Eiffage

Eiffage S.A. is a French civil engineering construction company. As of 2010 it was the third largest company of its type in France, and the fifth largest in Europe.[2]

History

The company was formed in 1992 through the merger of several long standing companies, namely: Fougerolle (founded 1844), Quillery (founded 1863), Beugnet (founded 1871), and La Société Auxiliaire d'Entreprises Électriques et de Travaux Public, better known as SAE (founded in 1924).[3][4]

The company often teamed up with other businesses for various purposes. During 2009, the British company Carillion teamed up with Eiffage to jointly pursue work in the nuclear sector.[5] Six years later, Eiffage joined with Carillion and Kier Group to pursue work on the UK's High Speed 2 project.[6] In 2016, the firm and the Australian firm Macquarie Group purchased a 46.1 percent stake in the French A41 autoroute concession ADELAC for €130m.[7] Eiffage and the Italian oil services company Saipem were jointly awarded work valued at €350 million by BP on the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Field.[8]

Eiffage has acquired other businesses on numerous occasions.[9][10][11] In 2013, it acquired five companies of the bankrupt Smulders Group.[12] One year later, it bought a 70 percent stake in the Canadian business Innovative Civil Constructors Inc.[13] In 2018, Eiffage bought the Swiss construction company Priora.[14] During the early 2020s, it acquired several Dutch companies, including Harwig, Eltra, and Van den Pol Elektrotechniek.[15][16][17] During early 2024, it purchased the German business EQOS Energie.[18]

The company has routinely pursued substantial opportunities in the green energy sector, including the construction of hydroelectric dams, wind and solar farms.[19][20][21] Furthermore, acquisitions made by the company have expanded its presence in this sector.[22] Eiffage has also been involved in several sustainable construction developments, such as the building of the largest timber tower in France.[23]

Throughout the early 21st century, the company has progressively increased its stake in Getlink, the owner-operator of the Channel Tunnel.[24] In October 2022, it was announced that Eiffage has become the largest shareholder of GetLink by increasing its stake in the firm to 20.76 percent.[25][26]

Major projects

Eiffage is also involved in HS2 lots C2 and C3, working as part of a joint venture, due to complete in 2031.[34] The company is also involved in another joint venture to build Rail Baltica, a continuous rail link from Tallinn (Estonia) to Warsaw (Poland).[35] Other underway rail projects include Paris Métro Line 15,[36] and the Mont d'Ambin Base Tunnel.[37]

• Channel Tunnel, completed in 1994[27]
• Copenhagen Metro, completed in 2002[28]
• Millau Viaduct,[2] completed in 2004[29]
• TGV Perpignan-Figueres high-speed railway line, completed in 2009[30]
• Stade Pierre-Mauroy, completed in 2012[31]
• Cestas Solar Park, completed in 2015[32]
• Conversion of Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon, completed in 2018[33]

External links

• Eiffage.com — official website