January 2013 - Eiffage

© Odile et Jean-Christophe Hecquet (Sanaa agency) 

Phosphore ideas become 

reality THE EVENT PAGE 10 

GROUP MAGAZINE 

synergie 

#18 

JANUARY 2013 

> Sharing our values 

Interview with Max Roche 

DIRECTOR OF CONCESSIONS AT EIFFAGE PAGE 4 

cUltURe : 

eIFFAGe tOP 

OF tHe BIll 

PAGE 13

Front page, the Louvre-Lens Museum, a new outpost of the Louvre. 

2 

synergie #18 

JANUARY 2013 

REPORT 13-20 

Culture: 

Eiffage top of the bill 

A passion, a tradition even. For some years now, Eiffage has 

been playing a leading role in the cultural sector. Museums, 

theatres, foundations : the Group has a multitude of references 

to its credit, often highly prestigious. It is, and always has 

been, active as much in the construction of major buildings, 

for example the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, as in their 

renovation, for example the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in Albi, 

on the banks of the Tarn, or the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. 

14. Pradeau & Morin, a trump card for the renovation of historic buildings. 

15. The boldness of metal/Managing energy. 16. Craftsmanship and 

customised maintenance for the Musée d’Orsay /A new glass roof for 

the Grand Palais. 17. A cultural dip into the past/Metamorphosis of the 

Mulhouse Foundry. 18. The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum headlines/Treading 

the boards at the Mogador Theatre. 19. A new script for “Les Enfants du 

Paradis”/The Villa Empain restored to its former glory. 20. A white heart 

for an exceptional conservation centre/Inauguration of the Louvre-Lens 

Museum. 

synergie 

6-9 

10-11 

Publishing Director: Pierre Berger. Editor-in-Chief: Sandra Weigand. Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Sophie Sanchez. Contributors to this edition: Marion Bentz, Maud Breheret, Pascale Chastras, 

Amélie Chevance, Marie Flao, Hélène Grimaldi, Régine Knecht, Alice Leroisse, Marek Pawlukiewicz. Design-layout: agence@spherepublique.com. Photo credits: AccuSoft Inc., 

Anma, AIA Architectes, APRR/Philippe Brouard, Régis Bouchu/Actophoto, Joël Damase, Cabinet Dubois & Associés, Olivier Dupont, Elisa/Valode & Pistre Architectes/Atelier Ferret 

Architectures/Max Lerouge, Odile et Jean-Christophe Hecquet, Georges de Kinder, Eiffage Construction Provence par Thierry Lavernos, Vincent Leloup, Agence Nicolas Michelin & Associés, 

Optima, Lawrence Perquis, Gérard Tordjman, Rudy Ricciotti/L. de Serres. Technical photo support: APRR, Clemessy, Eiffage, Eiffage Construction, Eiffage Construction Métallique, Eiffage 

Énergie, Eiffage Travaux Publics, ETMF, Herbosch-Kiere, Pradeau & Morin. Printed on FSC-certified Novatech Satin. 

synergie GROUP MAGAZINE 

4-5 INTERVIEW 

Max Roche 

Deputy chief executive in charge of Eiffage 

concessions 

6-9 HIGHLIGHTS 

10 -12 THE EVENT 

Phosphore ideas 

become reality 

Concepts developed by Phosphore, Eiffage’s 

sustainable development R&D laboratory, 

are now becoming a reality. This is evident 

from several contracts recently won by the 

Group, for example the contract to build 

evolutive housing in Grenoble or the “eight 

21 st century colleges” in Seine-Saint-Denis. 

In addition, Eiffage’s commitment plan 

under the French National Biodiversity 

Strategy has received official recognition 

from the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable 

Development and Energy.

21-23 NEWS 

24-25 FOCUS 

Maritime civil engineering: 

eiffage to ramp up international 

business efforts 

Eiffage is active in port and maritime works with Herbosch- 

Kiere in Benelux and ETMF (Eiffage Travaux Maritimes et 

Fluviaux) in France. The Group now intends to ramp up 

international business efforts, particularly in Africa where 

the construction of port and maritime works is expected to 

develop. 

26-27 COMMITMENTS 

the only genuine wealth is men 

and women 

Eiffage is offering its employees gateways to the future, 

by supporting training schemes to improve basic learning 

skills. Various Group divisions have independently set up 

voluntary learning schemes to help employees fill any 

gaps in their learning skills. 

28-31 INITIATIVES 

21-23 

28-31 

editorial 

cONteNtS 

Good reasons to be confident 

The end of the year is an opportunity to take 

stock. For Eiffage, the review is 

encouraging. We delivered several major 

projects successfully and on time: the Grand 

Stadium in Lille of course, but also the 

Saint-Nazaire hospital complex, the 

Arcachon healthcare complex, as well as 

the new Dijon tram network. 

Other major projects are progressing 

smoothly. The transformation of the 

Hôtel-Dieu in Marseille is almost finished, 

while the Majunga tower block in la Défense 

already had thirteen floors completed at the 

beginning of December. The Dakar- 

Diamniadio motorway in Senegal should be 

commissioned on the 1st of August 2013, 

and the Brittany-Pays de la Loire high speed 

rail link is on schedule. This 3 billion euro 

contract is in fact the largest ever won by 

our Group. 

Looking further ahead, in France, works 

generated by the Greater Paris development 

project look promising. At the same time, 

we are continuing our efforts to win 

international contracts and access new 

markets. 

The productivity plan set in place to improve 

our margins has already proved fruitful and 

should continue to generate value in 2013. 

On our motorways, following debt 

restructuring, the resulting reduction in 

financial expenses should partly 

compensate for the fall in traffic. 

We are increasingly finding ourselves in the 

role of contractor. For this reason, we have 

set up a “turnkey projects” training module 

in partnership with the “Ecole des Ponts” 

engineering school, in order to identify the 

fundamentals and rules that apply to 

intra-group organisation in this field. In the 

same vein, Eiffage Travaux Publics has set 

up a “Master Chef” initiative to provide 

career support to road project managers. In 

general, Eiffage is committed to maintaining 

the efforts made by all the divisions in terms 

of training. 

Finally, with the Group preparing to 

celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2013, 

I can only encourage 

you to maintain your 

efforts so that we can 

continue the adventure. 

PIeRRe BeRGeR 

CHAIRMAN AND 

MANAGING DIRECTOR 

January 2013 3

INteRvIew 

Synergie: Eiffage has built and manages 

several concessions or public-private 

partnerships (PPPs) such as the Millau 

Viaduct or the APRR motorway. What is 

the importance of this business within the 

Group? 

M.R. : Concessions and public private 

partnerships represent 73% of Eiffage 

fixed assets (13.8 billion euros 1 out of a 

total 18.9 billion). They also account for 

95% of its debt: 12.3 billion euros 2 out 

of a total 12.9 billion. And while they 

only contribute 15% of total turnover 

(2 billion), they account for 78% of total 

operating income (866 million). 

Apart from this, they also give the Group 

high visibility and a strong reputation. 

The Eiffage logo is visible to hundreds 

of thousands of motorists on the APRR 

and AREA motorway networks ! And 

now tens of thousands of spectators 

can see the logo at the Grand Stadium 

in Lille. In return, we have to pay 

particular attention to our image and 

the responsibilities that come with this 

kind of business activity. 

Synergie: Eiffage is exceptional in that, 

like Vinci, it has made concessions a 

business in its own right… 

M.R. : Concessions are part of the Group’s 

culture. Already at the beginning of the 

20 th century, Fougerolle took part in the 

development of concessions in electrical 

infrastructures and dams. The process 

was interrupted by the Second World 

War. They returned to favour again in 

the 1970s, with the launch of the first 

private motorway concessions, one of 

which was Cofiroute. 

We look on this activity as a business in 

its own right because we want to hold on 

to the turnover it generates. We have also 

shown that we are capable of improving 

performance and quality of service, as 

can be seen by our achievements with 

APRR. Being a concession operator is a 

4 


Max Roche, deputy chief executive in 

charge of Eiffage concessions 

“concessions and PPPs 

enhance eiffage’s 

turnover, reputation 

and visibility” 

Deputy chief executive in charge of Eiffage concessions, 

Max Roche reminds us that concessions and publicprivate 

partnerships generate an important share of the 

Group’s turnover and are an integral part of its culture. 

They are a natural extension of the construction 

business. 

natural extension of the construction 

business. The former, when part of a 

public works group, is in direct contact 

with its engineers to explore new 

developments, and can contribute 

expertise in operations and finance. 

And the latter has the capacity to 

imagine new projects. PPPs allow public 

clients to hand over responsibility for 

the whole project to us – from design 

to construction – leaving them free to 

concentrate on their own activities.

“Concessions are 

a natural extension 

of the construction 

business” 

Synergie: Has the global crisis that hit in 

2008 affected the financing of concessions 

and PPPs? 

M.R. : It is both more complicated and 

more expensive to set up financing. 

However, at Eiffage we have always 

managed up to now. But we are very 

careful because some projects developed 

by our competitors have not come to 

fruition. The number of banks that 

are capable of long-term lending has 

dropped considerably. And you have to 

go outside of France to find them. 

Synergie: Some PPPs have received 

criticism, for example the Centre 

Hospitalier Sud-Francilien (CHSF, 

Essonne)… Are there good and bad PPPs 

or concessions, just as there can be good 

or bad projects? 

M.R. : Some clients are less adept than 

others at managing PPPs. Hospital 

administration is highly decentralised. 

Each administrator is autonomous and 

will usually only ever build one hospital 

in their lifetime. There is therefore no 

way of capitalising on expertise in this 

area. The commissioners of the Saint- 

Nazaire hospital complex built by Eiffage 

in the Loire-Atlantique region, will not 

be repeating the process elsewhere. 

Regarding the CHSF in particular, the 

administrators generally stayed in the job 

for an average of 12 months and then left 

having acquired little or no knowledge 

of the project! Incidentally, PPPs are 

not very well adapted to the evolutions 

required by medical techniques. To cater 

for this, certain clauses would have to be 

included in the contracts, which would be 

difficult to draw up and put into practice. 

In contrast, the Ministry of Justice has 

a centralised team, which has been 

responsible for commissioning a large 

number of PPPs. The Public agency for 

legal buildings (Apji) has more experience 

in this field than the National agency for 

the performance of health and social 

care organisations (Anap). And of course 

prisons or courtrooms evolve very little. 

In general, in the public works sector, 

if we don’t have a good client then the 

contract is costly and difficult to execute. 

PPPs are no exception to the rule. 

“Being a concession 

operator or part 

of a PPP means 

that Eiffage 

has acquired a 

different status in 

the eyes of public 

authorities” 

Synergie: What is the new government’s 

approach to this issue? 

M.R. : The present government appears 

less favourable than its predecessor, but 

it is still faced with the same constraints. 

It may therefore be tempted to make use 

of them in order to finance projects that 

it considers necessary for the country. In 

this respect, the argument put forward 

by certain PPP critics – accusing them 

of making future generations bear the 

cost for today’s projects – does not hold 

up. When a project is carried out under 

a traditional public project contract, 

it is also necessary to borrow and pay 

back over the long-term! And building a 

hospital, a school or a college will directly 

benefit the adults of the future. 

Criticising PPPs because they deprive 

SMEs of certain market opportunities is 

not an argument either: to build most 

major infrastructures or buildings we 

rely extensively on subcontractors and 

local businesses. Moreover, Alain Rousset, 

President of the Aquitaine region, and 

a strong opponent of PPPs, welcomes 

the completion of the Pau (Pyrénées- 

Atlantiques) – Langon (Gironde) A65 toll 

motorway… 

Synergie: How do you see these 

businesses developing in the future ? 

M.R. : Concessions are a traditional and 

proven business model. Presidential 

cycles shouldn’t affect them. There are 

needs to be met in many areas – transport, 

car parks and infrastructures to improve 

the lives of our fellow citizens. 

Thanks to concessions and PPPs, Eiffage 

has acquired a different status in the eyes 

of the French authorities : the Group is 

in a position to put forward proposals to 

town halls, local and regional councils 

or national government. This sort of 

dialogue means that it can generate 

activity more easily than a simple 

construction firm, even in times of 

economic recession. — 

1 12.7 billion for concessions and 1.1 billion for PPPs. 

2 Including 10.1 billion for APRR and its umbrella structure 

Eiffarie (owned by Eiffage and the Australian infrastructure 

specialist, Macquarie). 

Born in 1953, Max Roche graduated 

from the “Ecole Polytechnique” and 

the “Ecole Nationale des Ponts & 

Chaussées” engineering schools. He 

began his career at the Ministry of 

Public Works, where he held various 

positions including technical advisor 

to the minister’s office. After four 

years with a firm of engineering 

consultants, he joined SAE in 1986 

which merged with Fougerolle in 

1993 to form the Eiffage Group. He has 

been responsible for development, 

concessions and finance. Since July 2011, 

he has held the position of deputy chief 

executive in charge of concessions. 

POtted BIOGRAPHY 

SyNERGIE #18 


All the woodwork and roofing will be restored and the facades cleaned and renovated. 

MAKEOVER FOR THE GRAND HOTEL-DIEU IN LYON 

6 

HIGHlIGHtS 

It’s the largest ever conversion of a 

classified historic monument in 

France.

A NEW HEALTHCARE COMPLEX IN ARCACHON 

Eiffage Construction has built a 

leading-edge healthcare complex at 

La Teste-de-Buch in Arcachon (Gironde).

THE DAKAR-DIAMNIADIO MOTORWAY ON TRACK 

Work on the Dakar-Diamniadio 

“motorway of the future” in Senegal 

is on track.

THE MILLAU VIADUCT SEEKING 

GLOBAL RECOGNITION 

Two former ministers, Jean-Claude 

Gayssot and Jacques Godfrain, are 

supporting the project to make the 

Garabit railway viaduct (Cantal) and the 

Millau motorway viaduct (Aveyron) 

Unesco designated World Heritage Sites.

tHe eveNt 

Phosphore ideas 

become reality 

Concepts developed by Phosphore, Eiffage’s sustainable development R&D laboratory, 

are now becoming a reality. This is evident from several contracts recently won by 

the Group, for example the contract to build evolutive housing in Grenoble or the 

“eight 21st century colleges” in Seine-Saint-Denis. 

It’s a first for Eiffage Immobilier. 

The property developer is to build 

150 evolutive homes in Grenoble 

– as imagined by Phosphore, Eiffage’s 

urban sustainable development R&D 

laboratory. The housing will be located 

at a 250-hectare mixed development 

zone (ZAC) on an island that has 

been named Cambridge. “This property 

development project has been developed in 

accordance with the Eiffage High Quality of 

Life ® standard,” welcomes Valérie David, 

head of sustainable development. 

Innovia, the Grenoble city developer (an 

SEM) wanted to stay in line with the ecocity 

approach promoted by the French 

government. “Being able to draw on the 

Phosphore standard undoubtedly enabled us 

to win the bidding process, and with it a 

“Eight 21 st century colleges” in Seine-Saint-Denis: 

top, Noisy-le-Grand college; bottom, Saint-Ouen college. 

10 


project worth almost 35 million euros, 

including 17 million euros of works,” adds 

Patrick Jacolin, head of programmes at 

Eiffage Immobilier Centre-Est. “The 

actual design of our buildings enables 

bespoke housing, which provides greater 

commercial flexibility in a difficult economic 

climate,” he adds. “This is highly innovative 

for a property developer.” 

Each housing unit is also equipped with 

an “evolutive room” with independent 

access to cater to changes in lifestyle, 

while ensuring a convivial environment. 

The different combinations of use are 

limitless: sub-letting, home-based 

business, housing a dependent, etc. The 

legal set up will ensure that the “room” 

is authorised for a variety of uses, so that 

the housing can evolve as time goes by. 

eNeRGY SOlIdARItY 

Another advantage is the low level of 

energy consumption. “This housing will 

provide energy efficiency performances that 

go beyond low energy consumption building 

(BBC) standards. With solar thermal and 

photovoltaic panels, the buildings have been 

designed to provide energy solidarity: a 

warm water loop will be shared across the 

mixed development zone (ZAC) and linked 

to geothermal probes,” explains Patrick 

Jacolin. “In this respect, Phosphore presents 

an advantage for urban development projects 

that aspire to being exemplary, innovative 

and reproducible,” says Ingrid Jouve, head 

of quality, environment and sustainable 

development at Eiffage Construction. 

“The concept of energy solidarity between 

renovated buildings and new positive energy 

(BePOS) buildings is much awaited by urban 

developers and enables the development of 

smart grids that can then be installed by 

Eiffage Energie and Clemessy,” she adds. 

In Grenoble, the integration of the property 

development programme into the 

city environment has also been carefully 

studied, and mobility issues taken into 

account. Parking is concentrated at the 

centre of the island. Each occupant has 

parking permission and a city-wide 

mobility pass for Grenoble (access to 

trams, open-access bikes, electric car 

sharing) to reduce the travel carbon 

footprint. 

Another example of Phosphore ideas 

becoming reality: Eiffage was awarded 

a partnership contract to build “eight 

21 st century colleges” by the Seine-Saint- 

Denis town council on 5 April 2012. Six 

of the eight schools will provide 80% of 

FIVE LABORATORIES, FIVE SOLUTION PACKAGES 

Phosphore combines several laboratories that deal with as many themes, 

problems to solve and solutions to develop : 

• slow and rapid eco-mobility, 

• HQVie ® (High Quality of Life) analysis of the environment, 

• “energytecture” or, in other words, the combination of energy excellence 

and architectural creativity, 

• ecological services and circular economy in order to validate the ecological 

neutrality of solutions put forward by the other laboratories, 

• think tank for the sustainability of urban production and industrial 

potential.

total energy requirements by means of 

a system of geothermal probes and heat 

pumps. Domestic hot water will be supplied 

by solar panels. Two of the schools 

should attain “zero energy” consumption 

and, as well as having geothermal systems, 

will also be equipped with solar 

and photovoltaic panels, and at least 

one of them will have a CHP power 

unit. 

SUStAINABle URBAN 

develOPMeNt 

To begin with, Phosphore aimed to propel 

Eiffage into a carbon neutral future, 

given the introduction of a carbon tax 

which was perceived as having a poten- 

In Grenoble, 150 evolutive homes to be built on an island baptised “Cambridge”. 

tially negative impact on the activities 

of the Group. The focus was on managing 

carbon emissions and energy efficiency. 

But designing a building that is 

energy efficient and not taking into 

account mobility systems soon becomes 

very limiting. 

Phosphore therefore increased its scope 

to include the eco-district and combined 

the eco-design of buildings and the 

introduction of slow and rapid ecomobility 

systems. The studies are always 

related to a specific urban context 

(Marseille for Phosphore I and II, 

Strasbourg for Phosphore III and 

Grenoble for Phosphore IV), in order to 

take account of their specific environ- 

© Cabinets Barthélémy & Macary 

SyNERGIE #18 

ments. In addition to the climate change 

prospective, Phosphore has also integrated 

studies on sociological evolutions 

(changing family structures, divorce, 

aging and loss of autonomy, etc). 

More specifically, “Phosphore truly reflects 

a sustainable urban philosophy, which is 

something local officials understand well,” 

points out Valérie David. “Whereas the 

High Environmental Quality (HQE) ® standard, 

based on 14 targets, is more segmented 

and strongly oriented towards the environment, 

the HQVie ® is rather more global in its 

approach and incorporates the concept of 

living together. This approach reflects perfectly 

the vision of urban contractor to which 

the Group can aspire.” In this context, APRR 

teams have been working hard to study 

how motorways will be affected by sustainable 

development issues in the 

future : they have come up with the 

concept of APRR hubs offering a choice 

of APRR electric vehicles and APRR hotel 

reservation services. “The motorway 

concession operator is rethinking its role, 

which is not just to transport passengers, 

but also provide a range of services to enable 

safe travel and keep greenhouses gases to a 

minimum,” she insists. 

dReAM FActORY 

“Phosphore is also a factory for dreams and 

innovation,” she adds. “For every innovation 

that is actually taken up, there are 10 initial 

ideas. This means that the ideas pool has to 

be constantly fed or it runs the risk of drying 

up.” And Ingrid Jouve adds, “This standard 

has enabled us to remain competitive. We feel 

that we have a head start. But technology is 

evolving all the time, as are the expectations 

of our clients, and the services offered by our 

competitors.” 

Nevertheless, there are new issues to 

explore : air quality management ; 

“feedback” related to low energy buildings 

already in existence; studies on the 

behavioural influence of residents and 

users on energy expenditure; solutions to 

anticipate normative and regulatory 

constraints, particularly in terms of the life 

cycle of materials and buildings. Enough 

issues for plenty more Phosphore ! — 


12 

tHe eveNt 

French National 

Biodiversity Strategy: 

eiffage takes the lead 

Eiffage and Eurovia, the road infrastructure subsidiary of Vinci, are the only two 

representatives from the public works sector whose commitments under the National 

Biodiversity Strategy have received recognition from the ministry. A crucial point given 

that the 21st century will undoubtedly be one of ecological engineering. 

The commitment plan under the 

French National Biodiversity 

Strategy (SNB), undertaken by 

Eiffage last July, received recognition 

from the Ministry of Ecology, 

Sustainable Development and Energy 

at the end of October 2012. The plan of 

action was considered as contributing 

to the objectives of the French National 

Biodiversity Strategy. Eiffage can 

now officially communicate on this 

“recognition” including in Group 

documents and tenders. Valérie David, 

head of sustainable development at 

Eiffage underlines the fact that only 

two applications from the public 

works sector have received official 

recognition to date: Eiffage and Eurovia, 

the road infrastructure subsidiary 

of Vinci. “Our other competitors were 

either unsuccessful or chose to delay 

their response until the second call for 

recognition to be launched in 2013,” she 

notes. Delphine Batho, Minister for 

Ecology, will officially welcome the two 

Garden south of the Asnières mixed development zone (Hauts-de-Seine). 


successful candidates at the Economic, 

Social and Environmental Council on 

December 17 th . The aim of the National 

Biodiversity Strategy 2011-2020 is to 

preserve, restore, reinforce and enhance 

biodiversity, and ensure the sustainable 

and fair use of resources. This should 

be achieved through the implication 

of all stakeholders and all sectors. “It 

reflects France’s response to its international 

commitments, the future of our societies 

depends as much on preserving biodiversity 

as taking into account climate change,” 

says Christophe Aubel, head of the 

“Humanité et Biodiversité” Association, 

chaired by astrophysics expert Hubert 

Reeves. “We should applaud the fact that 

companies like Eiffage are signing up to 

the process.” 

ecOlOGIcAl eNGINeeRING 

“Specifically,” he adds, “the programme 

presented by Eiffage provides a strong 

response to the National Biodiversity 

Strategy rules of engagement and is 

Natural zone surrounding the Lauterbourg factory (Bas-Rhin). 

distinguished by its overall coherence. 

The company’s commitment to involving 

and improving awareness among all its 

employees and divisions is also reflected. 

A raft of actions per business division is 

set out. In this respect, Eiffage doesn’t limit 

itself to protecting individual rare species 

but is committed to being part of a global 

effort to preserve the eco-system. Finally the 

Group has created a Biodiversity Chair at 

the Paris 1 Sorbonne-Panthéon University in 

Paris. Eiffage is seeking to make a difference 

on a variety of levels.” 

However, Christophe Aubel encourages 

the company to increase its efforts. 

“The introduction of certain facilities such 

as bridges for bats over the A65 (which 

aims to avoid collisions between the bats 

and motorists using the motorway) is still 

fairly exceptional. This kind thing should 

become common practice. If the 20 th century 

was dominated by civil engineering, the 21 st 

century will be dominated by ecological 

engineering. Reclaiming natural capital 

must be at the heart of all ‘processes’.” —

RePORt 

culture: 

eiffage top of 

the bill 

A passion, a tradition even. For some years now, Eiffage has been playing a leading 

role in the cultural sector. Museums, theatres, foundations: the Group has a multitude 

of references to its credit, often highly prestigious. It is, and always has been, active 

as much in the construction of major buildings, for example the Louis Vuitton 

Foundation in Paris, as in their renovation, for example the Toulouse-Lautrec 

Museum in Albi, on the banks of the Tarn, or the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. 

January 2013 

13

RePORt 

December 2009-December 2012 : 

three years after the foundation 

stone was laid, the Louvre-Lens 

Museum (Pas-de-Calais) was 

inaugurated with great pomp. 

Following the Centre Pompidou 

in Metz (Meurthe-et-Moselle), 

this is the second outpost of a 

Paris museum to be created 

outside the capital. It is another 

testament to Eiffage’s expertise 

in the cultural sector. Looking 

back, it was at the Louvre (Paris) 

that Eiffage made its début in 

1989: the metals division was 

responsible for the two great 

metal and glass pyramids 

designed by Chinese-American 

architect Ieoh Ming Pei. Eleven 

years later, Pradeau & Morin, the 

subsidiary specialised in 

restoration work, gave a new 

lease of life to the four galleries 

of the Palais Royal that are the 

setting for the famous Buren 

columns – Eiffage Energie having 

already taken care of the lighting 

for the columns. And it was 

Eiffage Construction Métallique 

which, at the beginning of the 

last decade, carried out 

renovation work of the metallic 

structure, nave and glass panels 

at the Grand Palais. 

Directly opposite, the Petit Palais 

was also extensively renovated 

by Eiffage Construction. The 

Group in general has renovated 

or modernised many cultural 

spaces such as the Beaux-Arts 

Museum in Montpellier 

(Hérault), the Toulouse-Lautrec 

Museum in Albi (Tarn) and the 

“Cité du Patrimoine et de 

l’Architecture” at the Palais de 

Chaillot (Paris). Not forgetting 

new spaces such as the 

conservation centre of the 

Mucem, the future Museum of 

European and Mediterranean 

Civilisations in Marseille 

(Bouches-du-Rhône). 

The Group has also taken centre 

stage to renovate theatres such 

as the Gaîté Lyrique and 

Mogador in Paris. Eiffage is also 

a much appreciated patron of 

the Paris Opera: one million 

euros was invested in 2010 to 

restore the Zambelli rotunda at 

the Palais Garnier. 

14 synergie GROUP MAGAZINE 

© Manuelle Gautrand Architecture 

Gaîté Lyrique theatre, Paris Zambelli rotunda, Palais Garnier, 

Paris 

PRAdeAU & MORIN, 

A TRUMP CARD FOR THE 

RENOVATION OF HISTORIC 

BUILDINGS 

The reason Eiffage has had so 

much success in the cultural 

sector is due to the fact that 

the Group holds several trump cards. 

The first is undoubtedly Pradeau & 

Morin. The subsidiary, which joined 

the Group in 1985, is qualified to 

intervene not only in the restoration 

of facades, but also structural work 

and masonry for historic monuments. 

Uniquely, it employs forty stonemasons 

and participates in exceptional 

building projects – from the Palais de 

Chaillot to the famous Boulle school 

of applied arts, and the Sorbonne 

library. 

The company’s expertise means that 

it can act as a general contractor on 

Palais de Chaillot, Paris 

public and privately owned historical 

buildings. 

The company has its roots in the Îlede-France, 

a region that itself 

accounts for half of the 3,500 buildings 

on the historic monuments 

register, as well as all the major 

clients in the cultural field: the 

Ministry of Culture, of course, but 

also the Ministry of Defence with the 

Invalides and the Ecole Militaire, the 

Department of Justice with the Palais 

de Justice on the Île de la Cité as well 

as the Elysée, and various other public 

and local institutions. Its teams can 

also lend their support to other 

Eiffage Construction subsidiaries all 

over France. — 

© Barriquand-Treuille 

© Alain-Charles Perrot ACMH

THE BOLDNESS 

OF MetAl 

Eiffage has another major 

advantage, Eiffage Construction 

Métallique. Metal lends itself to 

a variety of approaches and is well 

suited to the bold and innovative 

spirit of architects. “It can be modified, 

streamlined, modernised. It also enables 

you to reshape or reinforce structures 

and offers much more flexibility than 

concrete structures,” explains Patrick 

Arville, head of rehabilitation 

methods at Eiffage Construction 

Métallique. “The material is being used 

in an increasing number of buildings,” 

he continues. “For example, the 

American-Canadian architect Frank 

Gehry, designer of the Louis Vuitton 

Foundation building in the Bois de 

Boulogne in Paris, has designed a metalframed 

glass chrysalis that defies the 

laws of technology.” Eiffage, with its 

MANAGING eNeRGY 

Electricity supply, lighting, air 

conditioning and humidity 

control are critical services for 

cultural sites that host works of art 

and which are open to the public. 

Château de Crussol 

metals division, offers a high level 

of specificity compared to its major 

counterparts in the construction 

sector. And Eiffage Construction 

Métallique has indeed accumulated 

a range of references: “We built the 

stairs at the Beaubourg Pompidou 

Centre and all the gables for the four 

Clemessy has been working for the 

Musée d’Orsay (Paris) since 1986. 

“We are responsible for the maintenance 

of the high and low voltage electricity 

supply system, lighting, the secured 

Le théâtre antique d’Orange 

SyNERGIE #18 

Antique Theatre, Orange 

buildings that make up the Grande 

Bibliothèque de France in Paris,” says 

Patrick Arville. “We also mounted the 

cover of the Antique Theatre at Orange 

in the Vaucluse, repaired the fronton and 

redesigned the rosette at Notre-Dame de 

la Treille cathedral, a jewel of marble and 

steel located in Vieux-Lille (Nord).” — 

network (UPS and generators), 

instrumentation and technical 

management of the building,” explains 

Jean-Paul Rebuzzi, maintenance 

manager. “There is no room for mistakes. 

The facilities must be operational 24 

hours a day. The security of property and 

people is a major challenge for the 

museum. An electrical failure that is not 

backed up by an emergency network 

could result in damage to the works of 

art and be a danger to the public.” This 

is why there is a dedicated team of 

twelve people. 

Energy is also synonymous with 

embellishment : Eiffage Energie has 

just installed new lighting at the 

Château de Crussol (Ardèche), using 

a system of 152 LED lamps, that 

shed a soft diffused light. The project 

took 5,000 manpower hours, the 

monument and its walls being one 

hundred metres high. — 


Musée d’Orsay, Paris 

eiffage, top of the bill in the cultural sector 

CRAFTMANSHIP AND CUSTOMISED 

MAINTENANCE FOR THE MUSee d’ORSAY 

A NEW GLASS ROOF FOR THE 

GRANd PAlAIS 

The renovation of the Grand 

Palais in Paris turned out to be 

a showpiece for Eiffage 

Construction Métallique. In 2000, the 

division carried out the complete 

renovation of the structure, the nave 

and glass roofs. The building, which 

was built for the Universal Exhibition 

of 1900, was closed after bolts and 

rivets fell from the central dome. 

The first phase of work consisted in 

strengthening the foundations. 

Subsidence had caused the structure 

to shift some 14 cm over the course 

of a century ! Then came the 

preparatory work to reinforce the 

dome, whose frame weighed 500 tons, 

and installation of scaffolding around 

the north and south naves. This way, 

16 

RePORt 


Gare d’Orsay, in Paris, 

built for the Universal 

“The 

Exhibition of 1900, is superb 

and resembles a Palace for Fine Arts,” 

so wrote the painter Edouard 

Detaille in the early 20th century. 

Little did he know that his prophecy 

would come true... 86 years later. In 

October 1977, the French government 

decided to make this Parisian train 

station, abandoned since the war, 

into a museum. The chosen 

architectural project aimed to 

highlight the great nave and 

transform the canopy, or large glass 

roof, into the main entrance. In 

2002-2003, Eiffage Construction 

Métallique was given the job of 

restoring the north and west 

canopies and the west parvis. The 

metallic structures were dismantled 

the metal cupola could be raised a 

few centimetres, parts of the frame 

restored and the dome fully repaired. 

The vast 15,000 m² glass canopy was 

replaced with more resistant 

laminated glass. With the help of 

computers, rusted parts were 

checked, renovated and reproduced 

where necessary. The centrepiece of 

the works, a zinc flower weighing 

900 kg, was set in place at a height of 

42 metres. Throughout this project, 

which was particularly challenging 

due to the presence of lead, asbestos 

and the risk of fire and falling objects, 

security measures were stepped up. 

“Discussions” were held on a regular 

basis to deal efficiently with the risks 

identified in the field. — 

and sent to the Maizières (Moselle) 

factory to be completely restored, 

including reshaping and riveting of 

new parts. Then they were returned 

to the site and reinstalled good as 

new. In addition, the west parvis was 

reinforced to improve the stability 

of the structure. A work of pure 

craftsmanship. 

The Eiffage Energie division also 

works with the Musée d’Orsay. After 

completing the building automation 

system in 1986 and associated 

maintenance contracts up to 1997, 

Clemessy now ensures operations 

and preventive and corrective 

maintenance of the strong current 

system, as well as the centralised 

technical management of the 

building. The contract was renewed 

in 2011 for a further four years. — 

Glass roof at the Grand Palais, Paris

A cUltURAl dIP 

INTO THE PAST 

In the early 1930s, the city of 

Roubaix (Nord) built an Art-Deco 

style swimming pool for its townspeople. 

It was a sanctuary of hygiene 

with adjoining baths on two floors! 

The mayor at the time, Jean-Baptiste 

Lebas, entrusted its development to 

the architect Albert Baert, for the 

purposes of addressing the poverty 

of the working classes. With its 

Byzantine theatrical facade, the building 

was based on the structure of 

an abbey with four wings built around 

a central garden. The 50-metre pool 

was gently lit by light coming through 

the windows of the east wing – the 

Museum of art and industry, Roubaix 

windows representing both the sunrise 

and the sunset. For 50 years, the 

Olympic-sized pool welcomed many 

swimmers and created a social interaction 

that was unique in the city. It 

was considered a place of great charm 

in Roubaix, before it fell into disrepair. 

In 1990, the city of Roubaix and the 

Directorate of Museums of France 

decided to transform the disused 

swimming pool into a museum. After 

more than two years of work, this 

architectural jewel, designed by the 

architect Jean-Paul Philippon, took 

on a new look structured around 

three poles: the pool, textiles and the 

world of childhood. The original 

facades were carefully preserved. It 

took a total of 40,000 manpower hours 

to give the pool of yesteryear its new 

cultural dimension. It is now also a 

venue for conferences, receptions and 

fashion shows. — 

METAMORPHOSIS OF THE 

MUlHOUSe FOUNdRY 

Gone are the machine tools and 

diesel engines... Long live 

contemporary art ! The Mulhouse 

foundry (Haut-Rhin), a former 

industrial site owned up until the 

1980s by the “Société Alsacienne de 

Construction Métallique” metal company, 

was entirely converted by Eiffage 

between 2004 and 2006. 

It was a daring operation launched by 

the City and the Mulhouse regional 

development company. The old site has 

now become a vast cultural complex, 

designed by the architects Mongiello 

& Plisson. It houses a contemporary 

art centre, a community centre and a 

faculty of economic, social and legal 

sciences, a municipal library and a 

university canteen. Eiffage was 

responsible for the structural work, 

walls and roofs, plastering and facades. 

The work was carried out according to 

High Environmental Quality (HQE) 

standards. The column-beam-slab roof 

structure of the old building dating 

back to 1922 was retained. In contrast, 

The Mulhouse Foundry 

SyNERGIE #18 

the basement and the ground floor, as 

well as the three other floors were 

completely renovated. The higher levels 

were built “by hand”, because the roof 

prevented use of a tower crane. Overall, 

it took 8,500 m 3 of concrete and 775 tons 

of steel to construct 12,500 m² of 

flashing and 14,000 m² of flooring. — 


TREADING THE BOARDS AT THE 

MOGAdOR tHeAtRe 

A 

tour de force ! In just eight 

months, from January to 

September 2007, Morin & 

Pradeau and Eiffage Energie restored 


THE tOUlOUSe-lAUtRec MUSeUM HEADLINES 

A 

castle and a fortress. On the 

banks of the river Tarn, the 

Toulouse-Lautrec Museum is 

one of the treasures of the Episcopal 

city of Albi, and was classed a World 

Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2010. The 

construction of this remarkable 

monument, the Palais de la Berbie, 

with its courtyard and its dungeon, 

dates back to the thirteenth century. 

As its name suggests, it houses the 

largest collection of works by Henri 

de Toulouse-Lautrec – known worldwide 

for his paintings, posters and 

lithographs. 

From 2001 to 2012, an ambitious 

restructuring programme was carried 

out to create a temporary exhibition 

hall in particular. “Everyone from worker 

to director was proud to be involved in this 

project,” recalls Jean-Paul Birbes, head 

of Eiffage Construction works at the 

Albi agency. “Workers dug ten metres 

under the old terrace to create the future 

exhibition hall and installed mounting bolts 

to offset the 1,500 tons of pressure caused 

by the weight of the existing buildings.” 

Mogador Theatre, Paris 

18 

RePORt 


BSI ® (Special Industrial Concrete), an 

ultra-high performance fibre material 

developed by Eiffage Travaux Publics, 

was used to create two cylindrical 

pillars. Due to its high density, it can 

Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Albi 

the famous Mogador Theatre in Paris 

to its former glory. The “three bells” 

sounded on September 22 nd , before 

the official opening on October 4 th 

and the Premiere of “The 

Lion King” show. “The very 

short timeframe forced us to 

go into overdrive,” says 

Florent Bonnet, head of 

operations at Pradeau & 

Morin. “We created a basement 

level by underpinning the 

existing structure and evacuated 

4,000m 3 of earth, right in 

the centre of Paris. The stage 

was restructured, the balcony 

seating remodelled, metal 

structures were renovated, as 

were the historic premises and 

withstand up to 165 megapascals of 

pressure compared to 25 for conventional 

concrete. Then they restored the 

premises to their original state, taking 

care to move the bricks one by one. — 

the associated office building. Work to 

enable compliance with safety standards 

and a complete refurbishment of the 

electrical and air conditioning systems 

was carried out at the same time.” 

Everything was refurbished by Eiffage 

Energie – from the high-voltage 

transformer to the lighting, including 

the fire detection, sound, access 

control, video surveillance, building 

management and computer network 

systems. “Starting in the July, workers 

kept company with actors, directors and 

technicians who were already on site for 

rehearsals”, recalls Florent Bonnet. 

“In return for their efforts, they were all 

invited to the Premiere ! It was an exceptional 

challenge that went off without a 

hitch.” — 

© Cabinet Dubois & Associés

A NEW SCRIPT FOR THE 

“eNFANtS dU PARAdIS” 

In renovating the famous “Les 

Enfants du Paradis” cinema in 

Chartres (Eure-et-Loire), which 

takes its name from the Marcel Carné 

film, Eiffage Immobilier Centre gave 

the building a new lease of life. This 

modern building managed to retain 

its charm with its original facade in 

tact. The project, however, did get off 

to a bad start. An archaeological dig 

uncovered the remains of a Gallo- 

Roman villa, and delayed the project 

by two years. Following its restoration 

from 2004 to 2008, involving various 

divisions of the Group (Eiffage 

Energie, Eiffage Construction and 

Eiffage Travaux Publics), the cinema 

now boasts ten underground 

screening rooms, plus 74 residential 

units. Two major architects were 

involved in the project: Rudy Ricciotti, 

who is to be thanked for conserving 

the 19 th century facade and exterior 

aspects, and Pierre Coloboc who was 

responsible for the interior. The front 

of the building, inaugurated in 2008, 

is remarkable for its stone entrance 

repainted white and large black 

surround in BSI ® , a material that 

combines strength, architectural 

qualities and a low ecological 

footprint.— 

tHe vIllA eMPAIN RESTORED 

TO ITS FORMER GLORy 

One of the most beautiful 

masterpieces of Art-Deco 

architecture in Brussels 

(Belgium), the Villa Empain, named 

after the eponymous Baron, was 

built in 1930 on one of the most 

prestigious avenues in the capital. 

Villa Empain, Brussels 

The luxurious 2,500 m² mansion was 

a combination of rigour and 

sophistication. The choice of 

materials is witness to this : polished 

granite walls, gilded brass angles on 

the exterior cornices and around the 

windows, marble floors, precious 

SyNERGIE #18 

“Les Enfants du Paradis” cinema, Chartres 

woods such as rosewood, beautifully 

worked ironwork, stained glass 

windows and decorated glass 

panels… The pool, which was one of 

the most modern of its time, also 

inspired great admiration. 

Left abandoned from 1995 to 2006, 

the property was then taken up by 

the Robert Boghossian Foundation, 

named after the Armenian-origin 

Lebanese jeweller. Renovation work 

was undertaken between November 

2008 and March 2010 to make it a 

“centre for art and dialogue between 

the cultures of the East and 

West.” 

Teams from Valens, the subsidiary 

of Eiffage Benelux, who participated 

in the restoration, were keen to 

restore this listed masterpiece to its 

former glory. Entrusted to the 

architect Francis Metzger, the project 

proved complex. The copper roof 

was completely reworked, mouldings 

were restored using stucco, veneer 

doors and panelling were restored, 

and 23,000 gold leaves were applied 

to the gilded brass angles... True 

craftsmanship. — 

January 2013 19 

© L. de Serres

A wHIte HeARt 

FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL 

CONSERVATION CENTRE 

A 

monolith of raw ochre-tinted 

concrete that reveals an 

immaculate white heart like 

a coconut : the collections conservation 

centre of the Mucem Museum (“Musée 

des civilisations de l’Europe et la 

Fluid, spacious, and aerial. The 

new Louvre-Lens Museum (Pasde-Calais), 

which will house 

600 works of art, plays on its 

transparency. A blend of concrete, 

aluminium and glass, it forms a 

succession of five buildings with light 

reflecting facades. Glass roofs allow 

light to stream in. “Everything was done 

to hide all the technical aspects of the 

building,” applauds Joel Jakuboszczak, 

project manager at Eiffage 

Construction. “Visitors won’t be able to 

see any cables, sheaths or pipes. The 

entrance hall is the only space that 

actually has pillars. This is work of 

exceptional quality!” 

There was a downside to this. Eiffage 

Construction won the 20 million euro 

contract to carry out the structural 

work and, in particular, the basement 

areas of the building, including the 

museum’s reserves, as well as the 


INAUGURATION OF tHe lOUvRe-leNS MUSEUM 

20 

RePORt 


Mucem collections conservation building, Marseille 

Méditerranée”) in Marseille (Bouchesdu-Rhône), 

is full of surprises. 

Designed by the Marseille-based 

architect Corinne Vezzoni, the 

building was delivered by Eiffage in 

August 2012 and opened its doors on 

sealing and network coordination. 

“Because the site was divided into 16 distinct 

lots, every adjustment made by 

secondary contractors had an impact,” he 

says. The meticulous requirements 

of the Japanese Sanaa agency spiced 

things up as well. “On site day and night, 

they were capable of undoing everything 

that they had approved the day before !” 

The brand new Louvre-Lens Museum 

September 1 st . Located a stone’s throw 

from Saint-Charles station, on a 

disused military site, it is home to 

13,000 m² of reserves, as well as the 

museum’s documents archives, library 

and scientific archives. Each opening, 

terrace, bay window or slit in the 

facade acts as a skylight. The island 

at the centre of the building, the 

galleries, work rooms and consultation 

spaces are bathed in sunshine. In 

contrast, the vast cathedral-like 

storage rooms and anoxia (where 

objects can be decontaminated) 

contribute to the proper conservation 

of the collections. Impressive technical 

installations ensure that the air is 

permanently controlled and humidity 

monitored, which is essential for the 

conservation of works of art. 

“The project which involved around a 

hundred people, including subcontractors, 

went well,” applauds Sandrine Botas, 

main work coordinator at Eiffage. “The 

final month of the test period proved a real 

challenge, however, because we had to 

make sure – between late July and late 

August – that operating conditions and all 

security systems were optimal.” — 

he confides. The Eiffage structure 

design office which supplied all the 

plans is to be applauded. Eiffage Energie 

was responsible for installing the heating, 

ventilation, and air conditioning 

systems as well as the fire protection 

system, and Eiffage Travaux Publics 

contributed to landscaping the huge 

22-hectare surrounding parkland. — 

© Odile et Jean-Christophe Hecquet

NewS 

A new face for old Besançon 

Following the signing of a sale on plan contract (Vefa) between Eiffage 

Immobilier, Besançon (Doubs) and Ségécé, a company specialising in 

commercial real estate, construction of Phase 2 of the “Passages Pasteur” 

began last August. Objective: boost economic activity at the heart of 

Besançon by building a shopping centre and a hundred new homes. Teams 

from Eiffage Construction Alsace-Franche-Comté and Bourgogne are at 

work. Preliminary demolition work in a historic urban environment called 

for increased vigilance, as did the earthworks in rock. — 

waste treatment plant 

contract for eiffage in 

Poland 

The Eiffage subsidiary Budownictwo Mitex has won a 

contract worth 24 million zlotys (nearly €6M) to develop a 

waste treatment plant in Poland. The contract is to build 

facilities for waste sorting, aggregation of recycled products 

and waste storage. Capacity: 60,000 tons per year. 

The project should be completed by December 2013. — 

SyNERGIE #18 

All change in 

store for the Saint- 

Ouen docks 

On the banks of the river Seine in the city centre, spread 

over nearly 100 hectares, the Saint-Ouen Docks (Seine- 

Saint-Denis) mixed development zone (ZAC) offers future 

residents an environmentally innovative neighbourhood. 

Eiffage Immobilier Île-de-France is developing 253 homes 

and 10,700 m² of office space. The residential units are 

divided into four blocks, each with a very different style. 

The whole programme meets French HQE ® or Habitat 

& Environment standards, as well as low energy 

consumption (BBC) label standards. — 

large pool in the Ardennes 

The Ardennes teams of Eiffage Travaux Publics are 

completing road and utilities works for the Rethel aquatic 

centre (Ardennes), the construction work having been 

carried out by Eiffage Construction. The €6M project should 

be completed in January 2013. The infrastructure, designed 

by Paris architects Ruols, has two pools (250 m² and 

150 m²), an outdoor space equipped with a solarium, a spa 

area and sauna... On the public works side, the contract 

included modification of roads, treatment of soil using 

hydraulic binder, edges cast in situ and infiltration wells. 

Low temperature asphalt (EBT ® ) was also applied. — 


Rugby: 

a first at the Grand Stadium in lille 

A first in the history of French rugby. On Saturday 17 November 2012, for the first time ever in France, a rugby match was 

played under a closed roof ! The game took place at the Grand Stadium in Lille (Nord) between the French XV and Argentina. 

The roof of the stadium was closed on the Friday morning, shortly before Latin American selector Santiago Phelan’s men began 

their training session. The atmosphere was electric and the environment favoured the French team who won 39 to 22. — 

22 

NewS 


dijon 

celebrates its 

tram network 

On December 8 th , the city of 

Dijon (Côte-d’Or) celebrated the 

commissioning of its new tram 

network and the launch of the 

first trams on the T2 line. 

Eiffage Travaux Publics teams 

worked on the line, laying tram 

tracks, surfacing the roads and 

pavements, as well as fitting out 

passenger stations. At the same 

time, additional road works were 

completed and a “dynamic 

fountain” was designed and 

delivered by Eiffage Energie and 

Eiffage Construction. — 

lightening intervention 

for total refinery 

Eiffel Industrie was selected to provide the works for the 

2012-2013 “big stop” at the Total oil refinery at Feyzin 

(Rhône). Preparations, which began in January 2012, will 

keep around 10 repairers, planners and construction 

managers from the Rhône-Alpes regional division and 

the department for scheduled shutdowns busy until the 

end of 2013. For two weeks during the summer of 2012, a 

lightening operation was launched : 185 people took part 

in various operations, including assembly, lifting, 

pipework, scaffolding, insulation, high pressure and 

chemical cleaning and chimney flue repairs. —

A new lease of life for Ivory 

coast power station 

Rodez prison to enter 

service soon 

Works at Rodez prison (Aveyron) are progressing 

well. The future prison, designed by architect 

firm Azema, has a capacity for 100 inmates and 

is surrounded by a six metre high concrete wall. 

By the end of 2012, Eiffage Energie Sud-Ouest 

will have delivered all the security features of 

the facility : 120 cameras, 130 intercoms, 

perimeter detection system, access control, 

anti-intrusion, and a two-way radio system. 

The main challenge of this project : channelling 

all the information to a unique “hypervision” 

observation centre. — 

Turbomachines 1 , a division of 

Eiffel Industrie has signed a 

contract for the rehabilitation of 

production units at the power 

station in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). 

The gas turbine “rotor” will be 

repaired at the Montardon 

workshops (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) 

before work starts. This will be 

followed by refurbishment of the 

“flange to flange” turbine and its 

auxiliaries and alternator, 

renovation of the fire safety 

system and machine control 

system. Particular attention will 

be paid to the quality and safety 

aspects of this project, which will 

be carried out under challenging 

conditions. — 

1 A turbomachine is a rotating thermodynamic 

machine which produces mechanical energy. 

SyNERGIE #18 

clemessy joins 

the tenerrdis 

cluster 

In the fourteenth call for projects 

by competitiveness clusters 

organised by the French national 

and local governments, the 

“Essaimage” programme, 

involving Dynae, a subsidiary 

of Clemessy, has been selected. 

Objective : to make hydraulic 

turbines more efficient in order 

to face growing demand for 

hydropower production and 

competition from emerging 

countries. “Essaimage” is 

committed to improving the 

“process” of manufacturing and 

assembly of elements that make 

up the scale model. This project is 

being presented by the Tenerrdis 

cluster, which aims to increase 

competitiveness in the industrial 

sectors of new energy 

technologies. — 

A cultural centre adapted 

to the wall of sound 

Eiffage Energie will be installing the heating, 

ventilation, air conditioning, power supply and 

plumbing, as well as the kitchen facilities at the future 

cultural centre in Saint-Dizier (Haute-Marne). 

A rather unusual project given its location close to the 

airbase where Rafale fighter jets take off ! Extensive 

acoustic calculations and sound traps will be installed 

to eliminate the problem of roaring engines. — 


Maritime works in Belgium 

Maritime civil engineering : 

eiffage to ramp up international 

business efforts 

Eiffage is active in port and maritime works with Herbosch-Kiere in Benelux and ETMF 

(Eiffage Travaux Maritimes et Fluviaux) in France. The Group now intends to ramp up 

international business efforts, particularly in Africa where the construction of port and 

maritime works is expected to develop. 

Herculean works are being 

carried out at Anvers in 

Belgium. Their purpose is to 

create a new lock on the Escaut, and 

so reduce congestion on the left bank 

of the access to the port. The lock is 

being hailed as the largest in the 

world! It will extend over 500 metres 

long and 68 metres wide, and reach 

17.80 metres below sea level ... 

A little over 9 million cubic metres of 

earth will have to be excavated, a 

third of which will be reused for backfilling 

cavities along the quay walls. 

Construction work will require 

20,000 tons of steel, 57,000 m² of 

sheet piling, 795,000 m³ of reinforced 

concrete and 55,000 tons of reinforcement. 

The platform is expected to 

cost around 340 million euros, and 

be operational by 2016. Two subsidiaries 

of Eiffage Benelux, Antwerpse 

Bouwwerken, which is acting as gene- 

24 

FOcUS 


ral contractor, and Herbosch-Kiere 

specialising in maritime and river 

works, form part of the project company 

De Waaslandsluis that was set 

up especially to oversee the project. 

The project started in November 2011 

and should be completed by early 

2016. The owners are none other than 

the port of Antwerp and the Flemish 

Region. The financers are equally 

prestigious, in particular the BEI 

European Investment Bank and the 

Belgian bank insurance giant KBC. 

OveR ONe HUNdRed YeARS OF 

eXPeRIeNce 

Four years ago, Herbosch-Kiere built 

extensive seawalls in Ostende 

(Western Flanders) – veritable “storm 

walls” to protect the port and the city 

that the Flemish people nicknamed 

the “Queen of Beaches” (a contract 

worth 70 million euros). This subsidiary 

of Eiffage Benelux has, as its 

general manager Benny De Sutter 

points out, over one hundred years 

of experience in the construction of 

quay walls, reinforcement and renovation 

of seawalls, port construction, 

refloating of boats, demolition by 

blasting, dredging, etc. It has highly 

specialised equipment (pontoons, 

derricks [port cranes], tugs, etc.) and 

in 2011, it achieved 146 million euros 

of turnover in Belgium, the 

Netherlands and Great Britain. 

In France, Eiffage has its own specialised 

subsidiary, ETMF (Eiffage 

Travaux Maritimes et Fluviaux). It is, 

however, more modest in size (35 million 

euros of turnover - see insert) 

because the French ports sector is 

somewhat narrower than that of the 

Netherlands, a country that is historically 

highly prominent in this field,

ETMF IN POLE POSITION IN FRANCE 

Construction, renovation or rehabilitation of ports, docks, 

dams or locks : ETMF (Eiffage Travaux Maritimes et Fluviaux), 

a subsidiary of Eiffage Travaux Publics has many strings 

to its bow. “We recently delivered, along with the Group’s 

partners, a 250m platform in Dunkirk (Nord) where boats 

can unload their cargo in bulk,” says Jerome Scoffoni, 

director of ETMF. “We also provided the works to extend J 

wharf at the port of Sète (Hérault), as well as the extension 

of the main wharf and reconstruction of the petrol platform 

at the commercial port of Lorient (Morbihan).” 

ETMF teams have learned to deal with many difficulties : 

working with the tides, which means having two 

workstations one of which may well be nocturnal ; taking 

into account operational constraints, which involves 

knowing how to free up work areas at the sound a whistle, 

which can be the case at the naval base at Île Longue 

(Finistère) in the event of a submarine docking. 

ETMF also has to coordinate civil engineering works with 

mechanical installations on waterways. Our subsidiary has 

just rebuilt the Villeneuve-sur-yonne dam in the lower 

valley of the yonne. Following demolition of the old port 

and construction of all the civil engineering works, valves, 

cylinders and bridges were installed for refilling in late 

October 2012 according to deadlines set by the VNF 

(Waterways of France) prior to the flood risk period. 

with Amsterdam and Rotterdam. 

However, although some projects 

have been shelved in France, for 

example the development of the port 

at Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône), 

known as “Fos 4 XL”, others are being 

Seawalls in Ostende 

Dam at Villeneuve-sur-Yonne 

J wharf at the port of Sète 

announced, such as “Calais 2015” 

(€400 million), but also the “Baltique- 

Pacifique” project in Dunkirk to equip 

the western docks with a line of extra 

platforms and a new swinging area 

(€650 million), or the development of 

dock platforms to cater for the 

increase in offshore wind farms. 

cOOPeRAtION 

SyNERGIE #18 

Eiffage teams will tender for the 

contract to build a new coastal road 

in La Réunion, which aims to secure 

the movement of people and goods 

between the north and west of the 

Indian Ocean island, by building a 

viaduct and a landfill seawall. Eiffage 

also plans to increase its efforts in 

international markets, particularly in 

Africa where the construction of port 

and maritime facilities is expected to 

develop. “We’re going to tender for the 

redesign of the quayside at the port of 

Algiers,” says Patrick Charlon, head of 

order taking – major projects division 

at Eiffage Travaux Publics. Herbosch- 

Kiere is increasing links with Eiffage 

Travaux Publics so as to better penetrate 

these markets. — 


cOMMItMeNtS 

the greatest wealth is men 

and women 

Every individual is different and each has a different start in life. Consequently, 

the various divisions of Eiffage are offering their employees the possibility of 

training to improve their French language or core learning skills. 

Problems with spelling, grammar, 

numeracy or computer skills can 

affect self-confidence and 

compromise future career prospects. At 

Eiffage, this sort of problem is detected 

during annual interviews or safety 

training sessions, through “project 

reports” or on construction sites. 

Consequently, the various Group divisions 

have set up voluntary learning schemes 

for workers who want to fill any gaps in 

their core learning skills. The risk of an 

accident on a construction site cannot 

be dismissed. Misunderstanding of 

Testimonial 

instructions or a lack of autonomy and 

things can quickly go wrong. By improving 

their core skills, employees have better 

control of their workstations and are 

more aware of any risks. 

The various divisions, although acting 

individually, all have a common goal. 

Phase one starts with an interview. The 

trainee meets the instructor and 

supervisor and indicates areas where 

he wants to improve. Then, the 

organisation creates a learning 

programme with lessons taking place 

offsite. 

RedUcING AccIdeNtS 

Eiffage Energie has chosen to set up a 

scheme called “Gateways” which consists 

in rolling out across the whole country, a 

framework to improve basic skills by means 

of “OCP” professional communication 

training courses. Begun in the Rhône-Alpes 

region in 2010, “Gateways” aims to meet 

literacy demands, develop the employee’s 

capacity to progess, improve their 

autonomy and reduce the frequency and 

severity of work-related accidents. 

In 2011, the division set itself the target 

of running eleven 112-hour sessions over 

→ Hélène Furlani, human resources manager at Eiffage Construction Côte d’Azur 

How did you set up the training 

programmes? 

This is a regional initiative. The lack 

of basic language skills among 

certain employees was having an 

impact on their understanding of instructions, their 

autonomy and their career prospects. We employ a lot 

of people of different origins. Language quickly 

becomes a barrier. The consolidation of knowledge and 

autonomy of employees is a key issue in our business. 

How was the process organised? 

We established what was needed by means of a survey. 

We then selected a training organisation. Before the 

training courses started, the instructor met all the 

participants to assess their motivation and their level of 

language proficiency. Internal tools were used 

– welcome booklet, charter of values, company rules, 

etc. – in order to facilitate the learning process. 

How are the courses structured? 

In three stages. The first module was launched in 2008 

(140 hours) to enable the acquisition of language skills. 

26 


Then, in 2010, module 2 was set up to consolidate 

those skills (70 hours). The objective being a language 

certificate: the DILF* (Basic French proficiency 

certificate). The success of this approach led to the 

introduction of module 3, focusing on the development 

of language skills, which was introduced in 2011 

(70 hours). The final hours of the course are used to sit 

an advanced test, the DELF* (Advanced French language 

certificate). This can now be considered as a fully 

fledged language training scheme that is geared 

towards the professional environment. 

What conclusions can you draw so far? 

The conclusions are extremely positive! We have a lot 

of positive feedback from our trainees. They are proud 

of their achievements. They are no longer afraid to 

give their opinion! The training has also had an impact 

on their personal lives. One of them told me: “I have 

started to follow the children’s schooling, I read the bills, 

official letters.” There is a strong commitment to carry 

on learning! 

* Certificates are awarded by the French Ministry of Education.

the 2011/2012 period, one in each region, 

which was made possible thanks to a 

major information campaign, strong 

mobilisation on the part of the regions 

and implication of all the stakeholders. 

The scheme, which was rolled out across 

the country with the help of Constructys, 

the Construction sector OPCA (accredited 

collection fund for training) and 

coordinated by their regional Île-de- 

France office, received financial support 

from the FSE and FPSPP 1 . Consequently, 

125 employees received training during 

this session. “During training courses, the 

instructors rely heavily on real topics such 

as report writing, planning, blueprint reading 

and materials estimation,” explains Sylvie 

Brugière, training manager with Eiffage 

Energie. This down to earth and individual 

approach is the key to the success 

of this scheme. Trainees are able to apply 

their learning directly to the job, and can 

also see benefits in their everyday life. 

For its part, the public works division 

relies on Caces certificates (for 

competence in safety procedures) and 

minimum security knowledge (SMS) to 

detect problems with the French 

language or numeracy. It has set up 

training schemes called “TOP” (techniques 

and tools for progress) that are built 

round real topics, similar to the energy 

division approach. “This scheme, which has 

already been offered to around 300 people, 

has proved very successful. The number of 

participants is continually increasing. Begun 

in the Île-de-France region, it is now available 

in the Rhône-Alpes, Mediterranean, South- 

West and the North, and in 2013, there will 

be a new group in French Guyana,” says 

Since January 2011, over 150 trainees at the construction 

division have followed core learning skills training courses 

with an average of 60 hours per trainee. 

Laurence Labonne, head of training at 

Eiffage Travaux Publics. 

PROPeR SAFetY INStRUctIONS 

For its part, management at Eiffage 

Construction has made the fight against 

illiteracy and French language training 

a priority for the past three years. “The 

regional divisions have adopted the scheme 

and their commitment is reflected in the 

numbers: since January 2011, over 150 trainees 

have followed courses to master core 

learning skills with an average of 60 hours 

learning per trainee,” explains Mathieu 

Villerot, head of training at Eiffage 

Construction. 

“The metals division has different requirements 

related to its business and has not 

felt the need to set up this type of training. 

It aims to promote skills through professional 

safety certificates (nuclear, industrial 

and construction site),” explains Florence 

Dugeny, HR development manager for 

the metals division. 

Obviously, in the beginning things are not 

always easy. “There were many concerns, 

particularly among employees born in France, 

who find it difficult to admit to gaps in their 

education. Foreign-born employees found this 

less difficult. Differences in culture have sometimes 

been problematic for group cohesion, as 

well as the academic nature of the programmes 

at the beginning,” explains Laurence 

Labonne. Today, the experiences are all 

positive. Being able to provide a second 

chance for employees is beneficial both 

to them and the Group. 

1 FSE is the European Social Fund, the FPSPP is 

the “fonds paritaire de sécurisation des parcours 

professionnels” training fund. 

Testimonials 

SyNERGIE #18 

→ Dorothée Morel, 

overseer, public 

works division 

Why did you offer 

training to Mr. Nuno 

Da Costa Machado? 

We had established 

that this employee 

needed a “translator” for 

administrative procedures. There were 

real difficulties in terms of 

communication and understanding. 

He is a valued worker. Language 

should not be a barrier to his 

professional development. 

How did the training work? 

Instructors come on site to meet us 

and gain an understanding of the work 

environment. At the end of the 

training sessions, we have a 

“debriefing” session with them and 

the trainee. 

What conclusions can you draw 

from this experience? 

At the moment, we are no longer 

working on the same site, but 

Mr. Nuno Da Costa Machado 

has done a remarkable job. 

We can see his progress in the field. 

→ Nuno Da Costa 

Machado, employee 

Why did you agree to 

follow the “TOP” 

training course? 

I am of Portuguese 

origin. When I started 

working at Eiffage, 

I only had a smattering of French. 

Communication was not always easy! 

How did it go? 

Very well! At the end of the first 

course, I wanted to carry on because 

I thought I could still improve. 

What conclusions can you draw from 

this experience? 

After the two cycles, I could speak 

and understand French. This has been 

a real help for my future prospects. 

I highly recommend the “TOP” training 

course for people who are finding it 

hard to move on professionally. 


tRAINING ANd RecRUItMeNt 

A training module 

specifically designed for 

turnkey projects Increasingly, public and private 

sector clients are keen to work 

with just one contractor. In this 

respect, being able to offer a global 

turnkey service to clients makes 

good sense. Management and 

overseeing of construction sites 

are also of crucial importance. 

Consequently, Pierre Berger, CEO of 

Eiffage, wanted to set up an 

annual training module that was 

dedicated to turnkey projects 

(PCMs). The first of these was launched back in mid-November with “Ponts Formation 

Conseil”, a subsidiary of the “Ecole des Ponts ParisTech” specialised in professional 

training. Three referees are responsible for steering this programme within the 

Group: Patrick Laboureur, former director of large linear infrastructures and overseas 

departments at Eiffage Travaux Publics, who was responsible for the A65 Pau 

(Pyrénées -Atlantiques)-Langon (Gironde) motorway project, Jean-Claude Mutel, 

project manager for the Grand Stadium in Lille (Nord) and Robert Janvrin, his 

counterpart for the Saint-Nazaire hospital complex (Loire-Atlantique). 

A first class of 24 students from various Eiffage divisions will follow this dedicated 

course, which could be organised on an annual basis. It will comprise four 4-day 

modules which will cover the development of turnkey projects from the bidding 

phase to maintenance and operation. — 

Bernes-sur-Oise school in the spotlight 

On November 13, Pierre Berger, CEO of Eiffage, visited the Eiffage Travaux 

Publics Île-de-France Centre school at Bernes-sur-Oise (Val d’Oise). 

On the agenda : presentation of the scheme and focus on the regional 

partnership set up with AFPA (Association for adult vocational training); 

a visit of the training platforms, a meeting with the students, tutors and 

instructors. Eight in number, these schools are designed to recruit, train and 

retain new employees in the more traditional business divisions, develop 

employee skills and respond to specific national or regional operations, by 

means of courses leading to qualifications. Professional road and networks 

operator, formworker, pipe systems operator and site machinery operator, 

these are all training courses with a direct link to the working environment. 

Each training course ends with a ceremony where qualifications or 

certificates of professional competence are presented before an audience of 

company employees. This scheme, created by Eiffage Travaux Publics at the 

end of 2006, has enabled hundreds of people across France to join the 

Group. — 

28 

INItIAtIveS 


winter Road 

Maintenance : 

APRR & AReA 

are reviewing 

good 

prevention 

practices 

Teams from the APRR and 

AREA motorway networks 

are invited each year to 

participate in a challenge and 

competitions that let them 

test their knowledge and 

review good prevention 

practices prior to the winter 

period. In 2012, the 

competitions and the 

challenge, which took place 

on 18 and 23 October 

respectively, were won by the 

Val-de-Saône, Haut-Bugey 

and Aube districts (APRR), 

and the Bonneville, Eloise 

(ATMB) and Villefranche-sur- 

Saône (APRR) districts. —

PeRFORMANceS 

construction sites in line 

with ongoing improvement 

Building better, more efficiently and in better conditions: this was the debate initiated 

at the beginning of the year by Eiffage Construction. In the front line: housing. 

The division called on the expertise of McKinsey to assess the productivity gains that 

could be achieved. Eight sites were studied. Three working groups were created to 

review the organisation of daily cycles, the establishment of performance targets 

(industrial production, purchasing and logistics) as well as the organisation of work 

in all divisions. 

Simple and visible measures were then rolled out : distribution of tool boxes on 

wheels to the teams to limit unnecessary trips back and forth, materialisation of 

storage, systematic site clearing up, etc. In addition, formal daily shifts were 

established between site managers, overseers and subcontractors on the one hand, 

and overseers and workers on the other hand, to improve efficiency. — 

A new logo 

for eiffage 

Immobilier 

After 10 years of using 

the famous green ellipse, 

Eiffage Immobilier is now 

clearly displaying in red its 

position as builder-developer, 

and integrator of all the skills 

and innovations of the 

Group. To accompany this 

new logo, a graphic has also 

been developed and is 

currently being rolled out 

at all housing development 

programmes. 

Next step, a new website 

in March 2013! — 

eIFFYconso, a tool to help manage energy expenditure 

Making the public aware of good energy practices 

is a key objective for 2012 building regulations. 

Energy expenditure in each household must now 

to be measured and displayed to the occupants. 

Doubly concerned as a builder and developer, Eiffage 

Construction has been working with services company 

Effineo to develop a new innovative periodical 

monitoring system called EIFFYconso. 

The system allows measurements at different points 

of consumption, and transmits the data to servers 

that process it in order to provide clear and concise 

information to residents via a web portal or a 

videophone installed in the apartment. — 

SyNERGIE #18 


PeRFORMANceS 

eiffage travaux Publics 

Méditerranée 

wins Idrrim prize 

Eiffage Travaux Publics Méditerranée won first prize in the 2012 awards 

organised by Idrrim (Institute of roads, streets and infrastructure for 

mobility) around the theme “infrastructures for mobility and biodiversity”, 

in the “maintenance and infrastructure management” category. 

The trophy was for the Blanc-Martel path project, rehabilitated by the 

company in partnership with the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence council, which 

consisted in securing and improving a 12 km tourist trail through a high 

environmental value and heritage site. Work by the Alpes-du-Sud teams 

included : recovery and construction of steps, viewpoints, bridges, walls, 

railings and earthworks. — 

30 

INItIAtIveS 


clemessy listens 

to its customers 

complex 

geometry 

buildings in the 

spotlight 

Eiffage Construction Métallique 

sponsored “Advances in 

Architectural Geometry”, an 

international conference held at the 

Centre Pompidou in Paris, on the 

27 th and 28 th of September 2012. 

It enabled the 400 engineers and 

architects present to discuss 

complex geometry building projects 

and the theoretical, practical and 

technological advances that go with 

them. The division then organised 

on the 29 th of September, a visit to 

the Louis Vuitton Foundation site, a 

complex building with its 13,500 m² 

of glass panels. — 

For the third year running, Clemessy has conducted a customer 

satisfaction survey. Nearly 500 customers responded to the survey. 

98% would recommend the company to their colleagues or friends, 

97% recognised its ability to offer innovative solutions, 94% considered 

it as being one of the “very good” (40%) or “good” (54%) suppliers and 

96% thought that prices were fair given the quality of service provided. —

© APRR 

PeRFORMANceS 

AReA reduces its carbon footprint 

with saline solution 

From left to right : Gilles Nantet (Nantet Locabenne), Michel Vistorky (AREA), Bruno Gastinne 

(Métaux Spéciaux). 

SOcIAl cOMMItMeNtS 

Poland supports 

child welfare 

Polish children who are wards of 

court finished 3 rd at the European 

football championship, which 

brought together in Warsaw, 

children living in care homes or 

shelters. The event, sponsored by 

Eiffage Budownictwo Mitex, took 

place in a stadium usually 

frequented by the Warsaw football 

club. All matches were played 

according to official rules. It is the 

largest event of its kind in Europe. 

Sixteen teams took part in the 2012 

championship, including a team 

from France. — 

Every winter, the motorway company AREA 

uses salt for the preventive and curative 

treatment of roads. The salt used in 90% of 

cases is either applied in solid form or as a salt 

solution produced directly at the motorway 

company’s sites. To prepare the solution, AREA 

has chosen to replace rock salt with Tarentaise 

fine grain salt. By using residues from a local 

industrial “process” instead of salt from the 

Mediterranean, AREA has not only reduced its 

carbon footprint, but has also reduced its 

operating costs by 80%, as well as transport 

requirements : 19,000 km of truck rotations are 

now avoided, which represents a saving in CO² 

emissions of 17 tons! 

On Tuesday 27 November 2012, this innovation 

was awarded the special prize for “Industrial 

Ecology”, as part of the 2012 Business and 

Environment Awards organised by the Ministry 

of Ecology, Sustainable Development and 

Energy and the Environment and Energy 

Management Agency. — 

2 Nd NAtIONAl dISABIlItY & eMPlOYMeNt 

cORPORAte FIlM FeStIvAl 

“Bien vivre ensemble” 

wins prize 

On 12 November 2012, Eiffage was awarded the Adapt 

(Association for social and professional integration of disabled 

persons) special prize for its film “Bien vivre ensemble” 

(Living Well Together), which deals with various themes that 

illustrate commitment to the integration of employees regardless 

of their disability and irrespective of their profession 1 . 

The prize was presented at the Museum of Fairground Arts in the 

12 th district of Paris, at the opening of the 16 th National Week for 

the Employment of People with Disabilities, which took place 

from 12 to 18 November. The “In the box ! Employment & 

Disability” festival rewarded the best films dedicated to the 

integration of people with disabilities in the corporate 

environment. — 

1 You can see the film at the www.eiffage.com website. 

SyNERGIE #18

January 2013 - Eiffage

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