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Christiani & Nielsen

Christiani & Nielsen was a construction contractor with major operations worldwide. It still trades in Thailand.

History

Christiani & Nielsen was established by Rudolf Christiani, a Danish civil engineer, and Aage Nielsen, a captain in the Royal Danish Navy, in Copenhagen, to build bridges, marine works, and other reinforced concrete structures, in 1904.[1] It soon established a branch in Hamburg, and after the First World War, extended its operations to the United Kingdom, South America, Australia, and South Africa.[2]

The company's business in Thailand was demerged on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1991 and continued operating under different ownership.[3]

The main company went into administration in November 2000.[4]

Major projects

Major projects included:

Roads

  • M5, junctions 8-9 (M50) to Tewkesbury, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1970[5]
  • M56 Preston Brook to Hapsford in Cheshire, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1970[6][7]
  • M6 Ansty to M1 at Catthorpe, Contract A, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1971[8]
  • M6 north of Tebay (junction 38 for A685) to Thrimby, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1970[9]
  • M74 Larkhall to Uddingston, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1966[10]
  • Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil A470, £5million first stage from Whitchurch bypass to Nantgarw, 3.25 mi, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1971[11]

Bridges

  • The foundations and piers for the Storstrøm Bridge, Denmark, completed in 1937[12]
  • The foundations and piers for the Masnedsund Bridge, Denmark, completed in 1937[13]
  • Narrows Bridge in Perth, Australia, completed in 1959[14]
  • M2 Medway Bridge, Kent, completed in 1963[15]
  • Winthorpe Bridge, Nottinghamshire, completed in 1964[16]
  • M56 Weaver Viaduct, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1971[17]
  • The foundations and piers for the Erskine Bridge, (A898), West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire, built as Christiani-Shand, completed in 1971[18]
  • Dornoch Firth Bridge, completed in 1991[19]
  • Salford Quays lift bridge, completed in 2000[20]

Other

  • Monumento Rodoviário da Rodovia Presidente Dutra in Piraí, Brazil completed in 1938[21]
  • Democracy Monument in Bangkok, Thailand, completed in 1940[22]
  • Aula Magna Auditorium, Caracas, Venezuela completed in 1953[23]
  • Rebuilding of the Rama VI Bridge, in Bangkok, Thailand, completed in 1953[24]
  • Brixton Tower, Johannesburg, South Africa, completed in 1962[25]
  • Kish Bank lighthouse, near Dublin, Ireland, completed in 1965[26]
  • Bagsværd Church, Copenhagen, completed in 1976[27]
  • Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand, completed in 1998[28]
  • Prince Mahidol Hall in Phutthamonthon, Thailand, completed in 2014[29]

Further reading

References

  1. Company profile Christiani & Nielsen Thailand, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  2. The history of Christiani & Nielsen Thailand dancham.or.th, Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce, 19 September 2017, retrieved 14 April 2020^
  3. David Marsden. Yet another pier story but a warning from the past Southport Online News, 13 January 2025, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  4. Christiani falls into Kier hands Construction News, 23 November 2000, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  5. The Blue Billies Made in Oldbury, retrieved 24 March 2023^
  6. Runcorn Weekly News Thursday 7 November 1968, page 8^
  7. Derby Evening Telegraph Monday 11 November 1968, page 7^
  8. Midland Links Motorways. M5 (J1 to J3) and M6 (J13 to J1) Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, retrieved 24 March 2023^
  9. Roads Report Commercial Motor, 16 August 1968, retrieved 24 March 2023^
  10. 50 years on: The M74 opened in December 1966 and work on new road continues today Daily Record, 2 December 2016, retrieved 24 March 2023^
  11. Derby Evening Telegraph Tuesday 18 March 1969, page 12^
  12. Ulrik Andersen. Dansk bacon skyld i Storstrømsbroens problemer Ingeniøren, 2011-10-28, retrieved 11 January 2018^
  13. Danish Bridges Wonders of World Engineering, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  14. Jenny Gregory. ^
  15. The Medway Bridge on the M2 Motorway The Cement and Concrete Association, 1 February 1962, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  16. The A1 By-Pass Winthorpe with Langford Parish Council, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  17. Staffordshire Sentinel Thursday 14 March 1968, page 18^
  18. Construction of the Erskine Bridge Erskinebridge.co.uk, retrieved 31 December 2013^
  19. The Dornoch Firth Bridge Ross and Cromarty Heritage, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  20. Massive paint job for Salford Quays Millennium bridge Manchester Evening News, 11 May 2023, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  21. Monumento Rodoviário São Paulo Antiga, 3 August 2013, retrieved 16 February 2019^
  22. Gregers Møller. Christiani & Nielsen - a Danish legend lives on in Thailand ScandAsia, 29 August 2002, retrieved 14 April 2020^
  23. 15 Datos curiosos sobre el Aula Magna de la UCV La Tienda Venezolana, retrieved 26 August 2018^
  24. ครบรอบ 93 ปีเปิดใช้สะพานพระราม 6 สะพานรถไฟข้ามแม่น้ำเจ้าพระยาครั้งแรก Matichon, 1 January 2019, retrieved 3 January 2022^
  25. Brixton Tower The Heritage Register, retrieved 18 November 2025^
  26. retrieved 12 February 2017^
  27. Sagt og skrivet Bagsvard Krike, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  28. Thammasat Stadium Soccerway, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  29. Prince Mahidol Hall Saint-Gobain Gypsum Trophy, retrieved 19 January 2025^