The story begins in 2011 when Colin Calder founded CJC. Fuelled by his entrepreneurial spirit and ambition to improve the gaps in the Engineering industry, he set out to build a company that would give the highest quality of service that provides smart solutions to projects.
In celebration of #ADecadeOfCJC, we sat down with Colin as he reflects on the company’s evolution. Little did he know that 10 years later, the team would employ more than 50 people, projects would reach up to $3 billion AUD and they would have branches of offices in countries across the world.
Where did the idea to start CJC come from?
C: I had been in the industry myself as a Civil Engineer for over 30 years. From my travels all over the world, I saw the opportunity to create CJC. There was a construction boom in Sydney with gaps that I am confident that CJC could fill. It was when I was working on the Northwest Rail project that I realised how much CJC can bring to the table in terms of solutions and skills.
How has the business changed over the past decade?
C: CJC started off as bridge specialists with just three people, including myself, Jonathan Davies, and Craig Stoddart. In the beginning, we focused on proposals that require critical technical input on project structural components. Industry demands and major projects like WestConnex lead CJC to extend its services to include constructability, technical analysis and strategic advice in the design, delivery, and management side. Today, we have grown from a humble small team of 3 to over 50 employees globally and counting.
What does CJC turning 10 mean to you?
C: 10 is such a major milestone. In all honestly, the best thing for me is the opportunity to reconnect with talented people from all over the world. My career has been very international. I made the decision to travel the world when I started my career, and the opportunity led me to work with these great people I’ve met years ago on projects and on construction sites. Now, these people are part of CJC. It has truly gone full circle.
There are many things that have changed about CJC since those early days, but the core remains—the people.
What would you like to say to your employees?
C: I am immensely grateful to have so many great people in the company. I constantly feel humbled by their positive and strong commitment to achieving our common goals. CJC would not be where we are today without the hard work of our people.
How would you describe our people?
C: Dedicated, professional, and honest.
What are your hopes for the future for CJC?
C: I have hopes for CJC to continue our international expansion by getting involved in new markets. I also hope we can grow while tackling challenges of the modern world such as sustainability and climate change, while still being able to bring the same level of service and development in Engineering. I am confident that CJC will uphold our core strength of good people and high-quality engineering service.
