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27 28 STRABAG Units / INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS Projects / UPPER WEST “Life is like a book. Those who do not travel read only one page of it.” Closer to the sky over Berlin t eams 10 The Magazine of STRABAG SE No. 1 2015 Cover Story / GROUP CAREERS At height, at sea and on land STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 1 12.05.15 09:34 02 Contents www.strabag.com 07 News / STRABAG PFS “The servicing business is an endurance run” 18 People at STRABAG / UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TEAMS WORK. – and win Projects / GDYNIA SEAPORT Knowledge transfer on Poland’s coast 30 24 STRABAG Units / STRASCO What goes when from where to where? STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 2 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Contents News Projects 05 APPRENTICE TRAINING IN AUSTRIA Promoting the future 28 UPPER WEST Closer to the sky over Berlin 06 CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Teams and teams. rewarded 30 GDYNIA SEAPORT Knowledge transfer on Poland’s coast 06 BUILT ON IT International Züblin research team recognised 32 WILHELMINENSPITAL HOSPITAL Today I will save lives 07 STRABAG PFS “The servicing business is an endurance run” 33 COMPACT ASPHALT Less emotional strain and environmental pollution 08 WORKPLACE HEALTH MANAGEMENT (BGM) More than fruit baskets and sports classes 34 D1 MOTORWAY Full speed for the motorway ANNIVERSARY Back to the roots 36 ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION Clean soil for Ingelheim KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Happy Birthday! 37 UNDERPASS ANDERMATT Safe pathways in the heart of Switzerland 38 QUADRILATERO A traffic artery in the heartland of Italy 40 BRT TANZANIA BRT improves infrastructure of largest city in Eastern Africa 42 PROJECT “LEIESPIEGEL” IN DEINZE Deinze needs room to grow 09 09 Cover Story 10 GROUP CAREERS At height, at sea and on land People at STRABAG 18 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TEAMS WORK. – and win STRABAG Units 22 ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE GROUP Who designed it? STRABAG! 23 STRABAG PROPERTY AND FACILITY SERVICES GMBH & STRABAG REAL ESTATE GMBH Double the teamwork 24 STRASCO What goes when from where to where? 26 MINERAL ABBAU GMBH Blasting area 27 INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS “Life is like a book. Those who do not travel read only one page of it.” 03 Specials 44 OUR FAVOURITE PLACES Bologna: My city 46 SEEKING THE PUZZLE PROS Memory training with Sudoku 47 BOOK TIPS For learning and browsing 44 Specials / OUR FAVOURITE PLACES Bologna: My city STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 3 12.05.15 09:34 04 Foreword www.strabag.com Dear colleagues, employees and friends, It has now been over a year since we successfully revised our strategy and introduced our new slogan of “TEAMS WORK.” as a way to communicate this in a succinct way. And we can see: Having teamwork as a cornerstone of our business allows us to clearly stand out from the competition. Our strength is the partnership base of our working relationships, the trust that we place in each other. The awards that we have received for the communication of our strategy are a sign that this is being recognised externally as well (read more on p. 6). But there were also awards internally. In this edition of teams., I am delighted to introduce you to the winners of the 2014 Teams Awards (People at STRABAG, p. 18). We also briefly present the social projects to which the prize money was donated. And I look forward to seeing more examples of successful teamwork in the future. Because it was such a great success, we will be presenting the award again this year. Now it’s up to you: Nominate a team that lives up to our values in its work! Thomas Birtel CEO of STRABAG SE The winning teams of the Teams Awards couldn’t have been more different. As such, they are a manifestation of the diversity within the group. This diversity can also be seen by taking a look at the individual people working for us. Some of their occupations are actually quite unusual for a construction company. For example, did you know that your co-workers included an antenna tower climber and a boat’s captain? (p. 10) The smooth working relationship between vastly different people in our organisational units should make us optimistic. This is also clear in our financial figures. At the end of 2014, our order backlog reached € 14.4 billion (+7 %) – that’s the second-highest year-end figure in company history. We are proceeding through 2015 with the order books well filled. I thank all of you for the hard work that has made this possible, and I wish you lots of reading enjoyment with the latest edition of our teams.! Yours, Thomas Birtel STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 4 12.05.15 09:34 News teams. No. 1 / 2015 05 APPRENTICE TRAINING IN AUSTRIA Promoting the future STRABAG offers top training to young people. Proving this true are two awards which were presented to STRABAG in Austria in autumn 2014 for its commitment to apprentice training. Austria. The Austrian State Coat of Arms “Certified Training Provider” awarded by the Ministry of Economy recognises companies that produce exceptional achievements in their apprentice training programmes. The award takes into account criteria such as accomplishments in final apprenticeship exams as well as regional and national competitions, a strong commitment towards providing career information, partnerships, and further training programmes for apprentices and trainers within and outside the company. This award was presented to Franz Urban in his previous function as member of the management board of STRABAG AG and Thomas Huber, apprentice coordinator at STRABAG AG, at the end of October. “I’m very proud of our trainers who, with lots of dedication, introduce young people to their jobs in the best possible way. In keeping with our motto of TEAMS WORK., we also offer additional seminars in the winter months during which – due to weather conditions – no work is carried out on construction sites. We feel that this way we are always committed to doing a little more for our apprentices than necessary. This award is the crowning achievement of our training activities,” says a delighted Thomas Huber. INFO Alexander Hiesberger and Michael Haydn at the competition STRABAG apprentices represent Austria at WorldSkills The STRABAG team for concrete construction and formwork – represented by Alexander Hiesberger and Michael Haydn, both from the SubDivision Lower Austri a / Burgenland (AS), Branch Office St. Pölten – came out on top against the tough competition at the Austrian national competition for skilled trade. The two winners will represent Austria at the WorldSkills Competition 2015 in São Paulo in Brazil. CERTIFIED TYROLEAN APPRENTICE PROVIDER Presentation of the State Coat of Arms by State Secretary Dr. Harald Mahrer to Thomas Huber, Wolfgang Simoner and Franz Urban, STRABAG AG (from left to right) STRABAG AG is now one of 30 companies to have received the title of “Certified Tyrolean Apprentice Provider”. “We are proud to have been given this award which is presented to businesses that maintain the highest standards in apprentice training,” explains Manfred Lechner, technical sub-division manager for STRABAG AG in Tyrol and Vorarlberg. CONTACT: Thomas Huber, Sub-Division Vienna (AP) Manfred Lechner, Sub-Division Tyrol / Vorarlberg (AF) Well-trained apprentices are our future potential STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 5 12.05.15 09:34 06 News www.strabag.com CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Teams and teams. rewarded The secret of our company’s success lies in cooperation – this strength finds expression in the motto of TEAMS WORK. Communicating this shift in strategy has now been recognised with an award. The third place at the European Change Award went to STRABAG. International. Our motto of TEAMS WORK. has become a distinctive feature across our group. In December 2014, the teamwork needed to bring about the strategic shift in the group was rewarded: Our group won third place at the European Change Communications Award 2014 in the category Strategy Large. The prize is awarded to exemplary projects in change communication. “Our future success relies on team spirit on all levels. Having said this, I wish to thank all of you for your active support!” said Thomas Birtel, CEO of STRABAG SE. construction group. The visual concept is exemplary as well.” Corporate Communications accepted the Silver Quill for second place for the best intragroup magazine in Austria. SILVER QUILL Our company magazine underwent some refurbishment, too. This was recognised in November by the Federation of Austrian Industries and the Association for Integrated Communication (VIKOM). Jury feedback on our company magazine teams.: “A very well-done magazine. The magazine’s editorial policy, which is highly appealing both aesthetically and in terms of content, showcases a company magazine that is better than expected for a Corporate Communications at the presentation of the Silver Quill (teams. graphic designer Gundula Schmid unfortunately could not be present) CONTACT: Diana Neumüller-Klein, Corporate Communications BUILT ON IT International Züblin research team recognised The safety of employees on construction sites was the starting point of the research work for which the team of Ed. Züblin AG was awarded a prize in January. Visit www. aufitgebaut. de Germany. Model-based procedures (BIM – Building Information Modelling) and a software prototype, which in addition to structural and building physics facts also contains information on work safety and health planning, are to help avoid information losses, for example, caused by changing planners or workflow. The international research team of Ed. Züblin AG, headed by Jochen Teizer (Central Technical Division – BPM), was awarded the first prize in the category Construction Business Management as part of the competition titled “Built on IT – From left to right: Uwe Beckmeyer, award winner Henrik Koers and Klaus Pöllath, Member of the Management Board of Züblin STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 6 Promising Careers in the Construction Industry”, presented at the building trade fair BAU in Munich. Also, for the first time, Züblin handed over the special award “New Practice-Oriented IT Solutions From the Industry For the Industry”. The award went to construction engineer Henrik Koers for working out the project “Development of an interactive prognosis software in the event of water control failure in the construction pit”. Klaus Pöllath, member of the management board of Ed. Züblin AG: “We decided to give a special award to projects that are particularly relevant for our industry.” CONTACT: Marvin Wells-Zbornik, Züblin IT Coordination 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 News 07 STRABAG PFS “The servicing business is an endurance run” STRABAG Property and Facility Services (STRABAG PFS) has been part of the group since 2008. Meanwhile, the former Deutsche Telekom subsidiary has become one of the leading real estate and industry service providers in Germany, Austria and Hungary as well as in some Eastern European countries. Since the beginning of the year, Jörg Rosdücher has been heading the strong-selling and high-yield STRABAG PFS division. teams. spoke with him about his goals. Jörg Rosdücher became Managing Director of STRABAG PFS on 1 January 2015 Mr Rosdücher, in your division you generate an annual sales revenue totalling roughly € 1 billion. What have you set out to do in the upcoming years? We intend to convince a growing number of clients to commission us with integrated services, such as property and facility management, for example. This is still the exception in the industry. In addition to that, by acquiring DIW, a subsidiary of Voith Industrial Services, we have tapped new business areas and a new circle of clients in our segment. There is great cross-selling potential here, which we need to bring out. How is your business different from the group subsidiaries? As compared to the construction business or to project development, our success usually lies in the ongoing fulfilment of a service contract over a number of years and hopefully in the extension of the contract if the client is happy. We achieve our results, if you like, not in a sprint but rather in an endurance run. What is your biggest challenge? In Germany alone, we manage way above 800,000 smaller assignments every year with about 2,000 service technicians to the satisfaction of our clients, for many hundreds of customers from completely different industries in entirely different building classes, each with highly specific technical equipment. This requires efficient processes, the smart application of IT and both an experienced and committed team. NEWS IN BRIEF ROYAL GUEST OF HONOUR AT GRAND OPENING “EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR 2013” AND “SITE MANAGER 2014” AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT AT GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY Denmark. In November 2014, the new City Hall and Health Centre in Egedal, close to the Danish capital of Copenhagen, was inaugurated officially with the Danish Queen as the guest of honour. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II was received by many citizens who had taken up position outside the new town hall for the occasion. The turnkey construction of a total of 19,000 m2 including basement was completed by Züblin A /S in just 18 months between May 2013 and November 2014. The construction value of the project is approximately DKK 250 million (approx. € 33.5 million). Poland. In 2014, STRABAG received plenty of acknowledgement and awards in Poland’s construction industry. Among other things, the group was presented the honorary title “Employer of the Year 2013” by the Polish Association of Employers in Construction Business (PZPB). The award recognises the longstanding active and thoughtful personnel policy at STRABAG. The support given by STRABAG for the further training of committed employees was reflected in the title “Site Manager 2014” in the category Large Construction Sites which was awarded to site manager Marek Mazurek. Austria. “It all starts with cutting the first sod!” With these words the Austrian president Heinz Fischer inaugurated the ground-breaking ceremony of the Allianz stadium of Vienna football club Rapid. The big Rapid fan, along with roughly 300 guests from the worlds of sports, society, economy and politics, attended the grand opening ceremony in mid-February. The new Allianz stadium aims to maintain the old Rapid spirit (“to fight for victory until the last second”). To this end, symbolic items such as football shoes were placed in a wooden chest that was buried under the new playing field. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 7 12.05.15 09:34 08 News www.strabag.com WORKPLACE HEALTH MANAGEMENT (BGM) More than fruit baskets and sports classes Health is not only the “absence of illness” but rather an expression of individual well-being and perceiving one’s own capability to perform. International. Workplace health management (BGM) addresses this issue since being healthy and capable of work means much more than just showing up at work every day. It also aims to maintain physical performance capability and to provide positive support through relevant measures. It was clear from the beginning that fruit baskets and sports classes alone would not be enough. Therefore, the management board of the group entrusted workplace health management with the task of implementing measures that promote health and well-being of employees with the aim of improving working conditions and strengthening personal resources. Find us on STRAnet or connect! Individual well-being should be enhanced not only on the construction site but in the office as well. BGM consists of members of Human Resource Development (HRD) as well as Occupational Safety and Health, employees entrusted with environmental protection issues and members of the management board. Employee representatives provide additional support. FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE Workplace health management places itself at the service of your health and well-being. The goal of those responsible at BGM is to create framework conditions that are vital for a healthy work environment. Furthermore, the aim is to anchor health as a central topic in corporate culture and to integrate it in everyday work in the long term. This, however, requires the active participation of all employees because ultimately everyone is responsible for their own health themselves. Germany, Austria and Switzerland will be the first countries to implement BGM. It will be introduced in the other countries step by step. The measures developed for these three countries are to be realised by the end of 2015. They are directed at all employees in these countries. However, since the programmes are being launched at different times in different places, we will not be able to reach all employees at the same time. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 8 CONTACT: Katharina Weissenbacher, BGM Coordinator Germany Azra Gangl, BGM Coordinator Austria Irina Pichler, BGM Coordinator Switzerland 12.05.15 09:34 News teams. No. 1 / 2015 09 ANNIVERSARY Back to the roots The TechGate Tower was its first façade commission. It was right there where sub-division Metallica (AO) celebrated its ten-year anniversary. The TechGate Tower served as the perfect backdrop for the successful anniversary celebration. Austria. In December 2013, the idea for a metal construction sub-division for STRABAG was realised. By now, metal and glass as well as steel constructions are pre-built and installed on three sites in Austria (Friesach, Weiz) and in Hungary (Monostorapati). Further pillars of the sub-division include a department for construction steel bending and laying as well as a tinsmithery. On 22 October 2014, Metallica hosted the ten-year anniversary celebrations on the 19th floor of the TechGate Tower. The event was attended by contractors, architects and industry partners alike. Apart from future visions, a current Metallica project – the Siemens headquarters in Munich – was discussed, too. The venue could not have been chosen better: The TechGate tower was the first façade commission of the Metallica sub-division shortly after its foundation. And when looking out the window one could see another one of the sub-division’s reference objects: Austria’s tallest building, the recently completed DC Tower. Its impressive façade was another of Metallica’s projects. CONTACT: Petra Hrabal, Sub-Division Metallica (AO) KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Happy Birthday! connect celebrated its one-year anniversary on 3 March 2015. A good occasion to give a brief review as well as an outlook on the platform’s developments. connect turns 1! International. Be it from the office, the airport, a café or construction site, “Direct Access” will now enable you to log on to the corporate communication platform connect using your BRVZ computer in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland and Sweden. This way, you will always be up to date with current topics and able to interact with colleagues in more than 130 open communities. Since the beginning of November 2014, you now also have the opportunity to indicate helpful STRAnet pages to your followers by pressing the “share” function at the end of STRAnet articles or to discuss them on connect. Furthermore, all Polish colleagues will soon be able to use connect in their mother tongue, too. CONNECT CONNECTS connect proves helpful and supportive not only in situations that are directly linked to our core business, which was the case, for example, with the train driver strike in Germany. The “car sharing” community made it possible to organise carpools in a fast and uncomplicated way. For 2015, we intend to further improve connect in several areas and to add new functions to establish it as a group work tool. CONTACT: Marc Pühringer, Central Technical Division, Knowledge Management STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 9 12.05.15 09:34 10 Cover Story STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 10 www.strabag.com 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Cover Story 11 GROUP CAREERS At height, at sea and on land Our 73,000 employees demonstrate their individual abilities and skills each day anew. Among them are a few that work in a business field that is rather unusual for a construction technology group. International. Be it at dizzy heights, high sea or a construction site, our colleagues can be found everywhere. All of them deliver top performances, making our group one of a kind. Every year thousands of structures and projects are realised by our employees worldwide. For that to happen, we must gather the right people, building materials and machines at the right time at the right place – all year round, and at all times of the day. All of this would be impossible without good team work. Therefore, such teamwork forms the basis of our success. To be able to deliver the most diverse performances along the value chain we also need people who carry out activities that are rather unusual for a building group. On the following pages, we present to you four colleagues who stand for many others. They work in careers you might be surprised to hear about in our group. Extraordinary careers or job sites: Be it at height, at sea or on land – our 73,000 colleagues contribute to the overall team performance in all places! STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 11 12.05.15 09:34 12 Cover Story www.strabag.com AT A GLANCE STRABAG PFS STRABAG Property and Facility Services GmbH is one of the leading comprehensive real estate services providers. Its teams offer total building management solutions with excellent know-how. This includes one-stop solutions in the fields of technical facility services, commercial facility services, infrastructure facility services as well as real estate management. −− Number of employees: roughly 5,700 −− Head office: Frankfurt am Main, Germany High up on the highest masts Mareike Nieden laughs a lot when speaking. Her blue eyes look at the world undaunted. The 30-year-old graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Saarland. In addition to her job, she is currently completing a Master degree study programme. She is not afraid of her final exam in autumn, just as little as she is afraid of heights. Saarland-born Nieden is one of Germany’s 32 tower inspectors at STRABAG Property and Facility Services (STRABAG PFS), and every year she climbs up to 150 radio towers, antenna masts or rooftop sites. Her greatest challenge is the 289-m high Schoksberg radio mast, Saarland’s highest structure. Every six years she has to conquer “In my spare time I don’t the steel grid construction together with need any viewing platforms two of her colleagues in order to check the because I enjoy plenty technical installations and the mast itself of good views during the for functionality and possible damages or to carry out maintenance work. Respect for week.” heights, a solid training and strict adherence to all safety instructions are the prerequisites Mareike Nieden, STRABAG PFS to return in one piece, not only from assignments on towers of such dimensions. A comparably lower antenna rooftop site with a height of just 10 m requires the same diligence and preparation as the Schoksberg mast. This applies not only to Nieden but also to her male colleagues because tower inspections are always carried out by a team consisting of one tower inspector and one to two service technicians. This guarantees that somebody will always be there in case of an emergency. No tower or radio mast is safe from Mareike Nieden and her two colleagues Holger Fedisch (team leader South-West) and Ulrich Frisch (service technician). The 289-m high radio mast Schoksberg is their greatest challenge. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 12 12.05.15 09:34 Cover Story “It’s a very special relationship amongst colleagues as we do take on a lot of responsibility for each other,” Nieden says about the committed team. She is the only woman in this troop; a fact she does not want to point out. “In my daily routine, gender doesn’t play a role. It is much more important whether you are comfortable with all terrains and ‘waterproof’.” The team is not deterred by cold or rain; it will stay on the ground only in stormy weather, in the event of heavy icing or thunderstorms. The people in charge of tower inspections at STRABAG PFS must prove their personal fitness every two years as part of a health check-up at an occupational health centre. Additionally, they have to perform an annual rescue exercise and – before they are even allowed to climb on masts and towers – complete the multi-day climbing training at the beginning of their career. The basic requirement is a degree in engineering and not least the ability to describe the condition of a structure in accurate inspection reports. “Often I find it more difficult to choose the right phrase in the office than climb up the highest masts,” Nieden admits, not only because a lot depends on the inspector’s evaluation: from six-digit investment decisions to sometimes – if there is no other option – the demolition or new construction of an installation. teams. No. 1 / 2015 13 Out and about on the seven seas There are people that are happy with “enough water beneath their keel”. Wolfgang Hollitzer is one of them. For 40 years the navy officer has been sailing the seven seas. There is hardly a region in the world the experienced captain has not worked in yet. Since 2002, Wolfgang Hollitzer has been employed with STRABAG Wasserbau. Most recently he was stationed in Egypt and before that in Ukraine: “There we had to battle not only the rough sea but also found some explosives left behind by war actions.” These are remnants of the Second World War. The staff receives regular training for the handling of war ammunition. The recovery is carried out by ammunition recovery services. Nieden’s fascination for her job lies in the closely-knit camaraderie among radio teams and the fact that maintaining the stability and serviceability of antenna sites, which are indispensable for telecommunications, depends on her judgement and skills. In her spare time, she can happily do without any thrills and prefers to climb up on her horse instead of a mountain: “I enjoy plenty of good views during the week,” says Nieden, accompanied by loud laughter once more. “I have been going to sea for nearly forty years – there is hardly a place I have not seen.” Wolfgang Hollitzer, STRABAG Wasserbau STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 13 12.05.15 09:34 14 Cover Story www.strabag.com The ship on which Wolfgang Hollitzer serves as captain is a so-called suction dredger, which does precisely that: suck in sand and spill it out again at the target place. “We must know exactly where to suck in sand and where to deposit it again. Our task is to keep the navigation channel deep enough for ships to sail into a port without hindrance.” These operations always require an onboard crew of at least eleven. Alongside the captain, the current team consists of technical engineers, bosuns and the ship’s cook, who prepares three meals a day. “The meals are very important to all of us,” Hollitzer chuckles. Aboard ship, there are no holidays or Sundays. Operations must be up and running around the clock. “A shift, also called watch, is eight hours long. Everyone can do whatever they want in their spare time, in their own cabins. The ship further offers TV, video and sports equipment. The crew also has an infirmary that provides rapid rescue measures in case of an emergency. “Luckily, no major emergency has occurred under my command. We did have a few broken bones we had to take care of though. But since we work in the shore sector, the crew members can seek medical help on land, too.” The seamen work in four-week cycles – four weeks on the ship and four weeks at home. In the periods away from the ship, the crew attends further training courses or, for example, completes a first aid course every five years. Furthermore, each and every one of them must pass the seaworthiness test every two years. Wolfgang Hollitzer has been going to sea since 1975 – this year he celebrates his 40th anniversary as seafarer. “I started at the age of 16 and learnt the job of ablebodied seaman. Over the years, my career saw a steady advance until I was eventually appointed captain. This job is the most beautiful thing to me and I still enjoy the work a lot!” The captain is not only responsible for the course of the ship, the division of labour on board and the cooperation with authorities for controls and licensing procedures, for example, but also for onboard morale: “As a captain, one must also solve conflicts. After all, various people from various places work in a confined space for long periods of time. This sometimes leads to friction.” AT A GLANCE Aboard ship, under the command of captain Wolfgang Hollitzer, teamwork is a given. STRABAG Wasserbau STRABAG Wasserbau GmbH – formerly Josef Möbius Bau-GmbH – has been realising successful waterway and hydraulic engineering projects for 60 years as well as providing comprehensive engineering services in these fields. In the business area of hydraulic engineering, STRABAG Wasserbau is market leader in Germany. −− Number of employees: 200 −− Head office: Hamburg, Germany STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 14 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Cover Story We entrust our lives to each other “The ability to work in a team” is the most important characteristic of 53-year-old rock technician Walter Granig. However, courage and a great sense of good judgement are asked of him as well. Since 1997, Walter Granig has been working for the Austrian group STRABAG Felstechnik, the specialist for construction works in alpine and rough terrain. “I am a trained butcher – but my brother was a rock technician and his job in nature fascinated me. That’s why I also started a career here, which I’m very glad about because every day brings new exciting challenges.” 15 STRABAG Felstechnik AT A GLANCE Protective structures for people and the environment are gaining increasingly more importance. In this area, STRABAG Felstechnik offers solutions such as avalanche barriers and snow nets, protective structures against rockfall and rock slope, gunned concrete protective structures, drilling and anchoring works as well as micropiles, and much more. −− Number of employees: 22 −− Head office: Spittal an der Drau, Austria Construction works in difficult, high alpine terrain push the men around Walter Granig to their limits. “In my job, I have to be able to rely on my team a hundred percent. After all, it’s about the safety of every single one of us.” Walter Granig and his colleagues of STRABAG Felstechnik work at spectacular sites. Walter Granig, STRABAG Felstechnik STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 15 12.05.15 09:34 16 Cover Story www.strabag.com Only a well-trained staff that is not afraid of heights can cope with this kind of work. Experienced builder Martin Granig heads STRABAG Felstechnik. He is backed by two site managers, two technicians and 18 other brave men. Specialties from all over the world Walter Granig has been on duty all over Austria as well as in South Tyrol and Bavaria to build avalanche barriers, protective structures against rockfall and much more. His job – and also that of the other STRABAG employees in our cover story – is characterised by responsibility. “I’m a foreman – I must plan the course of the day with my colleagues, decide where to install the anchoring or where to carry out drillings. On an average, we work in teams of three men that focus on one project. In doing so, I’m climbing rock just as much as my colleagues are.” The number of workers depends on the size of the construction site. Projects can take two to three days or several weeks to complete. Special contracts, such as the construction of an avalanche blasting ropeway, require more staff. “We built an avalanche blasting ropeway at an elevation above 2,500 m. It can transport explosives in regions in which avalanches are triggered on purpose. In this project, we were supported by a helicopter that transported the heavy material.” A roll with sliced sausage here, some fries there, or a kebab – life on construction sites is often hectic, which sometimes leaves little time for healthy food. Euroservices GmbH has set out to change this, focusing on the well-being of employees and maintaining their performance power. A native of Portugal, José Raposo is putting an end to often unbalanced and unhealthy diet routines. Since 2005, he has been working as a chef on the group’s construction sites. Job training has changed since the time Walter Granig started his career. Now, safety comes first. And therefore, safety examinations and training hours in the climbing crag must be completed on an annual basis. Because working while rock climbing is by all means dangerous. Despite double rope securing, apart from the risk of falling, pieces of rock can break away and hurt people. “Our teamwork is somewhat special. Each and every one of us must be able to rely on the other. Before we start our work, I search for spots where we can attach our ropes. We also often work close to railway tracks where one has to be especially careful because of the power lines. Afterwards, loose rock must be removed with a crowbar. Only then can we see if we can start the drillings for the anchoring or whether we have to apply gunned concrete to secure the rock.” Providing the employees on site with food is a particular challenge. Despite the many differences, for example, between hotel kitchens and a construction site kitchen there are some comparable elements. Hygiene, for example, plays an equally important role. The standards of the dining guests are just as high as in a normal restaurant: short waiting periods and quality meals are appreciated. “I want my dishes to please the palate of everyone, if possible. Of course, the biggest difference in construction site fare is that we can’t offer a big selection of different dishes per meal,” explains Raposo. “The work as a rock technician surrounded by nature is something very special to me! I’m glad I opted for this career many years ago!” STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 16 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Cover Story José Raposo’s ultimate ambition is to satisfy construction site teams of various nationalities. To many, sharing a meal has great social significance. “As they say, people meet over food. Even if the others are from a different country, they are connected by the fact that everyone is far from home and seeks social interaction. In this sense, they are happy when they get to eat specialities from their own countries while being open to getting to know the preferences of colleagues from other parts of the world.” 17 But Martijn Castricum is found not only at his desk: “At the start of work on a new construction site as well as in between I assess the quality of our services.” As a reply to the question what makes his work exciting, Castricum says: “Every construction site, be it in the city centre or a forest, has its very own challenges!” In his job, Raposo must adjust himself to the different working hours of teams consisting of 60 to 400 people. Hence, sometimes breakfast is served as early as 4 a.m., or a meal needs to be prepared in the late night shift hours. “For such large-scale operations, I have already worked with eight cooks in the kitchen at once.” “I want to make work life easier for the construction site staff and contribute my share so that my colleagues can better handle the strain. I don’t want them to search for a fast food stand during their break or to cook themselves. They should come directly to the construction site canteen. Our food is freshly cooked and balanced. Thanks to our training we know what hard-working people need in order to maintain their performance power,” says Raposo. Supplying the food is not always easy either. However, the kitchen can rely on the support of highly competent Martijn Castricum who is responsible for the setting up, the furnishings and the operations of the construction site kitchen. The planning, ordering and supply of the meals is optimally organised thanks to his excellent contacts in the individual countries. “The kitchens on site directly place the orders themselves, based on the negotiated price lists.” The team of Euroservices GmbH offers international cuisine with delicious dishes. AT A GLANCE Euroservices GmbH “As a chef I try to meet the various preferences and at the same time prepare dishes everyone likes.” José Raposo, Euroservices GmbH Euroservices GmbH was founded in 2009 and is a subsidiary of Züblin AG International. With its programme “Food for Workers”, it has specialised in providing food, accommodation and cleaning services to large-scale construction sites. In doing so, it offers much more than just cutlets, fried potatoes and stews. Furthermore, the private limited company is an expert in all things related to event catering, arranging for the selection of menus and beverages as well as venues and the necessary infrastructure. −− Number of employees: 35 −− Head office: Mörfelden-Walldorf close to Frankfurt am Main STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 17 12.05.15 09:34 18 People at STRABAG STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 18 www.strabag.com 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 People at STRABAG 19 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TEAMS WORK. – and win The STRABAG Teams Award recognises teams that have worked together exceptionally well. In this issue we would like to present to you the three winning teams 2014. International. The decision was a tough one. 22 outstanding nominations showed how deeply rooted teamwork is in our group, or else our claim TEAMS WORK. would have never caught on this quickly. Teams from Austria, the Netherlands as well as a “stateless” team or rather “without borders” managed to bag the STRABAG Teams Award. The winners received their awards at the end of November at STRABAG Haus in Vienna. Thomas Birtel, CEO of STRABAG SE, congratulated the winning teams and stressed that determining the ranking had been extremely difficult. “I’m pleased that in keeping with the motto of TEAMS WORK. the cash prizes will bear fruit in social projects,” he said. The winner of the first prize, the Apprentice Academy Ground Civil Engineering, was rewarded with € 5,000. The colleagues entrusted with building the Dutch Botlek bridge won second place including prize money of € 3,000. Third came the transnational team which drew up a tram track construction manual, receiving € 1,000 to be used in a social project. As was already defined when announcing the Teams Award, the sums of money were donated to recognised aid organisations and charitable projects. The winning teams were allowed to allocate the money themselves. Read more on the next double-page spread and apply for the Teams Award 2015! The project “Arge-Trödlerladen” offers people with poor labour market chances job opportunities, and received a € 5,000 donation from the Teams Award winners. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 19 12.05.15 09:34 20 Team members: Karl Maderthaner, Roland Zink, Hubert Scharnreitner, Rupert Holnsteiner, Mario Muhr, Johann Stüger, Hans-Peter Fellner, Josef Eisl, Herbert Pfurtscheller People at STRABAG www.strabag.com Know-how for the future Reusing instead of scrapping The Apprentice Academy was founded in 2010. The idea was to train and advance the skills of ground civil engineering apprentices in Upper Austria during the winter break using our own staff. At the academy, social competence comes first, and everybody is pulling together to reach the goals – in keeping with the motto of TEAMS WORK. The prize money of € 5,000 was donated to the association “Arge für Obdachlose”. The employment project “Arge-Trödlerladen” was founded more than 30 years ago under the motto “reusing instead of scrapping”. “Creating jobs for people that have poor chances on the so-called free labour market is our primary concern,” says Michael Mooslechner, managing director of the Linzbased association “Arge für Obdachlose”. In 2014, more than 200 people found jobs by the day and some even long-term employment. The STRABAG donation will be put to good use here. Nominated by: Johann König and Klaus Heller Award handed over by Roland Zink, Johann König and Klaus Heller to the Managing Director of “Arge für Obdachlose” Michael Mooslechner. FIRST PLACE “Arge” Managing Director Michael Mooslechner (far right) with his team of “Arge-Trödlerladen”. Apprentice Academy Ground Civil Engineering, Upper Austria Joint (corporate) culture White Boards for integration project The Botlek bridge in the Netherlands on the A15 close to Rotterdam is a demanding structure. Two steel framework bridges, in operating condition, are moved 31 meters up and down in 200 seconds. Technical challenges aside, overcoming the intercultural differences of the on-site team as well as those in Stuttgart and Vienna was another challenge. The Botlek bridge team has chosen the foundation “sociale werkplaats De Welplaat” as recipient of their win. The project in the Dutch municipality of Spijkenisse enables people with disabilities to enter the labour market. Representing the entire team, Herbert Hegmann and Daniel Naab handed over the donation check to “sociale werkplaats De Welplaat” manager Jan van Gorsel, the foundation director and mayor of Spijkenisse, Christel Mourik, and the project’s employees. The money will be used to purchase a white board for trainings. Nominated representatives: Daniel Naab, Thomas Voigt, Markus Landgraf, Rainer Barth, Eugen Bindek, Herbert Hegmann Nominated by: Herbert Hegmann SECOND PLACE The foundation offers disabled people suitable work places in production. Botlek bridge Netherlands Herbert Hegmann (centre) and Daniel Naab (far right) hand over the donation check. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 20 12.05.15 09:34 teams. No. 1 / 2015 People at STRABAG Team members: Thomas Sikinger (TPA) DE Nord / International, Solveig Martens (TPA), Sören Jobst (STRABAG Rail), Holger Oldach (STRABAG Dir. Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein), Hubert Ott (SAT Straßensanierung), Tobias Norek (CLS) 21 Being proactive for more quality Helping families with sick children Based on the self-initiative of employees of the group units STRABAG Rail GmbH, SAT Straßensanierung GmbH, STABAG AG, TPA GmbH and CLS GmbH, a team was formed to sound out the causes of damage in the adjoining flooring in tram track construction. The aim was to define measures to avoid future damage. This initiative resulted in a 30-page manual for internal use. The team dedicated its prize money totalling € 1,000 to Familienhafen e.V., Hamburg’s outpatient children’s hospice service, where honorary employees help families of seriously ill kids with all matters related to authorities. They are important contacts for the families affected and facilitate support services. The touching project – just as much as the other two projects – has more than earned the support given by the donation of the Teams Award winners. Nominated by: Norbert Simmleit Affected family P. is very thankful for the support from Familienhafen THIRD PLACE Third manual for tram track construction From left to right: Thomas Sikinger and Solveig Martens (TPS) hand over check to Marita Hoyer and Uwe Sanneck (First and second chairpersons of Familienhafen e.V.) CALL FOR APPLICATIONS STRABAG TEAMS AWARD 2015 Tell us your personal winning team for the STRABAG Teams Award 2015. Owing to last year’s numerous entries and the positive feedback, the teams that have worked exceptionally well together, achieved something special, and lived and breathed team spirit will be presented with an award this year as well. Nominate your favourite team for the STRABAG Teams Award now The three winning teams will be invited to Vienna to accept a very special prize. In their name, STRABAG will make a donation to a recognised organisation of their choice that is dedicated to social issues. First prize Second prize Third prize € 5,000€ 3,000 € 1,000 Your entry should include a list of the team members, an explanation for the nomination and proof of the teamwork. Also state the recognised organisation which is to receive the donation from the winning team. Please send your application by 4 August 2015 at the latest to Angelika Schett-Berka ([email protected]). We look forward to your participation! TEAMS WORK lives and breathes in Rwanda, too. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 21 12.05.15 09:35 22 STRABAG Units www.strabag.com ARCHITECTURE WITHIN THE GROUP Who designed it? STRABAG! STRABAG promotes the slogan “Our services cover the entire value chain in construction” – which includes not only planning, building and operating, but also interior design. Therefore, we created a department dedicated only to design. International. Almost every day, a great number of employees comes into contact with the work of the seven architects of STRABAG’s Architecture Group. Both the STRABAG headquarters in Vienna (construction design) and the office in Spittal an der Drau (conversion of old buildings) were planned by them, as well as the Austrian office buildings in Thalgau, Wiener Neustadt, Markt St. Martin, in Dubi (Czech Republic) and Budapest (Hungary). A visit to the Erl Festival reveals the same thumbprint when looking at the festival director’s and president’s quarters. For nearly 30 years, the Architecture Group has been taking on all tasks related to design from basic engineering and on-site assistance to interior design. An interior design department of its own within a construction group is something special. Our colleagues are available in every planning phase, especially in the hotel sector. The group has planned projects for nearly all international hotel chains such as Marriott, Radisson, Blu, Hilton or Four Seasons. On-site assistance and visualisations give an idea of the design of the completed spaces. Elaborate large-scale projects such as office buildings, shopping malls, hotels or multi-functional complexes rank among the projects completed by the group so far. COMPETENCE IN EVERY DETAIL The planning of sacred buildings is another of the department’s specialities. “We have already built a number of Mormon temples. The contractors were so pleased with our first temple complex in Kiev that they commissioned us with two more structures. Working on such projects is something very special. Once a temple is inaugurated, we are not allowed enter it as non-members of a religion,” says Radovan Mrvos, architecture group manager of Turnkey Construction business unit within the Central Technical Division Vienna. The group has planned projects for nearly all international hotel chains. CONTACT: Radovan Mrvos, Central Technical Division STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 22 12.05.15 09:35 STRABAG Units teams. No. 1 / 2015 23 STRABAG PROPERTY AND FACILITY SERVICES GMBH & STRABAG REAL ESTATE GMBH Double the teamwork The credo TEAMS WORK. extends not only to the actual building process itself but also to many other activities, for example, real estate development partnerships. Germany. Teamwork can have many facets. STRABAG Property and Facility Services GmbH (PFS) and STRABAG Real Estate GmbH (SRE) have proved this in a joint effort last year. For two SRE project developments, PFS facilitated the lease agreements. For the first construction phase of a project development on Freiburg’s post office premises, Strautmann GmbH signed a lease agreement for an area of roughly 4,000 m2. This achievement provided SRE with the tenancy rate it needed to start the execution of construction work for the five-storey office and commercial building with a total gross floor area of 7,900 m2. In Cologne, Yello Strom GmbH, a subsidiary of PFS client EnBW, moved into the 4,700 m2 gatehouse of office campus Deutz. The object was selected by EnBW from a total of 40 competing products. The building completes the Deutsch office campus developed by SRE on which a total of roughly 26,000 m2 gross floor area with an investment volume of about € 77 million were established. In cooperation with the seven-storey property’s second major tenant, Volvo Car Germany GmbH, roughly 9,000 m2 of a total of 10,600 m2 rental space were allocated at the completion of the contract with Yello Strom. Strautmann GmbH signed a lease agreement for 4,000 m2 on Freiburg’s post office premises. In these two cases, the cooperation work within the group did not end with the start of construction but extended beyond that – albeit in a different constellation. As is common practice in SRE project developments, Ed. Züblin AG is in charge of the turnkey construction of both properties. The Cologne division completed the gatehouse in November 2014. The Freiburg division is currently carrying out the foundation work on the post office premises. The work is to be completed by the end of the third quarter 2016. The gatehouse Cologne was completed in November 2014. CONTACT: Martin Lauble, STRABAG Real Estate, Division Manager Freiburg Rainer M. Schäfer, STRABAG Real Estate, Division Manager Cologne Christian Leßner, STRABAG Property and Facility Services, Head of Renting and Letting STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 23 12.05.15 09:35 24 STRABAG Units www.strabag.com STRASCO What goes when from where to where? A small group at the Central Technical Division Vienna works on finding answers to these and similar questions. Austria. The STRAsco Group is embedded in the Central Technical Division Vienna as a service provider for the entire group. The name stands for STRABAG Supply Chain optimisation, signifying quantitative optimisation along the entire value chain. Behind the somewhat cumbersome term stands the application of various methods from mathematics, simulation technology and operations research which, among other things, provide answers to construction logistics issues. Whenever there is the possibility to choose from a large number of options and the result can be evaluated in figures, a computer is likely to deliver more reliable solutions than a manual selection. The experts at STRAsco know how to programme a computer to accomplish just that. “What goes when from where to where?” is a classic question that comes up, for example, in earthworks. The great number of options and the time planning standards are quick to create confusion over the logistical planning of a project. Since there is no standard software product for this complex task that covers all requirements, STRAsco works with several, partly selfprogrammed systems, offering the optimisation as a service – both for bid processing and implementation. In doing so, the team works closely with the Work Preparation Group and other Central Technical Division departments. For a precise documentation of the construction progress in earthworks, the large-scale sites in Hungary should be surveyed regularly. STRAsco took on this task in cooperation with an Austrian surveyor’s office. The technology used – terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) – makes it possible to cover large areas in a relatively short time with high precision. Simultaneously, laser scanning was carried out in parallel to the “traditional” surveying methods applied for accounting. This way, he relevant results are easily comparable. The result of a TLS is a point cloud that is subsequently converted to a 3D terrain model. This model is compared with the planning and former surveys, which provides detailed information of the construction progress. As part of a surveying campaign in Hungary, TLS has proved a suitable tool for construction monitoring and control. Now, a comprehensive survey is possible even for complex earthworks at relatively low costs. AT A GLANCE By using geo information systems, STRAsco can, for example, determine the area an asphalt plant can cover and how many kilometres of road are contained therein. This reveals the market potential for a plant. The results are depicted simply on maps. Steph Rosen Eging Ha Sende Garch Detti COOPERATION WITH HUNGARY Plane Mette Neuoe Aschh Tache Braun Grasb Since 2013, we have been conducting an exemplary cooperation with the Hungarian transportation infrastructure segment. Open communication and regular on-site work helped to build up a trustworthy relationship over a period of time. STRAsco has been supporting the sub-division ever since in strategic decisions (asphalt plants, truck fleets), working out tools to facilitate regular work processes (aggregate ordering, toll determination, asphalt recipe management) and assisting the current large-scale projects together with the Work Preparation Group at the Central Technical Division Vienna (earthworks optimisation, allocation of resources). STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 24 Mecke Greni Hofol Dietm Koeni Bruck Fisch Viech Englh Esche Luste Kundl Pinswang Roppen Zirl Riede M Guns Sigge Sulza Saalf Ostti Johan Groeb Lendo Mar 12.05.15 09:35 teams. No. 1 / 2015 STRABAG Units 25 Terrestrial laser scanning on an off-road vehicle The STRAsco team with team managers Gerhard Höfinger, Stefan Brunner and Günther Füllerer (from left to right). Brněn Chril Kasar Morav Hrusk h Eging Raste Hasel Braun Maust Morja Limbe Hausl Steyr Lisag March Valen Gunsk Grein Wien Markg Rauch Parnd. Oeynh Georg Viech Bad F Sigge Johan Marti Murzh Groeb Podun Market coverage of STRABAG asphalt plants in Austria and neighbouring countries. With this information, existing sites can be evaluated and optimum new sites found. Győrú Loipe Sulza Vel´ké Pinka Moets Szomb Mur-A Koefl Graz Ilz Lendo Mitte Mar G STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 25 CONTACT: Gerhard Höfinger, Central Technical Division Vienna, STRAsco 12.05.15 09:35 26 STRABAG Units www.strabag.com MINERAL ABBAU GMBH Blasting area Mineral Abbau GmbH is exploring even more efficient blasting technologies in an exemplary project until the end of 2016. Austria. The Mineral Group is one of the leading producers of construction materials in Central, South Eastern and Eastern Europe. It operates about 200 quarries and gravel pits, mining high-quality mineral resources. Mineral Abbau GmbH has been conducting the research project “MINERAL goes 2017” in collaboration with the mineral resources department of the mining university Montanuniversität Leoben for about two years. The project, which receives additional financial support from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), explores new blasting technologies to optimise working processes in quarries. For this purpose, special procedures are tested and further developed in three Austrian locations of Mineral Abbau GmbH. Combined, these procedures will innovate blasting technologies, making them safer and cheaper. The environment will also benefit from new, safer and cheaper blasting technologies. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE EVENT The large vehicles in the quarry were a huge success with the children. VISITING THE QUARRY The quarry in Kreuth near Villach, called Jakoministeinbruch, is owned by Mineral Abbau GmbH, a full subsidiary of STRABAG SE. 14 employees mine about 500,000 t of rock a year at the quarry. On the open day on 19 September 2014, about 500 people – locals as well as students from all over Carinthia – took the opportunity to visit the site. The programme of the event included tours of the factory, excavator rides, a raffle, a bouncy castle for children, information booths and catering for the visitors. The event was a great success, thanks to the efforts of the highly motivated employees. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 26 The environment will also benefit from enhancements such as reduced vibration, less danger from flying rocks and lower noise levels. As there will be no need for additional pit expansion measures, pollutant emission will decrease as well. Selective rock crushing means that less energy will be invested in subsequent processes. The project also has positive social and economic effects: “MINERAL goes 2017” generates skilled jobs and the know-how developed in the course of the project will further increase the innovative potential of the employees. At the same time, their work will become safer. All these developments will strengthen the group’s mining locations. The above-mentioned advantages were observed in trial blasts. Encouraged by these results, the team will continue working vigorously in 2015 to optimise these innovative technologies. CONTACT: Andreas Grasedieck and Gero Mosser, Sub-Division Quarries / Gravel Pits AT / HU / HR / Balkan (RS) 12.05.15 09:35 STRABAG Units teams. No. 1 / 2015 27 INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS “Life is like a book. Those who do not travel read only one page of it.” Lisa Bsdurek gained plenty of valuable experience during her stay abroad. Already Aurelius Augustine expressed in his famous quote the many advantages of travelling. Foreign cultures and countries expand your horizon, as people say. And this is exactly why BRVZ GmbH & Co. KG deployed young apprentices with extraordinary achievements abroad. International. “During my stay abroad, I primarily had the opportunity to improve my English skills, become more independent and gain self-confidence. I can highly recommend any apprentice to gain experience abroad. I was not only included in the talks with professionals, but also had the chance to contribute my own ideas. And I learned a lot about the group, but also about myself.” This is the conclusion of Lisa Bsdurek, a former apprentice who completed a five-week internship abroad, more specifically in Wroclaw, Poland, at STRABAG Rail GmbH. After a short period of getting familiar with the new situation, which Lisa Bsdurek used to gain experience with new programs and learn from colleagues, she was assigned tasks to manage on her own. “Among the highlights was the visit of a construction site near Poznań. The previous time I had been in Wroclaw, A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMME Two years ago, Alexander Mergenthal also had the chance to do an intership in Sweden. He participated in the renovation of a steep turn on the Volvo test site near Gothenburg and acquired valuable knowledge. “You gain deep insights into the subject matter in terms of planning, organisation and execution. Overall it was a very interesting and great stay during which I learned a lot, but it was also exhausting,” explains Alexander Mergenthal. Around 9,000 young people took their exams before the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2014. Alexander Mergenthal was honoured by the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry as one of the best apprentices and he is now a working student at Ed. Züblin AG. Lisa Bsdurek has recently completed her training and was also taken on by Ed. Züblin AG. Nina Krainz, trainer and employee at BRVZ Human Resource Development in Cologne, Germany, explains the reasoning behind this project: “Apprentices who have shown particular commitment and have been noticed for their good performance get the chance to be deployed abroad. This is not common practice, however. The apprentices benefit greatly from this experience – they come back with a lot of new knowledge. And this, in turn, also benefits us! We hope to be able to offer many more motivated apprentices such a stay abroad.” Alexander Mergenthal, one of the top apprentices, with trainer Nina Krainz STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 27 I learned a lot about the machines there. I thought I already knew what to expect – but the construction sites were much bigger and more exciting than I could have imagined,” she enthuses. CONTACT: Nina Krainz, Human Resource Development 12.05.15 09:35 28 Projects North + West www.strabag.com UPPER WEST Closer to the sky over Berlin Soon it will be possible to be a step closer to the sky at the top of the highest building in the German capital. SRE is developing a sophisticated building in the centre of Germany’s biggest city. The high-rise building UPPER WEST in Berlin’s district of Charlottenburg will be 120 m high and completed in early 2017. Germany. Highly frequented streets, confined and little space for constructions as well as densely developed properties are common challenges encountered in a metropolis. Not easy conditions for the execution of demanding construction projects – especially for ambitious projects such as the UPPER WEST on Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm avenue. Berlin has changed greatly since German reunification. Especially the area around the now renovated Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at the head of the magnificent avenue of Kurfürstendamm has changed noticeably. Apart from the renovation of the Bikini Berlin area, the reconstruction of the Zoopalast cinema and the 118-metre ZooFenster building, which was opened in 2013, there will soon be another state-of-the-art highrise building: UPPER WEST. The building ensemble developed by STRABAG Real Estate will be 120 m high upon completion, making it one of the tallest buildings in Berlin. Following the architectural design of Christoph Langhof, it will be comprised of an 8-storey block building and a 34-floor STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 28 tower that together offer a total gross floor space of 53,000 m2. Offices, retail spaces, a sky bar and a hotel with around 580 rooms – all of this will be housed on premises covering 3,400 m2. Not an easy task for Züblin SubDivision Nord and Sub-Division Stuttgart which are jointly responsible for this construction project. The starting signal for the construction was given in the fall of 2012 simultaneously with the above-ground demolition of the Schimmelpfeng building. In spring 2013, the foundation works for UPPER WEST started and posed a particular challenge because of the constricted construction field. The concept of Züblin Ground Engineering, Sub-Division Nord, thus intended to build the foundation and the four lower floors that connect the tower and the block building as a single trough structure with a depth of up to 15.7 m and double reinforcement. 12.05.15 09:35 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Projects North + West UNDERWATER DEMOLITION In addition to the adjacent buildings, the lower floors of the old building components posed a particular challenge. The demolition had to be partially carried out under water, as the components were standing in groundwater. Following the successful preparations, Züblin Spezialtiefbau Ges.m.b.H. built a jet grouting floor as a horizontal seal for the construction pit. The same method was used for the underpinning of the buildings next to the lattice building. Around 420 micro-piles secured the lifting of the jet grouting floor during the final excavation. INVESTMENT VOLUME: around € 250 million CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: autumn 2012 – early 2017 GROSS FLOOR AREA: 53,000 m2 above ground HEIGHT: 118 m The foundation works for UPPER WEST began in spring 2013. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 29 29 The subsequent excavation and the installation of the two-layer steel reinforcement also proved challenging due to the very confined space available for site installation. In late August 2014, the construction pit was completed – even though it was necessary to adjust the programme of works in the meantime. In the same month, the building construction teams took over and started with the structural works that make it already visible for people passing by above ground. The façade elements will be fitted from August 2015 and in early 2017 UPPER WEST will be completed and become a new landmark in Berlin. The demolition of the lower levels of the old building components partially had to be carried out under water as they were standing in groundwater. CONTACT: Michael Walther und Gunnar Dellin, Sub-Division Nord (DO) Martin Kroll, STRABAG Real Estate GmbH 12.05.15 09:35 30 Projects North + West www.strabag.com GDYNIA SEAPORT Knowledge transfer on Poland’s coast Not only goods but also knowledge is traded at Polish ports. Several sub-divisions of the group contributed their knowledge and skills to the joint Gdynia seaport project. Poland. The cooperation of Sub-Division Building Construction Poland (PP) with colleagues from specialised units and companies within the group makes it possible to execute more and more new projects, including construction projects at the two biggest ports in Poland: the modification of Romanian Quay in Gdynia and the building of a modern container terminal at Szczecin Quay in Gdansk. Further west along the coast, waterway structures, such as shore links and current breakwater shields that will soon protect the sea shore of Pobrzeże Koszalińskie, the Koszalin Coastland. STRABAG Poland has been active in the area of hydraulic sea structures for almost ten years. Among the first references are projects of STRABAG Hydrotech Sp. z o.o. (formerly Möbius-Bau Polska Sp. z o.o.), a subsidiary of STRABAG Wasserbau GmbH (previously Möbius-Bau AG), such as the reconstruction and expansion of the embankment in Kołobrzeg. This project received the “Construction Site of the Year 2013” award from the Polish association of civil engineers and technicians. IMPROVED COMPETITIVENESS At the beginning of the year, STRABAG concluded the financially biggest construction project of the Gdynia A.G. shipyard two months ahead of schedule. Two harbour lines have developed that meet the tough demand of ferry, container and logistics activities and they strengthen the competitiveness of Polish ports in the Baltic Sea. The project at the seaport of Gdynia was developed jointly by STRABAG Sp. z o.o. – Sub-Division Building Construction (PP), North West + Central (PC), STRABAG Wasserbau GmbH, STRABAG Hydrotech Sp. z o.o., SAT Sp. z o.o., TPA Sp. z o.o. and Central Technical Division. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 30 12.05.15 09:35 Projects North + West teams. No. 1 / 2015 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BULGARIAN QUAY prepared it for another depth increase of five metres deserve special recognition,” says Andrzej Sumionka, technical director of Group Nord, Sub-Division Building Construction Poland (PP). The digging was done with special STRABAG machines, among others with the largest digging excavator (Refuller) in Poland, Type M-30,0. “Its cutter head takes soil from the ground of the dock and transports it to the storage areas via a 1.5-km-long pipeline system. The soil obtained meets the technical parameters that make it possible to use it as subsoil for future marshalling and storage yards,” says Agnieska Szymańska, Sub-Division Building Construction Poland (PP), who is in charge of the works. Two new quays, which cover a total length of over 300 m, were built on an area of 350,000 m² – the Bulgarian Quay and the closing quay. As part of the project, streets, marshalling and storage yards that include aboveground and underground infrastructure were built. And all of this was implemented with an unconventional technology. The reinforced concrete construction of the bank was built on land. This approach was possible by transferring the dock inland so that the works could be carried out without floating equipment. 31 Nabrzeże Bułgarskie, Bulgarian Quay, was designed to have anchoring equipment that can be used by container ships with a load capacity of 140,000 t, including anchor poles with a capacity of 150 t and cushions weighing 4 t each so they can absorb the energy of the docking vessel (1,460 kNm). The STRABAG team was faced with challenging requirements. “The works on the Bulgarian Quay where we increased the depth of the dock to 10.5 m and GROSS CONTRACT VOLUME: PLN 95 million (around € 23 million) CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: September 2013 – January 2015 BUILDING AREA: 350,000 m² EXCAVATION FIELDS: 30,000 m² CONTACT: Andrzej Sumionka, Sub-Division Building Construction Poland (PP) STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 31 12.05.15 09:35 32 Projects South + East www.strabag.com WILHELMINENSPITAL HOSPITAL Today I will save lives On the premises of Vienna’s Wilhelminenspital hospital, several STRABAG departments have shown great teamwork – they built and now operate the hospital’s trauma centre. Austria. An emergency: an ambulance brings a seriously injured patient to the hospital’s trauma centre. The medical team needs to be highly concentrated while providing primary care. For everything to go well in such a case, our colleagues have invested at least the same amount of concentration and delivered peak performances. The trauma centre (pavilion 30) of Wilhelminenspital, which was completed in December 2014, is such a place for primary medical care. It is also the first health-care project in Austria in which the STRABAG Group will provide services throughout the entire life cycle of over ten years – from planning and construction to operation. The different views and interests of the involved departments were united to accomplish a joint goal – in line with the slogan TEAMS WORK. EXTRAORDINARY COOPERATION “This is a unique project: We are not only setting new standards for the construction of medical facilities but are also operating the trauma centre. Our tasks include servicing, repair, inspection, examination and maintenance,” states Jürgen Steiner, STRABAG Property and Facility Services GmbH (PFS). The highlight in the trauma centre is the integrated mobile computer tomography device. On the right, you can see the hospital’s kindergarten. The project also included the turnkey construction and enlargement of the trauma centre as well as all required adaptation measures in the existing buildings, the construction of the outdoor facilities and the demolition of the operation containers and the emergency access drive. “This project shows that STRABAG is able to provide supreme performances in healthcare and also that we work well in big teams. Thanks to the two intervention rooms (emergency and regular), two patients can be treated simultaneously. The highlight of the trauma centre is the integrated mobile computer tomography device, which can be moved into the room after opening the separation wall,” explains Marco Angel, Sub-Division Vienna (AR). QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE LITTLE ONES Children also benefit from the good cooperation of Sub-Division Vienna (AR) and PFS. In June 2014, the hospital’s own kindergarten was completed. It is also operated by PFS. The friendly rooms and colourful outdoor facilities put smiles on children’s faces every day. CONTRACT VOLUME: € 2.8 million CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: February 2014 – November 2014 LEASE PERIOD: January 2015 – December 2024 INTERVENTION ROOMS: 130 m2 CONTACT: Jürgen Steiner, STRABAG PFS Marco Angel und Dalibor Zovkic, Sub-Division Vienna (AR) STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 32 12.05.15 09:35 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Projects South + East 33 COMPACT ASPHALT Less emotional strain and environmental pollution The annual summer traffic jams in Austria could be reduced in the near future; this would be less straining for drivers and better for the environment due to lower CO2 emissions. Austria. This improvement is made possible by using a compact asphalt paver, which the transportation infrastructures division employed for the first time in Austria last year. In addition to a noticeable reduction in paving time – which decreases by half in comparison to conventional methods – it was also possible to reduce the material volume used and improve the quality. A compact asphalt paver allows for seamless laying of asphalt with a possible width between 3.5 to 13.5 m. As part of the renovation of the S36 Murtal expressway near Zeltweg, commissioned by Austrian motorway operator Asfinag, a 6.3 km section of the road was newly asphalted within two weeks in September 2014. As a first step, the assembly team put in a layer of base course and then added a total of about 12,500 t of binder course using the compact asphalt system and 4,500 t of surface course. With the compact asphalt system, the two top courses are simultaneously laid hot on hot and then compacted in one single process in combination with a preceding mixing material feeder. A strong compaction of the courses is achieved due to the binding and the deep interlocking of the two courses that are simultaneously laid, which ensures the absorption of strong vertical and horizontal forces. Compared to the laying of the same road section the previous year using the conventional system, the time of laying the asphalt was reduced by half from 18 to 9 working days. The quality of the applied asphalt was improved noticeably by the strong adhesion of the courses that also reduces the development of ruts. The material costs also decreased substantially. The ideal interlocking of the asphalt courses allows for a reduction of the laid surface course to 2.5 cm. To use the compact asphalt system in the best possible way, the road should not have any gullies – the seamless asphalt laying is possible for a width between 3.5 and 13.5 m – but should not vary by more than 1.5 m and at least 10,000 t of asphalt should be paved. CONTRACT VOLUME: € 4.7 million CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: 10 weeks ASPHALT: 30,000 t RENOVATION: 9 bridges Last year, the transport infrastructure division for the first time used a compact asphalt paver in Austria. CONTACT: Mario Freitag und Hannes Prassl, Sub-Division Styria / Carinthia (AC) Florian Stortecky, Sub-Division Process Development und Lean Management (AA) STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 33 12.05.15 09:35 34 Projects South + East www.strabag.com D1 MOTORWAY Full speed for the motorway It connects Prague, Brno and Osrava and is the oldest as well as most heavily frequented motorway in the Czech Republic. Czech Republic. After several decades, the road surface of the D1 motorway had reached the end of its life cycle. The operator of the Czech motorway network, the Road and Motorway Directorate, decided to carry out a general renovation during which the road width was to be newly designed and the shoulder was to be expanded. The renovation work on four of the 25 planned road sections began last year. STRABAG is in charge of the new cement concrete surface for all four sections, for the renovation of which three different main contractors are responsible. teams. interviewed Jiří Kovář, manager of the group division and project manager and main coordinator for the laying of the cement concrete surface. Mr. Kovář, is the work on the D1 comparable to any other project? There were similar projects. But this time we had to simultaneously work at four construction sites that are 20 to 50 km apart. Overall, 760,000 m2 of concrete surface will be laid, 200,000 m2 of which still have to be completed this year. Our job was the complete supply of the turnkey cement concrete surface. This also included the selection and positioning of the mixing plant. In addition to the organisation of our own operations, we also had to take into account a variety of other factors, especially the logistical planning for the main roads. What technologies were used? The main contractors committed to provide a 10-year guarantee. This guarantee also includes the noise-reducing CONTRACT VOLUME: CZK 661 million (around € 24 million) CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: May 2014 – June 2015 CONCRETE VOLUME: around 215,000 m3 NUMBER OF COMPANIES INVOLVED: 9 The teams were simultaneously working at four construction sites that are 20 to 50 km apart. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 34 12.05.15 09:35 Projects South + East quality of the road surface. Therefore we opted for the technology of exposed aggregated concrete. The previously used burlap drag finish would not be able to guarantee long-term traction given the expected traffic intensity. A disadvantage of the chosen technology is, however, that any defect in the surface is very difficult to eliminate. A major part of the success depends on the experience of the workers who lay the grain tips of the concrete surface open with a rotating broom. Fortunately, we have set up a well-coordinated team of colleagues from Heilit + Woerner in Poland and Germany. teams. No. 1 / 2015 35 whether the services were provided under the name of STRABAG, Dálniční stavby Praha, Heilit + Woerner, TPA, OAT, Frischbeton, Mineral or BMTI. The intra-group cooperation has proven to be successful also in the Vaclav Havel Airport Prague project. What was for you personally the most interesting aspect in this project? One of the secrets to our success is the human factor. And this factor has been excellent in our well-coordinated team. How important is the preparation of the concrete mix for the quality of the result? The preparation is essential in this process. The rock type plays an important role. The amounts and characteristics of the materials used (cement, rock etc.) are a fundamental factor for success. And we have Jaroslava Škarková at our disposal who is a specialist for cement concrete surfaces. Has the cross-border and inter-company teamwork proven efficient? I think that our group know-how in the field of cement concrete surfaces is unparalleled in Europe. Another competitive edge was also that we could cover almost all services by companies from within group. These span from surveying works, technical testing, concrete production to some rock supply sources, processing as well as final audits and evaluations. It did not matter STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 35 CONTACT: Jiří Kovář, Sub-Division Mitte (TC) STRABAG is responsible for the new cement concrete surface. 12.05.15 09:35 36 Projects South + East www.strabag.com ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION Clean soil for Ingelheim Environmental protection is part of the corporate culture of pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. As part of a consortium, Zübling Umwelttechnik GmbH undertook the clean-up of a contaminated site. CONTRACT VALUE: Double-digit millions CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: August 2013 – December 2014 HEAVILY CONTAMINATED SOIL: 60,000 t MAIN POLLUTANTS: Dioxins / furans An air purification system created a permanent low-pressure environment in the 18-metre containment structure covering approx. 5,500 m². Germany. Beware of pollutants! When Boehringer Ingelheim conducted soil tests outside its factory premises in Ingelheim, Germany, it found residues from former production runs that contained substances like dioxins and furans. Preemptively, the company opted for the most environmentally friendly method of decontamination: the complete excavation and proper disposal of the soil in the affected area. Boehringer awarded the contract in the double-digit million euro range to ARGE Züblin and TERRA Umweltservice GmbH & Co.KG. SAFETY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH “The requirement was to prevent any dust or odour emissions from escaping the site,” recalls project manager Harald Muhs. “To this end, we were permanently depressurising a 18-metre high and about 5,500 m² large temporary containment structure with the help of an exhaust air filtering system that was capable of treating up to 80,000 m³ / h. The system consisted of twelve modules. In case one module had failed, the remaining modules would still have provided more than 90% of the system’s capacity. On top of that, we also installed a back-up power system.” For the protection of employees, all processes were automated as much as possible. An air compressor STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 36 supplied fresh air. All construction machinery and facilities were completely sealed and featured an independent air supply. Operators entered their construction machines through “docking stations”, which eliminated the need for additional protective gear. And thanks to the air from the compressed-air bottles, the operators were never exposed to the contaminated areas. A LOGISTIC FEAT About 90 % of the excavated soil was carried by intermodal transport. The filled containers were tightly sealed and cleaned under the containment structure, and hauled by lorries through the airlock to the nearest rail terminal. Overall, the material was shipped to more than ten different thermal treatment plants. By the end of June 2014, the consortium had properly disposed of around 60,000 t of highly contaminated soil. Under the cover of the containment structure, the excavated area was refilled with clean soil. Finally, he consortium dismantled the structure along with its infrastructure and handed the decontaminated site back to its client. CONTACT: Harald Muhs, Sub-Division Environmental Engineering (EI) 12.05.15 09:36 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Projects South + East 37 UNDERPASS ANDERMATT Safe pathways in the heart of Switzerland Andermatt lies at the centre of the world-famous Glacier Express railway between Zermatt and St. Moritz and is a very popular tourist destination. All the more reason to improve the infrastructure of this town. Switzerland. In connection with the initial development of Andermatt, and as a link between the future tourist resort and the existing village, a new pedestrian underpass was constructed at the site of the future railway station. The underpass crosses five railway tracks. In order to connect the railway platforms and the underpass, a total of four ramps will be built during the construction of the station a few years from now. The supporting structure of the underpass consists of prefabricated, closed and loosely reinforced concrete elements. The underpass is 8 m wide, 3.80 m high and 38.50 m long. Thanks to the high flexibility of the personnel, as well as the favourable weather, the project was completed in November. Given the strong fluctuation of the groundwater table, the tunnel was completely sealed. To reduce the groundwater level, several perforated pipes were laid into the ground as drainage. All the while, the ongoing operation of the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn railway had to be ensured, while taking track closures into account. was carried out, a concrete wall was demolished, a slide track was installed, and half of the concrete box was advanced into the tunnel. During the one-week total shutdown of the railway section Oberalpstrecke, the second part of the construction pit was excavated, the concrete box was jacked into its final position and reinforced, and the above tracks and embankment were restored. “Stage two of the advancement required 24-hour shifts over several days. Thanks to the high flexibility of the personnel, as well as the favourable weather, the pedestrian underpass was completed at the end of November at the future site of the station”, reports site manager Pirmin Epp. “Construction started relatively quickly after contract award. We had to utilise and coordinate resources in a flexible and timely manner. Still, we were able to complete the construction work in time, successfully and without any accidents,” sums up Mr Epp. During the partial shutdown, which lasted three weeks, the three tracks were upgraded, the pilot excavation CONTRACT VALUE: CHF 2.3 million (about € 2.2 million) CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: July 2014 – November 2014 CONSTRUCTION PIT ENCLOSURE: 250 m2 EXCAVATED SOIL: 8.000 m3 The underpass is 8 m wide, 3.80 m high and 38.50 m long. CONTACT: Pirmin Epp und John Shortiss, Sub-Division Switzerland (MX) STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 37 12.05.15 09:36 38 Projects International + Special Divisions www.strabag.com QUADRILATERO A traffic artery in the heartland of Italy Quadrilatero Marche-Umbria is one of Italy’s most significant transport infrastructure projects of the past decade. Italy. In 1997, an earthquake destroyed several infrastructure facilities in the regions of Marche and Umbria. This gave birth to the idea of building a new road network. The objective was to boost the economy and the social development of, as well as the connection between, the two regions. Originally, the road network was to be named “Quadrilatero del terremoto” (which roughly means “square of the earthquake”). After a few years, the name was shortened to Quadrilatero. The partly state-owned project company of the same name, Quadrilatero S.p.A., was chosen to put the project out to tender. Fincosit, Cooperativa Muratori Cementisti Ravenna and Consorzio Stabile Centritalia. THE WINNING BID As early as 16 January 2015, one section between Colfiorito and Serravalle di Chienti was inaugurated in the presence of regional governors, representatives of state-owned road operator ANAS, and the client. In 2005, Val di Chienti S.C.p.A. was awarded the contract for the road construction project. This consortium, led by STRABAG AG, also comprised Grandi Lavori For the Italian branch of STRABAG, this project has proved a challenge. It is divided into two construction sections: “Maxilos 1” involves the construction or expansion of the Italian state roads SS77 and SS78 between Foligno and Civitanova Marche, for a total of about 90 km. The project requires 47 km of tunnels, some 4 km of bridges and, most importantly, the four-lane development of the state road SS77 over the Colfiorito Pass. Leopold Mörtl (commercial project manager, left) and Rocco Fortunato (technical project manager, right) at the local construction site. CONTRACT VALUE: € 6 million CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: November 2009 – September 2015 VIADUCTS: 15 TUNNELS: 12 STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 38 The project Quadrilatero comprises the construction of 47 km of tunnels. 12.05.15 09:36 Projects International + Special Divisions teams. No. 1 / 2015 39 As part of the Quadrilatero project, concrete ceilings were used in road tunnels for the first time in Italy. ITALIAN PREMIERE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF “TEAMS WORK.” The cooperation of the two STRABAG units Project VDC / Colfiorito and the German sub-division UB 6H between 2013 and 2014 marked a milestone. In Germany and in other countries in which the group operates, the installation of concrete ceilings into road tunnels is an established practice. But it was used here for the first time in a major Italian infrastructure project. “The biggest challenge was to adapt a method that was tried and tested in other countries to the bureaucratic requirements and safety standards in Italy,” says Leopold Mörtl, commercial project manager and coordinator of the German-Italian collaboration, about this special task. “This was only possible thanks to the exemplary cooperation of all those involved in the project on both sides.” The excellent cross-border cooperation was also a shining example of how STRABAG applies its motto “TEAMS WORK.” within the group. Between the two sections and the two main contract portions of the project, a total of about 90,000 m³ of concrete was poured and approx. 90,000 m³ of gravel subgrade was applied. This contract alone was worth € 6 million. At the 2014 ExpoTunnel fair in Bologna, STRABAG and its concrete production partner, Luigi Metelli S.p.A., presented this technology – a first in Italy – to a broad and interested audience. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 39 CONTACT: Leopold Mörtl and Rocco Fortunato, Sub-Division Italy (IZ) 12.05.15 09:36 40 Projects International + Special Divisions www.strabag.com BRT TANSANIA BRT improves infrastructure of largest city in Eastern Africa Bus rapid transit (BRT) is an innovative and highly efficient mass transit system that is already in use in many major cities around the world. BRT buses operate on dedicated thoroughfares, which give them priority over other road users. Tanzania. Chaotic traffic conditions are ubiquitous in Dar es Salaam, one of the fastest-growing urban centres in Africa. From dawn to dusk, queues of cars slither across the city. Motorists who do not hit the road by 6.30 to get from the outer suburbs into downtown are in for heavy traffic jams that lose them up to two hours. It is literally a constant struggle to commute to and from work. The only means of public transportation available to most inhabitants are so-called dala dala, minibus share taxis. However, they are crowded all the time and have to “fight” their way through the slow-moving or fully stopped traffic. To improve this situation, the “DAR RAPID TRANSIT AGENCY” was founded in 2007. The agency was tasked with developing an efficient, environmentally friendly and affordable rapid transit system for the population of Dar es Salaam. As a solution to the traffic problems, DART proposed a BRT system that had done well in other large cities. It designed a system for the daily transportation of 500,000 passengers on 150 buses, to be implemented in six stages. A total of 130 km of city streets in Dar es Salaam would have to be adapted to the requirements of this BRT system. Financing for stage 1 was secured through a World Bank loan, and in 2010 the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) invited tenders for this stage of the infrastructure works. BRT buses operate on dedicated thoroughfares. STRABAG International GmbH, which had been commissioned in 2009 to repair a 110 km road in Tanzania, participated in the open competition for the first “package” of stage 1. TANROADS, which placed utmost importance on a traffic plan for the time of the construction work, accepted STRABAG’s bid. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 40 The € 134 million contract was signed in December 2011 and featured the following tasks: construction of 20.9 km of six-lane roads with pavements on either side, 29 bus stops, 3 bus terminals, 3 bridge structures, the supply and installation of traffic lights and street lighting, and the renewal of the water supply system and of surface drainage along the route. The busways are designed to consist of concrete, as asphalt would not permanently withstand the axle weight and the extreme braking forces of the frequent bus services in these tropical temperatures. Following the signing of the contract, construction machinery worth more than € 17 million was fetched from Germany. Construction started on time in March 2012. During peak times, 25 expatriates, 20 employees from other African countries and up to 950 people were working at the construction site, supervised by project manager Frank Rohde. Of course, the ongoing traffic created and is still creating major difficulties for the construction work. For this reason, the concrete road pavement, cast in a sliding formwork method, as well as the work at intersections is usually carried out at night. Thanks to the smart traffic management system developed by STRABAG, as well as the close coordination with the local police, gridlocks have been avoided. With this project, STRABAG has proven once again that it is capable of performing construction operations even in the most difficult environments for its clients around the world. 12.05.15 09:36 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Projects International + Special Divisions 41 Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest-growing major cities in Africa. The busways are designed to consist of concrete. CONTRACT VALUE: € 134 million CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: 36 months SIX-LANE ROADWAY: 20.9 km BUS STOPS: 29 Bus rapid transit (BRT) is an innovative and highly efficient mass transit system that is now being deployed in Tanzania. CONTACT: Hans-Peter Conraths, Sub-Division Africa (MH) Frank Rohde, Sub-Division Projects (MC) STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 41 12.05.15 09:36 42 Projects Country Report www.strabag.com PROJECT “LEIESPIEGEL” IN DEINZE Deinze needs room to grow British architecture, a Dutch woman and a project in Belgium – STRABAG brings together the right people at the right place at the right time. Belgium. After a period of steady population growth, the town of Deinze in Belgium has finally outgrown its old city hall. In response, the city has commissioned the construction of a new administrative building based on a design by British architect Tony Fretton. The new building, called “Leiespiegel”, will not only provide a new place of work for the city employees, but will also include a public cafeteria, a tourist office and a social services centre. With its views of the river Leie, the cafeteria is one of the project’s highlights. INFO United Kingdom Netherlands Germany Deinze Belgium France STRABAG is general contractor of the project and as such has the task of coordinating all participating parties. Assistant project manager for “Leiespiegel” is Birgit van der Lee, a native of the Netherlands. Together with her two colleagues, project manager Filip Vertongen and site manager Mario Bougois, she has been the local STRABAG representative in Deinze since construction began. The on-site job was unexpected, but not unwelcome. “Actually I had applied for a position with STRABAG as estimator. But after a personality test during the application process, I was asked if I wouldn’t rather work on the construction site. My answer was a resounding yes!” says an excited Birgit van der Lee. “I see this flexibility as one of STRABAG’s strong points. STRABAG puts itself in the prospective employee’s place and then considers how to help the employee in his or her development as an opportunity presents itself.” Luxembourg Construction of the project “Leiespiegel” will require about 500 t of concrete. A COUNTRY WITH A FEW ODDITIES Belgium has three official languages: Dutch (Flemish), French and German. The country of approximately 30,000 km² and 11 million inhabitants is divided into a Flemish (Flanders) and a French-speaking part (Wallonia). The most important institutions of the European Union are located in the Belgian capital of Brussels. The fountain sculpture of Manneken Pis in Brussels is a must-see! Belgium is famous for its chocolate and pralines, waffles and fried potatoes. In Belgium, fries are often served with a large variety of delicious sauces or eaten together with canned peach and tuna. Naturally, these fantastic delicacies are not necessarily good for your health! STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 42 12.05.15 09:36 Projects Country Report teams. No. 1 / 2015 43 The building envelope will consist mainly of glass and natural stone from Italy. CONTRACT VALUE: € 10.5 million CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: March 2014 – Spring 2016 CONCRETE: 5,500 m³ STEEL: 500 t Birgit van der Lee is assistant project manager (here with Bas van Rijthoven, external). “THINGS ALWAYS TURN OUT DIFFERENTLY THAN EXPECTED” After a few months in the estimating department, Birgit van der Lee, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Built Environment, relocated to the construction site. She sees the office work as good preparation for the move. “And I am very fortunate to be working together in a team with my two highly motivated colleagues,” she says. Her first project with the STRABAG Group has a lot to offer. The ensemble, with a surface of about 2,241 m², consists of two interlocking rectangular buildings: one five-storey main building and a two-storey annex. Two passageways connect the separate buildings with each other. Parking spaces and a room for the mechanical equipment are planned for the basement level. The basement will also house a city archive with a mobile storage system. The upper levels of the main building are reserved for office space. The tourist office and the cafeteria, which were planned at a later stage, will be completed shell and core only. The remainder of the building will be transferred turnkey. The annex building has one upper floor. As this is where the mayor and the city council will meet, a special focus is being given to this area and its fittings. The ensemble consists of two interlocking rectangular buildings. The excavation produced 14,000 m3 of material and required 1,000 truck trips. Some of the excavated material was also transported by barge. CONTACT: Birgit van der Lee, Sub-Division Belgium / Netherlands (DW) STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 43 12.05.15 09:36 44 Specials www.strabag.com OUR FAVOURITE PLACES Bologna: My city Far from being a mass tourism destination, the Italian city of Bologna had been chosen as European Capital of Culture in 2000. The city is also called “La Dotta” (“The educated city”), because the University of Bologna is the oldest university in the western world. And when it comes to culinary delectations, Bologna’s historical centre also has much to offer. Market day History of the city Fancy some Parmesan cheese, mortadella, tortellini or tagliatelle? You’ve come to the right place! The little streets around Piazza Maggiore abound with charming stores selling regional specialities. “The Mercato di Mezzo is the heart and soul of Bologna’s traditional fresh cuisine. A place for buying and savouring food,” says Chiara Masi. “To me, La Piazza is one of the most beautiful places in Bologna – almost pure Romanticism! This is where worldliness meets medieval history,” says Alessio Diazzi. The basilica of Santo Stefano, the city’s oldest church, is the core of Bologna’s historical centre. It consists of seven individual churches that form a complex. The heart of Bologna A century-old wishing well The wonderful medieval central square, Piazza Maggiore, is the heart of Bologna: it is full of people, loud and lively – typically Italian! The entire city seems to meet here to drink coffee, make music and talk. “This square is famous all over the world for its atmosphere and has inspired many songs. In the evenings, this place has a special magic,” says Giovanna Spataro. The impressive Fountain of Neptune is the central element of Piazza Nettuno. Moreno Colendi reports: “To this day many people in Bologna believe that walking twice around the fountain anti-clockwise brings happiness and good luck.” No wonder this is also done by many students before their exams. STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 44 12.05.15 09:36 teams. No. 1 / 2015 Specials 45 With more than 180 towers, Bologna was the Manhattan of the Middle Ages. The towers were a sign of power: the richer the family, the higher the tower. Alessio Diazzi, Sub-Division Italy (IZ) Bolog n My ci a: ty SPECIAL TIP La Grassa – The fat city! In Bologna – also called “la Grassa” – people love a good meal! The city’s speciality is a sausage called mortadella. But Bologna is also home to tortellini, tagliatelle and Bolognese sauce (which the locals call “ragù”). STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 45 12.05.15 09:36 46 Specials www.strabag.com SEEKING THE PUZZLE PROS Memory training with Sudoku Sudokus are a wonderful way to train your logical thinking. Test your skill with our puzzle and exercise your grey matter while doing it. All entrants will participate in a raffle for a package of STRABAG goodies. Instructions: Fill in the empty squares so that the digits 1 – 9 appear just once in each row, column and 3x3 sub-grid. The two diagonals must also contain all the digits 1 – 9. Send the number in the dark grey field, or the entire solved puzzle, to: [email protected] 7 4 2 9 Last date for entries: 31 July 2015 6 4 YOUR TEAM BEHIND THE SCENES Gundula Schmid (graphic design) and Carmen Ferner (editorial management) are there for you! 1 6 6 7 5 1 4 8 5 2 9 4 6 9 5 3 9 7 9 1 8 2 6 8 3 5 Dear Readers, In November 2014, I, Carmen Ferner, took over the editorial responsibility for teams. from Barbara Amon, who is on maternity leave following the birth of her second child. Please join me in welcoming the newest member of her family! Together with my colleague Gundula Schmid (graphic design), I look forward to your interesting projects, informative news and other contributions. Please send these to: [email protected] STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 46 12.05.15 09:36 Specials BOOK TIPS For learning and browsing teams. presents book tips from your colleagues on topics related to the construction industry. Today you can read about two very interesting textbooks. Katharina Müller / Rainer Stempkowski: “Handbuch Claim-Management” (Claim management manual), Linde Publishers 2015 (2nd, revised and extended edition), 784 pages, € 98.00. ISBN: 978-37-0732-355-9 Handbuch Claim-Management (German) This practical and informative manual takes an in-depth look at claim management in construction projects. It first deals with the tender phase, then comprehensively discusses the execution phase and finally looks at project closure. Numerous practical tips as well as detailed how-to guides and instructions enable readers to professionally deal with claims in both a legal and a constructionrelated context. The team of authors is made up of representatives of clients and executing construction firms as well as universities, engineering offices and law firms. Among the contributing authors are the STRABAG experts Julia Hartlieb, Wolfgang Kriebaum and Peter Fischer. The second edition was published by Linde in early 2015 and is also available online: www.lindeverlag.at CONTACT: Peter Fischer, Contract Management Gijs van Wulfen: “The Innovation Expedition – A visual toolkit to start innovation,” BIS Publishers 2013, 248 pages, paperback, € 30.47, eBook € 23.75. ISBN: 978-9063693138 The Innovation Expedition – A Visual Toolkit to Start Innovation Numerous quotes, charts, pictures and checklists will inspire you on your journey to an unknown destination: innovation. “The Innovation Expedition” builds on the stories of successful entrepreneurs to provide a visual toolkit for readers who want to start innovation effectively. The core piece of the book is a map that guides readers through the various topics expedition-style, dealing with how innovations are kicked off, how ideas are properly developed and, finally, how innovation can lead to success. This book will appeal to experts, creative minds and executive staff alike. CONTACT: Rudolf Oesterreicher, Central Technical Division SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE FICTION OR NON-FICTION BOOK ON THE TOPIC OF CONSTRUCTION Let your colleagues know about a must-read technical book or gripping novel. We would love to hear about your book tips on topics such as construction, architecture, business, sustainability, management, etc. We look forward to your suggestions: [email protected] STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 47 12.05.15 09:36 LEGAL INFORMATION Editing and publishing: STRABAG SE, Villach • Editors: Carmen Ferner (editor-in-chief), Angelika Schett-Berka, Sonja Fehrer-Wohlfahrt (external) • Organisation of national editions: Edita Novotna (Czech Republic / Slovakia), Mónika Varjú (Hungary), Bozena Czekajska (Poland), Michail Atamanenko (Russia) • Layout and print management: G undula Schmid • Prepress: R12 Spannbauer Ges.m.b.H. & Co KG, Vienna ) • Printing: MACK GmbH, Schönaich • Photography: VIKOM (p. 6), RKW Kompetenzzentrum (p. 6), Fotolia (pp. 8, 9, 47), Arge – Obdachlose (pp. 18 – 19, 20), sociale werkplaats De Welplaat (p. 20), Familienhafen e.V. (p. 21), illustrations by Royalize Medienproduktion (pp. 24 – 25, 42, 45, 47), Carmen Ferner (pp. 2, 25, 32), Openstreetmap (pp. 44 – 45), Philipp Hübner (p. 46), Linde Verlag (p. 47), BIS Publishers (p. 47) • 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 STRA_teams_1_2015_Mai_eng_r12.indd 48 12.05.15 09:36