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64-507: Hochtief AG is a global provider of infrastructure technology and construction services, with locations in North America , Australia , and Europe . The Essen based company is primarily active in the fields of high tech , energy transition , and sustainable infrastructure. With the international projects making up 95% of the company's revenue, Hochtief was among the largest international construction firms in 2023. In Australia,

128-482: A 20% stake in Abertis HoldCo, S.A.: Turner is an American construction management company. It is primarily involved in the delivery of healthcare and education facilities, airports, sports venues, and office buildings. Additionally, Turner is increasingly active in the construction of technical facilities, such as factories for electric vehicles and battery recycling, as well as data centres, including those for

192-580: A company he named bergrechtliche Gewerkschaft Zollverein (Mining Law Labor Union Zollverein). There was a mining law ( Bergrecht ) in Prussia to encourage the exploitation of natural resources . The law called for the creation of a special form of corporation, designated a 'labour union' ( Gewerkschaft ) but in fact a capitalist company. Haniel named his after the German Customs Union ( Zollverein ) , established in 1834. Haniel distributed

256-481: A machine house. This concept was to be adapted by many later twin-shaft coal mines. Starting in 1857, charcoal piles were used to produce coke. In 1866, these piles were replaced by a modern cokery and machine ovens. In 1880, the sinking of another shaft, Shaft 3, began in neighboring Schonnebeck . It had a steel framework to support its winding tower and was opened in 1883. By 1890, the three shafts had already achieved an output of one million tons, making Zollverein

320-586: A period of decay. Surprisingly, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) bought the coal mine territory from the RAG immediately after it had been closed down in late 1986, and declared Shaft 12 a heritage site . This went along with the obligation to preserve the site in its original state and to minimize the effects of weathering . In 1989, the city of Essen and NRW founded the Bauhütte Zollverein Schacht XII that should take care for

384-689: A provider of infrastructure projects in the United States. Hochtief is also represented in the Gulf region through the Habtoor Leighton Group, a Leighton subsidiary. In 2005, August von Finck , through his Custodia Holding, acquired a stake in the company, which was increased to 25.08% in 2006. In March 2007, the Spanish construction group Actividades de Construcción y Servicios (ACS) purchased Custodia’s shares for €72 per share, with

448-658: A range of infrastructure projects across German-dominated Europe. Hochtief also constructed buildings for Hitler himself, notably his Bavarian Alpine retreat, the Berghof , his Wolf's Lair headquarters in Rastenburg , and the Führerbunker in Berlin , where Hitler ultimately committed suicide. After 1939, the firm began to use forced labour extensively on its projects, as did many other German industrial concerns at

512-452: A subsidiary to a publicly traded company: the sale of the majority shareholder RWE’s shares gave Hochtief a new international shareholder structure. By 2005, around 80% of the company was in free float. Through the acquisition of service companies Siemens Gebäudemanagement and Lufthansa Gebäudemanagement, Hochtief Facility Management, a subsidiary, expanded from 800 to approximately 4,500 employees in 2004. In 2007, Hochtief acquired Flatiron,

576-408: A tent-shaped fibreglass roof , contains a mosque , can accommodate 80,000 travellers at once, and is believed to be the largest terminal in the world. After German reunification, the company benefited from the construction boom, although by 1993, slowing economic growth led to increased competitive pressure. Under the leadership of Hans-Peter Keitel initially, and from 2007 Herbert Lütkestratkötter,

640-543: Is a German word for a corporation limited by share ownership (i.e., one which is owned by its shareholders ) whose shares may be traded on a stock market . The term is used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland (where it is equivalent to a société anonyme or a società per azioni ) and South Tyrol for companies incorporated there. In the United Kingdom, the equivalent term is public limited company , and in

704-609: Is active in the energy infrastructure sector through subsidiaries such as Flatiron in the USA and Canada, CPB Contractors in Australia, Leighton Asia in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, as well as Hochtief Infrastructure in Germany. In the field of transport infrastructure, the company constructs bridges , railways , stations, airports , and ports, as well as roads, tunnels, and motorways both domestically and internationally, often within

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768-858: Is mainly active in construction and civil engineering (buildings, bridges, tunnels, etc.). In addition to executing construction projects, Hochtief is also involved in planning and, in some cases, acts as a co-investor. Furthermore, Hochtief is active in the construction and operation of environmental technology facilities, as well as the expansion of digital infrastructure. The corporate group also provides services such as organising and consulting on real estate and infrastructure facilities. Hochtief develops and constructs neighbourhoods and districts that include residential properties, as well as public and commercial facilities. Hochtief delivers construction and infrastructure services for energy systems, from generation to utilization, and supports digital infrastructure projects like data centers and telecom networks. Hochtief

832-633: The Aswan High Dam . From 1967 onwards, the company’s focus shifted away from purely construction services towards turnkey construction and related services, exemplified by the Hilton Hotel in Athens . By the mid-1970s, the international business accounted for only a small portion of the company’s activities. Most work was domestic, driven by Germany's strong economic growth, with a particular strength in power plant construction. This included

896-474: The Code of Obligations , Article 620. Article 950 specifies that the business name must indicate the legal form. German AGs have a "two-tiered board" structure, consisting of a supervisory board ( Aufsichtsrat ) and a management board ( Vorstand ). The supervisory board is generally controlled by shareholders, although employees may have seats, depending on the size of the company. The management board directly runs

960-591: The First World , often funded from development aid budgets. The company gained international recognition for the relocation of the Abu Simbel rock temple (from November 1963 to September 1968, planned by Walter Jurecka, former head of the international division) and the Mandulis Temple of Kalabsha (1961 to 1963). These UNESCO World Heritage sites had to be relocated due to the construction of

1024-534: The Frankfurt Stock Exchange and Börse München , using the Xetra system. In the 2023 financial year, Hochtief generated revenue of €27.8 billion, with the majority of earnings coming from Hochtief Americas. During the same financial year, 41,575 employees worked for the group. Shareholders as of September 2024: The Hochtief Group operates three divisions with subsidiaries and additionally holds

1088-522: The Treaty of Versailles , organising the delivery of construction materials to France as part of German reparations for World War I . Stinnes died in 1924, and within a year his industrial empire collapsed. With the help of several banks , the company (now known as Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft für Hoch- und Tiefbauten vorm. Gebrüder Helfmann ) avoided insolvency . In the aftermath of the Stinnes collapse,

1152-756: The Øresund Bridge and the Bosphorus Bridge . The company is also working on the Chacao Channel bridge due to be completed in 2025. In 2022, Hochtief published its Sustainability Plan 2025, aiming for the company’s operations to become climate-neutral by 2045. Additionally, the company is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index by S&P Global . Aktiengesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft ( German pronunciation: [ˈaktsi̯ənɡəˌzɛlʃaft] ; abbreviated AG , pronounced [aːˈgeː] )

1216-411: The 2/8/11 shaft facility from 1960 until 1964 was again planned by Fritz Schupp. However, these renovations were to last only until 1967, when 11 shafts were closed, leaving Shaft 12 the only open one. Shaft 12 thus became the main supplier of the new central coking plant from 1961 with its 192 ovens, which was again designed by Fritz Schupp. After an expansion in the early 1970s, Zollverein placed among

1280-1071: The Elliott Fund Management; in April 2024, Cimic increased its shareholding back to 60%. Projects Hochtief has been involved in include the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland and the project planning of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Hochtief has also worked on various airports, such as those in Frankfurt, Athens, and Warsaw, as well as several expansions of the German motorways. International bridge construction projects include

1344-512: The Haniel family, who had been the owners of Zollverein until then, started cooperating with Phönix AG , a mining company that subsequently took over the management of the site. Under Phönix's management, several of the shafts were again modernized, and an eleventh shaft was opened by 1927. When Phönix merged into Vereinigte Stahlwerke in 1926, Zollverein came under the control of Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-AG (GBAG) which started closing most of

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1408-606: The Ruhr Museum presents, with over 6,000 exhibits, the fascinating history of one of the largest industrial regions of the world, from the formation of coal 300 million years ago to the current structural change towards the Ruhr Metropolis. The Ruhr Museum has extensive collections on the geology, archaeology, industrial and social history as well as photography of the Ruhr Area. In addition to its permanent exhibition,

1472-832: The Supervisory Board were expelled under the Nuremberg Laws in 1935. In 1937, CEO Eugen Vögler joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and served as leader of the Construction Industry Group as well as an honorary squad leader of the Hitler Youth . The construction business flourished under the four year plan , with its vast public works programme, including the Autobahn network, and the industrial build-up in preparation for war, for example

1536-452: The United States, while the terms " incorporated " or "corporation" are typically used, technically the more precise equivalent term is " joint-stock company ." The German word Aktiengesellschaft is a compound noun made up of two elements: Aktien meaning an acting part or share , and Gesellschaft , meaning company or society. English translations include share company , or company limited by shares , or joint-stock company . In German,

1600-609: The beginning of the Wirtschaftswunder brought more new work. Josef Müller took over as CEO in 1950. A decision was made to undertake more international projects, following a period of essentially domestic work after World War II. This included a series of power infrastructure works in Turkey and bridge and smelting works construction in Egypt during the early 1950s. Many projects from this period were undertaken outside of

1664-976: The civil engineering company Flatiron in North America. In Europe, Hochtief operates in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, the UK, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands. Hochtief holds a stake in Abertis, a toll road operator with approximately 8,000 kilometres of toll roads in Europe and South America. Abertis operates mainly in France, Spain, Brazil, Chile, the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Subsidiaries include Flatiron, CPB Contractors, Leighton Asia (active in Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian countries), and Hochtief Infrastructure. The company

1728-665: The cokery also became an official heritage site in 2000. On its 25th session in December 2001, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared both the sites of Shafts 12 and 1/2 and the cokery a World Heritage Site . The Ruhr Museum in the former Coal Washery, located on the UNESCO World Heritages Site Zollverein, is the regional museum of the Ruhr Area. In its permanent exhibition

1792-556: The company Gebrüder Helfmann in Frankfurt am Main . While Balthasar was responsible for the completion of construction contracts, Philipp developed the financing side of the business. Their first major contract was for the University of Giessen in 1878. By the 1880s, the company had begun to produce its own construction materials but was still only a regional player. Shortly after the death of Balthasar, Philipp Helfmann transformed

1856-625: The company into a joint-stock corporation for building construction and civil engineering named Aktiengesellschaft für Hoch- und Tiefbauten (Construction and Civil Engineering Corporation) in 1896, just before the German Stock Exchange Act came into force. A major development was the contract for the spa in Bad Orb in 1899, where the order included not just construction of the buildings, but also provision of infrastructure like roads and gardens , arrangement of finances for

1920-539: The company underwent a restructuring. While construction remained the core business, Hochtief also began offering additional services as a construction provider, including the planning, financing, and operation of buildings. Acquisitions were made to support these new business areas. To further this, Hochtief founded new companies and acquired Australia's Leighton Holdings and the US-based Turner Construction . In 2004, Hochtief transitioned from

1984-479: The company was renamed from Leighton Holdings to Cimic Group in April 2015. In 2022, Juan Santamaría Cases assumed his position as CEO of the company, succeeding Marcelino Fernández Verdes. In 2023, Hochtief, together with EWE, was awarded funding under the German government's Deutschlandnetz initiative to establish and operate charging points for electric vehicles. Hochtief is an Aktiengesellschaft . Its shares are traded on all German stock exchanges , including

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2048-464: The company, but its members may be removed by the supervisory board, which also determines the management board's compensation. Some German AGs have management boards which determine their own remuneration, but that situation is now relatively uncommon. The general meeting is the supreme governing body of a Swiss company limited by shares. It elects the board of directors ( Verwaltungsrat in German ) and

2112-700: The construction of a new truck factory for Opel in Brandenberg . Hochtief also worked on a new centre for Nazi rallies in Nuremberg . In 1936, it moved its Essen headquarters from the Pferdemarkt to its current location on Rellinghauser Straße . As war became imminent, the company began work on the Westwall defensive network. During World War II , it worked on the Atlantic Wall defences, and

2176-518: The construction of the Federal Republic of Germany 's first nuclear power plant, Kahl Nuclear Power Plant , near Dettingen am Main . The construction contract had been awarded by AEG , which had been commissioned by the utility company RWE to build the plant. The plant began to feed its electricity to the grid in June 1961. By contrast, the first East German nuclear plant, at Rheinsberg ,

2240-507: The construction of ventilation shafts 7, 8, and 9, the old Shafts 1 and 2, and their cokery, were renovated, and one of their twin towers was taken down and replaced by a modern steel framework. In 1914, Shaft 10 and a new cokery were opened, and Shaft 9 was converted from a ventilation shaft to a working shaft. By the eve of the First World War , Zollverein's output had risen to approximately 2.5 million tons per year. In 1920,

2304-522: The external auditors. The board of directors may appoint and dismiss persons entrusted with managing and representing the company. The equivalent terms in other countries include the following, which mostly mean literally either "share company/society" or "anonymous company/society". Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex Because of its architecture and testimony to the development of heavy industry in Europe,

2368-485: The framework of concession models such as public-private partnerships. Hochtief holds a 20% stake in the internationally operating toll road operator Abertis , which owns approximately 8,000 kilometres of toll roads across several countries. Hochtief is involved in the mining business through Cimic and holds a stake in Thiess, a contract miner. In October 2020, Cimic sold 50% of its stake in its mining subsidiary Thiess to

2432-742: The group is active through its subsidiary Cimic (100% since 2022). Via its wholly owned subsidiary Turner Hochtief is a leader in commercial construction in the United States . Since June 2018, Hochtief has held a 20% stake in Abertis . Abertis directly owns 99.1% of the toll road operator Abertis Infraestructuras. Since ACS Group first acquired shares in Hochtief in 2005, it has increased its shareholding to 75.71% in 2023. In 1873, brothers Philipp Helfmann (a bricklayer ) and Balthasar Helfmann (a locksmith ), originally from Kelsterbach , founded

2496-675: The industrial complex was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on December 14, 2001, and is one of the anchor points of the European Route of Industrial Heritage . Zollverein Coal Mine was founded by Duisburg -born industrialist Franz Haniel (1779–1868), who needed coke for steel production . Test drilling in the Katernberg region had revealed a very rich seam of coal. In 1847, Haniel founded

2560-482: The internet company Meta . Cimic operates in the Asia-Pacific region, providing construction services for sectors such as education, healthcare, power and energy, transportation, tunnelling, and water. Cimic is also active in natural resources, holding stakes in service providers Thiess and Sedgman. Engineering and Construction encompasses Hochtief's construction activities and PPP business in Europe, along with

2624-715: The major utility RWE and electrical equipment producer AEG became major shareholders in Hochtief, and Hans Weidmann stepped down in 1927. A series of major construction projects ensued, including the Echelsbach Bridge (then Germany's largest single span reinforced concrete bridge), the Schluchsee dam and work on the Zollverein colliery . From 1933 onwards, the structures of the Third Reich influenced Hochtief’s business activities. Jewish members of

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2688-447: The most productive coking plants worldwide with around 1,000 workers and an output of up to 8,600 tons of coke a day on the so-called dark side . The white side of the plant produced side products such as ammonia , raw benzene and raw tar . In 1968, Zollverein was handed over to Ruhrkohle AG (RAG) , Germany's largest mining company. RAG began a further mechanization and consolidation of mining activities. In 1974, Zollverein

2752-564: The most productive of all German mines. Since the coal, iron and steel industries of the Ruhr area flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the mine was extended significantly. Between 1891 and 1896, the twin Shafts 4 and 5 were built on the edge of Heßler (nowadays a suburb of Gelsenkirchen ). These each had special lifts for the extraction of coal, and the transportation of miners, and had ventilation ducts. Another shaft, number 6,

2816-456: The now elderly coking plants . In 1928, the GBAG voted for the construction of a totally new twelfth shaft designed as a central mining facility. When the shaft opened in 1932, it had a daily output of up to 12,000 tons, combining the output of the four other existing facilities with 11 shafts. Schacht Albert Vögler , as the highly modern shaft was named after the director general of the GBAG,

2880-465: The premises of the old coking plant of Shafts 1, 2 and 8, a small facility of 54 new ovens was opened with a yearly output of 200,000 tons of coke. Zollverein survived the Second World War with only minor damage and by 1953 again placed on top of all German mines with an output of 2.4 million tons. In 1958, Shaft 1 was replaced by a totally new building; the complete reconstruction of

2944-465: The private equity firm Grove. Further sales of smaller business units followed. In May 2015, Hochtief’s offshore business was sold to GeoSea, a subsidiary of the DEME Group. However, Hochtief strengthened its activities in the Asia-Pacific region, increasing its stake in the listed Australian subsidiary Leighton Holdings Limited from approximately 58% to 69.62% in 2014. As part of the reorganisation,

3008-463: The project, and maintenance of some responsibilities for operation after the construction. Also in 1899, another turnkey project, a new grain silo in Genoa , Italy, was both the firm's first international venture and its first project using reinforced concrete . Philipp Helfmann died in the same year, with his son-in-law, Hans Weidmann , taking over as Chief Executive . The firm grew rapidly, but

3072-419: The public of the limits on their liability , all German (required by § 4 Aktiengesetz ) and Austrian stock corporations include Aktiengesellschaft or AG as part of their name, frequently as a suffix. In Switzerland, the Company Limited by Shares ( Aktiengesellschaft in German , société anonyme in French , società anonima in Italian , societad anonima in Romansh ) is defined in Title Twenty-Six of

3136-434: The same time, Hochtief began restructuring its loss-making European activities in 2013: The Group spun off the construction business, which had previously been bundled into one unit, into four largely autonomous companies and cut up to 1,000 jobs, primarily in Germany. In February 2014, the 50% stake in the real estate company Aurelis Real Estate, a former subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn , was sold to an investor consortium led by

3200-486: The second half of the 20th century, it was this shaft and especially its characteristic winding tower that were to become a symbol of the Ruhr area 's structural change . In 1937, Zollverein employed 6900 people and had an output of 3.6 million tons, the majority of which was contributed by the new 12th shaft. The other shafts were not entirely closed, and some, such as Shaft 6, even received new winding towers (though in comparison to Shaft 12 they were far inferior). On

3264-437: The shares of the new company amongst the members of his family and the owner of the land on which the future mine would be constructed. The sinking of Shaft 1 began on February 18, 1847, with the first coal layer being reached at a depth of 130 meters. The first mining activities started in 1851. Shaft 2, which was sunk at the same time as Shaft 1, was opened in 1852. Both shafts featured visually identical stone towers and shared

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3328-461: The shares. After improving the offer to nine ACS shares for five Hochtief shares, ACS announced in January 2011 that it held over 30% of Hochtief’s shares following the conclusion of the takeover bid. By June 2011, ACS held slightly over 50% of Hochtief’s shares, as shares held by Hochtief itself were voting shares attributed to ACS. In May 2013, Hochtief sold its airports division to Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board for €1.1 billion. At

3392-411: The site and which was replaced by the Stiftung Zollverein (Zollverein Foundation) in 1998. After it had been closed down in 1993, the coking plant was planned to be sold to China . The negotiations failed and it was subsequently threatened to be demolished . However, another project of the state of NRW set the coal mine on a list of future exhibition sites resulting in first gentle modifications and

3456-427: The time. Hochtief's slave workers suffered from malnutrition, beating and constant abuse. After the collapse in 1945, Hochtief lost both its international business and its branches in East Germany. Under the leadership of the new CEO, Artur Konrad, operations continued. One of the first major contracts was for a university hospital in Bonn , between 1946 and 1949. The introduction of the Deutsche Mark in 1948 and

3520-452: The transaction amounting to over €1.26 billion. Subsequently, ACS acquired more shares, holding 29.9% by September 2010. On 16 September 2010, ACS announced a public takeover bid for the remaining shares, offering an exchange of eight ACS shares for five Hochtief shares. On 29 November, BaFin approved ACS’s takeover of Hochtief. In December, Qatar Holding from the Emirate of Qatar subscribed to a reserved capital increase, acquiring nearly 9.1% of

3584-512: The use of the term Aktien for shares is restricted to Aktiengesellschaften . Shares in other types of German companies (e.g., GmbH or a cooperative ) are called Anteile (parts-of) rather than Aktien . In Germany and Austria, the legal basis of the AG is the German Aktiengesetz (abbr. AktG; "shares law") or the Austrian Aktiengesetz (abbr. AktG). Since the German commercial law (§ 19 Handelsgesetzbuch ) requires all corporations to specify their legal form in their name, in order to inform

3648-413: The water drainage for the central Ruhr area together with Shaft 2. Zollverein is one of the settings for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning novel All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr . Zollverein appeared as a "Wonder" in the video game Civilization VI , representing the Ruhr Valley . As with most sites of the heavy industries that had been closed down, Zollverein was predicted to face

3712-472: Was approximately 3.2 million tons, but this did not prove profitable enough and a complete closure of the Zollverein site was voted for in 1983. When it closed, Zollverein was the last remaining active coal mine in Essen . Whereas the coking plant remained open until June 30, 1993, mining activities in Shaft 12 stopped on December 23, 1986. Although it is the central shaft of the Cultural Heritage site, Shaft 12 cannot be visited as it continues being used as

3776-477: Was connected to the grid in 1966. During the 1960s and 1970s, the company also executed significant transport infrastructure projects. Notable examples include the Raúl Uranga Subfluvial Tunnel in Argentina , the Elbe Tunnel in Hamburg, and the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul. After the 1973 oil crisis, the company benefited from the unexpected wealth of oil-exporting countries. By 1980, foreign work accounted for more than 50% of Hochtief's business. A major factor

3840-528: Was designed by the architects Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer and quickly gained notice for its simple, functional Bauhaus design with its mainly cubical buildings made of reinforced concrete and steel trusses . The shaft's characteristic Doppelbock winding tower in the following years not only became the archetype of many later central mining facilities but also became a symbol of German heavy industry . Whilst this symbol may have slowly been forgotten when German heavy industry started diminishing in

3904-448: Was joined into a Verbundbergwerk (joined mines) with nearby Bonifacius and Holland coal mines in Kray and Gelsenkirchen , respectively. In 1982, Gelsenkirchen's Nordstern coal mine also joined that Verbund. The Flöz Sonnenschein coal layer in the north of the Zollverein territory was the last layer in which mining activities took place on Zollverein territory, starting in 1980. The output of Verbundbergwerk Nordstern-Zollverein

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3968-446: Was not comparable with the major German construction companies of the era. In 1921, it attracted investment from the industrialist Hugo Stinnes (described by Time as the "New Emperor of Germany" for his wealth and influence) and in 1922, the firm moved its base to Essen as part of its integration into the Stinnes group. Stinnes planned to use Hochtief for all his construction projects, while Hochtief saw an opportunity to profit from

4032-456: Was opened in 1897. By 1897, Zollverein had long suffered from many mining accidents due to firedamp caused by ventilation problems. To resolve these problems, additional ventilation-only shafts, close to the existing mining shafts, were opened: in 1899 Shaft 7 was opened near Shaft 3, in 1900 Shaft 8 was opened near Shafts 1 and 2, and in 1905 Shaft 9 was opened near Shaft 6. Years of continuous renovation and further expansion followed. After

4096-448: Was the contract for the turnkey construction of King Abdulaziz International Airport (completed in 1981), the largest airport in Saudi Arabia, located in Jeddah , and the most valuable contract Hochtief had ever been involved with. The aesthetics of the architecture of the airport is highly rated, and it has several unusual features, including Terminal Three, used only during the Hajj , reserved for pilgrims travelling to Mecca . It has

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