Benang Strategic Refresh

Overview

Proposal summary

Benang has grown from about $20 million to $43 million in revenue in a year and is planning for $300 million by FY31/32. Its FY2025 to FY2027 Strategic Plan has been outgrown. Lockwood Advisory proposes a three-month strategic refresh using the Systems Shift Method. Month 1 establishes where Benang stands. Month 2 assesses capability and culture and sets a two-year opportunity outlook for each business unit. Month 3 delivers the strategy and the business plan to implement it, so Benang starts 2027 with clear priorities, KPIs and owners.

DurationNovember 2026 to January 2027

Outputs12, which Benang keeps

TeamNicole, Scarlet and Nick

Fee$25,000 per month + GST

Systems Shift Method stages by month

01Diagnose

02Map

03Position

04Engage

05Implement

06Evaluate

NovCurrent state assessment

Relationship map

Perception, credentials, competitors and bids, blind spots

DecInternal assessment and opportunity outlook

Capability, culture and identity

Opportunity outlook, positioning

JanStrategy and business plan

Engagement plan

Strategy, business plan

ReviewEvery six months

Six-monthly review

01 Diagnose · 02 Map · 03 Position · 04 Engage · 05 Implement · 06 Evaluate

Our understanding

Benang today and how the engagement responds

Based on our discussions with Benang, the FY2025 to FY2027 Strategic Plan and the 2026 brochure.

Benang at a glance

Founded2018. Benang is Noongar for "tomorrow".
OwnershipAboriginal owned and operated. Supply Nation certified.
PeopleAbout 80 direct employees and a similar number of embedded subcontractors.
Business unitsWater and Civil, Power, Gas and Fabrication, with Ergon (plant and labour hire) alongside.
ClientsWater Corporation, Western Power, ATCO Gas, DevelopmentWA, Horizon Power, Fortescue and Rottnest Island Authority.
AccreditationOFSC accredited. ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001.
Recognition2024 WA Business Awards Indigenous Business of the Year. 2023 AIM WA Pinnacle Award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business excellence. 2026 Women in Civil Awards winner.

Revenue growth path

FY25 is approximate. The FY31/32 ambition holds returns at 8 to 10% EBIT. A major projects arm is planned before 2030, with each business unit competing for $10m to $30m packages within one to two years.

What Benang has told us

TopicBenang's positionAddressed by

Business development

Business development and immediate opportunities are slower than expected for FY27, and the order book is limited outside Gas.

08 Opportunity outlook11 Engagement plan

Project outlook

Benang needs a two-year outlook on projects for every business unit.

08 Opportunity outlook

Water Corporation

Benang holds a place on the Pipeline Services Panel and is part of the One Water Alliance, but has won 2 jobs in 14 months, the lowest capture and win rate of any business unit.

03 Relationship map04 Competitors and bids09 Positioning

Business unit maturity

Business development and delivery maturity in Water and Power needs 12 to 24 months to build, alongside growing self-perform capacity and the central support function.

06 Capability12 Business plan

Priorities

Immediate requirements compete with longer-term plays, while several business units are still maturing and new industries are being explored.

10 Strategy12 Business plan

Growth model

Benang wants to move away from one-off projects towards programs of works, BOO/BOOM arrangements and alliances, as a named partner on larger projects.

08 Opportunity outlook11 Engagement plan

Community

Benang wants longer-term work that will "connect our passion for community and our drive for business commercial outcomes".

07 Culture and identity10 Strategy

The FY2025 to FY2027 Strategic Plan

TopicCurrent planThe refresh

Targets

$40 million revenue by July 2027 (stretch $50 million), set when Benang had about 40 staff. Benang reached $43 million in FY26 with about 80 employees.

New targets for the growth path to FY31/32.

Actions

29 actions, dated December 2024 to December 2025 or marked ongoing.

Three years of actions with tasks, KPIs and owners.

Business units

Water, Power, Gas and Mining and Resources.

Today's units: Water and Civil, Power, Gas and Fabrication, each with its own plan and KPIs.

Aboriginal identity

Female and Aboriginal ownership is named as a point of difference, with an Aboriginal Engagement role in the structure.

Carried into the vision, goals and KPIs, alongside the apprenticeship program and community partnerships.

Competitors

Mainly mainstream contractors, with one Aboriginal business (Maali Group).

Mainstream and Aboriginal competitors assessed in each business unit's market.

Scope and fees

Three months, twelve outputs

Each month delivers a defined set of outputs and closes with a leadership session. The work covers the group and each business unit.

Month 1 · November 2026$25,000+ GST

Current state assessment

How Benang is seen, what it has delivered, and where it wins and loses work.

02 Map03 Position

01
Market perception scanHow Benang is described publicly, online, in the media and by asset owners and partners, across all four business units.Perception summaryScarlet
02
Credentials auditProjects, certifications and awards across Water and Civil, Power, Gas and Fabrication, compared with what is visible in case studies, the brochure and bid material.Credentials register and gaps to closeScarlet
03
Relationship mapRelationships with asset owners, alliance partners, government and community, showing where influence sits and which relationships are missing.Relationship map with prioritiesNicole
04
Competitor and bid reviewMainstream and Aboriginal competitors in each business unit's market, and a review of recent bids, including Water Corporation, showing where and why Benang wins and loses.Competitor profiles and win/loss findingsScarlet
05
Blind spot mapWhat the market sees, what Benang says and what Benang does, compared to show where they differ.Blind spot map with recommended actionsScarlet

Closing sessionCurrent state findings presented to leadership.

Month 2 · December 2026$25,000+ GST

Internal assessment and opportunity outlook

What each business unit has to work with, and where the next two years of work will come from.

01 Diagnose03 Position

06
Capability assessmentEach business unit's people, delivery and business development maturity, self-perform capacity, and the central support function.Capability profile by business unitNick
07
Culture and identity assessmentHow Aboriginal ownership, employment pathways, the apprenticeship program and community partnerships operate across the business, from leadership through to delivery.Findings with supporting evidenceNicole
08
Two-year opportunity outlookOpportunities for each business unit, including panels, programs of works, alliances and BOO/BOOM arrangements, across utilities, mining, oil and gas, defence and land development.Opportunity outlook by business unitScarlet
09
Competitive positioningBenang's capability compared with its competitors, and the position it is best placed to hold as it moves to $10m to $30m packages and a major projects arm.Positioning optionsNicole

Closing sessionPositioning and priorities agreed with leadership.

Month 3 · January 2027$25,000+ GST

Strategy and business plan

The refreshed strategy and the plan to deliver it.

04 Engage05 Implement

10
Strategy documentVision, mission, narrative and strategic priorities for the growth path to FY31/32, with Benang's Aboriginal identity and community commitment central throughout.Strategy documentNicole
11
Engagement planHow Benang takes its position to asset owners and partners: relationships to build, alliance and program of works pursuits, narrative, case studies and approach to tenders.Engagement planNicole
12
Corporate business planThree years of actions for the group and each business unit, with tasks, KPIs, owners and a review schedule. Replaces the FY2025 to FY2027 plan.Three-year business planNick

Closing sessionHandover to leadership, ready for 2027.

Month 1 · Nov$25,000+ GST

Month 2 · Dec$25,000+ GST

Month 3 · Jan$25,000+ GST

Three-month engagement$75,000+ GST

Each month is invoiced on the final working day of that month. Payment terms are confirmed in the engagement agreement.

The schedule is indicative. Start and completion dates are agreed at commencement, including around the Christmas and New Year shutdown.

Delivery allowance

Three leadership sessions of up to two hours, one closing each month.
Interviews with the owners, leadership and the four Operations Managers.
One draft and one consolidated revision of each output.

From Benang

One nominated contact for the engagement.
Project records, bid history (including win and loss outcomes) and existing case studies.
Order book and pipeline for each business unit.
Workforce, apprenticeship and community program information.

Scope boundaries

Tender writing, bulk data entry and delivery of Benang's projects are not included.
Work beyond the agreed scope requires separate written agreement.
Contract awards and revenue depend on factors outside this engagement and are not guaranteed.

After delivery · every six months

Six-monthly review

Systems Shift stage 06 Evaluate. Scoped and priced separately.

Progress against group and business unit KPIs
Updated market perception and win rates
New credentials and case studies added
Actions and owners updated for the next six months

Team

Three specialists, one engagement

Each output has a lead, and the team works across the full scope together.

Engagement lead · Strategy and relationships Nicole

Principal of Lockwood Advisory. Leads the engagement and the leadership sessions, and brings the relationship and positioning work together into the strategy and engagement plan.

Leads outputs0307091011

Intelligence and positioning Scarlet

Leads the research and mapping platforms: market perception, credentials, competitor and bid analysis, the blind spot map and the opportunity outlook, with visual reporting throughout.

Leads outputs0102040508

Operations and implementation Nick

Leads the capability assessment and the corporate business plan, turning strategy into actions, KPIs, owners and a review rhythm Benang can run day to day.

Leads outputs0612

Roles by output

LeadsContributes

Output	Nicole	Scarlet	Nick
Month 1 · Current state assessment
01Market perception scan
02Credentials audit
03Relationship map
04Competitor and bid review
05Blind spot map
Month 2 · Internal assessment and opportunity outlook
06Capability assessment
07Culture and identity assessment
08Two-year opportunity outlook
09Competitive positioning
Month 3 · Strategy and business plan
10Strategy document
11Engagement plan
12Corporate business plan
Each month
··Leadership sessions

Tools and methods

How the work is done

Lockwood Advisory delivers the engagement through the Systems Shift Method, supported by research and mapping platforms that gather, connect and visualise the evidence behind each output.

The Systems Shift Method

01DiagnoseOrganisational assessment and baseline

02MapRelationships and pursuits in one view

03PositionCredentials, perception and market position

04EngagePartnering and approach to market

05ImplementStrategy, readiness and business planning

06EvaluateResults review and the next cycle

Method · used in 05 and 07

Blind spot mapping

Compares three views of the organisation. Where all three align, Benang has a position it can claim and evidence. Each gap becomes a recommended action.

1
Seen and said, not evidenced. Claims the business needs to be able to prove.
2
Seen and done, not said. Strengths Benang is not communicating.
3
Said and done, not seen. Work that is not yet visible to the market.

Platform

Market signal platform

Gathers and records how Benang and its competitors are described across media, websites, social channels, tender and award records and partner material, and tracks how consistent the picture is.

01 Perception04 Competitors and bids05 Blind spot map

Platform

Relationship mapping platform

Connects asset owners, partners, projects, pursuits and relationship holders in one visual map, built from Benang's records and leadership input, showing where influence sits and where the gaps are.

03 Relationship map11 Engagement plan

Platform

Opportunity research platform

Searches public tender portals (including Tenders WA and AusTender), asset owner investment programs, project databases, government announcements and industry news, including Business News. Every finding is checked against its source before it is reported.

08 Opportunity outlook09 Positioning

Method

Credentials analysis

Project records and bid material compiled into one credentials register for each business unit, checked against what is publicly visible, with a standard case study template for bids.

02 Credentials

Method

Capability and culture assessment

Interviews with the owners, leadership and Operations Managers, team input and workforce data, assessed against Benang's purpose and values.

06 Capability07 Culture and identity

Method

Business planning framework

Strategy translated into actions with tasks, KPIs, owners and review dates for the group and each business unit, built with operational input so the plan can be run day to day.

10 Strategy11 Engagement12 Business plan

Benang receives every output in usable, editable formats, including dated visual maps and registers. The platforms and tools remain with Lockwood Advisory, and no software licence, hosted platform or subscription is included.

Next steps

To proceed

Confirm the scope and the start date.
Nominate Benang's contact for the engagement.
Share the starting information: the current plans, project and bid records, order book by business unit, and workforce and community program information.
Schedule the interviews and the first leadership session.

Decision requested

Approve the three-month Benang Strategic Refresh at $25,000 + GST per month ($75,000 + GST in total), nominate Benang's contact and confirm the start date.