inform
issue 26
november 2013
A new milestone
in the history of STRABAG
Leadership change
If we knew
what we know
Knowledge management
Children and
career – Not
a contradiction
STRABAG Bratislava
THE MAGAZINE OF STRABAG SE
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Foreword
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FOREWORD
Dear Colleagues, Employees and Friends,
Thomas Birtel, CEO, STRABAG SE
Since 14 June of this year, I have had the great honour and
responsibility of holding the position of CEO of the STRABAG Group.
Hans Peter Haselsteiner made the company what it is today, and we
will continue to build on this foundation in the future – a good reason
to have a look at the milestones in STRABAG’s history in our cover
story (p. 10).
In the long term, our strategy in Central and Eastern Europe
surely is correct and good. But how much growth is possible in the
short and medium term will depend on a number of factors – and is
quite uncertain at this time. In most countries, the construction industry is only slowly recovering from the crisis and remains shaken from
a number of insolvencies. An aggressive growth strategy in these
markets would make little sense and would be difficult to justify.
Let’s instead build on what makes us strong: our stability and our
know-how, but also our adaptability and innovative strength! The
greatness of our company, its international position, the financial
solidity, but above all the people who work for STRABAG – these
are our strengths. Let’s continue to systematically grow them!
succumb to self-satisfaction, but to continue to actively shape our
company’s future. If we remain open to new things and ready to adapt,
the possibilities are endless!
Your
Thomas Birtel
Our expertise is in demand around the world. This is our opportunity to gain a foothold as a technology company for construction
services outside of our European core markets. Four new orders
from the Arab region and Thailand with a total contract value of over
€ 230 million are a good indication that we are headed in the right
direction here. Find out how we can better exchange and use our
know-how internally in our article on knowledge management (p. 30).
The history of our company leaves no room for doubt that we
can be proud of our achievements. I nonetheless ask you not to
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Contents
CONTENTS
News
04
04
05
06
08
09
Children and career – Not a contradiction STRABAG Bratislava
New building for Brandenburg State Gov't STRABAG Real Estate GmbH
We belong together STRABAG Hungary
Changes in the STRABAG art scene Art Forum
Fifty years of success ZIPP
Ninety and still going strong Lahnstein
COVER STORY
10A new milestone in the history of STRABAG Leadership change
PEOPLE AT STRABAG
18 From the highest peaks in the world STRABAG employees in the spotlight
Strabag units
24 From the first idea to the finished property STRABAG Real Estate GmbH
25 New structure through concentration Environmental Technology
26 Specialists at work TPA
27 New career paths Human Resource Development (HRD)
28 Specialists aiming high Metallica
30If we knew what we know Knowledge management
31 Product management, consulting and support Construction software
PROJECTS
32 Team spirit: All for one project Main runway at Václav Havel Airport
34Life in a near-natural paradise The Green Wave
36A walk across Tamina Gorge Tamina Bridge
37 New life behind old walls Factory of Engineers
38A bridge for the river Waal Waal Bridge
40An award-winning building method Nowolazurowa Street
41 Building for health in Italy Sant’Orsola-Malpighi University Clinic
42 The land of dates and palm trees Algiers Metro
SPECIALS
44 Cologne: My city The favourite places of STRABAG employees
46 Events with tradition Sports news
47Arrow puzzle Seeking the puzzle king
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News
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News
STRABAG Bratislava
Children and career – Not a contradiction
Slovakia. The birth of a child, one of the
happiest and most joyful events in a person’s
life, confronts many working parents with
the problem of juggling children and a career.
Many employers consider child care to be
a parent’s private problem and not the
company’s concern. Luckily, there are businesses that see things differently: as part of a
social programme, STRABAG s.r.o. became
From painting to handicrafts – the kids can
fully explore their own creativity.
the first private company in Slovakia to set
up its own in-company day care centre,
“Štrabáčik”. When you consider how difficult
it can be to get a place for your child in a
public nursery school, STRABAG employees can rightly be envied. The day care
centre, founded in 2009 at the company’s
Bratislava headquarters, is immensely
popular. The children receive professional
care and have access to several spacious
rooms in which they can play, learn and
rest. Additional programme offerings include
English-language classes, swim instruction
as well as learning the basics of traffic
safety through play, making Štrabáčik a
child care facility where children learn, feel
safe and can explore their creative side. In
recognition of STRABAG s.r.o.’s sense of
social responsibility, the Ministry of Labour,
Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak
Republic invited the company to take part
in a competition among employers com-
STRABAG s.r.o. supports parents in juggling
children and a career.
mitted to promoting families and equal
opportunities.
Contact: Andrea Šarníková, South +
East, Group Division TI Czech Republic /
Slovakia, Sub-Division Real Estate (03)
STRABAG Real Estate GmbH
New building for Brandenburg State Gov't
Germany. More than four years – this is
how long the competitive bidding process
initiated by the Brandenburg State Office
for Properties and Construction (BLB)
lasted. Ultimately emerging victorious was
STRABAG Real Estate GmbH. The project,
which is being delivered under a publicprivate-partnership arrangement over a
period of more than 30 years, comprises
the planning, execution and operation of a
government building in Potsdam.
The new building will offer around 460
workers at the Ministry for Labour, Social
Affairs, Women and Family as well as the
Ministry of Environment, Health and Consumer Protection a joint place of work on
10,000 m2 of space. The office complex,
which is intended to facilitate the daily work
of the staff by merging several offices at one
location, is being built by the STRABAG
subsidiary Ed. Züblin AG. Construction is
slated to begin this autumn and should last
about two years. The total investment and
financing costs will amount to approximately
€ 57 million, while the 30-year operating
period is estimated at about € 25 million. A
unique feature of the building, which stands
out especially for its exciting architectural
design, is the forward-looking building engineering: thanks to an adiabatic cooling
system, no heating or cooling of a heat
engine is necessary. A 1,000 m2 photovoltaic
system and a primary energy demand of
50 kWh /m2 represent a valuable contribution
to protecting our environment.
Contact: Stephan Martin,
International + Special Divisions,
Group Division Real Estate Development,
Sub-Division PPP Building Construction (KX)
A rendering of the new building
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News
News
STRABAG Hungary
We belong together
Hungary. Infopark Budapest, situated
directly on the Danube in the Hungarian
capital’s District XI, was planned as an international centre of innovation and technology
offering nearly 100,000 m2 of lettable space
for more than 7,000 workers. Measuring
more than 18,000 m2, Building D is the largest
building at Infopark. Besides its unique architecture, including the campus-like configuration of the buildings, Infopark Budapest
also stands out for its qualities in terms of
sustainability and efficiency. These qualities
were recognised by the U.S. Green Building
Council with its LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) Silver Certification. At the end of 2012, STRABAG Építő
Zártkörűen Működő Részvénytársaság signed
a lease agreement for 7,500 m2 of office
space at Infopark. The first stage of the move
began on 25 March 2013, followed on 8 April
2013 by stage two. The excellent preparations and the coordination of the IT staff
assured a smooth relocation process of the
group companies. True to the motto of “We
belong together”, all departments are now
working under one roof. This not only holds
advantages in terms of profitability and an
efficient flow of information, but also brings
No. 1 in Slovenia
2nd place for STRABAG PFS
Niche world champion EFKON
At the end of May, Slovenian business daily
Finance, the country’s only daily business
and financial newspaper, published a list of
the top 101 companies. STRABAG d.o.o.
ranks in ninth place in this “league of the
best” and comes in as the number one
construction firm in Slovenia. Besides having
an output volume of more than € 50 million,
the following six criteria were also decisive
for the ranking: revenue, ROE, ROA, EBITDA,
margin and value added per employee.
For the third year in a row, STRABAG Property and Facility Services (PFS) has taken
second place among the top facility service
companies, thus confirming its leading
position among the big property service
providers. Once a year, Lünendonk GmbH
determines the leading service companies
and compiles a list of 74 businesses from
the facility management sector ranked by
their domestic revenue.
Niche companies produce high-end products
for specific client groups. In recognition of
its outstanding contributions to the Austrian
export economy, EFKON AG was awarded
the title of Niche World Champion by the
Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO).
colleagues together who had previously only
known each other as a voice on the phone.
Contact: Monika Varjú, South + East,
Sub-Divisions Reporting Directly,
Sub-Division HU TI (HH)
“Many people have reservations regarding change, but the new location is also an opportunity
for co-workers to get to know each other better,” explains Anita Dancsa (BRVZ HR).
Awards ceremony at WKO Vienna
The title honours the company’s leading
market position as well as its leadership in
the fields of customer orientation, innovative
strength, employee orientation and social
responsibility.
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News
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News
Art Forum
Changes in the STRABAG art scene
Hans Peter Haselsteiner presents the Artaward
International to the winner Philip Patkowitsch.
Austria. As tough as the construction
business may be, Hans Peter Haselsteiner
has always had a special passion for artists
and the arts. Already in the early nineties,
this passion led him to launch the STRABAG
Art Forum as a link – a dialogue – between
artists, art lovers and company employees.
The collection comprises some 2,300 works
of art exhibited at the various STRABAG
locations.
During his last awards ceremony, Hans
Peter Haselsteiner explained that he will
always remain an art lover and that he will
continue to come to the exhibits. The noble
task of presenting the awards, however, will
pass to the new CEO of STRABAG SE,
Thomas Birtel.
Every year, STRABAG gives young
artists the chance to apply for the Artaward
International. This year, five artists were
nominated from among 680 applications.
Besides the final winner, the four other nominations receive a special recognition award
that carries generous prize money as well.
The talented young artists are also given
the opportunity to exhibit their works in the
STRABAG Artlounge as a way of gaining a
foothold in the Vienna art scene.
But not only at the boardroom level
have there been changes – the Art Forum
team also has news to report. Barbara
Baum has shown lots of passion and personal commitment in her role as Art Forum
director these past ten years. Now Tanja
Skorepa, with a little help from Julia Schuster,
will take charge of the exciting activities and
tasks.
Contact: Tanja Skorepa,
STRABAG Art Forum
This year’s prize winner, Austria’s Philip Patkowitsch, convinced the seven-member jury with
his unusual portraits on the border between representationalism and abstraction. His work,
which is informed by the rich imagery of Hollywood cinema, explores and questions masculine
role models, viewing habits and our usual categorisation of what we see.
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News
News
Hans Peter Haselsteiner with the STRABAG Art Forum team and the winners (from left to right) C. Chirulescu, D. Beudean, T. Skorepa,
P. Patkowitsch, H. P. Haselsteiner, A. Buschmann, I. Staś, W. Weiß, B. Baum.
1
3
2
4
This year’s special recognition awards
went to:
1 Christina Gabriela Chirulescu (RO)
2 Dan Beudean (RO)
3 Irmina Staś (PL)
4 Adrian Buschmann (PL)
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News
Zipp
Fifty years of success
behalf of the Slovak University of Technology (STU), Alojz Kopáčik of the Faculty of
Civil Engineering awarded the business one
of the most important distinctions, the STU
badge for the long and excellent working
relationship. Some of the biggest names in
the construction sector also came to convey
their personal good wishes on this anniversary occasion.
The evening included a look back at the
company’s history, complete with the publication of an anniversary book, 50 Years of
ZIPP, which chronicles the beginnings of the
company, its history before and after the
revolution of 1989, and its present following
the merger with the STRABAG Group in 2004.
From left to right: Juraj Hirner, Thomas Birtel, Siegfried Wanker, František Hirner at the festive
50th anniversary gala evening in Slovakia
Slovakia. ZIPP BRATISLAVA spol. s.r.o.
is a subsidiary of STRABAG SE with a tradition in the construction industry that dates
back more than 50 years. The company was
built upon the foundations of the stateowned Slovak company Závody inžinierskej
a priemyslovej prefabrikácie (“Manufacturing
enterprise for engineering and industrial
prefabrications”), which was established on
1 July 1963.
The company is a specialist in turnkey
construction, civil engineering and the
production and assembly of prefabricated
structures. ZIPP BRATISLAVA spol. s.r.o.
can point to several important construction
projects in recent years, including the terminal reconstruction and expansion at M. R.
Štefánik Bratislava Airport, the library of Constantine University in Nitra, and the Elesko
winery complex.
event was the presentation of the special
recognition awards to those who made the
greatest contributions to the company’s
growth and development, as well as to
representatives from public life and present
and former employees.
Vladimír Benko, chairman of the Slovak
Chamber of Civil Engineers (SKSI), presented
the company with the SKSI Commemorative Medal in recognition of its outstanding
planning and construction activities. On
“Above all, I see today’s celebration as
our way of saying thanks to those people
who spent their entire professional lives
with this company and whose hard work
has helped our company complete a whole
series of successful projects,” emphasises
group division manager Juraj Hirner. A performance by the Metropolitan Orchestra
Bratislava and by soloists Eva Hornyáková
and Otokar Klein from the Slovak National
Theatre topped off the successful event.
Contact Michaela Ivanišová,
South + East, Group Division BC + CE
Czech Republic /Slovakia, Sub-Division TN
More than 300 guests were invited to
the festive gala evening at the Double Tree
by Hilton in Bratislava. The high point of the
The development of the ZIPP logo from 1958 to the present day
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News
News
Lahnstein
Ninety and still going strong
Germany. When the public limited
company “Aktiengesellschaft STRABAG”
was founded in 1923, nobody was thinking
about the long road that the company
would be going down on. The first important
shareholders included several individuals,
including some from Niederlahnstein. The
company relocated its headquarters to
Cologne one year later.
The rain clouds dispersed just before
the celebration got started – as if they, too,
wanted to pay proper tribute to the 90th anniversary of STRABAG Lahnstein. The festive
opening speeches by sub-division manager
Emil Betz, group division manager Michael
Müller and Lahnstein city council member
Gerd Förster brought to life many memories
of the beginnings of STRABAG AG. Emil
Betz said: “Ninety years of STRABAG Niederlahnstein – one could ask why we are celebrating 90 years. After all, this is not the
usual round number like 75 or 100. A simple,
‘cheeky’ response might be that you should
always take advantage of a reason to celebrate. But what really led us to organise a
little celebration today is the fact that the
at the location has hardly changed in all
these decades. The site also consists, now
as it did in the past, of three sheds and one
office complex. The old buildings still house
the STRABAG equipment and machines.
“Looking back on 90 years of STRABAG
Aktiengesellschaft, and more than 100 years
here at Niederlahnstein, I think we truly have
reason to be proud. In today’s times, such
long periods simply cannot be taken for
granted,” Emil Betz explained with a sense
of pride.
This historic photo shows the company
grounds around 1907 /1908.
company origins actually go back to 1888 –
far more than 100 years.”
Many guests took advantage of the
opportunity to have a look around the
grounds and explore the company history.
An exhibit with specially designed glass
panels offered visitors interesting information about STRABAG’s history. The guests
learned, for example, that the building façade
Without a doubt the most popular
attraction of the day was a historic steamroller, brought especially to Lahnstein for
the occasion. Other highlights included an
excavator, a road planer and a children’s
inflatable castle that had been set up in one
of the historic sheds. A mini excavator gave
visitors big and small a chance to test their
skill as excavator operator.
Contact: Emil Betz,
North + West, Group Division TI
Germany South, Sub-Division RhinelandPalatinate / Hesse (DF)
The exhibition of a historic steamroller was
the high point of the celebration.
Besides taking a tour of the premises, guests could also visit an exhibit on the history of
STRABAG.
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Cover Story
Leadership change
A new milestone in the
history of STRABAG
An era is coming to an end: after 41 years with the
company, Hans Peter Haselsteiner is retiring from dayto-day operations and is handing over the CEO position
to his colleague Thomas Birtel. A new milestone in the
history of STRABAG – a symbol both for an end and for
a new start.
International. There had often been speculation as to when
the day would come – and then it came quicker than expected. On
14 June 2013, during the 9th Annual General Meeting of STRABAG SE,
Hans Peter Haselsteiner handed over the position of CEO to his
long-time colleague. “Thomas Birtel is already perfectly prepared to
be my successor, and I see no reason to wait any longer,” Haselsteiner said, explaining the early transition.
An era is coming to an end, and a new one is beginning – a
good reason to have a look at some milestones in STRABAG’s
history in the form of a timeline. The building tycoon leaves behind
a flourishing construction group – but what will the future look like?
inform spoke with the former and current CEOs about the new
routine and about future strategies.
Driving business growth
for more than 175 years.
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Cover Story
Timel
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The no. 1
among Europe’s
construction groups
STRABAG
milestones
1835
1930
1954
1972
1986
1987
1998
Establishment of
Birth year in
Establishment
At age 28, Hans
Conversion of
Establishment of
Acquisition of
the family-owned
Germany of the
of Isola & Lerch-
Peter Haselsteiner
STRABAG Austria
Bau Holding AG
the German
craftsman’s
company name
baumer (later
joins the family
into an AG (public
as the holding
STRABAG AG
enterprise Anton
STRABAG –
ILBAU) and
business Isola &
limited company)
company for Ilbau
in Cologne by
Lerchbaumer in
STRABAG Austria
construction of
Lerchbaumer.
and first listing on
and others.
Bauholding AG.
Austria.
was founded in
the headquarters
the Vienna Stock
Linz in 1965.
in Spittal /Drau.
Exchange.
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eline
www.strabag.com
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2000
2004
2005
2007
2013
BAUHOLDING
On 12 October,
The STRABAG
On 19 October,
On 14 June, Hans
STRABAG Group
just four days
Group acquires
STRABAG SE
Peter Haselsteiner
unifies its brand
after the EU
significant portions
goes public in
hands over the
identity and begins
regulation came
of WALTER-BAU
the Prime Market
position of CEO to
to do business
into force,
Group with about
Segment of the
Thomas Birtel.
across Europe
BAUHOLDING
3,100 employees
Vienna Stock
under its single
STRABAG Aktien-
and an output
Exchange.
core brand of
gesellschaft
volume of nearly
STRABAG.
becomes the first
€ 1 billion.
Cover Story
company to be
transformed into
Acquisition of
a Societas
a majority share-
Europaea (SE) –
holding of
a public company
Ed. Züblin AG,
under European
Stuttgart, with
law – and has since more than 7,000
done business as
employees and an
STRABAG SE.
output volume of
about € 1.5 billion.
More than 15,000 projects
in the construction sector
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Cover Story
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Futu
Interview
We in top management are nothing without
the many people working for the group
Mr. Haselsteiner, you had originally planned to retire from the
board next year – why now?
HPH: That’s true. But it became advisable and desirable for me to
hand over responsibility for the day-to-day operations already now
and to assume other functions until my contract expires at the end
of 2015. Besides, Thomas Birtel is already perfectly prepared to be
my successor, and I see no reason to wait any longer.
Many people are asking why now – at a time when the construction industry is in the midst of a crisis.
HPH: You can retire when a good foundation has been laid for
positive growth and development, and I am convinced that this is
the case. At any rate, this year will be better than 2012.
What will your daily routine look like now?
HPH: I have retired from the day-to-day operations. As authorised
representative, I have assumed responsibility for special projects
such as the group’s internationalisation and TaskForce 2013ff. But
of course I can now pursue other interests more intensely – such as
my cultural and social projects.
You took over your father-in-law’s company and turned it into a
global corporation. How did it come to that?
HPH: I was thrust into this situation by my father-in-law’s unexpected
death. As I had already been a member of the supervisory board for
two years, I knew the company quite well. I accepted because it was
an emergency and someone had to step into the breach.
Why didn’t you pass the reins to one of your sons?
HPH: I have always been opposed to a hereditary line of succession.
My successor can only be someone who has worked for the company
himself and who is very familiar with it. My son Klemens is busy making
a career for himself at STRABAG, and his path remains to be seen. But
he had never been considered as a direct successor because he would
have had to bridge a period of 10–15 years. Whether the supervisory
board will consider him at a later date is not in my hands.
What does it feel like to hand over leadership to someone else?
HPH: Of course I am proud and also somewhat melancholy to have
been the creator of a leading construction company. But I know that in
Thomas Birtel I have found a good and competent successor.
Über 500 Standorte
weltweit
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ture
www.strabag.com
Mr. Birtel, what does it feel like to take on such an “inheritance”?
TB: Of course I am very grateful for the trust that has been placed in
me. It is an honourable task to lead such a large group with more
than 74,000 employees worldwide. But we in top management are
nothing without the many people working for the group every day.
How long will your term in office be?
TB: We’ve got a very simple principle: all members of the management board have the same contract terms and my “promotion” – if
you can call it that – has not changed this at all. My contract runs
until 31 December 2014 and an extension – normally by four years
– is a question that must be decided by the supervisory board.
What strategy do you intend to pursue in the future?
TB: The aim is to make the group more profitable even in times of
moderate growth. This makes two aspects of crucial importance: On
the one hand, there’s our tried-and-tested “millipede principle” – the
broad position in terms of regions and segments. On the other hand,
we must be open to new things – ready to change and to seize the
initiative.
Is there anything you would like to tell your employees?
TB: If we all pull together, anything is possible! This is also true for
one’s own career. We are an international group – and we offer international experience. If you work hard, you can experience enormous
personal growth. I invite everyone to help us shape the future of our
company together.
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Cover Story
Profile
Presenting
the new CEO
Thomas Birtel
Born in 1954.
Studied business economics
at Ruhr-University Bochum.
After receiving his doctoral degree in 1982,
worked for two plant engineering companies.
Lives in Mülheim an der Ruhr and Vienna.
Married with three children.
Joined STRABAG in Cologne in 1996,
which was acquired by Haselsteiner in 1998.
Appointed to the management board of
STRABAG AG, Cologne, in 2002. In 2006,
helped transfer the German building
construction and civil engineering activities
to newly acquired Ed. Züblin AG.
Since 2006, a member of the management
board of STRABAG SE.
Since 14 June 2013, CEO of STRABAG SE.
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41 years of Hans Peter Haselsteiner
Voices from the
company
A boss who lends a hand...
One day, Mr. Haselsteiner was being picked
up from his home in Vienna. The chauffeur
was waiting in front of the house. Mr. Haselsteiner came out of the house and the
chauffeur sprang from the car to open the
door for him. In the same moment that the
chauffeur opened the passenger-side door,
the car began to roll. Mr. Haselsteiner was
standing there and dryly remarked: “The
car is getting away from you…,” and without
further ado lent a hand to help stop the car.
The whole thing was more than embarrassing for the driver, but Mr. Haselsteiner took
it with a sense of humour.
(Josef Ebner, former chauffeur)
STRABAG would not be where it is today
without Mr. Haselsteiner – he achieved it all
with lots of charisma and an understanding
of the meaning of power.
A highly dedicated and worthy partner
in social partnership negotiations who is
interested in providing secure livelihoods.
(Gerhard Springer, STRABAG employee
representative)
The legend of Pooh Bear
When I first started at the company, my duties included
ordering and managing the mobile phones. One day,
Ms. Strempfl called me into her office. The connecting door
to Mr. Haselsteiner’s office was open – apparently HE was not
there. She said: “Mr. Haselsteiner would like the earphones of
his headset to have the little foam cushions on them.”
I took the headset and the foam covers and tried to do as
I had been told. But with my thick fingers it wasn’t so easy,
and so I mumbled to myself: “Why does he need these
things on his earphones anyway? What’s the point?” Ms.
Strempfl shrugged her shoulders and smiled…
Her smile only inspired me, and so I went on: “And besides,
these foam covers are so unhygienic! They always end up
with earwax stuck to them!” And I insisted: “Does he really
need them?” Ms. Strempfl looked up from her desk, and
said in a loud voice directed at the open connecting door:
“MR. HASELSTEINER, DO YOU REALLY NEED THESE
THINGS?” Stunned, I stared at the door!
(Minor shareholder)
Mr. Haselsteiner’s voice resounded from his office – it
sounded like a bear growling: “Of course I need that!” I gulped,
grabbed the things and stuttered: “Uh, of course – I’ll bring
them back later,” and with my face red as a beetroot I went
back to my office. There I had to laugh about what had just
happened, and from that moment on Mr. Haselsteiner, thanks
to his growl, became “my Pooh Bear”, whom I wish only the
best with all my heart!
(Evelyn Nirschi, BRVZ Real Estate)
From 600 to
74,000 employees
in 36 years
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Specials
Women’s advancement
STRABAG wants more
women in management
For reasons of fairness and necessity, Hans Peter
Haselsteiner has decided to take on the challenge of
women’s advancement. The mission: a 20-percent quota
for women. In April 2013, he signed the UN Women’s
Empowerment Principles for the advancement of women
in business. The Austrian daily newspaper Kurier interviewed Hans Peter Haselsteiner on the matter.
You’ve discovered the issue of women’s advancement. Without
meaning to sound disrespectful: after 40 years in the construction
business, that’s pretty late.
That’s not true. The advancement of women has always been an
interest of mine, even if it hasn't been dealt with very successfully.
You have built a very male-dominated company in a very maledominated business. Surely you’ve neglected something?
It’s true that this is a very male-dominated business, and it will stay
that way. But we want to grow the percentage of women in this business. While it is clear that we’ll probably never reach 50 percent,
20 is realistic.
Why so systematic all of the sudden?
Because nothing we have done has worked so far.
Why are you doing it at all? To please society or your shareholders? Do you need a larger workforce? Or because you want to?
Primarily because we believe that socio-political matters must also be
demonstrated in business. And because we are in need of good junior
employees. But no matter how hard we try to find women, it won’t be
easy because there are so few women technophiles out there. Only
20 percent of graduates in technical education are women.
Why didn’t you get started before 2013?
The difference this time is the strategic positioning. There have been
repeated selective efforts, but this time we want to prove it to ourselves. We are talking about a flexible quota. That means that the
percentage of women is supposed to go up every year. And we are
taking steps to get there. Although I’m not sure if I should even
advise a women to pursue a career.
Why not?
Because they then have a demonstrably high risk in all other areas of
their life: enormous relationships burdens, children and family fall by
the wayside.
For Hans Peter Haselsteiner, women’s advancement is not just a matter
of fairness, but also a personal interest.
All problems that affect men as well…
No, they don’t have that as long as 50:50 doesn’t work. Women bear
the family responsibilities; men make a career for themselves. But the
fact is that the decision is up to the women themselves.
Women have meanwhile arrived in middle management…
True, although I believe that middle management is much more difficult.
The pressure is much higher: the higher the position, the higher the
privileges and the more freedom to act on one’s own responsibility.
What effects do you expect from a higher percentage of women?
More diversity in the team. Influence. That won’t always be positive; it
is a challenge as well. But that’s good because it renews the collective: different ways of thinking, different ways of ticking, different
ways of doing things. Everyone does thing in their own way.
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People at STRABAG
STRABAG employees in the spotlight
From the highest peaks
in the world
Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner or Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner are considered to be some of the best mountain
climbers in the world. But our colleagues and co-workers
can also be proud of some amazing achievements of
their own.
International. Rustic mountain lodges, spectacular views, craggy
ridges or snow-covered peaks – for many of our colleagues, scaling
the world’s highest peaks or climbing sheer rock faces against
fantastic backdrops is like heaven on earth.
There’s no time like summer to enjoy sports and other forms of
recreation in the great outdoors. Hiking, mountaineering and rock
climbing are some of the most popular activities in the mountains
during this time. But some of our colleagues and co-workers don’t
let wind or bad weather stop them from exploring the mountain
world at other times of the year too. Many of them head out into the
mountains alone; but, as our examples show, some also enjoy
seeking out breathtaking mountain views together with their coworkers. Our colleagues’ many adventures could fill entire volumes.
However, despite all the positive aspects that alpinism has to
offer, we should not forget that it is not without risks and can be
dangerous too.
We hope you are inspired by our sporty colleagues and by the
beauty of the mountains on the next two double-page spreads.
From left to right: Alfred Kral, Günter Schrefler, Georg Hinterschuster,
Anca Moraru, Stefan Mertens, Ján Lietava
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Kilimanjaro
5895 m
Günter Schrefler and Georg Hinterschuster on the
Matterhorn in Switzerland with their STRABAG pennant.
Georg Hinterschuster
Position: Chairman of White Collar Workers’
Works Council Austria-West
Company: STRABAG AG
Country: Austria
Georg Hinterschuster is an avid footballer and tennis player, but for
five years he has, in his own words, been “addicted” to the mountains. “Actually I’m more of a long-distance hiker and nature lover
and less the big climber, but I’m definitely strong enough mentally to
climb these mountains,” says Hinterschuster before he falls into
raptures: “Climbing the Matterhorn in 2010 was one of my most
impressive alpine experiences.” Most of the time, Hinterschuster
pursues this hobby together with his co-worker and friend Günter
Schrefler. Together they’ve also climbed to the top of the Großglockner.
“We had the special idea of always taking our STRABAG pennant
to the mountains with us, since we are both very proud of having
already worked for the company for 30 years,” they both report.
Matterhorn
4478 m
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People at STRABAG
From left to right: Alfred Kral, Georg Hinterschuster, a friend
and Peter Nimmervoll on top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The two mountain comrades Günter Schrefler and
Georg Hinterschuster on Mont Blanc in France.
Alfred Kral
Günter Schrefler
Position: Commercial Administrator
Company: Commercial Division Mgmt.
STRABAG AG/Lang & Menhofer/Leitner
Country: Austria
Position: Commercial Administrator
Company: STRABAG AG,
Sub-Division AV
Country: Austria
Alfred Kral, Georg Hinterschuster and Günter Schrefler have known
each other since their childhood. Their jobs and their common love
of the mountains has helped them to keep in touch. When Kral heard
that his friends were planning to climb Kilimanjaro, his mind was
made up. “I had to go. But since I wasn’t a big mountain climber, I
trained hard for the ascent,” Alfred Kral says. Kral climbed several
Austrian mountains, including Traunstein, Dachstein, Feuerkogel and
Schafberg. In July, the time had come and the group (unfortunately
without Günter Schrefler) had climbed Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest
mountain. The STRABAG flag was hoisted on Uhuru Peak, the
highest point. “Kilimanjaro was my first really tall mountain – and
probably not the last,” Kral reports.
Günter Schrefler is celebrating 30 years with the company this year.
On the side, he has been climbing peaks all over the world for years
with his co-worker and childhood friend Georg Hinterschuster. After
climbing the Matterhorn, the two of them scaled the top of Mont Blanc
in 2012. “No matter what mountain we’re on, as soon as we reach
the peak, ‘Schurli’ Hinterschuster unpacks the STRABAG pennant,
as he does here on Mont Blanc, and we take the obligatory STRABAG
summit photo,” says Günter Schrefler. Schrefler discovered his passion
for mountaineering and climbing several years ago. An accident kept
him from taking part in the Kilimanjaro ascent, but in the meantime
he has overcome his disappointment and is already looking forward
to lots of tours with his friends and mountain comrades.
Mont Blanc
4810 m
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Ján Lietava climbing the wall of Anića Kuk
in Croatia’s Paklenica National Park.
Stefan Mertens on the summit of Cotopaxi,
the second-tallest mountain in Ecuador
Ján Lietava
Stefan Mertens
Position: Commercial Business Unit Manager East
Company: STRABAG s.r.o., Sub-Division TG, Business Unit East-Košice
Country: Slovakia
Position: Machine Operator
Company: STRABAG Halle-Saale
Country: Germany
Ján Lietava started climbing nearly 30 years ago. The simple rules of
sport climbing (free climbing) – climbing by one’s own efforts without
any aid – led him to specialise in this discipline. He explored many local
climbing areas and made several first ascents. Following the revolutions of 1989, he began travelling across Europe to climb. He has also
taken part in speed climbing competitions, where he was able to
achieve good places. Today he has replaced the sporting ambitions of
competitive climbing with the pleasures of recreational climbing. He
has given climbing courses for beginners, organised speed climbing
competitions and helped set up the first artificial climbing wall in
Košice. “One of my dreams is to travel to Yosemite National Park in the
US, the birthplace of sport climbing,” Ján Lietava says.
Stefan Mertens has always been fascinated by the glacier world. His
first high alpine tour took him to the Großglockner, which he climbed
successfully. This was followed by various 3,000–4,000 m peaks in
the Alps. The high point last year was the ascent of Mount Elbrus in
Russia. This year he crossed the Atlantic to Ecuador in order to
climb five different volcanoes, including Illiniza, Cotopaxi and, to top
it all, Chimborazo. His last trip was to France to climb Mont Blanc.
“It was the most impressive Alps massif that I have ever seen. The
most beautiful thing about mountain climbing is standing on a
summit at sunrise. My biggest dream, however, is to climb an eightthousander. But for the moment one of my next goals is to climb
Aconcagua in South America,” Mertens says.
Anića Kuk
712 m
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People at STRABAG
Chimborazo
6267 m
Anca Moraru climbing Chimborazo, Ecuador’s tallest
mountain.
Anca Moraru
Position: Translator
Company: BRVZ Romania
Country: Romania
Cotopaxi
5897 m
Anca Moraru probably got her passion for adventure and nature
from her mother, who took her along to the Carpathians when she
was just a child. Since then, Moraru has climbed some truly impressive peaks, among then Ecuador’s tallest mountains, Cotopaxi
and Chimborazo, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and several summits in
the Dolomites. “Twice I spent 30 days at a time on several passes
and peaks in the Himalaya – alone, with no porters or guides, at
6,000 m,” Anca Moraru says. Today she is also active in other
sports. Triathlons, marathons and trail running are Anca Moraru’s
new favourite hobbies. In June, at the age of 45, Anca Moraru
successfully finished her first full Ironman – the only woman from
Romania in the 40+ age group.
Tinkerers, do-it-yourselfers, creative types –
We’re looking for you!
“Do it yourself” is one trend that is here to stay. From home
improvement to handicrafts to knitting – many of us love
being creative and turning our own ideas into reality. Do
you feel the same way? Then we look forward to hearing
from you: STRABAG SE, Corporate Communications,
[email protected] (submission deadline: 31 January 2014)
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STRABAG Real Estate GmbH
From the first idea to
the finished property
STRABAG Real Estate GmbH is one of the leading project
developers in Germany and in Europe. The company offers
a wide range of services: besides classic real estate developments, its portfolio also includes the realisation of all
public-private-partnership arrangements within the
building construction segment of the STRABAG Group.
Germany. Phones are ringing, employees are discussing rental
space and use concepts, architectural designs are being examined –
a frenzy of activity dominates the headquarters of STRABAG Real
Estate GmbH (SRE) in Cologne. “You’ve got to keep active if you
want to belong to the best,” comments managing director Thomas
Hohwieler. And SRE is active: the project development firm has
already realised more than 450 properties since its beginnings as
SF-Bau GmbH in 1965. Today SRE is one of the leading project
developers in Germany and in Europe and maintains strategic partnerships in specialist fields with big-name companies such as ECE
for shopping centres.
Some of the properties realised by SRE are truly spectacular.
One of these developments is the Dancing Towers in Hamburg. The
office ensemble, which also serves as the new headquarters for
STRABAG SE’s Hamburg-based group entities, stands out for its
bent façade: the buildings appear to be dancing the tango, resulting
in an architectural design that is one of its kind in Germany. Large-
Günter Nikelowski,
SRE Managing Director
scale projects such as the
€ 250 million UPPER WEST also
belong to the portfolio of SRE.
The sheer dimensions and
exposed location along Kurfürstendamm, Berlin’s bestknown and busiest street,
make the building complex a
showpiece project for the
company. “Of course we are
always pleased when we can
Thomas Hohwieler,
develop such impressive proSRE Managing Director
jects as UPPER WEST or the
Dancing Towers. These are
always good advertisement for us,” Hohwieler explains. Comanaging director Günter Nikelowski adds: “But the ‘bread-andbutter’ business, the development of properties with midsized
investment volumes, and construction projects realised in partnership play a big role for us too. This is after all where we generate
most of our revenue. Furthermore, the group’s solid financial
resources ensure the reliable realisation of our projects no matter
what size.”
SRE has an extensive service portfolio: the company develops
and realises office and retail properties as well as hypermarkets,
shopping centres, rental housing, hotels, specialty real estate and
entire neighbourhoods. On top of that, the company also realises
public-private-partnership arrangements in building construction –
from planning to construction and financing all the way to the longterm operation of the property. Currently SRE’s activities are focused
on Germany. In addition to its headquarters in Cologne, the
company is well-represented in the country with offices in all major
business centres. In Austria and Sweden, the relevant local subsidiaries coordinate project developments with the SRE head office. But
the company has big plans for the future and intends to grow more
intensely in Central Europe. Hohwieler and Nikelowski are sure: SRE
will maintain its continuous growth in the future – in Germany and in
Europe.
Contact: Thomas Hohwieler /Günter Nikelowski,
International + Special Divisions,
Group Division Real Estate Development
Rendering of Messe-City, Cologne
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STRABAG Units
Environmental Technology
New structure
through concentration
The sub-division EI – Environmental Technology has grown
through the addition of three units since the beginning of
2013. The concentration in a single sub-division makes it
possible to offer complex projects in this segment from a
single source. The bundling of different specialist expertise
benefits both clients and the group.
HUT construction project at Vorketzin Landfill (Germany)
STRABAG AG, Vienna, Environmental Technology
Business Unit (SUT)
STRABAG Environmental Technology is a leading and established
organisation in Austria specialised in the remediation of contaminated
sites; building refurbishment works such as the removal of asbestos
and hazardous substances; demolition /dismantling; landfill construction; and the operation of waste treatment and disposal facilities.
ZÜBLIN Umwelttechnik GmbH (ZUT)
Germany /Austria. The new sub-division EI – Environmental
Technology consists of the following units:
HEILIT Umwelttechnik GmbH (HUT)
HEILIT Umwelttechnik GmbH is the market leader in landfill
construction in Germany. Other business fields include the recycling
of building materials, land recycling, environmental remediation,
hydraulic engineering construction, environmental project planning
as well as a comprehensive materials flow management that includes
the operation of soil treatment facilities.
Züblin Umwelttechnik GmbH has over 25 years of experience in
the remediation of contaminated sites; groundwater, construction
site water and soil remediation; environmental biotechnology; and
the removal and disposal of contaminated soils. ZUT supports the
group’s operating units with its equipment and facilities as well as its
specific know-how in the field of construction site water treatment.
Besides its core market of Germany, ZUT is also successfully
positioned internationally with several branches across Europe.
Contact: Dirk Grüneberg / Marian Kloß,
South + East, Group Division BC + CE SOE / UWT,
Sub-Division Environmental Technology (EI)
STRABAG Umweltanlagen GmbH (SUA)
STRABAG Umweltanlagen GmbH is a process-oriented plant
engineering company active in the fields of mechanical biological
waste treatment and biogas production /use both nationally and
internationally. With its own proprietary processes and technologies,
some of which have been patented, the company does business as
a technology supplier and general contractor for large turnkey plant
engineering projects with a volume of up to € 100 million. SUA
benefits especially from the synergies resulting from its integration
into the Environmental Technology sub-division and from the broad
geographical positioning of the STRABAG Group.
ZUT groundwater treatment facility in Monthey (Switzerland)
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TPA
Specialists at work
Strongly folded rock in the Carpathian Mountains
The cost estimation process for earthwork engineering
activities should always involve a prior analysis and
assessment of the actual ground conditions. This calls
for the expertise and wealth of experience of TPA’s
Geotechnical Engineering team.
International. Group consultation already begins during cost
estimation, with a purposeful appraisal of the site ground report in
the form of a list of the actual earthwork engineering activities. The
tendered activities are also subjected to a feasibility study. Errors in
terms of the geotechnical and earthwork engineering planning are
often recognised as a result. Following contract award, and during
the project period, statical analyses of ground conditions are carried
out in the form of structural stability calculations for earth structures
or settlement calculations for fill embankments versus amount and
time. Depending on the results of the calculations, specific measures
are proposed and planned in order to increase structural stability or to
accelerate settlement. Further activities include measuring reinforced
steep slopes or mesh reinforcements in peat and soft soil layers.
The word of the experts – including their opinion on questions of
terrain drivability or construction site access roads – is highly valued.
The team has been providing consultation and support services
for the past four years.
Should geotechnical or geological deviations from the contract
arise, Geotechnical Engineering International drafts detailed documentation on the ground conditions at the site. This documentation
is then used to produce a target/actual comparison in preparation of
claims to be used as a basis for contract amendments. Only in this
way will it be possible to completely harness the potential of contract amendments to the fullest extent. “If, following the determination
of changed ground conditions at the site, no consensual contractual
solutions are found with the client, the calculations provided by
Geotechnical Engineering International serve as the basis upon
which to present and accomplish any possible legal claims,” explains
Group Leader Thomas Leister.
Laboratory work
In order not to depend on external institutes for laboratory
testing, the group built its own geo-construction lab. With a large
direct shear machine, the team is able to test shear strength
properties of even coarse-grained fill material such as is used in
embankments. A triaxial shear machine is used to test parameters
such as strength-deformation behaviours or permeability.
Contact: Thomas Leister, Service Companies,
Central Division TPA, Geotechnical Engineering International
From left to right: Alexander Kalmykov,
Thomas Leister, Holger Fiedler, Michael Knott
The team of two engineering geologists, one
hydraulic engineer and one road construction
engineer has gained a wealth of experience
over the years.
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STRABAG Units
Human Resource Development (HRD)
New career paths
Until now, STRABAG had only offered employees the
opportunity of a classic career ladder. In the future, the
company plans to open up new possibilities for employee
development. inform spoke with Günter Senoner, subdivision manager of HRD, about the motives.
Mr. Senoner, what changes have you implemented in the career
model?
So far, there had only been the classic career ladder coupled with
management responsibilities. The new model gives our employees
more manifold possibilities for development within the group.
Following an initial specialisation at Level Four, three different career
ladders are possible: the management ladder, the project ladder and
the expert ladder – the last two options being new.
What are the differences?
Unlike experts, who have generally completed high-quality specialist
training and possess outstanding qualifications in their field, the
project manager can fall back on years of professional experience in
project management. The expert ladder is aimed at people who
have specialised in certain subject areas. In contrast to the management ladder, the leadership component plays a secondary role in the
development.
What were the motives behind these changes?
The aim is for our career model to reflect the employment diversity
within the group and to express our appreciation for those of our
colleagues whose years of professional experience represent an
enormous value for the company.
What added value do you expect from the new structure?
By systematically developing key positions from within our own
ranks, we expect to see a higher degree of employee loyalty and a
lower susceptibility to demographic influences. This in turn leads to
long-term guarantees of quality, continuity and performance.
Thank you for the interview!
Contact: Günter Senoner,
BRVZ Human Resource Development
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Metallica
Specialists aiming high
This time the façade specialists at our AO – Metallica
sub-division have granted us a look behind their façade.
The extensive service and high level of employee knowhow form the backbone of their success, reflected in
a number of sophisticated metal and glass structures.
Austria. The construction of Austria’s highest building – the
DC Tower – is currently running at full speed. Besides the impressive
height of 220 m and its unusual architectural design, the building’s
special aura is completed by an elegant glass façade. This sophisticated metal and glass structure is being built by our colleagues at
the sub-division AO – Metallica. They also design and realise steel
structures, complementing their extensive know-how with innovation,
quality and on-time delivery.
Already in the bidding phase, the Metallica employees are hard at
work to uncover and rectify any possible problems. This sort of service
can be found throughout the entire project development phase all
the way to project execution. An indicator for the high quality
standards is the constant close cooperation and communication
between the planning department, the production sites and the site
managers. “Good communication is the foundation for long-term
success – only in this way can problems be identified on time in
Check-in 3 at Vienna International Airport…
order to optimise project realisation,” says sub-division manager
Thomas Wancata.
180,000 production hours a year
In order to complete the projects as quickly and flexibly as
possible, the necessary façade elements are prefabricated at three
different locations. Two are located in Weiz and Friesach in Austria,
one in Monostorapáti, Hungary. The 180,000 hours of production
a year are worked mostly by own staff, whose craftsmanship and
experience represent a further indicator of the high standards of
quality. Thanks to their many years of service, our employees, most
of whom joined Metallica from the predecessor companies Pagitz,
Bug AluTechnic and Stoppacher, possess an exceptional wealth of
experience and expertise.
In addition to metal and glass structures, the delivery and installation of structural steel forms the second pillar of the AO subdivision. Only last year, the cutting and bending facility in Oeynhausen,
Austria, was transformed into the most state-of-the-art facility of its
kind in eastern Austria. Some 25,000 t of structural steel are processed here every year. The portfolio of services is topped by a tin
shop in Gerasdorf, Austria, which handles small and midsized
construction projects.
Contact: Thomas Wancata / Walter Rützler,
South + East, Group Division BC + CE Austria East,
Sub-Division Metallica (AO)
…exhibits the high level of know-how of STRABAG Metallica.
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STRABAG Units
Engineer Britta Gülland at her place of work, the DC Tower
Interview
Britta Gülland and her colleagues are currently overseeing the façade
construction on Vienna’s tallest building.
What does your average day as an engineer in façade construction look like?
The daily routine generally varies and depends on the respective
project phase. At the beginning of a project, we are primarily
focused on the purchasing of materials and subcontractor services,
scheduling and planning. Parallel efforts include the coordination
with planners and the establishment of type details. Much of the
work is done digitally, such as the scheduling, budgeting and project
documentation. Not to forget: regular construction meetings and site
visits.
How does all of that fit into one workday?
As the point of contact for architects, clients, planners, production
facilities and our colleagues, I have to react and make decisions quickly
regarding quite different requests. There are many days when we are
unable to tick off a single item on our to-do list. Responding to
unforeseeable events is part of the daily work. Flexibility is called for!
What challenges do you enjoy about your job?
First of all the implementation of the architectural design. Secondly
the implementation of the increasing physical demands that are
placed on the structures. But the coordination of the processes of
construction, scheduling and cost controlling are also exciting
elements.
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Knowledge management
If we knew
what we know
It is hard to imagine our private lives without social media
and the various forms of digital communication. In the
future, STRABAG will also use the benefits of social
networking to its advantage by promoting its internal
communication. Want to know more? Read on!
Knowledge management: a tool that brings all CSR-related issues together.
Why a knowledge community?
Share your experience and your knowledge with colleagues
Ask questions of the knowledge community and receive ad-hoc
answers.
Blog new developments.
Your advantages:
International. We’ve all been faced with problems at work
where not even our nearest colleagues could help. With trivial matters,
we would simply google the answer for a quick and easy solution.
Now we are using this technology within the group in order to tap
our internal sources of knowledge faster and to be able to respond
to client demands with a higher level of quality.
Following the installation of the Central Search tool in STRAnet,
another innovative software will be rolled out by the end of 2013 in
order to introduce knowledge management (KM) in the group. KM is
more than a set of new tools and methods; the purpose is to support
the process of knowledge exchange. “To get company knowledge
flowing, we must all contribute our own knowledge to the process.
Only in this way can we become a group-wide, solutions-oriented
knowledge community,” says Marc Pühringer of his project.
Simple and effective communication
Use group know-how across countries and organisations
Gain faster access to information
Find knowledge experts more quickly
Experience exchange made easy
…and avoid errors & redundancies as a result.
Having a pool of individual knowledge that can be used by all is
an essential factor for a company’s success and staying power. This
sort of knowledge management guarantees a rapid exchange between
sources and seekers of knowledge.
Contact: Marc Pühringer, Service Companies, Central Division
Central Technical Department, Knowledge Management
The new tool gets knowledge flowing.
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Construction software
Product management,
consulting and support
The increasing complexity and growing number of available software products make it necessary to install a
professional product coordination system for construction
engineering and construction management software –
and, in the end, to support the user as best as possible.
International. In addition to the existing product coordination
for ARRIBA / iTWO, the Central Technical Department in April 2012
installed a system of product coordination across all segments and
countries with applications for procurement, CAD, planning, remedial works management, scheduling and construction site documentation.
The product coordination activities cover all phases of a software’s life cycle and include the selection of new software, its
introduction, and the organisation of normal operations. The main
points are:
Coordination with the users at the operating units
Selection and approval of the products to be used
Standardised configuration of the software products that are used
Coordination of production introductions, rollouts and training
sessions
User service and support
While the Central Technical Department’s product coordination
activities are focused on the content of the software used, BRVZ IT
covers the information technology aspects. “This division of tasks
makes it possible to guarantee an optimal realisation of the many
specialist and technical facets of the ‘millipede’ STRABAG,” says
Rainer Barth, head of the division’s Construction Management business unit.
Just how urgently a professional product coordination system
was needed can be seen by looking at figures from the CAD operations: more than 1,000 users at the group’s national and international
subsidiaries work with CAD products, with extremely varied content
requirements in a number of different fields in need of support – that’s
a full-time job.
Contact: Rainer Barth, Service Companies, Central Division
Central Technical Department, Business Unit BAV
Contact: Stefan Ebner, Service Companies,
Central Division BRVZ 02, FG Product Coordination
Melanie Schütt (Central Technical Department) and Boris Pekarski (BRVZ IT) working together on professional product coordination
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Main runway at Václav Havel Airport
Team spirit:
All for one project
The general overhaul of the main runway RWY 0 6 / 21
at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport is a spectacular project
in many respects. First of all, the 60 m wide runway had
to be completely resurfaced along a length of 2,815 m.
Furthermore, the project serves as a perfect example
of successful teamwork.
Czech Republic. Since its opening in 1937, Prague Airport has
become an international aviation hub serving 11 million passengers
with 150,000 flights every year. However, this volume of traffic took
its toll on the more than 50-year-old main runway and a simple overhaul to repair the many cracks and loose concrete was no longer
deemed to be sufficient.
Contract value: CZK 385 million (approx. € 14.9 million)
Construction time: approx. 4 months
Demolition works: approx. 150,000 m3
Road surface: approx. 180,000 m2
As complete resurfacing required closing the runway to traffic,
the client was especially keen on having the work finished on time.
This presented an enormous challenge. There was reason to celebrate, therefore, when Czech subsidiary STRABAG a.s. was awarded
the contract for this prestigious project in early 2013. To ensure
on-time delivery, work on the construction site was carried out
around the clock from the beginning.
Quality despite pressure
Construction began on 15 May with the complete milling of the
existing asphalt and removal of the concrete layers including the
electrical facilities. This was followed by the treatment of the removed
sub-structural layers and the installation of slot drains and storm
water connections. Unfortunately, work was hindered by the strong
rain and high water which flooded the site in early June. By far the
most critical part of the job was a 400 m long section where the
closed runway crossed the secondary runway that had remained in
operation. Construction at the intersection forced the closure of both
runways, which meant that work on this section had to be carried
out under even more pressure.
The 50-year-old main runway was completely reconstructed along a
length of 2,815 m in a period of just four months.
“During project execution, great trust was placed in the
established partnership possibilities of the group companies – the
smooth project handling is the result of cooperation at a professional
level,” praised sub-division manager Tomáš Hajič. Construction was
carried out alternately by the installation groups of Heilit+Woerner
Budowlana sp. z o.o. and Dálniční stavby Praha, a.s. The exclusive supplier of asphalt mixtures was BOHEMIA ASFALT s.r.o.,
concrete was delivered by FRISCHBETON s.r.o. The milling and
limestone filling was entrusted to the know-how of SAT s.r.o., the
spraying of bituminous emulsions for layer adhesion was provided
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The professional project execution is the result of the smooth cooperation and handling by ten group companies.
by BITUNOVA spol. s r.o., slab cutting by OAT s.r.o. and service by
BMTI ČR s.r.o. Strict quality compliance was monitored by the
colleagues at TPA ČR s.r.o. Completion of the 180,000 m2 site is
planned for 30 September.
Contact: Jiří Kovář,
South + East, Group Division TI Czech Republic /Slovakia,
Sub-Division Mitte (TC)
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The Green Wave
Life in a near-natural
paradise
Living in nature, but in the city – STRABAG is busy
realising a project fulfilling just these requirements
in Vienna’s 21st district.
Austria. The “Green Wave” is a new housing complex currently
under construction at Gerasdorfer Straße 149–151 in Vienna. The
project takes its name from its many green areas, gardens and planted
roofs plus the arrangement of the individual buildings in the form a
wave. The focus of the residential facility is on providing housing
security and creating a new suburban movement. For this, the Green
Wave was chosen the winning project in a property developers’
competition.
Construction of the Green Wave housing project in its final phase
A multifaceted project for STRABAG
The work to be carried out by STRABAG comprises the construction of 87 garden-style row houses (of which two will be set aside for
an SOS Children’s Village), an apartment complex with 77 flats, a guest
residence and a restaurant. The complex features a differentiated
housing offer. Among the row houses, three different sizes are available to choose from: small (65 m2), medium (95 m2) and large (135 m2).
These homes are positioned east /west over three separate parcels
along two approaching and receding curved lines. The car-free
area that results in-between is intended to provide space for communicative coexistence. Meanwhile, the four-storey housing blocks
with a total of 77 units will offer maisonettes on the ground floor; singlefloor flats with large, concealed and barrier-free balconies or loggias
on the upper floors; and rooftop terraces.
The SOS Children’s Village will provide accommodation for
adolescents aged 14 to 18. SOS Children’s Villages offer children
and young people in difficult situations a new, loving home as a temporary solution, but also for the long term.
One special challenge on the construction site is the logistics –
last but not least because of the size of the space being developed.
An exact logistics concept was therefore drawn up in response.
During peak times, between 50 and 60 people are at work on the site.
“Construction is on schedule, despite the fact that the long winter
and poor weather had given our team a hard time. To make up for it,
we’ve got a fantastic view of the nearby Marchfeld Canal with its
diversity of small game. More than once, we could observe pheasants
and deer that had ventured near the construction site,” says Torsten
Arrich, construction site manager for the Green Wave.
Selected neighbours
A tenancy management system was set up for the starting
phase, apartment allocation phase and move-in phase. Tenancy
was arranged by the housing agency wohnbund:consult, which
worked together with the client, developer WBV GÖD, to come up
with a tenancy concept. Questionnaires were sent to all interested
persons. The tenants were then selected on the basis of the information that was collected. The result was a good social mix of different
people and families.
Many unique features
The buildings were designed to the low-energy standard,
including a ventilation system with heat recovery. A wood ceiling
was built in between the ground floor and the first floor. The roofs
were designed using a “classic” timber roof truss and will be planted
upon completion. Thanks to a clever seeding concept, the rooftop
gardens will be nearly maintenance-free – although weeds and
other seeds will still need to be removed. The row houses and
apartment buildings are being built completely ready for fit-out and
occupation.
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Contract value: € 20 million
Construction time: May 2012 – November 2013
Gross floor area: 19,074 m2
Earthworks: 34,000 m3
An underground car park with 132 spaces, connected to the
ground floor by a direct line of sight and hearing, offers enough
parking possibilities. A café is being built opposite the bus stop on
Gerasdorfer Straße as an inviting neighbourhood locale in which to
enjoy a cup of coffee or just pass the time. Pets are also welcome
at the Green Wave, and dogs can run free in the on-site dog area.
Contact: Torsten Arrich,
South + East, Group Division BC + CE Austria East,
Sub-Division Vienna (AR)
The four-storey housing blocks
Deer and pheasants visited the construction site.
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Tamina Bridge
A walk across Tamina
Gorge
On 28 March 2013, Swiss daredevil Freddy Nock made
for a truly spectacular groundbreaking ceremony with
his tightrope walk over Tamina Gorge 200 m above the
ground. Four years from now, Tamina Bridge, one of
Europe’s largest arch bridges, is to be opened to traffic
at exactly this spot.
Switzerland. The joint venture ARGE Taminabrücke, led by
STRABAG AG on the technical side in cooperation with partners
Erni Bau (CH) and Meisterbau (FL), is building the arch bridge as the
heart of a new road connection between Bad Ragaz and Valens.
Considerations for the bridge were triggered by the state of the old
road, which was in need of repair, and by the fact that the road
passes through an area of frequent landslides. Potholes and the risk
of falling rocks also made the road increasingly dangerous for traffic.
But repairing the road would not have been acceptable financially –
which is why the decision fell on building Tamina Bridge.
Symbolic of Tamina Bridge, Freddy Nock walks across the gorge.
The core elements of the bridge are structural integrity, adequacy
and longevity. These objectives are achieved in part through the use of
concrete in construction as well as structurally convenient and financially reasonable section dimensions. Most of the essential bridge sections are being built as a single piece. Exceptions are the abutments.
Contract value: CHF 37 million (approx. € 30 million)
Construction time: March 2013 – December 2017
Span: 259.36 m
Total length: 475.40 m
One with the landscape
The area of Tamina Gorge near Bofel is a designated nature
sanctuary where prominent structures that alter the character of the
landscape must be avoided. A number of different measures had to
be considered to ensure the bridge’s harmonious integration into the
natural surroundings – for example, the structural support system
will be placed underneath the bridge and the gorge will be spanned
without piers. This gives the bridge a delicate, natural and harmonious
appearance in the landscape. It seems as if the bridge had grown,
naturally and organically, out of the valley itself – as if it had always
been there.
Left: Freddy Nock. Right: foremen Paul Lackner and Lothar Cavigelli
The total construction time for the bridge, including access roads,
is expected to amount to around four years. Preparatory works began
in autumn of 2012. With the groundbreaking, the actual construction
can now begin. “It’s a challenge: besides having to transport the
material over narrow mountain roads, the work takes place at dizzying
heights. The most exciting phase of construction will be when the two
sides of the arch meet high above Tamina Gorge – about one year
from now,” says project manager Gerald Greunz.
Contact: Gerald Greunz, South + East, Group Division
BC + CE Austria West, Sub-Division Civil Engineering AT (IC)
A model of Tamina Bridge
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North + West
Factory of Engineers
New life behind
old walls
Łódź is Poland’s third-largest city and one of the most
important centres of academic life. More than
120,000 students can be found at a total of 28 institutions
of higher education. For the Łódź University of Technology,
STRABAG built a modern didactic and laboratory complex –
a new home for the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
Poland. The city of Łódź experienced its golden era in the late
19th century with the growth of the local textile industry. It was
during this time that many of the city’s brick factory buildings, industrialist mansions and richly ornamented townhouses were built.
The dilapidated monuments have long outlived their heyday, but
they still represent a characteristic feature of the architecture and
history of the city. A lot of time and money are now being invested
to revitalise these witnesses of history. One example is the “Factory
of Engineers”, built within the walls of the former factory of textile
magnate Szaja Rosenblatt. The old building complex stood on a piece
of property measuring around one hectare and had a total interior
space of about 9,000 m2. The era’s typical saw-tooth roof was partially integrated into the new object. The saw-tooth design, used
especially in buildings with large floor areas, consists of a series of
small ridges lined up in a row on top of the roof. As the building is of
historical value, the work was supervised by the regional conservator
of monuments.
More room for development
Some 5,000 students are already using the didactic infrastructure
on five floors. The plans also took into account the needs of physically handicapped persons in order to ensure a comfortable educa-
The Factory of Engineers combines tradition and modernity.
tional environment for all. Large classrooms and seminar rooms, an
auditorium, teaching rooms and group study rooms, as well as
specialty laboratories with research equipment are available to facilitate the learning process, with support from the information and
communications technologies (ICT). Due to the growing demand
for skilled professionals in the technical and engineering fields,
graduates of this university need not worry about their future.
Green energy
The Factory of Engineers of the 21st Century is a modern and
environmentally friendly property. Many state-of-the-art technological solutions were applied during the conversion and renovations
works, particularly in the didactic-laboratory part of the building.
“The building’s technical equipment includes a heat pump and a
wind turbine as well as a solar thermal power plant with 180 photovoltaic panels and a total output of 48.6 kWp. The energy from the
plant significantly cuts the electricity bill and has a positive impact
on CO2 emissions,” says project manager Jerzy Nabiałek, explaining
the green approach.
Contact: Jerzy Nabiałek, North + West, Group Division
Poland, Sub-Division PP (Building Construction)
Contract value: approx. PLN 35.3 million (approx. € 9 million)
Construction time: December 2010 – June 2013
Usable space: 9,000 m2
Cubage: 56,000 m3
The old factory …
… with a new look
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Waal Bridge
A bridge
for the river Waal
An old steel bridge from the year 1973 is currently the
only way to cross the river Waal west of Nijmegen. To
get to work every day, some 90,000 commuters have no
other choice but to suffer – but that will soon change.
Netherlands. In August 2011, the team of Frank van Kessel
took over a legacy from DYWIDAG – construction of the A50 from
Ewijk to Valburg. Together with colleagues from other Züblin units
and the JV partners Mobilis and van Gelder, they got to work. The
task of the € 168 million contract is to widen the Ewijk and Valburg
motorway junctions – a 6 km stretch is to be nearly doubled in size.
Smaller structures such as underpasses, noise barriers and bridges
also form part of the project. The highlight of the contract, however,
is the new prestressed concrete bridge directly next to the old steel
bridge. In May 2013, after just 30 months of construction, traffic was
rerouted onto the new bridge in order to make room for retrofitting
works on the old one.
Two bridges in harmony
In addition to the high maintenance costs for the old steel
bridge, a decisive factor for the contract award was the design of
the future bridge “couple”. Planning a slender concrete bridge made
it possible to copy the lean cross-section and spans of the old
bridge despite the higher weight of the concrete structure. “From a
distance, you see one bridge; closer up, you recognise the two
The bridge sections could be launched simultaneously to the north and
south from four casting beds. The four pylons were built at the same time.
Info + +
Design and construct ...
... is an often used contract form in the Netherlands. Based
on a written job specification by the client, a design is made,
costs are estimated and a bid is submitted. Contract award
is followed by the construction phase. The complete order is
thus designed and built using the specifications, descriptions
and systems engineering as the planning and documentation method.
separate bridges; and when you’re driving across, you notice the
details of the construction: these were the architect’s specifications –
details that kept us particularly busy,” explains project manager Frank
van Kessel.
Two longitudinally prestressed lean box girders carry the main
load of the bridge. In between, precast prestressed sections were
placed at right angles to the bridge, with two lanes of traffic in each
direction. Pylons were foreseen above the river piers on each of the
box girders on which to stay the cables for the river span.
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Contract value: € 168 million
Construction time: December 2010 – May 2013
Bridge length: 1,055 m from abutment to abutment
River span: 270 m
Using four cantilever travellers, the girders were built in 2 x 44 sections
across the Waal, with four teams installing the stayed cables.
Incremental launching
In the approach area, the two box girders were built using
incremental launching. In this bridge-building method, the concrete
girders are reinforced and cast in a stationary formwork. After the
concrete hardens and the prestressing steel is installed, the completed section is launched in increments from out of the formwork.
This is followed by the installation of the precast sections of roadway.
Following the launch of the last section of the two access bridges
20 m beyond the river piers, the four pylons are ascended in order
to connect the girders in the middle using the cantilever method.
The formwork that is attached to the last section projects out freely
to the front.
Given the scheduling framework, this method of construction
allowed for the sections to be launched simultaneously from four
casting beds – twice to the north and twice to the south. This also
made it possible to build the four pylons at the same time. Using
four cantilever travellers, the girders were built in 2 x 44 sections
across the Waal, with four teams installing the stayed cables.
Contact: Frank van Kessel,
North + West, Group Division BC + CE Germany / BNL,
Sub-Division North Rhine-Westphalia (DQ)
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Nowolazurowa Street
An award-winning
building method
STRABAG was hired as general contractor to build
Nowolazurowa Street in Warsaw in order to improve
traffic and reduce congestion.
Work on Nowolazurowa Street was carried out day and night.
Poland. In Warsaw’s destination traffic system, Nowolazurowa
Street connects the S8 expressway with the city’s northern ring
road. The new street features two lanes in each direction measuring
3.5 m wide. The two carriageways are separated by a 2.5 m wide
median divider. The construction of a through road such as Nowolazurowa Street leading through the city involves a lot of work. This
includes the integration of the street into the existing urban fabric,
plus ancillary works as well as complex engineering works such as
a viaduct over rail tracks or a tunnel. Just this tunnel – or, more specifically, its inclusion in the track bed of the rail track – piqued the
interest of the media and the public at large.
the conventional manner would have required closing the line to rail
traffic for a period of at least six months. For this reason, STRABAG
proposed an innovative solution – building the tunnel next to the
embankment and then “pushing” it in.
Innovative solutions
Nowolazurowa Street crosses a rail embankment carrying the
tracks for the Warsaw-Poznań-Berlin line. The plans called for a
tunnel at Nowolazurowa Street. But the construction of a tunnel in
Contract value: about PLN 125 million (approx. € 30 million)
Construction time: June 2011 – October 2013
Concrete in tunnel: 4,200 m3
Reinforcing steel in tunnel: 706 t
First a monolithic reinforced concrete structure measuring
60 x 27 x 6 m was built along the track. When it was finished, the
track bed was dismantled, the rail embankment was partially removed
and the 10,500 tonne tunnel was pushed in as a whole. The tunnel
had to be moved along a distance of 63 m at an angle of 27 degrees
using a special construction of nine hydraulic cylinders with a possible
load of 1,000 tonnes each as well as a bentonite suspension to
reduce ground friction. The process took 16 hours to complete as
the tunnel was moved at an average speed of 6 m /h. The tunnel was
then covered with earth before restoration of the track bed and the
electrical contact wires.
TYTAN 2012
“Construction coincided with EURO 2012. The organisation of
this event made the work along the railway more critical and resulted
in considerable restrictions regarding building permits. The tunnel
was moved along a distance of 63 m with an accuracy of 5 cm.
Thanks to this unique solution, rail traffic was affected for just two
weeks,” explains project manager Zbigniew Żerański. For this innovative solution in tunnel building, STRABAG received the TYTAN 2012
award.
Contact: Zbigniew Żerański,
North + West, Group Division Poland, Sub-Division Bridges (PK)
It took 16 hours to properly position the tunnel.
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International + Special Divisions
Sant’Orsola-Malpighi University Clinic
Building for health
in Italy
STRABAG S.p.A. was hired to build the new cardiovascular
centre for Bologna's university clinic. Construction will be
completed by the end of 2013.
Quality management: employee Stefania Oliva discussing the building
plans with Ernesto Sorrentino
Italy. STRABAG S.p.A. handles medium-sized and large projects
in Italy. Some of STRABAG Italy’s most impressive infrastructure
orders include the Pedemontana Lombarda motorway in northern
Italy, the Grosseto-Siena expressway and Quadrilatero Section 1.
The hospital complex consists of 40,000 m2 of developed space,
upon which STRABAG will build six operating rooms, 19 outpatient
departments, 36 beds in paediatrics and 136 beds in cardiovascular
surgery. The project includes special ground engineering works as
well as a reinforced concrete building consisting of two basement
levels and five above-surface floors. The first basement level will
house an underground car park with two entrances. The slab foundation is 1 m thick, anchored with the diaphragm wall on its sides,
and designed for seven floors.
But STRABAG Italy is also active in public-sector and commercial building construction. One such project is the realisation of the
new cardiovascular centre for the Sant’Orsola-Malpighi university
clinic in Bologna. The project is being carried out by a joint venture
led by STRABAG with a share of 45.15 % and comprises the demolition of the old building as well as the construction and expansion
of the cardiovascular centre.
The Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic is one of Italy’s largest hospitals. It is the country’s second biggest centre for liver, kidney and
heart transplants. Europe’s first multiple organ transplant operation
(heart, liver, kidneys) was performed here in 2008.
A clinic with a long tradition
The clinic is located in a densely populated area of Bologna,
although patients come from the entire region and beyond. Founded
in 1592, the institution can look back on more than 400 years of
history. It has 1,362 beds and 5,394 employees, of which 5,039 are
hospital and 355 are university employees. The clinic registers about
55,906 ordinary admissions, 135,220 emergency admissions and
more than three million specialist examinations and visitors a year.
The exterior of the new complex
Contract value: approx. € 51.5 million
Construction time: July 2009 – end of 2013
Construction steel: 4,000 t
Employees on the construction site: 160
“The building plans include structural connections with special
elements to compensate for ground motion during earthquakes.
Some 160 people – counting both white-collar and blue-collar
employees – are currently working on the realisation of the building,” says project manager Enrico Leonardi.
Contact: Enrico Leonardi, International + Special Divisions,
Group Division Tunnelling, Sub-Division IZ (Italy)
The building’s sophisticated mechanical equipment
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Algiers Metro
Portugal
Italy
Greece
Spain
The land of dates and
palm trees
Algiers
Tunisia
Morocco
Algeria is one of two countries in Africa – the other being
Egypt – that has its own underground rapid transit system.
STRABAG has held a majority stake in the construction of
Algeria
Libya
Western
Sahara
the metro since 2003. The third section currently under
construction consists of tunnelling, bridge building and
civil engineering works.
Algeria. Due to its size and geographic location, Algeria, nearly
seven times as big as Germany, is one of the world’s largest desert
countries. The capital of Algiers, with a population of more than
three million people, is the largest city as well as the cultural and
financial centre of the country. The city was an important trade
centre as far back as ancient times. Today Algeria is one of the
world’s leading oil and gas producing countries as well as one of the
most important producers of dates in terms of both quality and
quantity.
Contract value: € 121 million
STRABAG’s share: € 61 million (51 %)
Construction time: July 2011 – March 2015
Tunnel length: 850 m
To increase mobility in the Algerian capital and to reduce the
level of daily traffic congestion, the government in 2003 decided to
build a metro system. The first section with ten stations, built in part
by DYWIDAG /STRABAG, was opened in the autumn of 2011.
Together with Algerian construction group COSIDER, STRABAG is
continuing with the construction of the third section. STRABAG, with
a stake of 51 %, is the consortium leader. A JV of two South Korean
Mauritania
Mali
Niger
Chad
Algeria is located in the northwest corner of the African continent.
firms was hired as engineering partner. Despite the linguistic barriers –
the Koreans on site speak neither French (the contract language) nor
English – the cooperation has been working without a problem.
The project is being realised internally by a JV of DYWIDAG
International (Group Division 3G) and Tunnelling International (Group
Division IQ). The planning of the civil engineering components performed by STRABAG is provided within the group by the Central
Technical Department of Züblin.
A multifaceted project
The work to be performed by STRABAG includes a tunnel with
a length of 850 m, a ventilation shaft with a length of 60 m, an underground metro station with a pit depth of 35 m, various retaining walls
and trough structures (total of 405 m), one platform at an abovesurface section (110 m), one at ground level (approx. 100 m) and a
viaduct measuring 132 m in length. Construction of the tunnel is
being carried out using the conventional excavation method with
advance tunnel protection. A unique aspect of the works which
involved a heightened need for protective measures was the tunnelling underneath an eight-lane motorway.
STRABAG is responsible for the
excavation works at Ain Naadja
Station and produces construction material in its precast plant.
Amina Karam, technical construction site manager, has been
working on the Metro d’Algier
project since May 2012.
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Visit of the construction site by Transport Minister Amar Tou (2nd from left)
inform 26
International + Special Divisions
The metro tunnel at an advanced stage of construction
The building pit for the station, which was up to 35 m deep, was
enclosed by contiguous bored piling. Tie-back anchoring was
achieved using a total of 60,000 m of strand anchors installed at up
to ten anchoring points – this required perfect coordination in job
preparation between excavation and anchoring works.
The viaduct, originally planned with in-situ concrete, was ultimately built using prestressed precast girders – with the result of
considerably reducing the construction time. STRABAG has its
own on-site precast plant to produce precast sections for itself and
for the consortium partners. The precast plant also prepares and
cuts the reinforcing steel and the formwork.
Karl-Jürgen Knoth, project manager of the Algiers Metro projects,
says of his team: “Various nations and age groups are represented
on the construction site. Among them is Amina Karam, the manager
of our technical office. Thanks to her great commitment on the
construction site in a difficult environment, she has earned an enormous amount of respect and has some outstanding achievements
to show for it.” The Algerian transport minister, Amar Tou, also had the
chance to inspect the team’s performance during a visit in June 2013.
Construction on the site is influenced by a number of difficulties.
A school, a mosque and several housing complexes are located
immediately adjoining the building pit. “We have had to calm
repeated angry protests from local residents and to carry out noiseintensive works during the day and outside of prayer times,” says
Amina Karam. Despite these extremely difficult conditions, however,
from today’s vantage point there is nothing standing in the way of
on-time completion of the project in March 2015.
Contact: Amina Karam /Karl-Jürgen Knoth,
International + Special Divisions, Group Division International,
Sub-Division Projects (MC)
Info + +
Salam alaykum in Algeria
The climate in northern Algeria is a typical Mediterranean
climate with hot summers and temperate winters, although
there are many geographic differences. Certain regions
occasionally experience snowfall in the winter. The desert
dominates the south, with an astounding 80 % of the country
nearly without vegetation. Despite a tree cover of just 2 %,
however, date and palm trees can be found in many places
in Algeria. Most of Algeria is unpopulated due to the vast
expanse of the Sahara region, but the desert is alive: the
nomadic Tuareg inhabit the Sahara, and animals such as the
fennec, the jerboa and the dromedary live here too.
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Specials
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ng
ari
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The favourite places of STRABAG employees
Cologne: My city
For the senses
Cologne has a population of more than one million
Museum Ludwig is a place for art, music
and good food, and Brigitte Bege could
inhabitants, making it Germany’s fourth largest city.
Covering an area of about 405 km2, it is nearly as big as
Vienna. The city is known for its 2,000-year-old history,
its architectural heritage, especially Cologne Cathedral,
of the most famous is surely the Cologne Carnival –
something nobody should miss: Alaaf!
spend the whole day here. A luxurious
breakfast in the museum café is followed
by a stroll through the modern art exhibitions. Then it’s time for a short coffee break
on Heinrich-Böll-Platz, a public square that
also forms the roof of the underground
concert hall. In the evening, she comes
back to enjoy one of the many concerts by
the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tunisstraße
and its internationally renowned cultural events. One
Hidden detail
“At 157.39 m, Cologne Cathedral is Europe’s
second tallest church and the third largest in
the world.”
Brigitte Bege
Originally from England, Martin Atkins has lived near
Cologne’s old town for more than 20 years. There are many
highlights in Cologne, but one of his
favourite is the ‘Kallendresser’. Unbeknownst to many, although in plain sight,
this figure of a man with his bare bottom
poking out of his trousers adorns house
number 24 on Alter Markt square. The
‘Kallendresser’ is a remnant of bygone
days which outraged citizens affixed to
their houses as a way of giving the city
councillors a permanent piece of their
mind.
Special tip + +
Saddle up!
Weather permitting, Cologne should be
explored by bike. A ride could take you into
the Stadtwald woods or along the banks of
the Rhine.
“Carnival, called ‘Fastelovend’ in the local dialect, plays an
extremely important role in Cologne. Carnival traditionally begins on
the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
The highlight of Carnival time is the parade on Rose Monday with
visitors coming from all around the world.”
Angelika Müller
44
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inform 26
Specials
Au
en
we
g
www.strabag.com
Lots to offer
Tunisstraße
Am Hof
Marspfortengasse
Alter Markt
Am Leystapel
Am
Domhof
The Rheinpark recreational area in Cologne’s Deutz district
is a popular urban park with lots to offer: the large green
spaces with a fantastic
diversity of plant life are
perfect for picnics, a
sunbath, leisurely strolls
or sports. A number of
cosy restaurants offer
good food with views of the cathedral and Hohenzollern
Bridge. For Kerstin Brkic, the park is a favourite family destination. And if you like it kitschy, there’s always a trip around
the park on the miniature railway.
Eternally yours
ke
Deutzer Brüc
Cäcilienstraße
Towering trio
Hohenzollern Bridge
connects Cologne’s traditional old town with the
district of Deutz on the
right bank of the Rhine.
But the view is not
the only reason why
Angelika Müller enjoys
coming here; she also
likes to check out the
many padlocks engraved
with names and dates that are hanging
along the length of the bridge. The locks
are hung here by enamoured couples who
then throw the key into the river as a sign of
their eternal love.
Beate Stenger’s sightseeing tip for Cologne
is the three ‘Kranhaus’ buildings in the
Severin
e
sbrück
modern Rheinauhafen district: the number
one urban development project of the recent
past. Each of the 17-storey buildings is
about 62 m tall, 70 m long and 34 m wide.
The trio of towers is already a city landmark
besides Cologne Cathedral.
45
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Specials
inform 26
Sports news
1st place: STRABAG 2
Events with tradition
STRAbike, STRAtria or the AR sub-division’s STRABAG
football tournament can all look back on a long history.
3rd place: STRABAG 1
International. The fourth STRAbike motorcycle meet took
place in Neuenhagen near Berlin. With exactly 100 bikes, the motorcycle enthusiasts from Germany, Austria and Poland covered several
hundred kilometres in two days. Meanwhile, the eighth STRAtria
broke all records with 242 participants from ten nations. Due to the
flooding along the Danube, this year’s triathlon became a duathlon –
the first of its kind – with running and cycling only. Finally, the eighth
football tournament of the sub-division AR/Mischek ZT in Lower
Austria was a chance for our company athletes to show off their
football skills.
40 trophies
“150 spectators gave their all to cheer on the eight teams. In the
end, ‘STRABAG 2’ emerged victorious ahead of ‘Mischek ZT’.”
Gerald Urban, Group Division BC+CE Austria East, Sub-Division AR
22 km cycling
2.5 km + 5 km running
“This year’s STRAtria, with 2.5 km running,
22 km cycling and another 5 km running, was a
complete success. We are already looking forward
to many STRAtria participants next year!”
Mario Rabitsch, Service Companies, Central
Division Central Technical Department
Bikers on tour
“The organisational team
extends its heartfelt thanks to
all participants. STRAbike 2014
is being organised by BMTI
in Bogen.”
Stefanie Gerull, Group Division TI Germany North, SubDivision Berlin-Brandenburg
46
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www.strabag.com
Seeking the puzzle king
Arrow puzzle
inform 26
Specials
2
3
Explanation:
A
Enter a number from 1 to 4 in the empty arrows. The
number in an arrow should show how many different
2
numbers the arrow points to. A number can appear
2
B
more than once in a row or not at all.
2
Example: If the empty arrow (the arrow to be labelled)
points to the right and there are three arrows with the
numbers “1”, “2”, and “2” to the right of the empty
2
C
4
one, then the empty arrow must be labelled with the
number “2” – the arrow points to three numbers, but
to only two different numbers (“1” and “2”).
Mystery numbers:
A
B
C
All entrants will participate in a raffle for a € 50 restaurant voucher in their hometown.
Send the three mystery numbers or the entire solution
Last date for entries: 28 February 2014
to the puzzle to: [email protected]
Info + +
Survey results inform 25
In our last issue of inform, we asked you to take part in a little
survey for us – after all, your opinion matters! We’ve looked at
the responses, and your feedback shows us that we are headed
in the right direction. Our “Projects”, “News” and “People at
STRABAG” sections are very popular with the readers. We are
working on improving the future issues of inform in line with your
suggestions. The first changes can already be seen in this issue!
Congratulations!
From all survey submissions, Stefan Frei
of Switzerland was drawn as the winner.
We hope he enjoys our STRABAG surprise
package!
Here’s hoping you enjoy the new issue of inform.
As always, we look forward to your feedback and suggestions.
Your inform team
47
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www.strabag.com
LEGAL INFORMATION Editing and publishing: STRABAG SE, Villach Editors: Barbara Amon (editor-in-chief), Carmen Ferner
Organisation of national editions: Edita Novotna (Czech Republi c /Slovakia), Mónika Varjú (Hungary), Bozena Czekajska (Poland),
Elena Seleznjova (Russia) Layout and print management: Gundula Schmid Prepress: R12 Spannbauer Ges.m.b.H. & Co KG, Vienna
Printing: MACK GmbH, Schönaich Photography: TREND /Rene Prohaska (cover photo, pp.10 – 11; 16 – 17), REUTERS /Lisi Niesner
(pp. 14 – 15), Fotolia (pp. 12 – 13, 18 – 19, 22 – 23, 47), Rudi Froese (p. 29), Shutterstock (p. 31), RB Production s.r.o. (pp. 32 – 33),
Superblock Ziviltechniker GmbH (p. 35), illustrations by Royalize Medienproduktion (pp. 18 – 23, 42 – 43, 44 – 45) Inquiries and
mail: STRABAG SE, Corporate Communications, Tel. +43 1 22422 -1145, Fax +43 1 22422 -1177, [email protected], Donau-City-Str. 9,
1220 Vienna
Equal opportunities for women and men are a top priority at STRABAG. For this reason, we want to point out that terms such as
“employees”, “clients” or “experts” used in this magazine always refer to both genders.
004188T2_STRABAG_inform_26_Cover_engl.indd 4
02.10.13 09:36

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