immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Bauwesen

  • Strabag is an active partner on Engineers' Day

    Strabag is an active partner on Engineers' Day

    Strabag Switzerland will take an active part in the day of engineers and will present a pilot project in Küsnacht in an online lecture. According to the media release from the Schlierem construction company, the start is on Friday, March 4, at 11 a.m. The lecture goes until 12:15 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Internet via Microsoft Teams. On the Engineer’s Day website, access is possible by clicking on it without prior registration. The speakers are Stijepan Ljubicic, Technical Group Manager BIM, and Christian Häni, Technical Group Manager Traffic Routes Engineering at Strabag.

    BIM stands for Building Information Modeling and describes the model-based planning, implementation and operation of construction projects, with the aim of optimizing the transfer of knowledge, the quality of the results and the efficiency of all those involved, according to Strabag. On March 4th, Strabag will present its project for the renovation of the Schiedhaldensteig in Küsnacht in the live presentation. Strabag is the total contractor and is responsible for the planning and construction management as well as the execution – model-based using the BIM 5D program. In Küsnacht, the upper part of the Schiedhaldensteig was rehabilitated in a very narrow and steep traffic area and the sewage pipes were replaced. At the same time, the existing gas, water and electrical lines at the plants on Lake Zurich were renewed.

    Even before the actual Engineer’s Day, a networking event will take place on Thursday, February 17, at the JED in Schlieren. Zurich government councilor Carmen Walker Späh and Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin will be taking part. According to a press release from the Limmatstadt AG location promotion, a panel discussion will highlight the qualities and potential of engineers from various disciplines.

  • Allreal starts construction work for the new Rieter campus

    Allreal starts construction work for the new Rieter campus

    According to a press release , Allreal has started construction work on Rieter ‘s new campus in Winterthur. The real estate company from Opfikon is responsible for the project as general contractor. She works with the BDE Architects from Winterthur, among others.

    Rieter is investing around 80 million francs in its new campus. This is to include a customer and technology center and an administration building on an area of 30,000 square meters. The textile machine manufacturer will be able to employ around 700 people there from 2024.

    Rieter relies on renewable energies for the new campus. The heat is to be generated with geothermal probes, for example. In addition, a 1300 square meter photovoltaic system will be installed. According to Allreal, the project is “very complex, especially with regard to the building services”. In product and technology development, different climate zones are required that can be set differently.

  • Implenia receives the highest rating for sustainability

    Implenia receives the highest rating for sustainability

    The Implenia construction group was the first construction and engineering company to receive the highest possible rating for sustainability. The New York-based financial services provider MSCI ESG Research, which is primarily active in investment banking, raised its rating from AA to AAA. MSCI ESG Research provides research, assessment and analysis of companies’ ESG (Environment, Social, Government) performance.

    “For us, the MSCI ESG rating AAA is further confirmation that we live sustainability, one of our five corporate values, successfully in everyday life and for the benefit of our customers,” CEO André Wyss is quoted as saying in a press release . “We not only develop and build sustainable areas in Switzerland and Germany, for example the 2000 watt-certified Lokstadt in Winterthur, but also support our customers in the planning and implementation of all questions relating to sustainable real estate and infrastructure.”

    In its announcement, Implenia refers to the recognition of its commitment to sustainability through other positive external evaluations. Among other things, Ecovadis awarded the group silver status. In addition, Sustainalytics classified Implenia as the industry leader in 2020 with a “high 84 points”.

  • Sika wants to grow in Africa

    Sika wants to grow in Africa

    Sika is positioning itself for further dynamic growth in Tanzania and the Republic of Ivory Coast. The company has moved into a new location in the East African economic center of Dar es Salaam. There, the Zug-based company now also produces mortar and tile adhesive in addition to concrete additives. This shortens the transport routes, according to a press release from the company.

    In the Republic of Ivory Coast in the west of the continent, Sika has doubled the size of its factory premises. With new areas for storage, offices and laboratories in Abidjan, Sika can double the production capacities for tile adhesive and repair mortar in the medium term and expand storage capacities. The neighboring countries of Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Mali and Sierra Leone will also be supplied from there.

    Sika is committed to “sustainable business activities in Africa” in the long term, Regional Manager EMEA, Ivo Schädler, is quoted as saying. “At both locations, we produce high-quality solutions that are used for large infrastructure projects.” As examples, he cites the metro project and the expansion of the seaport in Abidjan, the Standard Gauge Railway and the Julius Nyerere hydroelectric power station in Tanzania.

  • HSG inaugurates the Square learning center

    HSG inaugurates the Square learning center

    On Sunday, February 13, the HSG inaugurates its new learning center. Square represents a “prototype of the university of the future” and should serve as a “place for surprising encounters and mutual inspiration”, writes the HSG in a statement . “The new learning and teaching formats that are being developed in Square are intended to inspire the entire university and prepare our students as best as possible for practice,” HSG Rector Bernhard Ehrenzeller is quoted as saying.

    Square’s work is based on three pillars that faculty, alumni and students have developed together. On the one hand, the learning center is intended to serve as an experimental field for new formats which, if successful, can be implemented at the HSG and other universities. For the spring semester beginning on February 21, 80 existing courses were selected to be carried out and evaluated in the square.

    On the other hand, Square will take on the role of a base camp for an exchange between students, alumni and researchers. The HSG has planned to include personalities from various professions and social groups. Paul Achleitner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Deutsche Bank, Gabriele Fischer, Editor-in-Chief and publisher of the German business magazine “Brand eins”, and Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr, among others, have confirmed for the spring semester.

    Last but not least, Square should also serve as a public space for a critical discourse by and with those who are not directly connected to the HSG. In order to attract residents of St.Gallen and guests from near and far, Square wants to present itself as a marketplace with an open atmosphere. Music, barista coffee and beer brewed especially for Square are also offered.

  • Empa shows the advantages of high-performance insulating materials

    Empa shows the advantages of high-performance insulating materials

    Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research ( Empa ) have investigated when an investment in costly high-performance insulating materials such as aerogels can be worthwhile for builders. According to a media release , the 25 most expensive cities in Europe, North America and Asia were initially compared. The research team found out that the lucrative area gain through the more expensive aerogels at a square meter price of more than 8000 francs exceeds the additional costs of the thinner insulation variant.

    The reason given is that high-performance insulation achieves the same insulating effect as conventional mineral wool, but only requires half to a quarter of the material used. Against the background of rising real estate prices and dense construction in cities, high-performance insulating materials such as aerogels could promote economical construction. Because the thinner the outer shell of a building, the more space is available inside.

    The economic advantages calculated using an equation could have been shown in the 15 most expensive cities – including the four Swiss cities of Zurich, Geneva, Lugano and Basel with the highest prices per square meter in Europe. Amortization was determined in the 14 most expensive cities in North America and in the ten most expensive cities in Asia. The knowledge could also support future planners when deciding on the appropriate insulation material.

  • Walo installs new flooring at Stadler

    Walo installs new flooring at Stadler

    Walo Bertschinger has provided the Stadler Rail production halls in St. Margrethen with a new floor covering. According to a message on Facebook, an area of 19,000 square meters was covered with the Haypanol-D covering in the production halls for the assembly of trains. The Haypanol-D epoxy coating developed by Walo has been tried and tested in industrial buildings and parks for years. The finally hardened epoxy forms together with the scattered material of the quartz sand a very hard, clean and even surface structure.

    According to a technical explanation on Walo’s special website for floor coverings, the seamless Haypanol-D litter coverings have high mechanical and chemical resistance. The property profile of the industrial floor coverings is adapted to the respective stress class. The anti-slip properties of the covering are coordinated according to the customer’s requirements. In addition, the system can also be designed as an antistatic or electrically conductive covering. The flooring has a longevity of up to 25 years.

    The Stadler site in St.Margrethen in the border triangle is the competence center for double-deck multiple units within the Stadler Group, according to the Stadler Group website. After more than 20 years in Altenrhein, this production was moved to the newly built plant in St.Margrethen in 2020.

  • New apps offer 3D views of Zurich

    New apps offer 3D views of Zurich

    The city of Zurich is making a 3D city model accessible to the general public. According to a media release , two applications have been developed for this. According to the information provided, the Zurich virtual app allows freely selectable views of buildings, trees, forests and bridges. The Zurich 4D app focuses on structural development in space and time. Current building construction projects, design plans and completed architectural competitions should be visualized there. Both apps are freely available to the public, including schools, as open data.

    According to the city, they are primarily aimed at planners and specialists from architecture and engineering. Functions such as measuring the height of buildings or casting shadows will be of professional interest to them. The documentation of real estate is also possible with it.

    As the city of Zurich also reports, the underlying technologies are already being used within the administration for the visualization of noise simulations, in the context of architectural competitions and for the integral presentation of civil engineering and building construction projects.

    As the city of Zurich also reports, the two apps were created as part of the city council’s strategy focus on the digital city. They are part of the so-called digital twin, the digital representation of the city of Zurich.

  • Kantonsspital Winterthur moves into a new building

    Kantonsspital Winterthur moves into a new building

    After ten years of planning and five years of construction, the new building of the Cantonal Hospital Winterthur (KSW) has been officially opened. According to a press release from the engineering and consulting company HKG , operations should definitely start in the coming week after the moving day on Thursday.

    According to the KSW, the new bed and operation wing will replace the existing high-rise building. After 55 years of operation it will be demolished. According to the KSW , the new building has 61,000 square meters of floor space, 13 floors, 213 rooms, seven operating theaters, 95 treatment rooms and 240 parking spaces. The RA-B architects working group (Rapp Architekten AG and Butscher Architekten AG) created the new KSW building under the direction of the cantonal building authority.

    The new building has a simple design with a lightweight travertine facade. Fully automatic building shading enables a pleasant climate in the rooms despite the large window areas. Like the facade, the KSW also designed the public park in front of the new building together with the Winterthur urban design specialist group.

    According to the announcement, the cantonal hospital invested CHF 350 million in the approximately ten years of planning and construction. CFO Hansjörg Lehmann, who will replace the current CEO Rolf Zehnder as Chairman of the Management Board in May, refers to the special features of the financing. “The KSW was the first hospital in Switzerland to place a green bond on the capital market and at the lowest conditions ever seen,” he is quoted as saying. The successful realization of the new building is “a milestone in the history of KSW”.

    Because a public celebration of the commissioning was not possible due to the pandemic, the KSW has provided videos with a virtual insight into the new building on a special website .

  • Implenia receives five building construction contracts in Germany

    Implenia receives five building construction contracts in Germany

    For Implenia ‘s Buildings Division, the new year begins with an attractive building construction contract worth CHF 227 million in Germany. According to a press release , the Opfikon-based construction and real estate specialist has been awarded the contract to build several sustainable residential and commercial buildings in five German cities.

    According to the announcement, Implenia’s Buildings Division is constructing two residential and commercial buildings in Kiel , a high -rise apartment building for the Franklin site in Mannheim, which according to the announcement is “currently the largest site development project in Germany”, and the partially modular construction of a new rehabilitation center in Mosbach am Neckar Residential district in Neunkirchen am Brand and a school center in Delitzsch near Leipzig.

    The model-based and software-supported working method Building Information Modeling (BIM) is to be used in the planning and execution of the new construction projects. Lean construction should guarantee the coordination of all processes and trades during the construction phase.

  • Holcim und Eni wollen CO2 in Zement speichern

    Holcim und Eni wollen CO2 in Zement speichern

    Der Zuger Baustoffspezialist Holcim spannt mit dem in Rom ansässigen Energieunternehmen Eni zusammen. Gemeinsam wollen sie untersuchen, wie sich Kohlenstoffdioxid (CO2) abscheiden, in dem Mineral Olivin speichern und anschliessend in Zement einbauen lässt, heisst es in einer Medienmitteilung. Damit will Holcim den ökologischen Fussabdruck seines Betriebes weltweit verringern und sein Angebot an nachhaltigem Zement erweitern.

    Eni verfügt über Wissen, wie sich CO2 abscheiden und mineralisieren lässt, um es in Olivin zu speichern. Im Innovationszentrum von Holcim wollen Forschende „die Verwendung dieses karbonisierten Olivins als neuen emissionsarmen Rohstoff für die Formulierung eines grünen Zements untersuchen“, heisst es in der Medienmitteilung. Das Forschungsteam von Holcim will sich dabei auf die Charakterisierung der mechanischen Eigenschaften von karbonisiertem Olivin in der Betonproduktion konzentrieren.

    Olivin ist ein auf der Erde weit verbreitetes Mineral. Dies in Kombination mit den weltweiten Aktivitäten von Holcim und Eni würde diese Lösung „in hohem Masse skalierbar machen“ und so Materialien für umweltfreundliches Bauen weltweit ermöglichen.

    Die Partnerschaft mit Eni ist eines von weltweit 30 Projekten von Holcim, die sich mit Lösungen zur Abscheidung, Nutzung und Speicherung von Kohlenstoffdioxid beschäftigen.

  • Holcim is looking for ideas for sustainable construction

    Holcim is looking for ideas for sustainable construction

    On February 1, Holcim started the application period for the third edition of its Startup Accelerator Program . Start-ups from all over the world are invited to apply and accelerate sustainable construction with their innovative solutions. The six-month program runs from May to November 2022.

    "The Holcim Accelerator Program enables us to connect with the brightest minds in the world to drive disruptive breakthroughs," Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch said in a press release . "I invite this year's startups to think outside the box in all dimensions of construction, from circular construction to intelligent building design."

    As in previous years, the specialty chemicals company Sika is a partner in the acceleration program. New partners for this year's edition include French company Bouygues Construction and British engineering consultants Mott MacDonald .

    Swiss explorer and environmentalist Bertrand Piccard, founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation , contributes a call to action: “The construction industry has a key role to play in accelerating our world's transition to net zero. Holcim's Accelerator is a unique incubator for start-ups around the world to innovate for our planet.”

  • New federal building receives certificate for sustainability

    New federal building receives certificate for sustainability

    The new government administration building in Zollikofen has been awarded the platinum certificate of the Swiss Sustainable Building Standard. According to a press release , this is the federal government's third award for sustainable building since 2019.

    In 2020, the new administration building on Pulverstrasse in Ittigen received the gold certificate, and in 2019 the administration center on Guisanplatz in Bern was awarded. "With the third award within a short period of time, the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics is being rewarded for its consistent focus on sustainable building," says a press release.

    With its certificates, the Swiss Sustainable Building Network honors "high-quality and forward-looking objects" that make an ecological, social and economic contribution. In the assessment, the Zurich-based association takes into account a total of 45 indicators from the areas of business, society and the environment, including the energy consumption of a building, the flora and fauna of the surrounding area and the regional added value. The selection of the architect's office by means of a competition procedure and communication also play a role.

    According to the press release, the certified new building at Eichenweg 3 houses parts of the Federal Office for IT and Telecommunications as well as the IT Service Center of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.

  • ConReal and ProMaterial want to digitize the construction industry

    ConReal and ProMaterial want to digitize the construction industry

    The construction industry is considered to be one of the largest industries in the world and at the same time the least digitized, write ConReal Swiss AG and ProMaterial Technologies in a joint statement . The two companies want to change the latter. To this end, they are building a platform that enables manufacturers, dealers and building contractors to connect directly and digitally.

    "We are building a data standard with outstanding quality that will make online trade and communication in the construction industry more transparent and efficient," Nils Gagzow, Managing Director and co-founder of ProMaterial Technologies, is quoted as saying in the press release. Manufacturers should be able to use this data standard to place their offering digitally on the market. The products are described by an international industry standard so that dealers can access highly qualified product information, the press release explains.

    ConReal, in turn, contributes the data from its own digital ecosystem to the project. Market information is collected here, for example data on what is being built, when, where and how. In combination, "the physical product and craftsmanship can be brought into play at the right time," says the statement.

  • Swiss Prime Site and Superlab are building laboratory space in Schlieren

    Swiss Prime Site and Superlab are building laboratory space in Schlieren

    Swiss Prime Site Immobilien has entered into a partnership with Superlab Suisse . Superlab is a provider of laboratory and research space. According to the press release , Superlab Suisse provides operational and fully equipped research and laboratory space as well as operational services. It already has such a location in Lausanne. Both partners plan to develop locations in Basel and Schlieren with a total area of more than 10,000 square meters. According to Superlab Suisse, the laboratory in Schlieren will have an area of 5,400 square meters.

    The city on the Limmat is home to facilities of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), the University of Zurich (UZH) and research centers of numerous national and international pharmaceutical companies. The demand for laboratory space is correspondingly high, it is said. Swiss Prime Site Immobilien is planning a modern new building project on the JED site in Schlieren. In cooperation with Superlab Suisse, research and laboratory areas for start-ups, spin-offs or established companies are to be created on two floors.

    “Due to the direct proximity to the Wagi area in Schlieren and the technology park in Basel, companies from the life sciences sector can benefit from significant synergy effects of these ecosystems,” says Zhang Xi, CEO of Superlab. In Basel, a state-of-the-art building with laboratory and research areas is to be built by Superlab Suisse at the Stücki Park in the next 18 months.

    For Martin Kaleja, CEO of Swiss Prime Site Immobilien, the modern standard of construction, the flexibility of the space and the guarantee of support and services are key success factors. Kaleja is quoted as saying that Swiss Prime Site Immobilien and Superlab Suisse together had the necessary know-how to ensure the space required for laboratory and research areas.

  • Sika expands scope for capital increases

    Sika expands scope for capital increases

    Sika shareholders support expanding Sika’s scope for capital increases. The Zug-based group for specialty chemicals in the construction and automotive industries announced in a press release that they approved the increase in conditional capital from currently almost 15.6 million registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.01 each to almost 18.8 million registered shares with the same nominal value . Due to the pandemic, the corresponding vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting on January 25 was organized via an independent proxy.

    In the same announcement, Sika also announces plans for a change in the Board of Directors. Gordona Landen is to be seated here at the next ordinary General Assembly on April 12. The Swedish citizen comes from HR administration and was most recently active in the management of the Adecco Group .

  • Empa awards the use of airgel

    Empa awards the use of airgel

    The Airgel Architecture Award enters the second round. Since January 19th and until June 30th, Empa has been accepting examples of the use of aerogel in architecture, construction, renovation and monument preservation, the research institute informs in a press release . Architects, civil engineers and employees in design offices can apply for the prize. Architecture and civil engineering students are also invited to participate.

    The exact conditions of participation can be found in the announcement or on the Airgel Architecture Awards website. “The prize recognizes the best examples of energy efficiency, unconventional solutions, translucent daylight lighting and high-performance building solutions using super-insulating airgel materials,” writes Empa. This year’s winners are to be announced on August 5th in Empa’s NEST building in Dübendorf.

    The Airgel Architecture Award was launched in 2020 by Empa and the industrial partners Fixit , Agitec , Haga AG Naturbaustoffe and Hasit as well as the AdvaPor association. It should help to publicize the possibilities of airgel insulation materials in monument protection and in the renovation of buildings among architects and civil engineers. Five offices applied last year.

  • Halter redesigns the center of Wetzikon

    Halter redesigns the center of Wetzikon

    With the demolition of buildings in the northern part of the planned new development, the Schliere-based construction company Halter AG has started to redesign the center of Wetzikon . According to the media release , a lively center with shops, services and apartments is to be built there by the end of 2025. In the past two years, Halter AG, as the developer, has brought the project to construction maturity together with the Wetziker architectural office meierpartner . The investor is Turintra AG Zurich, represented by UBS Fund Management. The investment volume on the 9013 square meter area amounts to around 138 million Swiss francs. 

    The shell construction work for the building construction of the first stage is to begin in the spring. Delivery is planned for November 2023. The second stage should be ready for occupancy in November 2025. According to a statement by Halter AG, the superstructure offers space for shops and restaurants, public-oriented uses and a medical center. Rental apartments ranging in size from 2.5 to 4.5 rooms for different target groups are being built on the upper floors. Some of the rental apartments are offered according to the MOVEment concept, in which electronically movable room elements create living comfort in a small space.

    114 apartments and 35 MOVEment apartments are planned. 3,100 square meters are planned for the services area, and 4,600 square meters for sales and gastronomy. Garages for 176 cars, 34 motorcycles and 450 bicycles will be created.

    A central city lane for pedestrians and passers-by and a city square are to be created in Wetzikon. A "Spanish Step" is intended to serve as a cross connection between Bahnhofstrasse and Jörg-Schneider-Park as well as the Wetzikon vocational school.

  • Sanitas Troesch takes over Fischer

    Sanitas Troesch takes over Fischer

    Fischer AG has been part of Sanitas Troesch since January 7th. Both companies want to jointly expand the range of kitchens and household appliances, the Lucerne specialist for kitchens and household appliances and the Bernese provider of kitchen and bathroom furnishings inform in a joint statement . There is no information about the purchase price.

    With the takeover, Sanitas Troesch wants to strengthen its own market position in Zurich and increase its expertise in the service and repair of household appliances. The Fischer family company has found a successor solution under the umbrella of Sanitas Troesch. According to her, Daniel Dubach, Managing Director Kriens of Element-Kitchen AG, which belongs to Sanitas Troesch, will take over the management of Fischer on April 1, 2022. The former owners Monika and Peter Fischer will accompany the integration until the end of 2022 as members of the management.

    "We are very proud of what we have achieved together with our employees," Monika and Peter Fischer are quoted in the statement. "In Sanitas Troesch we have found a partner with whom we can be sure that the values and entrepreneurial tradition of Fischer will be continued and that our customers and employees are in good hands." For Patrick Maier, Fischer is "an excellent company that for Proximity to customers and high quality of service". With the takeover, the CEO of Sanitas Troesch wants to "strengthen our market position in Central Switzerland and in Zurich" and "benefit from the skills and expertise of Fischer's employees".

  • Holcim issues first sustainable bonds

    Holcim issues first sustainable bonds

    Holcim has issued two bonds in Swiss francs that are geared towards sustainability and put climate protection at the heart of the financing strategy. The bonds raised CHF 325 million and CHF 100 million, with maturities in 2026 and 2032 and carrying an annual interest rate of 0.35 and 0.90 percent, respectively.

    If Holcim does not achieve its climate target, investors are entitled to a higher coupon. "We are proud to be the first company to issue a sustainability-related bond on the Swiss franc market," CFO Géraldine Picaud is quoted as saying in a company statement. "The bond has attracted new ESG investors who have demonstrated their confidence in Holcim's financial strength, strategy and ability to achieve sustainability goals."

    With the current transactions, Holcim is expanding its global leadership position in this area. To date, the company has concluded around 6.7 billion in sustainable financing agreements. This current transaction represents a significant step on the way to more than 40 percent sustainable financing contracts as part of "Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth".

    This was Holcim's third transaction in the Swiss public bond market in the last ten months. They allowed the company to raise a total of 1.1 billion Swiss francs.

  • Basel Rosental Tower enters the planning phase

    Basel Rosental Tower enters the planning phase

    HRS Real Estate is taking over the overall management of the further project development, the search and selection of investors as well as the realization and marketing of the Basel project Rosentalturm at the Basel exhibition center. According to a press release , MCH Messe Basel and HRS Real Estate have signed a corresponding agreement.

    A project competition is now being held in cooperation with the construction and transport department of the canton of Basel-Stadt and with the support of the Zurich planning specialists Planpartner . According to the information, seven architectural firms were invited: Buchner Bründler Architects, Herzog & de Meuron and Morger Partner Architects from Basel. Burkard Meyer Architekten from Baden AG as well as the two Zurich offices Michael Meier and Marius Hug Architekten and Armon Semadeni Architekten are competing for the best design.

    The assessment committee made up of national experts is chaired by Thomas Hasler from Staufer + Hasler Architekten from Frauenfeld. The results are expected in autumn 2022. Construction is scheduled to start in summer 2023.

    The Rosentalturm building is to be erected on the site of the existing trade fair car park. The parking lot will be underground. Of the total of 48,000 square meters planned, 40,000 are intended for housing and 8,000 for commercial use.

  • Architonic ArchDaily takes over Designboom

    Architonic ArchDaily takes over Designboom

    The ArchDaily online platform, founded in 2008, is geared towards the needs of architects and designers. Among other things, ArchDaily offers a database of innovative architectural programs and information on products and materials used by the industry. Around two years ago, ArchDaily merged with Architonic, which has been part of the NZZ Media Group since 2015. Launched in 2003, the platform offers a research tool for architects.

    Architonic ArchDaily has now taken over the international online magazine Designboom, the NZZ media group informed in a statement . "Our companies are international market leaders and, thanks to the selective selection of their content, enjoy a high level of credibility in the industry," Stephan Bachmann is quoted as saying in the press release. According to the Architonic ArchDaily CEO, the three platforms "each cover specific interests in product, project and news content". Together they counted more than 270 million visits a year.

    Even after the transaction, Architonic, ArchDaily and Designboom are to continue their independent branding. Legally, the companies Architonic ArchDaily and Designboom will be merged into the organization DAAily Platforms. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price for the takeover.

  • Sika posts record sales

    Sika posts record sales

    Sika generated record sales of 9.24 billion Swiss francs in the 2021 financial year, the Zug-based group specializing in specialty chemicals in the construction and automotive industries, which is active around the world, reports in a press release. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to growth of 17.1 percent in local currencies. Organic growth is put at 15.1 percent year-on-year in the announcement. A number of acquisitions made during the reporting period contributed 2.0 percentage points to sales growth.

    "As expected, the challenging year 2021 ended very successfully for Sika", CEO Thomas Hasler is quoted in the announcement. "We benefit from various growth platforms and are excellently positioned to achieve long-term success." Hasler expects government investment programs to further boost sales growth in the future. In addition, the CEO sees an enormous need for sustainable solutions in the construction industry.

    In the year under review, Sika sales in the construction industry grew faster than the market, the press release further explains. Sika shows double-digit growth year-on-year in all regions of the world. The strongest growth in sales, at 21.0 percent, was in the Americas region. In the separately reported business with the automotive industry (Global Business segment), Sika returned to the growth zone in the reporting year after a decline in 2020. Specifically, growth of 4.3 percent was achieved in local currencies.

    The group plans to communicate its detailed annual report for 2021 on February 18. In doing so, Sika expects to be able to report a disproportionately high increase in the operating result at EBIT level and an EBIT margin of 15 percent.

  • Holcim concrete is supposed to charge electric vehicles

    Holcim concrete is supposed to charge electric vehicles

    Holcim has entered into a strategic partnership with the start-up Magment . The young company based in Oberhaching near Munich is working on a wireless inductive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. According to Magment's understanding, they should be charged where they go instead of having to go where they are charged. This reduces the need for charging stations and at the same time saves time, according to a message from the Zug-based building materials manufacturer.

    Together, the development departments of both companies have created a "unique concrete with high magnetic permeability" for road surfaces. The technology is currently being tested at Purdue University in the US state of Indiana. Applications for industrial floors to charge robots and forklifts while driving are also in preparation.

    Magment CEO and co-founder Mauricio Esguerra believes that both companies will be an “important companion for the sustainable electric transport of the future” “by developing superior qualities” of magnetizable concrete technology. Holcim is also pleased to “develop concrete solutions with Magment to advance electromobility,” said Edelio Bermejo, Head of Holcim's Global Innovation Center. The Zug-based company is shifting "the limits of innovation by working with start-ups all over the world in order to take on a pioneering role in terms of sustainability".

  • Implenia separates from Gravière de la Claie-aux-Moines

    Implenia separates from Gravière de la Claie-aux-Moines

    Implenia AG is selling its majority stake of 66.67 percent in Gravière de la Claie-aux-Moines SA ( GCM ). The construction and real estate company from Opfikon informs in a message that the stake will be sold to Walo Bertschinger SA Romandie as well as to Vigier Holding AG and H 2 M Participations SA. Shareholder Walo Bertschinger SA Romandie had previously held the remaining third of the GCM. Even after the entry of Vigier Holding AG and H 2 M Participations SA, the stake held by Walo Bertschinger SA Romandie will remain a minority stake, according to the announcement. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

    “Implenia is selling its stake in GCM SA to suitable owners in order to continue to focus on the defined core portfolio and advance its asset-light strategy,” the company explains in the press release. As part of the corporate strategy, Implenia wants to concentrate on “integrated construction and real estate services in Switzerland and Germany as well as tunnel construction and related infrastructure projects in other markets”.

  • Holcim takes over Malarkey Roofing in the USA

    Holcim takes over Malarkey Roofing in the USA

    The global Zug-based building materials company Holcim has signed an agreement to take over Malarkey Roofing Products . Malarkey is a leader in the American residential roofing market, according to a press release . It is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The transaction is valued at $ 1.35 billion and will be 100 percent cash-funded. Holcim expects to realize synergies of $ 40 million per year by year three.

    Malarkey Roofing Products is forecast to have net sales of $ 600 million in 2022. According to the announcement, the company can point to double-digit growth in the highly profitable roof-top housing market in the USA with a volume of 19 billion dollars. Both companies have set themselves the goal of sustainable building.

    “The acquisition of Malarkey Roofing Products is an excellent start for our ‘Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth’, with which we are expanding our Solutions & Products division and becoming one of the world’s leading providers of roofing systems,” Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch is quoted as saying. With Malarkey, Holcim is positioning itself as a full-range roofing provider. The strategy to accelerate green growth is to expand this area to 30 percent of the Group’s net sales by 2025.

    Gregory Malarkey, President of Malarkey Roofing, founded in 1956, sees Holcim as the right partner. “For decades we have been looking for a company that aligns with our vision, shares our values and can help us accelerate our growth strategy.” Like Malarkey, Holcim also focuses heavily on promoting the circular economy and the transition to sustainable construction, Malarkey becomes further quoted.

  • Building is getting more expensive

    Building is getting more expensive

    The construction price index rose by 2.7 percent between April and October of the current year. The price level in the construction industry has increased by 4.1 percent within a year. This is shown by figures from the Federal Statistical Office . As a media release shows, the additional costs in building construction and civil engineering are causing prices in the construction industry to rise compared to the previous half-year.

    Property developers have to dig deeper into their pockets for the shell construction, from earthworks to windows and doors, in all major regions. The most noticeable increases in building construction costs are in the Swiss Plateau with 3.4 percent and in Central Switzerland with 3.2 percent price increases.

    With the exception of Eastern Switzerland and Ticino, construction prices in civil engineering rose. In this sub-area of the construction industry, too, the regions Mittelland with 2.2 percent and Central Switzerland with 3.4 percent are most affected by the rising cost level. The price increases had the most pronounced effects on "smaller track construction" and somewhat less markedly on "fees".

  • Bauwerk Schweiz is under pressure

    Bauwerk Schweiz is under pressure

    Five Swiss experts have worked out why Switzerland is facing major challenges and how they can be tackled sensibly and efficiently. To this end, they have drawn up a so-called roadmap entitled “The Swiss structure is under pressure to adapt”.

    With its bird's eye view of the entirety of buildings, streets, supply and disposal networks, traffic and much more, according to a report by the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ), the group wants to give a new impetus to the Swiss construction project that began ten years ago, and thus research and advance practice. Today Switzerland is facing massive challenges, for example due to climate change, natural hazards and population growth.

    Under the direction of Peter Matt, Fritz Hunkeler, Hans Rudolf Ganz, Laurent Vulliet, Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne , and Empa Deputy Director Peter Richner identified five segments that are particularly affected by the upcoming challenges: the building stock, the Infrastructures for freight and passenger traffic as well as drinking water and sewage networks. They rate the need for action and the potential for impact in passenger transport and buildings as particularly high.

    According to Richner, the group is pursuing several goals with the roadmap: “To show the importance of Switzerland as a structure for our society, to specify the need for action and, above all, to raise awareness that we can only develop a target-oriented strategy from an overall perspective. "

  • Partners Group cooperates with StoryBuilt

    Partners Group cooperates with StoryBuilt

    The Partners Group , a global manager of private market investments, has partnered with the Texan real estate developer StoryBuilt , according to a press release . Both have formed a joint venture with a capitalization of $ 1 billion. It will fund 17 of StoryBuilt's existing projects as well as future acquisitions and developments in the most dynamic American cities of Austin, Dallas, Denver and Seattle.

    Projects include apartment buildings, condominiums, and mixed-use properties. "The Partners Group offers StoryBuilt a strong future in which we can accelerate our growth and steadily increase our property acquisitions and developments," said co-founder Anthony Siela in the press release.

    Scott Egarian, executive board member of Private Real Estate Americas at Partners Group, sees “strong thematic investment opportunities in the housing market in growth cities” for his company. The housing shortage there “should support demand in the years to come. We believe StoryBuilt has the right offer. "

  • Hächler donates to the old Rütibuck scout home

    Hächler donates to the old Rütibuck scout home

    The Wettinger construction company Hächler is providing the Pfadi Hochwacht Baden home association with CHF 10,000 as a contribution to the renovation of the old Rütibuck scout home. According to a press release , the Hächler Group supports a non-profit organization every year. The donation of 10,000 francs replaces the usual gifts to business partners at Christmas and the turn of the year.

    Who Hächler gives the donation to is never an easy decision, says the media release. There are many institutions that are worth supporting. This year Hächler chose the home club Pfadi Hochwacht Baden. He is the bearer of the old Rütibuck scout home in Baden. This was used by the scout department between 1932 and 1973. They then moved into the new youth center and the old scout home has since been available to children and youth organizations, school groups and sports clubs for weekly camps, training weekends or festivities.

    This winter, the old Rütibuck scout home will be renovated and the outer shell will be subjected to an urgently needed energetic renovation, according to the Hächler announcement. That includes the renovation of the statics, the insulation of the outer walls, replacement of the old windows with triple-glazed wooden windows. The house will also have central heating and there will be a “gentle renovation inside” with adjustment and refreshment work such as painting and modernization of toilets and showers.

    The donation to the old scout home is also the cover story of the company newspaper “ Der Hächler ”. An interview with Stefan Zantop, founding member of the Pfadi Hochwacht Baden home association, is printed there. And there are tips on donations or active help with the renovation.