Business profile
HOCHTIEF is celebrating 140 years of innovation and engineering excellence in construction
W
ith more than 80,000 employees worldwide and a sales volume of €25.53 billion in 2012,
HOCHTIEF is represented in all the world’s major markets.
Known in the UK for its innovative and collaborative approach, the company has provided construction services specialising in market segments such as road and rail infrastructure, building, structural and civil engineering, energy, tunnelling, and marine works. It delivers innovative value-engineered
solutions to discerning clients and throughout the course of its history has faced some great and complex challenges.
Innovation really at the core From the start HOCHTIEF has looked outside the box to add value in the way it delivers projects. Innovation takes many forms, from working early with its clients in a collaborative effort to refine design, programme and construction methodology. As a global player in the construction
services arena, it has amassed a wealth of projects that demonstrates its experience.
Below HOCHTIEF offers a taste of what it has delivered closer to home.
A great starting point is the work carried it out on the high profile, Paddington Bridge project (2004-2007). This comprised
replacing the old bowstring arch at the mouth of Paddington station with a new structure. The project environment was heavily populated with a landlocked site and little off-site space for fabrication. The challenge was finding a methodology that enabled the 14 Network Rail lines, 2 LUL lines, and the Grand Union Canal below to stay operational throughout. This was no easy feat as careful consideration had to be paid to the planning, programming and coordination with multiple stakeholders at one of the busiest rail termini in London. The innovative solution involved a lift
and launch scheme to remove dependence on possessions, eliminate temporary works between tracks, and to maximise off-site work completed prior to closing the old bridge.
The new bridge was launched 60m over
the tracks using an unprecedented method with the deck slab cast in advance and during normal maintenance possessions of typically four hours at night. To simplify demolition the existing bowstring arch bridge was elevated, in situ, 10m vertically above the existing railway on temporary towers and remained elevated throughout the launch ready to be lowered later onto the new road deck for dismantling and removal offsite. The innovative construction methods
employed on this project allowed the contract to be delivered on time and under
the client’s budget with no disruption to the railway and no overrun possessions. The project received six industry awards
including an ICE Merit award, Structural Steel Design award, National Rail Award and British Construction Industry Award. ‘Professional ingenuity, creativity and impeccable execution on their lift and launch bridge scheme delivered on time and below budget.’
Judges’ comments, British Construction Industry Awards
HOCHFIEF’s Newhaven Energy Recovery Facility project (2008-2011) demonstrates how innovation can mitigate environmental impacts. The project involved the construction
of a new Energy Recovery facility on the banks of a tidal estuary. The ground was of poor bearing capacity and heavily contaminated by previous industrial activity which presented a considerable environmental challenge in constructing the facility’s basement. The Environment Agency imposed very
tight conditions on construction water discharges, which precluded the use of conventional dewatering techniques. A major element of the substructure was the reinforced concrete (RC) basement, a 17m deep basement, 50m x 45m on plan. In order to construct this and minimise groundwater arising problems, a technically innovative
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