Boral Limited is a multinational company manufacturing and supplying building and construction materials. Founded in Australia, it also has extensive operations in the United States and Asia. With revenue for total operations of A$5.86 billion, Boral has about 17,000 employees working across 17 countries at 672 operating sites and 154 distribution sites. Its headquarters are located in Sydney, Australia.
Divisions
Boral has three operating divisions:
Boral Australia has quarry, concrete, asphalt, concrete placing, cement, roofing, and hardwood and softwood timber operations. The division is a major supplier of products and materials to the residential and commercial construction, and roads and engineering markets.
USG Boral manufactures and supplies plasterboard based wall, ceiling lining systems and accessories in Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. The division came into existence in 2014 when Boral Gypsum and USG formed a 50/50 joint venture. In August 2019 plans were announced for USG Boral to acquire Knauf Asia Plasterboard, which includes China and South East Asia and to sell the Middle East business to Knauf. Further, Boral plans to acquire Knauf's 50% stake in USG Boral Australia and New Zealand to return it 100% Boral ownership.
Boral North America resulted from the acquisition and subsequent of Headwaters by the company in May 2017. It supplies a variety of construction materials and building products. The division has a national fly ash processing and distribution business and manufactures stone veneer, concrete and clayroof tiles, concrete block, light building products and windows for residential and commercial construction markets.
History
Boral was founded by David Craig on 4 March 1946 as Bitumen and Oil Refineries Limited with Caltex having a 40% shareholding. In March 1947, it opened Australia's first bitumen and oil refinery in Matraville. In 1963, the company was renamed Boral Limited having been commonly referred to by its acronym since it commenced trading. In 1964 it purchased the Gas Supply Company with 28 coal gas companies in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. In 1968 Boral sold a 50% stake in its refining business to Total, before selling it the remainder in January 1972. In 1969 it entered the building materials industry through a number of acquisitions. In 1979, Boral entered the United States market, purchasing a 55% shareholding in California Tile from Amalco. In February 1987 Boral purchased cement manufacturer Blue Circle Southern Cement from BHP and Blue Circle Industries. In 1990, Midland Brick was purchased. In January 2000, Boral sold its tyre business to Bridgestone. In February 2000, Boral's energy assets were spun off into a separate listed entity, Origin Energy.
