HEIJMANS HEITKAMP CONTRACT
[BIZ/LOG: 's Hertogenbosch, January 25] Railway construction is a new market for Heijmans. Because of the intensive use of the railway network, substantial investments will be made for both new development and for maintenance of the network. This acquisition offers Heijmans the opportunity of taking advantage of this situation. The market for railway construction is undergoing radical change, owing to the fact that projects are increasingly being comprehensively contracted out. Railway construction and maintenance are linked to railway-related concrete construction and vice versa. This new product-market combination fits neatly into Heijmans' full service strategy. Besides this, it implies involvement in the entire process from design through to maintenance and possibly even management. Heijmans has extensive experience in constructing large infrastructural works, such as the HSL and the Betuwe line. Up to now, concrete construction has been the principal focus in these projects. The new activities will further increase the diversity of Heijmans Infrastructuur in particular. Recently, Heitkamp Rail was involved in the construction of the new development project on the Cologne - Main section. In addition, it is involved in railway-related concrete construction. Building and maintenance without disrupting railway traffic is one of its specialities. In the area of traditional railway construction, Heitkamp Rail built such sections as "Düsseldorf airport" and the Eurotunnel under the Aermel canal. In the Netherlands, Heitkamp Rail was involved in the renovation of the railway line between Leeuwarden and Stavoren and in the "Utrechtboog" and the doubling of the track between Harmelen and Woerden.
Heijmans NV has reached a definitive agreement on the acquisition of the activities of the German railway construction company Heitkamp Rail GmbH. The takeover will take place shortly. The takeover sum of approximately EUR 18m will be paid in cash. The acquisition is in line with Heijmans' strategy of expanding its activities in order to be able to offer a complete package of building activities. Heitkamp Rail is also active in the Dutch railway construction market.
Heitkamp Rail GmbH (1908) is one of the five companies in the world capable of building high speed lines. To do this, it has developed its own system. The company has an extensive and specialist machine park, both for traditional railway construction and for the "Feste Fahrbahn-Systeme" and "Masse-Feder-Systeme" it has developed for high speed lines.
Heitkamp Rail GmbH is a profitable company. Including its share in cooperative partnerships, its turnover in 2005 amounted to some EUR 65 m.
Heitkamp Rail employs 310 people. Heitkamp Rail has extensive experience abroad. Apart from its work in Germany, the company also operates in the Netherlands, the UK, Austria, France and Eastern Europe. In the Netherlands, Heitkamp Rail has a stake in Nedrail vof and Techrail bv.
http://www.heijmans.nl