ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering and STRABAG Australia Secure First Australian Contract to Support Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop East With Specialist Ground Freezing Works

ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering and STRABAG Australia Secure First Australian Contract to Support Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop East With Specialist Ground Freezing Works

(IN BRIEF) ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering and STRABAG Australia have secured their first joint contract in Australia, marking a significant milestone in the Group’s expansion into the country’s ground engineering market through participation in Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop East project. The wider Suburban Rail Loop is planned as a 90-kilometre orbital rail network connecting Melbourne’s major train services, while the first phase, SRL East, will run underground between Cheltenham and Box Hill through 26 kilometres of twin tunnels and is expected to begin passenger operations in 2035. Under a contract awarded by the Suburban Connect consortium of CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona, ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering will contribute specialist expertise and equipment for the construction of nearly 30 cross passages using ground freezing technology. STRABAG Australia will also be supported by its subsidiary Georgiou Group, bringing local Australian infrastructure experience to the works. Managing Director Jörg Löffler said the contract establishes an important Australian reference for ZÜBLIN and provides a foundation for pursuing further opportunities in the country’s specialist ground engineering and infrastructure sectors.

(PRESS RELEASE) STUTTGART, 7-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering, together with STRABAG Australia, has secured its first contract in Australia, marking a significant expansion of the Group’s activities in the country and establishing a major new footprint in the Australian ground engineering market.

The companies will contribute to Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) in Melbourne, the state’s largest transport infrastructure project. Their involvement centres on SRL East, the first section of the planned orbital rail network, where ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering will provide specialist expertise and equipment for the construction of nearly 30 cross passages using ground freezing technology.

The contract was awarded to STRABAG Australia by Suburban Connect, a consortium comprising CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona.

Suburban Rail Loop to reshape Melbourne’s transport network

The Suburban Rail Loop is planned as a 90-kilometre orbital rail line designed to connect Melbourne’s major train services and improve access across the city and wider Victoria.

The project is intended to strengthen connections between communities and major employment centres, hospitals, universities and other destinations while enabling passengers to travel between suburbs without having to pass through central Melbourne.

ZÜBLIN is participating in construction of SRL East, the first section of the wider programme.

The fully underground SRL East corridor will connect Cheltenham and Box Hill through 26 kilometres of twin tunnels.

Construction of SRL East began in 2022, with passenger services expected to commence in 2035.

ZÜBLIN brings specialist ground freezing expertise to SRL East

ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering will apply its experience in ground freezing to support construction of nearly 30 cross passages along the tunnel alignment.

Ground freezing is a specialist geotechnical technique in which groundwater and surrounding soil are frozen to temporarily strengthen and stabilise the ground, enabling excavation to proceed under challenging geological and groundwater conditions.

For the SRL East works, ZÜBLIN will contribute both technical expertise and specialist equipment developed through its experience with complex underground and ground engineering projects.

The contract represents the first major opportunity for the company to deploy these capabilities in Australia.

STRABAG Australia expands role in major Victorian infrastructure project

The contract was awarded by Suburban Connect to STRABAG Australia, strengthening the Group’s presence in the Australian infrastructure market.

Suburban Connect combines the capabilities of CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona, bringing together extensive international and Australian experience in tunnelling, transport infrastructure and major underground construction.

STRABAG Australia will also be supported by its subsidiary Georgiou Group, which contributes established local knowledge and experience in Australian infrastructure construction.

The collaboration combines ZÜBLIN’s specialist ground engineering expertise with STRABAG Australia’s and Georgiou Group’s local project capabilities.

First Australian contract creates platform for further growth

Jörg Löffler, Managing Director of ZÜBLIN Spezialtiefbau GmbH, described the contract as an important milestone in the company’s international development.

He said ZÜBLIN is pleased to bring its ground engineering expertise to one of Australia’s most significant transport infrastructure projects and sees the assignment as a foundation for pursuing further opportunities in the Australian market.

The project provides ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering with a major reference in a strategically important region while broadening STRABAG Group’s participation in large-scale Australian infrastructure development.

Major transport investment to improve connections across Victoria

Once completed, the wider Suburban Rail Loop is intended to create a new orbital connection around Melbourne, linking existing rail corridors and providing improved access between suburban communities and key economic and social destinations.

The 90-kilometre programme is one of Victoria’s largest long-term infrastructure investments, with SRL East forming the first operational stage.

ZÜBLIN Ground Engineering’s participation in the cross-passage works adds specialist underground construction capabilities to a project expected to play a major role in the long-term development of Melbourne’s public transport network.

Ed. Züblin AG
Die Ed. Züblin AG, Stuttgart, beschäftigt rd.15.000 Mitarbeiter:innen und ist mit einer jährlichen Leistung von rd. 4,8 Mrd. € eines der größten deutschen Bauunternehmen. ZÜBLIN realisiert seit 1898 erfolgreich anspruchsvolle Bauprojekte im In- und Ausland und ist im STRABAG-Konzern die führende Marke für Hoch- und Ingenieurbau. Das Leistungsspektrum umfasst alle baurelevanten Aufgaben – vom komplexen Schlüsselfertigbau, Ingenieur- und Tunnelbau bis hin zu Baulogistik, Bauwerkserhaltung, Spezialtiefbau, Holz- oder Stahlbau. Gestützt auf das Know-how ihrer Zentralen Technik bietet ZÜBLIN zudem integriertes Planen und Bauen aus einer Hand an. Wir betrachten Bauwerke ganzheitlich, über den gesamten Lebenszyklus, setzen auf partnerschaftliches Bauen mit TEAMCONCEPT® und treiben Digitalisierung, Nachhaltigkeit und Innovation stetig voran. Gemeinsam, im STRABAG-Konzernverbund und mit externen Partner:innen, arbeiten wir konsequent daran, Planen und Bauen ressourcenschonend und klimaneutral zu machen. Weitere Informationen unter www.zueblin.de

Media Contact:

Angela Emmerich Klemmer, Press Spokeswoman Germany
Tel. +49 221 824 4025
pr@strabag.com

SOURCE: ZÜBLIN