Sekisui Chemical will acquire major Australian homebuilder Ausbuild for approximately ¥37 billion, acquiring a 51% stake in January 2027 to make it a subsidiary. The company aims to expand its business in the Australian market in response to declining demand in Japan.
Sekisui Chemical announced that it will make Australian homebuilder Ausbuild a subsidiary in a deal worth approximately ¥37 billion. Around January 2027, it will acquire 51% of the shares in Ausbuild’s holding company, less than 52%.
Ausbuild is engaged in residential land development and homebuilding in Queensland in northeastern Australia, and the acquisition is expected to strengthen housing supply in the local market. Sekisui Chemical plans to expand the Sekisui Heim brand locally and use its unit construction method for local production and assembly.
The housing business is a core operation, accounting for approximately 40% of Sekisui Chemical’s sales. The company is pursuing overseas market development against a backdrop of declining demand in Japan. Under its medium-term management plan, it has set an investment budget of approximately ¥300 billion for M&A-related expenses. New housing starts in Japan in fiscal 2025 are expected to fall below the previous year, and future developments will be closely watched.
Acquisitions of major local companies are already under way in the Australian market, and Japanese companies are expected to continue expanding there. The focus going forward will be on strengthening supply capacity through Ausbuild’s growth and wider adoption of its local brand.