Strabag

{{Short description|Austrian construction company}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox company

| name = STRABAG SE

| logo = Strabag SE Logo 2008.svg

| logo_size = 210px

| type = Societas Europaea

| traded_as = {{WBAG|STR}}

| foundation = 1835

| location = Vienna, Austria

| key_people = Kerstin Gelbmann (Chairwoman of the supervisory board)
Stefan Kratochwill (CEO)

| industry = Construction

| services = Building construction and civil engineering; infrastructure construction; tunnelling; facility management

| revenue = 17,666 million (2023){{cite web |url=https://www.strabag.com/site/strabag-company-locale/get/params_E-871645690/1002402/Annual-and-Sustainability-Report-2023.pdf?OpenElement |title=Annual Report 2023 |accessdate=18 January 2025 |publisher=STRABAG}}

| operating_income=€880.2 million (2023)

| net_income = €633.4 million (2023)

| assets = €13,706 million (2023)

| num_employees = 77,136 (2023)

| homepage = [http://www.strabag.com/ www.strabag.com]

}}

STRABAG SE is an Austrian international technology group for the built environment based in Spittal an der Drau, Austria, with its headquarters in Vienna. It is the largest construction company in Austria and one of the largest construction companies in Europe. The company is active in its home markets Austria and Germany and in all countries of Central, Eastern and South-East Europe, in selected markets in Western Europe, on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as in Australia, Canada, Chile, China and India. In these markets STRABAG has subsidiaries or operates on a project-basis.

History

=Origins=

The business has its origins in two businesses:

  • Baumeister Lerchbaumer-Isola-KG, which was founded as a craft workshop business known in 1835.{{Cite web|url=https://www.strabag.com/databases/internet/_public/content.nsf/web/EN-STRABAG.COM-geschichte_strabag.html|title=STRABAG SE - Corporate history|last=POPPE|first=Roland|website=www.strabag.com|language=de|access-date=2019-04-14}} The business was developed by Anton Lerchbaumer (1879–1954){{cite web|url=https://www.spittal-drau.at/fileadmin/spittal/stadtjournal/Stadtjournal_Feber2008.pdf|title=Auf Schritt und Tritt...|publisher=Der Spittaler Fasching|date=1 February 2008|access-date=6 June 2024}} and his son-in-law, Franz Isola (1901–1968). It evolved to become Baumeister Lerchbaumer-Isola-KG in 1929. In 1954 Anton Lerchbaumer senior died. Franz Isola became the sole manager of the largest private building company in Austria. In 1968 Franz Isola died and Anton Lerchbaumer junior (1913–1974) became manager of the company. The company became known as ILBAU AG in 1972.
  • Strassenwalzenbetrieb was founded in 1895 and known as STRABAG from 1930.{{Cite web|url=https://www.strabag.com/databases/internet/_public/content.nsf/web/EN-STRABAG.COM-geschichte_strabag.html|title=STRABAG SE - Corporate history|first=Roland|last=POPPE|website=www.strabag.com}}

=Holocaust profiteering=

Strabag was one of the main profiteers of the Nazi building projects during Second World War and before. It was a main contractor of Todt organisation and built concentration camps, the Westwall and Norway's Blood Road.Gogl, Simon, Laying the foundations of occupation, 2020, p. 238f. The British Secret Service report concluded "[. . .] Enough large building firms offered their services to put the entire construction [of the Westwall, S.G.] on a voluntary basis. [. . .] Nor is there any basis later for assuming that firms in any large numbers became so reluctant to work for the OT as to make mass conscriptions of such concerns necessary. This willingness is due to the attractive profits obtainable from OT contracts."Handbook of the Organisation Todt, 1945, p. 53

=Later history=

These two businesses came under the common ownership of BIBAG Bauindustrie Beteiligungs Aktiengesellschaft (subsequently renamed STRABAG SE) – a company listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange – in 1998. In 1999, STRABAG acquired Strabag. In the same year, the company was delisted from the Vienna Stock exchange.

In 2000, the holding company Bauholding STRABAG (or STRABAG SE since 2006) started a strong brand strategy throughout Europe, unifying all under the core brand "STRABAG". In Austria ILBAU and STUAG merged into the new STRABAG AG. The following year, the holding company became the major shareholder in German company STRABAG AG (based in Cologne).

Subsequent acquisitions included Deutsche Asphalt GmbH{{cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52020M9666&rid=4|title=Case M.9666 – Deutsche Asphalt/KEMNA BAU Andrae/Heideasphalt|publisher=European Commission|accessdate=6 January 2021}} in 2002, Walter Bau Group in 2005, a majority stake in Ed. Züblin in 2005, Adanti SpA, KIRCHNER Holding GmbH, F. Kirchhoff AG and Deutsche Telekom Immobilien und Service GmbH in 2008.

In 2007, STRABAG SE launched its initial public offering on the Vienna Stock exchange.

In December 2013 the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic confirmed that one of the companies of the STRABAG Group participated in bid rigging cartel of construction companies (together with companies of Skanska group and Mota-Engil group) in 2004. Illegal conduct was associated with the tender for the execution of works for the construction of the D1 highway from Mengusovce to Jánovce in Eastern Slovakia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.antimon.gov.sk/3109-en/the-supreme-court-upheld-the-decisions-of-the-antimonopoly-office-of-the-slovak-republic-in-the-matter-of-cartel-of-six-construction-companies/|title=The Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic in the matter of cartel of six construction companies|date=19 August 2021|website=www.antimon.gov.sk}}

In May 2022, Thomas Bull, a director appointed by the third largest shareholder, Rasperia Trading, which is owned by Russian entrepreneur Oleg Deripaska, was removed from the board to ensure compliance with the EU sanctions against Deripaska.{{cite news|url=https://www.vindobona.org/article/strabag-se-removes-russian-voice-on-supervisory-board|title=Construction Giant Strabag Removes Russian Voice on Supervisory Board|date=5 May 2022|newspaper=Vindobona|access-date=14 September 2023}}

In October 2024, Strabag sold its 6% shareholding in GySEV to the Government of Hungary.[https://hungarytoday.hu/government-buys-out-austrian-railway-giant-strabags-majority-stake/ Government Buys out Strabag's Hungarian-Austrian Railway Stakes] Hungary Today 13 September 2024[https://www.railjournal.com/financial/hungary-achieves-majority-stake-in-gysev/ Hungary achieves majority stake in GySEV] International Railway Journal 9 October 2024

Structure

The company is organised into the following divisions: Building Construction & Civil Engineering, Transportation Infrastructure, Special Divisions & Concessions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.strabag-international.com/databases/internet/_public/files.nsf/SearchView/4F2B7911B8B4FAE7C12578110045AD78/$File/Brochure_Division3G_final_A4.pdf?OpenElement|title=STRABAG Construction Worldwide Brochure}}

Major projects

File:20180928 szkieletor̞ Kraków 01.jpg in Krakow, Poland]]

Major projects have included the Alte Weser Lighthouse in the North Sea completed in 1964,{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsv.de/wsa-bhv/verkehrswesen/schifffahrtszeichen/leuchttuerme/alte_weser/index.html|title=Alte Weser|publisher=Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413013628/http://www.wsv.de/wsa-bhv/verkehrswesen/schifffahrtszeichen/leuchttuerme/alte_weser/index.html |archive-date=13 April 2008 |url-status=dead}} Basra International Airport in Iraq completed in 1988,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nti.org/db/missile/1991/m9100542.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020075524/http://www.nti.org/db/missile/1991/m9100542.htm|url-status=dead|title=NTI|archivedate=20 October 2008}} the Copenhagen Metro in Denmark completed in 2002,{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-58673331.html|title=Copenhagen's First Metro Line Takes Shape|date=9 January 1999|newspaper=International Railway Gazette|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204221207/http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-58673331.html |archive-date=4 February 2008 |url-status=dead}} the Manapouri Second Tailrace Tunnel in New Zealand completed in 2002,{{Cite web|url=http://www.rowa-ag.ch/images/PDFs/ref_Manapouri_e.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309215621/http://www.rowa-ag.ch/images/PDFs/ref_Manapouri_e.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Manapouri Power Station|archivedate=9 March 2012}} the Sofia Airport Second Terminal in Bulgaria completed in 2006,{{Cite news|url=http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/sofia-airport-terminal-could-be-ready-by-december-20-2006/id_18694/catid_67|title=Terminal could be ready by 20 December 2006|date=13 November 2006|newspaper=Sofia Echo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306063852/http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/sofia-airport-terminal-could-be-ready-by-december-20-2006/id_18694/catid_67 |archive-date=6 March 2009 |url-status=dead}} the Vrmac Tunnel in Montenegro completed in 2007,[http://panhelion.com/tourism.php Panhelion] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313214024/http://panhelion.com/tourism.php |date=13 March 2012 }} the Limerick Tunnel in Ireland completed in 2010{{Cite web|url=http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/ProjectTracker/N7LimerickSouthernRingPhaseII/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023153059/http://nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/ProjectTracker/N7LimerickSouthernRingPhaseII/|url-status=dead|title=National Roads Authority|archivedate=23 October 2012}} and the Niagara Third Hydro Tunnel in Canada completed in 2013.[http://www.opg.com/power/hydro/new_projects/ntp/index.asp Ontario Power Generation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131119130706/http://www.opg.com/power/hydro/new_projects/ntp/index.asp |date=19 November 2013 }}

From 2012 to 2015, STRABAG worked on the rehabilitation and extension of the Bus Rapid Transit Infrastructure in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.[http://www.24tanzania.com/dar-rapid-transit-system-takes-shape/ Dar rapid transit system takes shape] 24 Tanzania, 19 August 2013{{Cite web|url=http://www.strabag-international.com/databases/internet/_public/content30.nsf/web30?Openagent&id=78E714EA7732617AC125811B006BACF4|title=Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Infrastructure, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania|first=Simon|last=DRABOSENIG|website=www.strabag-international.com}}

STRABAG is also involved in HS2 lots S1 and S2, working as part of a joint venture, due to complete in 2031.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/17/hs2-high-speed-rail-contracts-worth-66bn-awarded-uk-chris-grayling|title=HS2 contracts worth £6.6bn awarded by UK government|website=the Guardian|language=en-gb|date=17 July 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}}

Shareholders

The largest shareholders as at September 2023 were: UNIQA Raiffeisen Group with a 29.5% stake, Hans Peter Haselsteiner's family with a 28.3% stake and Oleg Deripaska's Cyprus-based Rasperia Trading with a 27.8% stake.{{Cite web|url=https://www.strabag.com/databases/internet/_public/content.nsf/web/EN-STRABAG.COM-aktionaersstruktur.html|title=STRABAG SE - Shareholders structure|first=Roland|last=POPPE|website=www.strabag.com}} In September 2022 the company launched a buyback program.{{cite web|url=https://strabag.com/databases/internet/_public/files.nsf/SearchView/25CB17DF6B5FA0C0C12588CC00267C69/$File/48935486.pdf|title=Anticipatory manadatory takeover offer|publisher=Stabag|access-date=14 September 2023}}

References

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