{{Short description|Australian concrete company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox company |name = Heidelberg Materials Australia |former_name = Hanson<br>Pioneer International<br>Pioneer Readymix |logo = |type = Subsidiary |traded_as = |foundation = 1949 |founder = |defunct = |location_city = Parramatta, Sydney |location_country = Australia |locations = |area_served = |key_people = Phil Schacht (CEO) |industry = Construction |products = Building Materials |services = Ready-mix concrete |revenue = |operating_income = |net_income = |num_employees = |divisions = |subsid = Hymix Concrete<br>Pioneer North Queensland<br>Hanson Precast<br>Cement Australia<br>Pioneer Concrete<br>Hanson Australia Cement |parent = Heidelberg Materials |website = [https://www.heidelbergmaterials.com.au/en www.heidelbergmaterials.com.au]}}
'''Heidelberg Materials Australia''' is a premixed concrete, aggregates and precast company. Founded in 1949 as '''Pioneer Concrete''' and later re-branded to '''Pioneer International''', it was taken over by Hanson in 1999 and rebranded '''Hanson Australia'''. In 2024, Hanson was rebranded Heidelberg Materials.
==History== thumb|Hanson logo thumb|Pioneer Concrete logo thumb|Hanson concrete truck In 1949, Pioneer Readymix was founded in St Peters, Sydney. In 1954, it was purchased by Tristan Antico and Kelvin Conley.<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/national/something-of-the-modern-medici-about-this-tristan-20050113-gdkhdb.html Something of the modern Medici about this Tristan] ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 13 January 2005</ref> In 1954, a concrete plant was acquired in Canberra. In 1959 it was listed on the Sydney Stock Market as a public company. As well as acquiring further concreting businesses, it diversified into building materials products.<ref name=Inter>{{cite book|title=International Directory of Company Histories|year=1991|publisher=St James Press}}</ref>
In 1961, Pioneer purchased a pre-mix concrete plant in Hong Kong. In 1962, it commenced operations in the United Kingdom, later opening in Israel (1963) and Italy (1964). In 1965, it formed a joint venture with Shell Australia to enter the asphalt manufacture and supply industry. In the same year, the company diversified into aggregate quarrying in Hong Kong. In 1967, Pioneer acquired FW Williams Holdings that had plastic manufacturing operations and tea and coffee plantations in Papua New Guinea.<ref name=Inter/><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106939773 Pioneer Concrete lifts bid for FW Williams] ''Canberra Times'' 8 October 1966 page 14</ref>
In 1970, Pioneer acquired pre-mix and quarrying companies in Spain, and by the middle of the decade, the company's interests had spread to Asia, Africa, and most of Europe. In 1973, in partnership with CSR, Pioneer acquired Australian & Kandos Cement Holdings.<ref name=Inter/>
In 1975, Pioneer diversified to heavily invest in a joint project with Pennzoil. In 1978, Pioneer became involved in a major coal coking and steaming development in the Hunter Valley area of New South Wales in a joint venture with the Electricity Commission of New South Wales and Ampol. In 1979, Pioneer acquired a 20% stake in Ampol, which was increased to 65% in 1980. Ampol and Pioneer made further mineral acquisitions with uranium producers Nabarlek Uranium Mine and Queensland Mines.<ref name=Inter/>
In 1983, Pioneer purchased British building materials producer Mixconcrete followed by Lone Star Industries' sand, gravel, and quarrying operations in the United States in 1985. Pioneer was the subject of a hostile but ultimately unsuccessful takeover bid from FAI Insurance in 1986.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122105766 FAI price to rise: Adler] ''Canberra Times'' 7 October 1987 page 28</ref> In 1986, the building materials divisions in Italy, Portugal, and South Africa were sold. In 1987, mineral and gold producer Giant Resources was acquired. In 1988, the company changed its name to Pioneer International and gained full control of Ampol.<ref name=Inter/><ref name=Ampol>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180626063259/http://www.ampol.com.sg/history.html History] Ampol Singapore</ref>
In 1995, Ampol merged with Caltex Australia to form Ampol, with Pioneer holding a 50% shareholding.<ref name=Ampol/><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127520919 $3bn oil merger full steam ahead] ''Canberra Times'' 29 March 1995 page 27</ref> In 1997, Pioneer planned to exit the petroleum industry via a "two-step" process.<ref>[https://www.afr.com/politics/pioneers-unrefined-exit-19971003-k7qhm Pioneer's unrefined exit] ''Australian Financial Review'' 3 October 1997</ref> First, Pioneer sold its shareholding to Caltex Australia in October 1997 in exchange for a 33% stake in Caltex Australia. Pioneer would then attempt to sell these Caltex Australia shares at a good price, which it eventually did through public offering in April 1998, allowing Pioneer to exit from the petroleum industry completely.<ref>[https://www.afr.com/politics/a-petroleum-pioneer-opts-to-take-stock-19980303-k80ow A petroleum Pioneer opts to take stock] ''Australian Financial Review'' 3 March 1998 </ref><ref>[https://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics/displayAnnouncement.do?display=text&issuerId=379&announcementId=335178&documentDate=1998-04-22&documentNumber=158497 Ceasing to be a s/s from Pioneer] Pioneer International 22 April 1998</ref>
In 1998, Hymix Concrete was purchased.<ref>[https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/investment-strategy/property-news-and-insights/78370-denis-oneils-addenbrooke-back-with-pyrmont-project.html Dennis O'Neil's Addenbrooke is back with a Pyrmont residential project] ''Property Observer'' 23 November 2017</ref> In 1999, Pioneer International was taken over by Heidelberg Materials UK.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-29-fi-38605-story.html ^ Hanson Proposes $2.5 Billion Acquisition of Pioneer] ''Los Angeles Times'' 29 November 1999</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/1999/dec/10/11 On aggregate, Hanson is a buy] ''The Guardian'' 10 December 1999</ref><ref>[http://www.delisted.com.au/company/pioneer-international-limited Pioneer International Limited] Delisted Australia</ref> It was rebranded as Hanson Australia in 2004.<ref>[http://therightgroup.com.au/case-studies/rebranding-of-pioneer-to-hanson/ Rebranding of Pioneer to Hanson] The Right Group</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180324102352/https://www.insideconstruction.com.au/site/news/1021060/hanson-completes-rebranding-exercise Hanson completes rebranding exercise] ''Inside Construction'' 4 June 2004</ref> In November 2024, Hanson Australia was rebranded to Heidelberg Materials.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20251013075725/https://www.heidelbergmaterials.com.au/en/media/news/hanson-australia-becomes-heidelberg-materials Hanson Australia enters a new era with rebrand to Heidelberg Materials] Heidelberg Materials 11 November 2024</ref>
As of 2025, Hanson operates 210 ready-mix concrete plants and 71 aggregate operations.<ref>[https://www.heidelbergcement.com/en/australia Australia] Heidelberg Cement Australia</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category-inline}}
Category:Building materials companies of Australia Category:Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange Category:Manufacturing companies based in Sydney Category:1949 establishments in Australia