Our Journey From The Beginning

1875
YEAR

THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED

At a time before telephones, before cars and before electric lights, James Lambert Williams started his business at 20 Errol Street, Melbourne at the age of 23, with his young family living upstairs

1926
YEAR

INTERNATIONAL MARKET

Stepped into Int’l market, developed SIGNWRITER for a German company VKF Renzel GmbH.

1950
YEAR

PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMPANY

The 1950s saw a number of jobs won in Sydney, partnering with local company G A Winwood & Sons, and in 1955 JLW completed their first air conditioned city building, Norwich Union Insurance, Queen St, Melbourne.

1960
YEAR

COMPANY VENTURE INTO THE ADELAIDE MARKET

1960 saw the company venture into the Adelaide market when we began work on the Adelaide Children’s Hospital. The project took six years to complete and was worth more than $3,000,000.

1980
YEAR

COMPLETE A STRING OF ICONIC MELBOURNE PROJECTS

The next 20 years saw JLW complete a string of iconic Melbourne projects; Rialto (pictured), Grand Hyatt, Shell House, 101 Collins St, ANZ World Headquarters and Crown Casino. In NSW business boomed after the Governor Phillip Tower project and subsequently a number of regional hospital projects.

2000
YEAR

JLW LED THE WAY WITH ICONIC PROJECTS AND ENGINEERING

This decade saw enormous growth in green energy efficient buildings and once again JLW led the way with iconic projects and engineering feats as seen in Australia’s first 6-star green rated building Council House 2 (pictured), Melbourne Convention Centre and Pixel Building.

2007
YEAR

JLW GOES INTERNATIONAL VENTURING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST

JLW goes international, venturing into the Middle East market with partner Michael Boufahat. JLW first major design and build project in the middle east was City of lights 61 story Commercial Tower and hotel.

2019
YEAR

JLW DIVERSIFIES INTO DATA CENTRES

JLW diversifies into data centres, utilities and infrastructure sectors. With the projects in these sectors being MEP and technologically driven, JLW start executing these projects as Main Contractor. JLW now have a complete in-house CSA engineering, commercial, and subcontract co-ordination team to assist in the delivery of projects as Main Contractor.

2023
YEAR

JAMES L. WILLIAMS MIDDLE EAST IS A THRIVING BUSINESS

Today James L. Williams Middle East is a thriving business unit with approximately 1,400 direct staff and 4,200 specialist subcontract staff under management.