building 7 Integrated Technology Hub, Box Hill
• 2015 SPECIAL COMMENDATION Excellence in Health & Safety, Cockram Construction Limited, Camberwell Grammar School – New Sports Centre, Canterbury

•  IR

“We’ve used the IR section for a long period of time, 10 years plus. We draw heavily on their experience in the industry for advice and to represent us at various times.”

• Training

“We use Master Builders training quite a lot. We have had most of our construction staff do the Certificate III or IV course. And our First Aid courses are done through Master Builders as well. It’s been a very good performer for us and we are happy with the level of service.”

“I did the Certificate IV course and that was great. It’s an established training provider so you know you’re going to get a quality service.”

•  BLSC

“The BLSC is a wonderful facility. I’m certainly an advocate for it because I think it is a wonderful way in which to train people.”

• OHS

Representatives from Cockram sit on the Safety Committee and have done for a long time.

“We draw upon Master Builders advice for safety when we need to.”

 History of Cockram Construction

Cockram’s operations in the Australian building industry date back to 1861. Cockram was founded as Thomas Cockram & Co in 1861, and later as Thomas Cockram and Sons.

KG Hooker Builders was founded in 1950. The two organisations came together in 1985 and family ownership of the company ceased in the early 80s. The company has been management owned and operated since 1985.

In 2011, the now globally operating commercial construction firm celebrated 150 years of operations and returned to its founding heritage, with the company name, Cockram.

Cockram employs about 600 staff, including works in China, New Zealand and the Americas.