Implenia wins major order to construct Semmering base tunnel
Dietlikon, 10 January 2014 – The planned Semmering base tunnel (SBT) is currently one of the most important large-scale infrastructure projects in Central Europe. It forms part of Austria's new southern railway, which serves as the central axis for trans-European routes from the Baltic coast to the Adriatic. With a total length of 27.3 km, the SBT links the country's Lower Austria and Steiermark regions. Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), which is responsible for awarding the contracts, has now commissioned the "ATF" consortium consisting of Implenia (technical lead) and Swietelsky, to do the work on the 13 kilometre long middle section (Lot 2.1). The two partners each have a 50% stake in the consortium. This section will be built using both TBM drilling (8.6 kilometres) and mining methods (4.3 kilometres). It involves 26 cross passages, an emergency stop station and two 400-metre ventilation shafts to supply the entire construction site. The contract for Lot 2.1 is worth EUR 623 million (around CHF 770 million; Implenia’s share: CHF 385 million).
One of the main challenges in this major project is dealing with the geological conditions in the drilling zone. Added to this is the need to supply the construction sites with building materials and take away excavated matter – always with a view to finding sustainable solutions for people and the environment. Implenia’s many years of experience, and particularly the expertise gained from the successful construction of the NEAT base tunnel, will be very useful in this new project. Implenia took the technical lead on three of the five lots within the NEAT project – Sedrun, Bodio and Faido. The Bodio and Faido sections were handed over on schedule to the client in September 2013 after approximately twelve years of construction. For Implenia, winning the Semmering contract marks a major milestone as it continues to builds up its infrastructure business in Western Europe. Construction works started at the beginning of January 2014 and will last around ten years. For more information about the project, please visit www.oebb.at/semmering.
Contact at Implenia:
Philipp Bircher, Head of Communications
Tel.: +41 44 805 45 23
E-mail: philipp.bircher@implenia.com
Contact at ÖBB-Holding AG:
Christopher Seif, Press Officer
Tel.: +43 2742 93000 3527
E-mail: christopher.seif@oebb.at
With a total length of 27.3 kilometres, the Semmering base tunnel links the Lower Austria and Steiermark regions between the villages of Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag. (Copyright Bild: heiderklausner designagentur)
Implenia is Switzerland's leading construction and construction services company. Formed in 2006 from the merger between Zschokke and Batigroup, Implenia can look back on around 150 years of history in the construction industry. The company brings the expertise of its highly skilled Modernisation & Development, Buildings and Tunnelling & Civil Engineering Sectors, and its Switzerland and Norway Regions under the single roof of a nationally and internationally active company. With its integrated business model and specialists operating in all its divisions, Implenia can manage a building project through its entire lifecycle and deliver work that is economical, integrated and customer-centric. The focus is on striking a sustainable balance between financial success and social and environmental responsibility.
Implenia, with its headquarters in Dietlikon near Zurich, currently employs more than 6700 people and posted turnover of around CHF 2.7 billion in 2012. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (IMPN, CH0023868554). More information can be found at www.implenia.com.
