of creating a commercial building company “with an inherent customer focus, unwavering integrity, and a steadfast commitment to the environment.” Like most new ventures, the company’s earliest days were about proving themselves with the opportunities available. Matthew leaned on the networks he had built during his years in commercial construction, and those relationships opened doors into the education and aged care sectors. From there, one project led to the next. Their first contract was valued at roughly $200,000. Growth came steadily over the following years, and a turning point arrived when Oliver Kelly Group secured a $3 million dollar contract with Simplot to build a new office facility at the company’s potato processing plant in Ulverstone – Matthew points to that project as a milestone that helped establish Oliver Kelly Group as one of the coast’s leading commercial builders. Over the years, the company’s workforce grew alongside their project list. They started with a staff of about eight people, mostly carried over from Damien’s original business, but they have since expanded to a team over 100. A major shift in the company’s direction came in 2014, when Rick joined as a director. A qualified plumber with extensive experience in civil construction across Australia, Rick brought an entirely new dynamic to the business. His arrival allowed Oliver Kelly Group to add civil works and plumbing as standalone divisions, giving the company additional revenue streams and a broader base of expertise to draw on. Today, that combination of construction, civil, and plumbing capabilities allows Oliver Kelly Group to SEPTEMBER 2026
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