ENERGY ENERGY

ENERGY
Whether big or small, young or old: energy concerns everyone.
Every woman and every man holds the earth’s future in their
hands. As Rhomberg’s members of staff, we are dealing with
the topic of energy on several levels: by using it carefully in our
working lives and leisure, we personally contribute to better
energy efficiency. But we can also make a contribution in the
way we construct buildings – so that Rhomberg customers
use energy responsibly and preserve resources.
www.rhomberg.com
new
dimensions
The magazine of the Rhomberg Group
ENERGY
2012
ABUNDANCE IN A WORLD
OF SCARCITY 6
Gunter Pauli on the protection
of the eco-system
SEEKING AND FINDING
MEANING 10
In conversation with Hubert
Rhomberg
RHOMBERG HOUSING 22
Ready for the e-vehicle boom

climate neutral
print product
Certificate Number:
045-53385-0112-1099
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Contents
Editorial 3
News in brief 4 – 5
Energy
Energy abundance in a world of scarcity 6 – 7
Views on energy 8 – 9
Seeking and finding meaning 10
Do I have energy to give away? 11
News from the life-cycle optimiser 12
Sustainable building starts with the raw materials 13
Facility Management at Rhomberg 14 – 15
Conversion and modernisation:
existing values re-interpreted 16 – 17
Sustainability 18
Property management 18
General contractor for housing: a strong team 19
Project development: current building projects 20 – 21
Vorarlberg housing: new and ongoing projects 22 – 23
Building construction and civil engineering
project reports 24 – 25
Rheintal Recycling and Resources Centre 26
10 years of Goldbeck Rhomberg 27
Cree builds the first LifeCycle Tower 28 – 29
Human Resources strategy process 30 – 31
Rhomberg Rail Consult travels around the world 32
Energy push for RTE Salzburg 32
Bahntechnik subsidiary – RK safetec GmbH 33
Rhomberg Bahntechnik enters the German market 34
Railway undertaking 35
Rhomberg Rail UK 35
Bahntechnik on course for success 36 – 37
News from Australia 38 – 39
Rhomberg-Kalebozan – a success story 40
Bahntechnik Switzerland under new leadership 40
Bahnbau Wels with new infrastructure 41
Menegola AG on course for success 42
New office building for Rhomberg Switzerland 43
Housing projects in Switzerland 44 – 45
2011 travel-to-work campaign 46 – 47
Brand ambassador 48
Risk/opportunity management 49
New companies and new certifications 50
Health & Safety Management 51
Review of events in 2011 52 – 55
20
25 26
39
EDITORIAL | Published by Rhomberg Group, Mariahilfstrasse 29, 6900 Bregenz, Austria, Tel +43 5574 / 403-0,
Fax +43 5574 / 403-309, info@rhombergbau.at, www.rhomberg.com Photos Shutterstock (cover), Dietmar Walser Photography,
Klaus Andorfer, Markus Tretter, Rhomberg Group Responsible for the content Gabi Schnell Editor-in-chief Gabi Schnell
Editorial team Carmen Bösch, Susanne Dünser, Elisabeth Frener, Simone Grabher, Elisabeth Immler, Ottilie Juen, Diana
Koplenig, Elisabeth Kostal, Sarah Krenkel, Christina Mathis, Elke Meisinger, Michaela Mölgg, Madeleine Sargant, Laura
Schmidt, Gabi Schnell, Yvonne Sennhauser, Milena Simonovic Concept and design die3, Public Relations Agency, Dornbirn,
Austria Printed on Balance Silk Declaration pursuant to § 25 Media Act NEW DIMENSIONS is published once a year;
German circulation: 4,000 copies; English circulation: 1,000 Note In Rhomberg’s NEW DIMENSIONS, the male gender is
used in many instances, however this is only done for greater ease of reading and does not imply any inequality.
Holistic thoughts
on energy
“Energy can be considered to be the basic substance, the basic matter
of the world.” (Werner Heisenberg, physicist, 1901 – 1976)
A lot of energy has gone into projects implemented by the Rhomberg Group
during the last year: our staff’s creative energy, the resolution and strength of
our partners and customers, and the supporting energy from our families and
friends. In 2011, we again worked together for the growth and commercial
success of the group, and have thereby strengthened the foundations on which
Rhomberg is building: sustainable thinking and responsible action in our core
business and beyond.
Holistic approach. To make sense and find meaning is what drives us. We look
at the topic of energy from a holistic perspective. Energy does not originate
from a socket or even a generator. The building and running of a power station
not only requires fuel but also other resources: i.e. the “grey energy” needed
for their construction and for transport of the fuel, which have to be considered
in the equation. It would not make sense to separate energy from resources.
Reducing energy consumption. Before we consider energy generation and
renewable sources of energy, we focus on the type and quantity of our energy
consumption. Clearly, the demand for energy largely determines supply.
In that sense it is primarily the energy that is not consumed that makes a
big difference – to our electricity bill and to our ecological footprint.
Energy efficiency. At Rhomberg Bau we sometimes produce a life-cycle
analysis for the buildings to be developed by us, right from the start at the
design stage. As part of that, we start with optimising resources and energy
efficiency for deliveries and transport. In our building projects we set new
standards and consider the use of the buildings as well as their eventual
demolition and recycling of construction materials again from the design
process. We make sure that the ecological footprint of our buildings is not as
large as that of other buildings. In that way we help our customers to conserve
energy and reduce costs.
Renewable energies. We are sure about this: if together we manage to
minimise the demand for energy through more efficient consumption, it will
be possible to cover this demand from renewable energy sources. Not only
in Vorarlberg, but worldwide. In Europe there are already sufficient energy
sources to supply the continent with renewable energy*. An energy turnaround
is possible, if we all contribute our bit. Otherwise we will one day have to face
our children and explain why we did not use the “basic matter of the world”
more prudently. After all, it is for their sakes that we want to leave behind a
world that is worth living in.
Hubert Rhomberg
* Source: “Austria 2025 – Trends and Opportunities in and for Austria”, 2011,
Österreichisches Zukunftsinstitut (Austrian Institute for Research into the Future)
EDITORIAL | NEW DIMENSIONS
3

News in brief
The source of energy for our staff in 2011
HEALTHY CUISINE MADE EASY
ENGLISH BRUSH-UP YES PLEASE
Speaking English in a relaxed atmosphere
– that is what the popular English
Lunch is about. During a shared meal
people brush up on and expand their
knowledge of the English language.
Together with Hester, a native Englishspeaker,
participants are invited to join
virtual journeys to distant countries
such as her native South Africa – obviously
in English. See you next time.
SANDGRUBENWEG HOUSING DEVELOPMENT EXHIBITION AT HOME IN THE WORLD
BUSINESS RUN WE TOOK PART
315 running enthusiasts from various
industries came together on Friday
16 September 2011. Over a distance
of 5.4 km, the runners were able to
put their fitness to the test. The track
involved three laps around Messehalle
Dornbirn.
In May 2011, 15 employees sought
new inspirations for a healthy diet
under professional guidance. The
Rhomberg Academy offered a course
entitled “Full of energy throughout
the day from a hearty breakfast to a
nourishing dinner”, at which participants
came together to cook and
sample. Since the course was great
fun, it was repeated in the autumn.
The sustainable housing concept of
our show model appeals in France,
Cairo and Sao Paulo. It demonstrates a
forward-thinking construction method
and lifestyle, particularly for city living.
It forms a central part of the “Habiter
écologique” exhibition which started
its journey around the globe in Paris in
2009 and includes a stop in Taiwan.
Ten runners from Rhomberg took part.
An amount of five euro was deducted
from each runner’s entry fee and
donated to “Afrika in Not” (Africa in
Need charity). Once the work was
done everybody tucked in to a hearty
dish of cheese puffs. There was a
band to make sure the mood was jolly.
SOLD OUT UNIQUE HOUSING PROJECT ON THE LAKE
NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR AT EXPRESS BETON
Express Beton employees 12 members
of staff. The two facilities in
Lauterach and Dornbirn supply
100,000 m³ of concrete per year
on average. There are three expert
concrete mixing foremen in charge
of producing over 300 different types
of concrete to the correct formulae.
A PEAK AT A NORMAL WORKING DAY
The development and promotion of
members of staff and students on work
experience are a firm part of the company
strategy. In 2011, Rhomberg again
provided 44 places for students on work
experience to get a taste of working life.
Good examples are Dominic Rieger, who
is developing a certification programme
for sustainable building materials to
ÖGNI standards or Lisi Kostal, who has
been carrying out research on the company
history of the Rhomberg Group.
The specialist concrete company
aims at meeting the increasingly
exacting demands of customers
while securing its market position.
So that these can continue to be met
after Alfred Plasinger’s retirement,
Anita Helbig has been in charge
since July 2011.
RHOMBERG OFFICE BUILDING AWARDED SILVER STANDARD ÖGNI CERTIFICATION
Since the beginning of 2010, we have
been intensively studying the subject
of ÖGNI certification. The objective
of ÖGNI is to research solutions for
sustainable design, construction and
use of buildings and to promote these
in a dialogue with all stakeholders
involved in the process. In order to drive
certification and its use, the opportunity
was offered to certify existing buildings
retrospectively: our office in Bregenz
was examined and was awarded
SILVER certification. The assessment
confirms the emphasis that Rhomberg
has placed on sustainability for over
10 years.
Due to its unique location and the high
design quality, demand for the attractive
owner-occupied apartments in our
DIE NEUE SEESCHANZE project at
Lochau was huge. The project comprises
six individual apartment blocks
that blend harmoniously into the park
landscape near the Pfänder mountain.
Top living comfort is achieved by
the high-quality finishes and fittings,
the sustainable construction and the
generous outside space. It took only
ten months to sell all 95 units. Overall
completion has been scheduled for the
spring of 2013.
4 NEW DIMENSIONS | NEWS IN BRIEF
NEWS IN BRIEF | NEW DIMENSIONS 5

Energy abundance in a world of scarcity
Gunter Pauli has initiated the concept of “The Blue Economy” to protect the eco-system
Sustainability has been defined as “the
ability to satisfy basic human needs
with existing means”. If we apply this
logic to energy, we are forced to think
again about our current model. It is
a fact that ever since the concept of
centralised generation and distribution
of electricity was established more
than a hundred years ago, potential
local sources of energy were only
rarely tapped. If we ignore this portfolio
of energy sources, we will continue to
pay a high price – in the form of costs
and the destruction of the environment.
If, however, we change our attitude and
integrate a number of local sources
of energy and heat, we could turn our
energy balance from one of scarcity
to one of abundance – and reduce
environmental pollution at the same
time. Surprisingly, this could also result
in lower charges.
DOES GREEN ENERGY
REALLY COST MORE?
Somehow the energy producers and
distributers have managed to convince
both consumers and politicians that
everything that is good for our health
and the environment comes at a surcharge.
The management talk of “core
business” and “core competence” has
resulted in a situation where industry
has imposed on us the effects of economies
of scale: energy sources were
reduced to just a few, and the charge
per kilowatt hour was reduced for the
producer. Today’s energy mix reflects
the desire to cover basic and peak
loads at predictable prices with guaranteed
profit margins – any additional
costs are passed on to the customer.
This has led to nuclear energy, coal, oil
and natural gas being selected as the
main sources of energy. Renewable
sources of energy were typically talked
down because – so the argument goes
– the sun only shines for five hours
per day and the wind is unreliable. In
addition, renewable energy requires
backup systems and storage. This
would increase the cost to be borne
by the customer or require appropriate
public funding, which in the end must
also be borne by citizens in the form of
higher taxes.
QUESTIONING THE LOGIC
The Blue Economy idea has two
guiding principles which determine
the identification of a new energy mix
beyond that of green energy supply.
Firstly: use what you have. And
secondly: seek multiple uses. To make
this proposal successful, it would be
necessary to change the rules of the
game. Up to now it has been largely
overlooked that our current mains
network supplies alternating current
at 240 volts. Practically all renewable
energies are generated as direct current.
So additional capital is required
for feeding this direct current into the
mains network. If we were in a position
to create local 12 volt direct current
networks, many well-known but little
used renewable energy sources would
become commercially viable, without
any major investment.
The alternating current paradigm has
caused us to neglect the potential of
all renewable energy sources. Solar
cells are only used on one side, in
spite of the fact that they can generate
a higher output when both sides
are exposed to sunlight, which would
be possible through the use of CSP
technology (Concentrated Solar Power,
a method of using mirrors or lenses
to direct sunlight to the other side of
the cells). If this energy were to be fed
directly into a local 12 volt direct current
network, it would be more competitive
than the energy supplied via the
national grid. Unfortunately however,
the training of electrical engineers has
been based on the alternating current
logic. Properties or communities
that are not connected to the mains
network are seen in the same light as
investment in buffer batteries. According
to alternating current logic, this is
just a way of unnecessarily increasing
the cost to the consumer. Only very
green and well-to-do citizens would
be able to afford this option.
Those who have opted for renewable
energy production produce primarily
direct current, which is then converted
to alternating current and fed into the
mains network, only to then be reconverted
to direct current at the point
of use. Do we actually realise how
inefficient and expensive that is? The
electronics engineers have made direct
current the standard. More than 80
percent of household equipment run
on microelectronics current is operated
with direct current. If we count the
number of chargers in the household –
which in effect are AC/DC converters –
the degree of inefficiency we are quietly
tolerating becomes very clear.
REVIEWING THE ALTERNATING
CURRENT STANDARD
The alternating current standard was
established more than one hundred
years ago. Local direct current networks
which are connected to local
sources of electricity present a new
competitive model with high efficiency.
They can help to reduce the demand
for energy by up to 60 percent without
negative impact on performance or
comfort. Local direct current networks
also have a positive effect on health
and safety. There is less risk of fire
and electrical shock, and wiring, metal
consumption and maintenance are
reduced. The changeover to a local
portfolio of direct current sources is
just the first step. Further adaptations
will be necessary, including a more
intelligent utilisation of the available
sources.
OUR OPPORTUNITY: BETTER
WATER MANAGEMENT
It always comes as a surprise when we
realise how little effort building designers
make to exploit the laws of physics
for the purpose of improving the quality
of life in general, and energy efficiency
in particular. A fresh look at water
could change that. For example, a thermosiphon
will work all year round with
the hot water – predictably – rising to
the top. Current technology in existing
systems uses pumps, which increase
both cost and energy consumption. If
solar energy or simply just luminescence
were used to generate electricity
and heat water – using both sides
of special solar modules as supplied
by the Swedish innovation company
Solarus AB – four to six panels would
In 2010 Gunter Pauli
published his book
“The Blue Economy.
10 years, 100 innovations,
100 million jobs.”
be sufficient to supply a single family
home with electricity, hot water, and
cooling.
While this thermosiphon transports
water to the top of the building, the
falling water could – predictably – generate
electricity and, at the same time,
result in several additional benefits.
For example, the water current could
provide the energy to locally create
ozone from the oxygen dissolved in the
water, and to destroy elemental chlorine.
When water is stored at the top
of the building at 80 or even 90°C, it is
possible to provide domestic hot water
at 38 to 40°C while at the same time
generating direct current using a solid
state heat exchanger which utilises the
differential of 40 to 50°C.
RECYCLING WASTEWATER
AND SOLID WASTE
We can also apply the logic of “use
what you have in order to gain multiple
benefits” to the treatment of wastewater
and solid waste. A central collection
point and familiarity with biochemical
reactions of black water sludge and
solid organic waste make it possible to
produce four times more methane gas
than was previously thought possible.
These waste energies – which will
be available for as long as there are
people – provide a steady and cheap
source of methane. When one combines
the smart chemistry offered by
Scandinavian Biogas Chemie with the
Vortex technology offered by AgroPlas
of Great Britain, one can generate
hydrogen for the operation of fuel cells
whenever there is need for it. The only
residue from this process is carbon
powder, which has a commercial use.
This may sound as if it is too good to
be true, but it is reality.
LEARNING NEW WAYS
OF THINKING
The biggest challenge lies in the fact
that too few building designers and
energy experts are trained in thinking
this way. Furthermore, the few that
are able to think that way may not
have access to the necessary tools.
The options and opportunities
described here – as well as many
others which can be looked up at
www.blueeconomy.de – have been
dismissed as either not feasible,
futuristic, or at least too expensive.
The time is right to progress from
pure fantasy to a vision based on
science so that these opportunities
enter the mainstream of common
knowledge. This requires us to be
prepared to depart from our comfort
zone, and to make it a priority to steer
our economy and society at large on
to the course of sustainability – using
what we have.
Gunter Pauli
6 NEW DIMENSIONS | ENERGY
ENERGY | NEW DIMENSIONS 7

“Where does your
energy come from?”
One question, ten answers.
2 “I derive my energy from my harmonious family environment
and from nature. A short spontaneous holiday
with a lot of culture or a nice concert give me strength.
Positive experiences in my spare time and at work, as
well as demanding tasks which others don’t dare to
tackle, are what drive me. Similarly, positive stress and
experiencing success with staff inspire me. Additional
motivation comes from praise and recognition from my
superior, but also from candid positive self-assessment.”
Peter Greussing, Managing Director,
Rhomberg Bau GmbH
3 “I devote the first hour of my day to Buddhist meditation. When I
have replenished my batteries and I am fully focused, I experience the
day with more joy and can be more cheerful in my interactions with
others. Over the years my connection with the fundamental nature of
man, with basic happiness, has grown. Everybody should experience
how close happiness is. It resides in one’s own heart.”
Guntram Ferstl, “Yogi”
4 “For me it is important to work for a company that charges my
‘personal energy store’. When you do something, it should be
done with conviction and with heart. For that reason I have been
a vegetarian for 35 years. I firmly believe in a good work-life
balance and try to keep fit by doing sport. To work in a positive
environment fills me with energy. Rhomberg Rail Australia’s
success gives me motivation for my life, which in turn is necessary
in order to contribute to the positive development of the
company.
Michael Match, Rhomberg Rail Australia
5 “Some of my energy comes from being in the sun, out in the fresh
air, and from rest. Whether I am active or passive, I can recharge my
batteries when I am surrounded by nature. Other positive influences
are nice people and friends in my environment. Big, but also small
experiences of success, keep giving me strength and are my motivation
for new challenges.”
Monika Mandl, Site Manager, Rhomberg Bau GmbH
1 “I derive energy from my family and my circle of
friends. Likewise, successfully completed projects are
energising and motivate me to tackle new projects
with new drive and enthusiasm. Important factors are
a positive team with a good working climate where
you feel good and therefore enjoy pulling your weight.
There is a general saying: energy begets energy.
That’s why you have to stay on the ball – both at
work and privately.”
Sebastian Häckl, Team Leader IT,
Rhomberg Bau GmbH
2 1
6 “In my spare time I do Jin Shin Jyutsu
and like walking in the mountains to
replenish my energy. Also I feel that my
connection with God gives me strength.
In everyday life I enjoy the positive
development of my children and good
cooperation with my colleagues, all of
which are sources of energy. On a daily
basis I look forward to giving the children
in my care the stability and space
they need for good development.”
Margit Schwärzler, Matron at Vorarlberg
Children’s Village
11 “I derive my life energy from many sources. From the sense of security
and fulfillment I get from my family on the one hand, and, on the other hand,
from the varied and exciting tasks in my job.There, I am dealing with kilowatt
hours but in many different forms: as an input factor for calculations, as an aid
in consultations, as a concept for the next campaign or in the form of an article
for some magazine. And then there is the “in-between” – the journey from
home to work and back. I enjoy this journey by bicycle and rail at any time of
year.The duality of this “in-between” is exciting: on the one hand this mobility
takes up energy and on the other hand it gives energy. What I find interesting
is that the journey by bicycle gives more life energy than it takes.”
Josef Burtscher, Managing Director, Energy Institute
7 “For me, values are a great source of energy. My harmonious
partnership and our active family life with the children and grandchildren
bring me much joy and energy. But equally I can recharge
my batteries very well in the great outdoors. I like working in the
garden, taking a swim in Lake Constance in the early morning and
enjoying the sunsets. These days especially, I think that a break
and contemplative rest are important in order to slow down.”
Edith Rhomberg, Olympic silver medallist and mother
of three children
10 “Seeing a child grow up to become an interested and
positive person. To have an enjoyable job with a purpose.
That gives me energy. I love my place and I’m happiest at home,
either alone, with my family or with friends. I work in communication
and my contact with many interesting people is another
source of energy. Ultimately you have to find the strength in
yourself. And last but not least, I am driven by the hope that
by providing information about sustainability I may contribute
something so that the next generation will still find a world
that’s worth living in.”
Sigrid Hanke, Communication Officer, Editor-in-Chief of the
Swiss Energy Manual
9 “I think it is the joy of beholding something beautiful, but in particular the responsibility
towards the next generation, that motivate me – and the evaluation of what the effects
are of our actions. I consider myself very fortunate to still have so many worthwhile tasks
in front of me! And to be able to support my concerns and beliefs with credibility and
friendly perseverence. I direct the largest part of my energy to the protection of nature
and the use of renewable energies, and also, for several decades, to resist the use of
nuclear power. In my private life I enjoy “many small everyday things”. Particularly hiking
in the mountains, riding my bike around and swimming in Lake Constance, visits to concerts,
theatres and exhibitions. But above all: to be always open and willing to learn!”
Hildegard Breiner, Vice President of the Austrian Association for the Protection of Nature,
Representative of the Vorarlberg branch
8 “My power station is clearly the Kunsthaus Bregenz: its wonderfully
powerful architecture, the committed team and of course
the art which is so well exhibited in the wonderful Peter Zumthordesigned
rooms and which is always the subject of lively discussion.
Beyond that, the conversations with the artists are the biggest
source of motivation. And also generally speaking the interaction
with people, with their ideas and concerns. Other sources of
energy that replenish my batteries are a swim in Lake Constance
or a hike to the top of Mount Pfänder.”
Yilmaz Dziewior, Director, Kunsthaus Bregenz
8 NEW DIMENSIONS | ENERGY
ENERGY | NEW DIMENSIONS
11
3 5 8
4 6 7
10
9
9

Buildings last for 80 years and longer.
Building them means accepting responsibility.
Mr Rhomberg, what motivates you?
What motivates me most of all is to
make use of the opportunities available
to me – just as they are to anybody else
– to make the world a better place to
live in. We are living in an era in which
the existing systems are reaching their
limits: endless growth cannot persist in
our finite eco-sphere. I want my life to
have a purpose by ensuring that the
company pursues a purpose. The main
issue is not what people do, but how
they do it and, above all, why they do it.
For years, you have been actively
promoting more resource and energy
efficiency and generally greater
sustainability in the construction
sector. How did that come about?
I have always been interested in all
kinds of things, especially during my
studies: ecology, limited resources, the
growth in our times, sustainability – the
issues that young people are typically
concerned about. Then when I joined
the company, I faced quite a different
question: how to follow my predecessor
in such a successful company.
I easily spent a year intensively searching
for a definition of the goals and
objectives for myself and for the
company. After that I and the entire
Rhomberg management started a
strategy process in order to align the
company with a holistic approach. At
that time energy and resources were
obviously already issues. And not just
for reasons of a certain romantic notion
of ecology…although I am sure that
there is a little bit of a romantic notion
of ecology in me (he laughs)…but
Hubert Rhomberg and Ernst Thurnher have been Managing Directors of Rhomberg Holding since 2010.
Seeking and finding meaning
Hubert Rhomberg on what motivates him, on sustainability in the construction industry
and on the responsibility of being an entrepreneur.
rather out of the desire to put the
company on a solid footing in the long
term. Rhomberg is, and always has
been, a family-owned company – this
means that long-term survival plays a
major role.
And presumably also success…
The company’s success helps a lot in
the implementation of our goals – in
achieving improvements on this planet.
Success always causes a ripple effect,
it motivates others to do likewise. In
any case, we have to be successful in
order to be able to afford investment
and create innovations. To this extent
the management of a company must
always anticipate the development of
the immediate and wider environment,
forsee trends and changes.
Was it not difficult to promote the
issue of sustainability in the otherwise
quite conservative construction
industry?
At that time, there was also quite a bit
of resistance internally. And rightly so
– after all we had been very successful
even at that time. Many asked the
question as to why we should change
this successful path. Then there was
also the fact that most people in the
management knew more about the
business than I did. But of course that
also has advantages: as an ignorant
“newcomer”, you dare to raise issues
which other people take for granted.
Twelve years ago all these issues –
scarce resources and energy consumption
– were still much less
prominent, or at least that’s the way
it seemed. At that time it almost seemed
misguided to think about these things.
However, for our company a sustainable
orientation is of paramount importance
– the construction industry plays a
central role in maintaining the ecosphere:
it is responsible for 40 percent
of the consumption of resources and
energy and, furthermore, for 40 percent
of the waste volume and 60 percent of
the traffic volume measured in tonnage/
km. For this reason we make use of rail
transport for large building sites in order
to reduce road transport as much as
possible, and we also make an effort to
plan our building projects holistically –
i.e. taking into account and optimising
both the infrastructure and the life-cycle
of the building.
Today there is a distinct shift in thinking:
ten years ago nobody would have
contemplated issuing sustainability
certificates for buildings. Today you
cannot sell a building to an investor
without such a certificate.
The term “sustainability” now seems to
be somewhat overused – what is the
practical implication of it for you?
We have so many business divisions
which can make different contributions
– in terms of planning, design and
implementation. We are the only
company in Vorarlberg that is involved
in every aspect of the value creation
chain: project development, design of
buildings, building construction / civil
engineering; we are general contractors
but also have our own quarry, our asphalt
and concrete production companies
and we recycle our construction waste
materials in our own recycling centre.
We should all remember: a building
lasts for 80 years or longer – that
implies a lot of responsibility. Ten years
ago we were the first construction
company to start looking at the
life-cycle of buildings. Every decision
we make in our role has an effect in a
great many areas: the infrastructure,
the traffic...
What does Rhomberg do for
society at large?
For me this question is the same
as asking what is the purpose of
Rhomberg. As a fourth-generation
family-owned company we are obviously
concerned about long-term
planning for the sake of the company
and, beyond that, for the sake of the
region in which we operate. In my
opinion, everybody should do what
they are in a position to do. For the
first time we have written down all our
activities – this is exactly what we want
to demonstrate in our “SinnEntFalter”
pamphlet.
As a successful construction and
railway technology company, we are in
the fortunate position of being able to
focus attention on issues with relevance
for the future. In the end our
success lies not just in continuing to
do what we do, but in the multiplication
of our values. If others do the same as
we are doing or even do better than
us, we have achieved much more than
we would have been able to achieve
just on our own.
The interview with Hubert Rhomberg was
conducted by Laura Schmidt.
PERSONAL DATA – HUBERT RHOMBERG
Born 1967
Family Married to Nadja; one daughter,
two sons
Education Civil Engineering at Technical
University Vienna; Diploma course in Company
Management at HSG St. Gallen; qualification
as Master Builder
Career Operative management of the Civil Engineering
and Railway Technology Departments;
from 2002, Managing Director of all operative
divisions of the Rhomberg Group; since 2010,
strategic management of Rhomberg Holding
DO I HAVE ENERGY TO GIVE AWAY?
There are questions that everybody should ask themselves.
And there are others that one could ask, if one had the time.
The editors of New Dimensions have researched the questions
one should ask oneself when one looks at “energy” not just
from the standard viewpoint, but also from unusual angles.
Are we born with energy? Does power really come out of the
socket? Will I have more energy if I were to ride the bicycle
more often? Where does the term “energy” come from? Should
I invest in a wind turbine? Does energy help thinking? Is energy
really equal to mass times the speed of light to the power of
two? How much electricity does my toaster consume? Why is
my colleague so happy? When was the last time that I looked
out of the window?
Does happiness equal energy to the power of X? What is the
energy of the future? Should I get a cat? Who has worn me
out? How much money would I save if I had an electric car?
Would I have less energy if I were to pay more attention to my
colleagues, friends and family? How important will energy be in
2050? Is energy a cultural issue? How can we change negative
energy into positive energy?
Do all people have the same amount of energy? Does exposure
to the sun lift my mood? Would it be possible to consume all the
earth’s energy? Do children have a different type of energy
compared to adults? Do I spread negative energy? Is it possible
that energy is negative? Does energy have anything to do with
energetic? Is it possible to cook a hot meal with cold water?
Could my dog be trained to pull a sledge? Where is my energy
coming from today?
Should I worry about my electricity bill? Where could I borrow a
vacuum cleaner? Who measures my energy? Will I make it up
the stairs? Can you learn energy? Do geniuses have a special
type of energy? Can you recognise energy from the voice of a
person? Do I really still need my nightlight? Is there a monster
hiding under my bed? Where does my family get the energy to
put up with me? When will I finally be done?
How much energy is in the economy? If I project my will at the
speed of light, would I then be able to move mountains? Does
my pot plant get enought light? Who steals my time? Is there
an energy store in my body? How much energy is in a veal
bratwurst? How are bumblebees able to fly? Would I make it to
Innsbruck if I travelled by bicycle? Is energy linked to success?
Does survival depend on energy? What drives my partner?
How much energy am I lacking for my happiness?
10 NEW DIMENSIONS | STRATEGY
STRATEGY | NEW DIMENSIONS 11

Andreas Karg
What does common sense tell us?
Food for thought on the subject of energy
Faced with the increasing complexity of our everyday lives and our specialised working roles, we often forget to look at
the big picture and do not think in terms of the finished article. In this column we attempt to promote the overall view –
just as we optimise the life-cycle in our projects: with a little common sense.
• Hits for “energy” in Google.com 236 million
• Hits for “energy efficiency” in Google.com 16.6 million
• Hits for “renewable energy” in Google.com 4.5 million
• Hits for “energy costs” in Google.com 3.6 million
• Annual average household price of heavy heating oil in 2003 198 euro
• Annual average household price of heavy heating oil in 2009 351 euro
• Total energy consumption in Austria in 2009 294 million MWh
• End consumer electricity consumption in Austria in 2009 57 million MWh
• Energy consumption for heating and air conditioning in Austria 85 million MWh
• Proportion of renewable energy used for heating and air conditioning in Austria 22 million MWh
• Mineral water imported by Austria in 2000 30 million litres
• Mineral water imported by Austria in 2005 89 million litres
• Proportion of PET one-way bottle packaging of drinking water in 2009 39.8 percent
• Proportion of PET one-way bottle packaging of drinking water in 2010 41.8 percent
• Environmental factor of sparkling mineral water in a one-way bottle compared to tap water 3.5
• CO 2 emissions per kilogram of cheese 8,340 gram
• CO 2 emissions per kilogram of beef 6,430 gram
• CO 2 emissions per kilogram of potatoes 200 gram
• Amount of food wasted by industrial nations per annum 222 million tonnes
• Foodstuffs produced in Central and South Africa per annum 230 million tonnes
All these figures were obtained from our own projects and calculations, the press and international studies.
Like tomatoes from the garden
Sustainable building starts with the raw materials
When we grow tomatoes in our own garden we know for
sure we can expect at harvest time. They simply taste better,
for a good reason: we know exactly what fertilisers or
insecticides we have used. We are fully in control of the
distance the vegetable had to travel to reach our plate.
When we purchase food, we don’t usually have that option
although there is a trend towards greater transparency.
Let’s now imagine that we also want to know what makes
up our home. Who can answer the question as to whether
the materials used are healthy for us and whether all components
are ecologically sound?
The construction industry is responsible for about 40% of
today’s energy and resource consumption. This means it is
the source of 40% of CO 2 emissions and the total volume
of waste. These figures clearly indicate that these quantities
are not just caused by heating our buildings and that better
insulation alone cannot provide the solution.
A large proportion of consumption occurs in the manufacture
of building materials. But as building materials do not grow
in our gardens and production is a very complex process, an
analysis becomes a comprehensive and challenging task.
WHICH BUILDING MATERIALS ARE BETTER
IN TERMS OF ECOLOGY AND ECONOMY?
In order to answer this question, we have put a lot of effort
into the groundwork: we have collected information about
materials, about the calculation methods and assessment
of the ecological effects of the production, utilisation and
disposal of materials. The basis of the sustainability assessment
is a comprehensive computation of the quantities of
building materials used in construction: for example, for fire
doors we not only analyse the number and function, but
also how many kilograms of glass, metal and other materials
are present in each individual door. Based on these
quantity computations we assess the building materials
used in the construction of a building for their global ecological
impact and evaluate them “from the cradle to
the grave”. In order to be able to compare individual
projects and building materials on a like for like basis, we
make use of the database recommended by the German
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development.
The calculated results – such as primary energy
consumption or the proportion of renewable materials –
produce a true statement about the ecology of the building
in construction and operation.
The calculation of construction costs and subsequent
operating costs are the basis of our core business. By
combining these two tools we are now, for the first time,
in a position to evaluate the life-cycle of projects from an
ecological and economic point of view at an early stage.
This evaluation of the ecology, the investment and subsequent
costs provides our clients with a basis for deciding
which solution is the most economically effective one –
whilst still maintaining ecological standards.
12 NEW DIMENSIONS | LIFE-CYCLE OPTIMISER
BUILDING SOLUTIONS | NEW DIMENSIONS 13
Andreas Karg
Proof of sustainable thinking at Rhomberg: on behalf of Rhomberg,
Dominic Rieger and Andreas Karg (centre) receive the sustainability
quality seal from Mag. Christine Oppitz-Plörer (Mayoress of Innsbruck)
and Philipp Kaufmann (ÖGNI).

A hub of information
The Bregenz reception team is the first port of call for customers and staff
For people outside the company, we see ourselves as the visiting card
for customers, suppliers and business partners. Internally we are the
central point of contact for all members of staff. The Bregenz reception
team from left: Denise Ulmer-Nagel, Sonja Troy and Claudia Beer.
Young, dynamic and motivated
Training with a practical bias for budding facility managers
Trainee programmes offer people new to the industry
the opportunity to get to know different departments and
divisions in the company and to acquire their first professional
experience. Recently students have been given
the opportunity to join the Facility Management business
field as trainees. Trainees will be involved in a number of
projects and be able to acquire their first experience in the
areas of consulting and facility management. This helps to
underpin the theoretical knowledge acquired by students
on their university courses with practical experience. In the
summer of 2011, Christoph Ölz joined the Facility Management
department and was the first to test the trainee
programme.
Stephanie Bestle
A VERY WARM WELCOME!
Visitors to Rhomberg not only receive friendly and prompt
advice and attention, but also fresh apples from the local
region and recently we have made drinks available in the
refreshment corner. In this way the waiting period is shortened
in a pleasant way.
CONNECTING PEOPLE
We connect people with each other and facilitate the flow
of information – by telephone, via mail or email. Business
partners can collect the keys to the respective construction
sites at the reception.
SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
We are a contact point for VLOTTE electric cars and for
the Nippy electric scooter, and for the administration of the
entire car pool. Rhomberg members of staff use our pool
bicycles during the lunch break or for business trips. That
stimulates people’s energy on a typical working day.
Claudia Beer, Sonja Troy and Denise Ulmer-Nagel
“Before I joined the Facility Management
department as a trainee, I had no
clear idea of what the job involved. This
changed during the period from April to
August 2011 when I gained an overview
of the activities of the different teams and was allowed to
take part in two different projects.
I supported the operations team in the search for energy
conservation measures for the Hohenems staff residence
and also helped the consulting team in establishing a
comprehensive tenant list for all investor properties.
I found external duties very varied and interesting, such
as the inspection of an apartment and an on-site meeting
with a cleaning company.
Christoph Ölz, trainee in the Facility Management department
Now investors can avail themselves of the support of a real estate trustee at Rhomberg.
New energy thanks to new partnership
Real estate trust reduces time input from investors
Since 2011 the company’s Facility Management department
has been offering a real estate trust service for
investors. Our real estate trustee takes care of the entire
management of the property portfolio. This means that the
product is in professional hands.
Thanks to the thorough analysis of facts and options, the
investor can concentrate fully on the decisions that have to
be made and hence is free to use his spare energy for the
pursuit of new projects. The managed portfolio currently
includes about 25 properties with a total value of about
60 million euro.
Stephanie Bestle
Service round the clock
Effective property management
Property management is part of Facility Management and
covers a number of different areas of activity. In addition
to commercial services relating to the property, there are
technical and infrastructure operations that are part of our
core competences. With the help of a motivated team from
the different professional disciplines we look after nearly
COMMERCIAL SERVICES
Services provided by Rhomberg
Facility Management
• Property management
• Rent accounts
• Operating accounts
• Contract management
• Continuous controlling
TECHNICAL SERVICES
REAL ESTATE TRUSTEE SERVICES
150,000 m² of net usable floorspace and about 650 tenants
and owners. We are available to our customers via a
24-hour hotline (05574/403-403) and will try to find a
competent and rapid solution for any issues raised.
14 NEW DIMENSIONS | FACILITY MANAGEMENT
FACILITY MANAGEMENT | NEW DIMENSIONS 15
Lucia Mündle
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FROM ONE PORT OF CALL
Services provided by Rhomberg Facility
Management / competent business partners
• Technical building services operations
• Commissioning of buildings
• Optimising consumption
• Maintenance and test controlling
• Small repairs
• Maintenance
• Organising and monitoring lettings and management
• Representing the owner to the authorities and banks, and at meetings
• Comprehensive strategy development and implementation
• Regular reporting (budgeting, target/actual comparison,
development of rate of return)
• Strategic and operative controlling
• Continuously updated liquidity position
• Planning long-term dynamic development
• Risk/opportunity management
• Special services (property valuation, project management
of new buildings and refurbishment projects)
INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
Services provided by Rhomberg Facility
Management / competent business partners
• Property services
• Building and facade cleaning
• Upkeep of external areas
• Caretaker services
• Room, space and removal management

The Bregenz townhouse exudes the charming flair of the 1920s. Guests in the holiday home enjoy energy-efficient luxury. Housing development following a facelift.
At Huber Tricot, an office is constructed within the existing production building.
New interpretation of old values
Refurbishment projects present unique challenges
Looking for a challenge? Yes please! Because each refurbishment presents a very unique task depending on the character
of the building. “We want to create modern facilities while maintaining existing values”, explains Gerhard Vonbank, Head of
the Conversion and Modernisation department at Rhomberg Bau. At the beginning of such a project we have the customers’
briefing and we have to investigate what is possible. To establish that we have to take a detailed look at the property
as a whole. “We are concerned not just with the refurbishment work itself, but also the subsequent ongoing costs”, he
emphasises.
For this reason, Rhomberg Bau supports its clients not only with the design, planning and implementation of the project,
but also beyond. The house maintenance manual, which is handed to the client after completion of the works, includes
inter alia a maintenance plan with all dates of inspection and maintenance jobs, it lists the tradespeople involved in the
refurbishment and gives contact details should they be needed. In this way, buildings are optimised throughout their lifecycle.
This applies to private houses as well as apartment blocks, historic buildings and commercial properties.
Gerhard Vonbank
THE NOBLE CHARM OF A TOWNHOUSE
If you are 90 years old, it’s fine to show the signs of your age. If in addition the
aged building exudes the flair of the 1920s, as is the case with the old townhouse
in Bregenzer Kolumanstrasse, that is particularly charming. The playful
and sensitive details from the original design make the facade into a work of
art which has been listed by the Vorarlberg State administration as of historic
importance. The state provides special funding for facade refurbishment and
window replacement.
What looks very attractive from the outside continues on the inside. As part of
the refurbishment of the currently vacant semi-detached house, the windows,
internal doors and parquet flooring are all replaced with elements that have been
copied from the originals. The house has been divided into two generous threeroom
units, offering attractive living in a top location, including a large garden.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
During the general overhaul of the Hubert holiday residence in Zürs, it looks like
a film is playing backwards in fast motion. Because in order to merge two units
to form one 125 m 2 large apartment, the completed building is stripped back to
its shell construction. As the saying goes, “back to the future”. The work involves
removing floors, rendering some of the walls and the complete renewal of the
electric, heating and sanitary installations. Within weeks a completely new residential
unit is created which combines the comforts of a holiday apartment with
energy and resource conservation.
“Refurbishing
historic buildings
requires a sensitive
approach in
dealing with all
parties involved. Because if you
build on old values but don’t
close the door on modern standards,
you create something new
for generations to come”.
Gerhard Vonbank
“The professional
approach and
reliable scheduling
are very
reassuring for me,
because I can rely on everything
functioning perfectly.”
Antonella Rupp, Architect
COMPREHENSIVE REFURBISHMENT OF A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Sometimes the complaints and groaning of the apartment owners is louder than
those of the ageing building. The expressions on the faces of the residents
convey the question: “What do we have to put up with during the refurbishment?”
And it also expresses the uncertainty which gives rise to fear and in turn often
leads to a negative reaction, a unanimous “no”.
Gerhard Vonbank, Head of the Conversion & Modernisation department, has
already dealt with 150 housing developments and has summarised his experience
in a dedicated refurbishment manual. He is an expert in this field and
knows that lack of information is one of the main reasons why housing estates
are not being modernised. “In refurbishment projects you always have to deal
with the people”, explains Vonbank, “and decisions can only be made if the
person is well informed.” And that is precisely what the House Warden, Herbert
Jost, appreciated very much. And the 19 parties of the residential development
at Bahnhofstradde 26 in Hohenems all agreed: “We will not only have a good
looking home, but will also save a lot of ongoing energy costs”
BUILDINGS REPRESENT COMPANIES
An optimised building strategy is a key component of a modern and successful
company. This includes best possible energy efficiency and the life-cycle characteristics
of the building. Long-term company policy is therefore closely linked
with the offices and facilities in which the employees should feel comfortable.
A positive working environment has a motivating effect that is also noticeable
to customers. In refurbishment or extension projects it is particularly important
to have professional guidance from experts who know the process from start to
finish. For Rhomberg Bau the economic principles, such as lowering life-cycle
costs, are just as important as ecological objectives which are clearly focused
on preserving natural resources and on the use of renewable raw materials. The
Huber site in Mäder is just one example amongst many made possible by the
Conversion & Modernisation department. Examples are the construction of an
office in an existing production building and the complete redesign of an exterior
for the underwear manufacturer in Mäder.
“Rhomberg Bau has
shown exemplary
commitment from start
to finish. We even got
full support with the
paperwork, such as the applications
for public funding and the submission
to the Building Control Office.”
Herbert Jost, House Warden
“What makes
Rhomberg Bau a
reliable partner is
primarily the on-time
completion. In addition,
the company offers good value
for money and provides very neat and
thorough execution. Our contact partner
is the Site Manager Daniel Mohr,
who is very competent and always
available.”
Robert Rubenthaler, Huber Tricot
16 NEW DIMENSIONS | CONVERSION & MODERNISATION
CONVERSION & MODERNISATION | NEW DIMENSIONS 17

Sustainability
Fashionable hype or changing awareness?
The term “sustainability” is on everyone’s
lips. The word has been overused,
we are weary of it and yet it
is difficult to talk about the subject
without using the term. All the same,
here is my attempt:
Are we just confronted with fashionable
hype, or do we manage to achieve
a real change in attitude? The fact that
the subject musters a lot of support
makes me optimistic.
Some of that support comes from
the fact that the values of society are
changing, which is something that is
encouraged by demographic development.
Conscious consumerism is
becoming increasingly mainstream.
The magic word is LOHAS: Lifestyle
of Health and Sustainability. In this
lifestyle, an affinity with technology and
green consciousness or consumerism
and durability are no longer contradictions.
This change in values creates
new markets for ecological products
that come with a good conscience.
Thanks to our longer life expectancy
our thinking and planning span longer
timescales. Even those in their fifties
plan for a few more decades of life.
This means that all planning and
thinking is automatically focused on
durability and long-term performance.
Health is one of the core values of our
society. Once we see the connection
between our own health and our longterm
actions we will naturally stand up
for a better world in the future even if
we are not motivated by some form of
idealism. From this point of view, we
commit for our own benefit.
In our part of the world consumerism
and material progress have reached
a point of absolute saturation. Wanting
“more and more” no longer gives
us satisfaction. We now have to look
elsewhere to satisfy such deeper
needs as that for finding an identity,
an orientation and a purpose in life.
The trend is moving away from material
to immaterial values, and from
quantity to quality. Rather than striving
for a better standard of living, it is a
better quality of life that is moving into
focus. This subject touches on many
aspects, one of them being a healthy,
durable and lasting environment.
In this way we are accepting responsibility
and, at the same time, are
motivated to leave behind a world that
is worth living in for our children and
grandchildren. All in all I am convinced
that we can speak about a genuine
change in attitude. A better world
seems to be within our reach – not
through renunciation, but through better
ideas, more efficient technologies
and an active sense of community.
The motivation and solutions already
exist in our minds; all we have to do
is put them into action.
Property management – there is more at stake
With combined forces on the path to becoming the market leader in Vorarlberg
In order to be able to offer our customers
greater benefits in the running and
management of their properties, the
decision to form one strong unit in the
form of a subsidiary by combining the
Please visit our team in Rhomberg’s factory
in Dornbirn from January 2012.
S-Immobilien team, with its many years
of experience, with the young and
active Facility Management was an
obvious one.
Our mission:
“We look after our customers’ most
prized possession – their property!”
Our plus:
Our professional team is not only
experienced in administration and
letting, they bring other significant
strengths – such as more activity,
better accessibility and service, and
greater competence – for the benefit
of our customers.
Andrea Moosbrugger
Martin Summer on sustainability.
Our new strong brand from 1 January 2012
WE OFFER OUR CLIENTS
• pro-active property management
• professional property and rent administration
• 24-hour availability through our service hotline
• more service than other property service
providers
• contact for Vorarlberg investors, dealing with
asset management of residential properties,
end customers, investors and companies with
extensive property portfolios
A strong team
Sarah Krenkel in conversation with Christian Jauk, Head of the department
GU-Housing (GU = general contractor)
GU-Housing, GU-Contracting, Conversion & Modernisation,
Housing, Project Development, Building Construction, Civil
Engineering, Railway Technology – the Rhomberg Group is
continually growing and it is not always clear which department
covers which area. In conversation with Christian Jauk
we attempt to provide some clarity on the department.
What is the specific remit of GU-Housing?
Within the Rhomberg Group we are
responsible for turnkey residential construction
projects. Our core market is
Vorarlberg. The objective of the GU-
Housing department is to provide customers with an
“all-in package”. We can offer this package thanks to
the close cooperation with other Rhomberg business
divisions and the fantastic commitment of our staff.
What is special about your staff?
Some of our strengths are the ability to work in a team
and to work under pressure, commitment, flexibility,
technical expertise and the willingness to accept positive
criticism. The strengths of each individual contribute to
forming a very harmonious team. Every one of us is an
active member of the community.
Who are your customers and where
are your projects located?
We don’t only build for Rhomberg, but increasingly also
for private investors, and we also cultivate close relationships
with the not-for-profit housing developers.
Most projects are located in the Lower Rheintal between
Bregenz and Feldkirch. But we also build some projects
in the Oberland, for example in Partenen.
What are the trends in general construction and
services technology for apartment buildings?
Currently, the trends are still pretty much determined
by the public funding available in Vorarlberg, which
means low-energy houses with solar installations and
“PassivHaus” residential developments.
What are the challenges of the future
for providing affordable housing?
There are three important factors which must be
distinguished:
Factor 1 is determined by the ÖNORM standards, by
laws and guidelines, and also public funding requirements.
For this purpose we have to find a consensus
with the law-makers, so that new regulations don’t
always lead to increased costs.
Factor 2 concerns the standard of fittings and finishes
Christian Jauk and the GU-Housing team.
and the overall quality of workmanship and materials.
Here we have to respond to the needs of agents/tenants,
i.e. we must be able to offer customers low-budget apartments
which, if required, can be upgraded at a later date.
Factor 3 concerns running costs and energy costs.
Computations of the accumulated costs of a residential
building over its expected service life have to demonstrate
to the agent/tenant the different options with their corresponding
impact on costs.
In what way has construction technology
changed in recent years?
Thanks to better insulation, the absence of thermal
bridges and improved glazing, the building footprint has
improved significantly. Building a project has become a
very complex and difficult affair due to the many regulations.
Building services in particular – with all their
options such as solar panels, geothermal energy, controlled
ventilation or photovoltaic panels – have become so
complex that it is becoming more and more difficult to
make the right decisions.
What distinguishes you from your competitors?
One of our strengths is that thanks to our many years of
practical experience in housing, we can always offer our
customer best value for money – without loss of quality
and including the use of ecological materials.
There are always some defects in new constructions –
how do you deal with that?
It starts in the preparation phase of a project where we
develop effective construction details in order to avoid
defects. When the project starts on site we rely mainly on
local and reliable tradesmen who we know well. In addition,
we provide training for our staff and that, together
with their experience, ensures that should there be any
defects, they can be dealt with competently and swiftly.
18 NEW DIMENSIONS | SUSTAINABILITY, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
GU-HOUSING | NEW DIMENSIONS 19

Project development
How we will live in future
SEECARRÉ FISCHBACH IN FRIEDRICHSHAFEN:
LAKE. CITY. SUN. VIEW. BEACH
The Seecarré will become the new centre of the Fischbach area in Friedrichshafen.
The development will provide 95 apartments as well as ample space for shops and services.
“More than the past, I am interested
in the future, because in it I intend
to live.”
Albert Einstein, physicist
In cooperation with the Friedrichshafen
City Council, the new Fischbach
area centre will be created on
the former MTU site. The Fischbach
district is located at the western end
of Friedrichshafen and is a high-quality
neighbourhood close to the city centre
and directly on the shores of Lake
Constance.
The new district centre will not only
cater for the needs and requirements
of daily living, but is also intended to
become the home of a lively community.
The new design of the district
centre is intended to create a varied,
popular and lively city quarter for
a wide range of users with varying
requirements. In addition to the various
local shops there will be business and
health-related facilities. The upper
floors will contain owner-occupied
apartments to round off the overall
housing mix concept.
The Seecarré consists essentially of
a linked development at lower, intermediate
and ground floor levels. Above
there will be five separate blocks with
different heights. The layout of the
individual blocks and the southwesterly
orientation of the houses ensures that
the new quarter benefits from ideal
natural light conditions.
The housing mix includes attractive
terrace aparments on the ground floor
as well as 1 to 6-roomed owner-occupier
apartments in the upper floors
through to unique penthouses with a
view of Lake Constance and the Säntis
region. Optionally it is possible to use
the first floor level for offices and surgeries.
From the shared underground
KEY DATA
SEECARRÉ FISCHBACH
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY
Location Friedrichshafen Fischbach,
with some lake and mountain views
Uses Residential, retail and offices
Next step Planning permission
Start of sales campaign Spring 2012
Planned start of construction Winter 2012
Design Allgayer Architects, Ravensburg
Project development Rhomberg Bau
Developer Rhomberg Bau
Site area About 6,000 m²
Residential floor space About 7,000 m²
Commercial floor space About 2,000 m²
Underground car park 180 parking spaces
Housing units About 95
Apartment mix 1 to 6 room apartments
Retail and offices Supermarket, bank, library,
baker, chemist, doctor’s surgery and others
Project value 25 million euro
Contact info@rhombergbau.at
Project Manager Tobias Kiechle
Homepage www.seecarre-fischbach.de
car park the various residential levels
can be reached comfortably by lift.
On the ground floor there will be
the new “Market Place” – a lively
and attractive meeting point which
will accommodate a wide range of
shops and service businesses. The
intermediate floor will be occupied
by the Edeka Südwest supermarket
(Treff 3000) as well as public parking.
Tobias Kiechle
CONSTRUCTION STARTS AT THE STORCHENGRUND IN VIENNA:
A NEW LOCATION FOR THE STAR INN HOTEL GROUP AND SPAR
The Storchengrund project will have a strong revitalising effect on the entire neighbourhood. Its completion is scheduled for the spring of 2013.
In October 2007, Storchengrund
GmbH & Co KG purchased a site of
about 3,700 m² at Linke Wienzeile.
Together with the owner of the adjoining
land, a comprehensive project
was developed. The part belonging to
the Storchengrund company will now
be built together with PORR Solutions.
There will be a three-star plus
hotel for the Star Inn Group, a SPAR
supermarket as well as car parking
with over 200 parking spaces. The site
is exceptionally well located along one
of the most important transport routes
in Vienna, both for personal and public
transport. The proximity to the western
motorway and the nearby underground
At a central location in in Kempten,
Allgäu, Rhomberg Bau is building an
attractive residential development
with about 930 m² floor space, which
appeals through its modern and conspicuous
design and high quality fittings
and finishes. There will be eleven
residential units offering outstanding
quality and excellent life-cycle characteristics.
Apart from garden and penthouse
apartments, the design includes
2 to 4-room apartments with generous
terraces or balconies. The design puts
interchange at Längenfeldgasse
(U4 and U6), as well as several bus
stops provide very convenient transport
connections.
20 NEW DIMENSIONS | PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT | NEW DIMENSIONS 21
Joachim Nägele
NOVUM 16 IN KEMPTEN: UPMARKET LIVING
“This project features
high quality architecture,
state-of-the-art
technology, an ideal
location and a very
experienced hotel operator.”
Ludwig Badura, Managing Director
of Storchengrund GmbH & Co KG
great emphasis on natural daylight –
which is why almost all kitchens
and bathrooms will have windows.
The outside will have an attractive
landscaping scheme. Furthermore,
the project will feature energy generation
via a modern solar installation.
The start of the sales campaign has
been scheduled for 2012. Construction
is due to start in the summer of
2012.
Bernd Bischofberger
KEY DATA
STORCHENGRUND VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Owner and investor Storchengrund GmbH
& Co KG, a subsidiary of PORR Solutions
Immobilien- und Infrastrukturprojekte GmbH
and Rhomberg Bau GmbH
Design up to planning submission
Schluderarchitektur in cooperation
with Dietrich | Untertrifaller
Detailed design PORR Solutions Immobilien-
und Infrastrukturprojekte GmbH
Start of construction Spring 2011
Completion Spring 2013
Site area 3,711 m²
Gross floor area About 12,700 m²
Floors above ground level 8
Floors below ground level 3
Hotel 283 rooms of different sizes,
204 underground car parking spaces
Retail areas SPAR supermarket,
about 1,000 m²
KEY DATA
SCHWAIGHAUSER WEG KEMPTEN, GER
Location Kempten, inner city
Use Residential
Design Dengg Architects, Kempten
Planned start of sales Beginning of 2012
Planned start of construction Summer 2012
Site area 820 m²
Floor space 930 m²
Underground car park 11 parking spaces

Every underground car parking space at the Höchsterstrasse residential development in Dornbirn is equipped with a switchable socket
for charging an electric car.
Ready for the e-vehicle boom
Underground car park spaces fitted with power sockets
What presents no problem at all for
residents of private houses can be
a serious obstacle for people in an
apartment block who want to purchase
an electric car or electric scooter –
because of the need to connect their
electric vehicle to the mains network.
At the Höchsterstrasse residential
development in Dornbirn, all 12 underground
car parking spaces were fitted
with switchable power sockets. This
means that every owner of an underground
car park space can charge an
electric vehicle. Normally, underground
car parks only provide some sockets
for general use; when these are used
for private purposes, this creates
discord amongst the other tenants
or requires complicated accounting
for the power used from the common
socket. Later conversion of a private
power connection in an underground
car park is often complicated, and
hence expensive.
The switches for the sockets are
located in the self-contained garage
compartment associated with the car
parking space and are therefore under
the control of the respective owner.
This means that these sockets cannot
be used by other apartment owners.
The electricity consumed is invoiced
as part of the electricity bill for the
apartment, rather than as part of the
communal account. This clear accounting
promotes a harmonious neighbourhood.
It also means that the owners of these
underground car parking spaces can
switch to electric mobility without any
problem.
The installation of electric charging
points in new residential developments
will become standard in the
future. This creates the conditions for
the use of electric vehicles on a large
scale. Furthermore, including electric
charging points at the design stage is
a more sustainable and resource-efficient
solution compared to subsequent
installation.
With our forward thinking outlook,
Rhomberg Bau is a pioneer of sustainability.
Katharina Böhler
Presenting new housing projects
During 2011 we have laid the foundations for attractive residential
developments which will be created in the years to come.
BREGENZ RIEDEN
Together with Schertler-Alge a new
building project is being created for the
“Wohnen am See Bauträger GmbH”
development of which Rhomberg Bau
has a fifty percent stake. The project in
Feldmoosgasse in the Bregenz Rieden
district comprises four new building
blocks with a total of about 70 apartments.
DORNBIRN KEHLERAU
We have purchased a site of over
4,000 m² site in Dornbirn Kehlerau
behind the site of FM Hämmerle. It will
accom modate 36 apartments in three
buildings. An architectural competition
with four architects was organised
for the design of the project which
was won by Baumschlager, Hutter
and Partners.
During last year there were some
changes in the Housing team. Martin
Summer, previously manager at
Housing, is now Managing Director
and Head of the business division
for Project and Facility Development.
Katharina Böhler took over the
FELDKIRCH
ARDETZENBERGSTRASSE
In Feldkirch we have purchased
a 4,500 m² site at the foot of the
Ardetzenberg. Its outstanding feature
is its central location near the railway
station.
HARD EICHELEWEG
Hard Eicheleweg/Hölzelestrasse:
24 apartments are being built in three
building blocks on a site of just over
3,000 m²; design by architect Juri Troy.
LOCHAU TANNENSTRASSE
The development at Bahnhofstrasse
has already been completed and we
have now commenced work at Tannenstrasse.
Within a very short time more
than 50 percent of the apartments
have been already sold.
Changes in the Housing team
New impetus underpins good service
Katharina Böhler has been managing
Housing since January 2011.
management of Housing in January
2011. In June 2011, Daniel Leitinger
was appointed Project Developer
in Housing. Stefan Mittersteiner is
working has taken on the role of
Technician for both business units –
Housing and Project Development.
One of our key priorities in the Housing
team is to provide an excellent
service to our customers, from the
initial purchase through to occupation
of the apartment and beyond. With our
new structure, we are ideally prepared
for future business.
Katharina Böhler
CURRENT HOUSING PROJECTS
• Bregenz, Benger-Park West and Rieden
• Dornbirn, Höchsterstrasse, Kehlerau and
Rohrbach Park
• Feldkirch, Ardetzenbergstrasse and
Frauensteinweg
• Hard, Eicheleweg
• Lochau, Tannenstrasse
• Schwarzach, Baumgartstrasse
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR BUILDING SITES
in the Rheintal and in turn offer a
bona fide, fair and swift transaction.
To provide our investors with a
higher quality of advice, we have
set up an investment concept
that, with the help of independent
experts, can be fine-tuned to the
individual needs of our clients.
Please contact:
Hans-Peter Sohm
Tel. +43 (0)5572 / 22323-11
Mobile +43 (0)664 / 103 3443
hanspeter.sohm@rhombergbau.at
You can also view our projects
online at
www.rhombergbau.at
or on our Facebook page
facebook.com/rhombergwohnbau
22 NEW DIMENSIONS | HOUSING HOUSING | NEW DIMENSIONS 23

Internationale Rheinregulierung at Lustenau
Conversion of museum and waiting hall
During the conversion of hall 2, Rhomberg
staff were able to demonstrate their excellent
workmanship.
The Internationale Rheinregulierung
organisation commissioned the
Rhomberg Building Construction team
with the demolition and construction
work needed for hall 2. The work
demanded top precision and exacting
workmanship from our site supervision
team. As part of the demolition work
up to 10 m long steel girders had to
be moved by hand on the inside of the
building. Similarly, the shuttering and
concreting of rendered concrete walls
forming part of the building core was
carried out manually. This work, as well
as all plastering, was undertaken by the
workforce of the Minor Works team.
Herbert Zitz
Lustenau sewers extended
ARGE OK Lustenau, “Am Kanal – Mühlefeld”
Works on the extension of the
Lustenau sewer system in the
Mühlefeld and Sägerstrasse areas
started back in December 2010.
The contract covers the reconstruction
of the wastewater and stormwater
canals, most of which rest on 8 m
deep foundation piles, and the installation
of the drinking water supply pipes
and all infrastructure services. Part of
the existing water pipe was replaced
using the burst lining process. That
meant that the pipes could be replaced
without digging a trench. As part of
the work the team also upgraded
Mühlefeldstrasse. Sägerstrasse,
with its existing cycle and footpath,
was reinstated on completion of the
sewer works.
The extension of the system by
Rhomberg became necessary as
part of the development of a large
19,000 m 2 new development area.
Markus Folie
KEY DATA, LUSTENAU SEWER NETWORK
Client Lustenau Municipality
Design Adler+Partners Civil Engineers
Construction period December 2010
to September 2011
Consortium partner Nägelebau
Contract value: EUR 2.0 million
Total material shifted 15,000 m³
Site Manager Markus Folie
Seconded Karl Schmid
24 NEW DIMENSIONS | CIVIL ENGINEERING, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
KEY DATA INTERNATIONALE
RHEINREGULIERUNG
Client Internationale Rheinregulierung
Design DI Reinhard Rinderer, Architect,
Dornbirn
Construction period April to August 2011
Contract value: EUR 170,000
Local site supervision Consulting engineers
for construction – gbd ZT GmbH
Site management Herbert Zitz
Seconded Michael Sponsel
STAFF CHANGES AT BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION, CIVIL
ENGINEERING AND YARD
In the Construction and Resources
building divisions a lot has changed
in recent months. The structure
was modified in order to reflect the
strength of the respective members
of staff. This means that the
entire business field will be able to
work more efficiently. Following the
departure of Walter Hermann, Peter
Greussing will now also take over
the management of the business
division. Building Construction
and Civil Engineering have been
merged. Head of the business field,
Dietmar Opriessnig, will be supported
by Roland Marte who will
primarily manage the civil engineering
site managers. In addition,
Dietmar Opriessnig will be responsible
for the yard, where Christian
Düringer heads the team. Financial
responsibility for all these activities
lies with Johannes Nussbaumer as
previously.
Dietmar Opriessnig
In future, the Vorarlberg State Museum will combine the old with the new. The concrete facade of the Vorarlberg State Museum
will catch the eye.
Vorarlberg State Museum extended
We link the past with the future
The Bregenz State Museum was built at the beginning of the 20 th century and
then modernised in the 1960s. In the new design the original structure, which is
listed as a historic building, is incorporated in a new building. The Civil Engineering
consortium carried out all special foundation work, such as sheet piling with
horizontal retention chord, large DN900 foundation piles and high-pressure
injection. The consortium team raised the existing building by two floors and
added a five-storey extension towards Kornmarktplatz. In spite of the difficult
conditions in the inner city area, the works were completed on time and to the
full satisfaction of the client. The conversion and extension of the Vorarlberg
State Museum presented a demanding challenge to the Building Construction
consortium. The listed facade of the former District Authority had to be retained,
which made it necessary to carry out the demolition and new construction of all
intermediate decks section by section. This made the conversion in accordance
with the architect’s plans considerably more difficult. The new part of the building
consists of the two new upper floors with a concrete curtain wall facade. This
was manufactured on-site and includes indentations from bottles to add visual
interest. Owing to the compact shape of the building and the high-quality insulation
of all components, it was possible to achieve the “PassivHaus” standard.
Roland Marte and Monika Mandl
KEY DATA, VORARLBERG
STATE MUSEUM
Client Vorarlberg State Administration
Design Cukrowicz-Nachbaur Architects
Local site supervision Albrecht Bau &
Projektmanagement
CIVIL ENGINEERING
Consortium partner Schertler-Alge
Contract value: EUR 1.0 million
Site Manager Roland Marte
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
Consortium partners Schertler-Alge,
Jäger, Hilti & Jehle
Contract value EUR 6.7 million
Quantity of concrete About 5,000 m³
Reinforcements About 500 tonnes
Facade area (new) 2,000 m²
Site Foremen Karl Fussenegger and
Karl Leipold
CIVIL ENGINEERING, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION | NEW DIMENSIONS
25

Rhomberg Recycling GmbH has secured
new contracts and is investing in new
equipment.
Stone baskets are filled and vibrated
at the works and, with their many
different design options, they can be
used for a wide variety of applications.
They are ideally suited for use as hard
landscaping features. They are popular
with architects and clients as retaining
walls or as noise or visual barriers.
RAWE stone baskets are filled with
Recycling on course for success
Visions ensure growth
Rhomberg Recycling GmbH has now been in operation for three years and is
showing promising development. For example, the company was awarded the
contract for the recycling of municipal waste timber in 2011. Further contracts
have been secured for 2012. In order to be able to handle the increasing
quantities with due care and in a sustainable way, it was necessary to optimise
and extend current capacity. As part of this programme, the “Olga” channel baler
was started up in November 2010. It compresses different materials, for example
cardboard and various plastics, in order to create more space and hence
reduce CO 2 emissions generated by transporting them. The growth of Rhomberg
Recycling GmbH is supported by the extension of the former “Wirkungsgrad”
site and the purchase of a rehandling excavator. In order to be prepared for
future challenges, the two managing directors, Peter Greussing and Johannes
Nussbaumer are also keen to strengthen their workfoce of currently nine
members of staff.
Eva Huber
RAWE stone baskets for top specifications
Technical building solutions and aesthetic appeal all in one
Natural stone comes in many shapes and sizes
and the application of RAWE stone baskets is
equally varied.
The natural look of stone baskets makes them
very attractive.
natural stone from our quarry or,
on request, with other filler materials,
using our own filling facility and
delivered in accordance with customer
requirements.
The advantages and qualities of stone
baskets are obvious: they are ecologically
and economically valuable as the
baskets can be recycled. They are
Stone baskets are made to the size required,
the filling can be chosen to specification and
they are very stable.
quick to erect and have their own
aesthetic appeal. Due to the natural
cavities and water permeability, stone
basket elements can be quickly
covered with foliage which creates
ecologically desirable green islands
and habitats for the animal world.
Alexander Nöckl and Walter Sutterlüti
Partners for ten years
Goldbeck Rhomberg founds new logistics branch
Over the last ten years, Goldbeck
Rhomberg has constructed a total
of 320,000 m² of warehousing,
59,000 m² of offices and 17 multistorey
car parks with 6,784 parking
spaces. And that is not the end of
this success story. The company, with
its workforce of almost 60, is planning
for a turnover of EUR 70 million.
The newly-founded logistics branch
was created to meet specific customer
requirements. It will support projects
in Austria and Switzerland and provide
special support for the construction of
logistics warehouses.
During 2011, numerous projects have
been built and handed over to satisfied
customers. A prominent example
is the Quadra office building at the
Rhomberg works in Dornbirn. It is one
of the first office buildings in Austria to
be awarded the ÖGNI Gold pre-certificate.
Further proof of the company’s
environmental commitment is the “sun
house” constructed in Rankweil for the
installation company ETG, which was
built to the climate:active standard.
Thanks to Goldbeck Rhomberg’s inhouse
services engineers, the company
is in a position to always be one
The Quadra office building is awarded the
ÖGNI Gold pre-certificate. From left: Uwe
Goldbeck, Hubert Rhomberg, Ortwin Goldbeck,
Walter-Heinz Rhomberg, ÖGNI President
Philipp Kaufmann and Goldbeck Rhomberg
Managing Director, Georg Vallaster.
step ahead of the market in terms
of energy efficiency.
The company celebrated its ten-year
anniversary on 28 July 2011, where
Managing Director Georg Vallaster
welcomed a large number of customers,
all members of staff and the Goldbeck
and Rhomberg owner families.
In view of the strong demand for
Goldbeck Rhomberg products we
expect that growth will continue
throughout the coming years.
26 NEW DIMENSIONS | RECYCLING, RHEINTAL RESOURCE CENTRE
GOLDBECK RHOMBERG | NEW DIMENSIONS 27
Georg Vallaster
Goldbeck Rhomberg is constructing
a multi-storey car park with AUDI as a
showroom for Porsche in Pragerstrasse
in Vienna.
New Swiss headquarters built for
PM-International, Goldbeck’s long-term
customer.

Under construction
Cree building the first LifeCycle Tower
A timber-hybrid tower with worldwide
allure rises from the ground in Dornbirn.
The first eight-storey, unencapsulated
timber-hybrid building, “LCT ONE”
has been climbing skywards in Dornbirn,
Austria since September 2011.
What began in 2009 as a research
project is about to become reality: the
LifeCycle Tower (LCT) developed by
Cree GmbH – the innovative concept
for timber-hybrid towers – is in the
realisation phase. The start of construction
for the first LifeCycle Tower
in the world – LCT ONE – was mid-
September in Dornbirn, Austria. Cree
will demonstrate the feasibility of the
system for sustainable urban architecture
and present the advantages
of the building concept (resources
and energy efficiency, improved CO 2
footprint, shorter construction times
after the builder’s work and factory
production stages). The main difference
between the timber-hybrid
building and other projects is that the
loadbearing elements of the build-
Cree
More nature in the city
Unusual guerilla tactics in Dornbirn
to build the first sustainable tower
using timber-hybrid construction.
Unconventional and instantly memorable
solutions are one of Cree’s
strengths. We explore new avenues,
not only in the development, but also
in the marketing of the LifeCycle
Tower. Just as we did in a cloak-anddagger
operation in September 2011
at the market place in Dornbirn, where
we installed sixty birdboxes fitted with
a motion sensor and a loudspeaker
out of which came the sound of twittering
birds. The initially anonymous
birdbox operation launched under
the slogan “More nature in the city”
ing are left unclad. The unencapsulated,
that is to say the unclad timber
loadbearing structure, lets the users
experience the advantages of wood
as a feature of interior design directly,
saves resources and is an important
part of the fire safety concept.
Another difference is that, although
the LifeCycle Tower consists for the
most part of wood, the material is
only used where its use makes sense.
The quantity of wood used also goes
hand in hand with maximum resource
efficiency and appropriate functionality.
Internally, the LifeCycle Tower can
be configured to suit users’ particular
needs, because there are no loadbearing
internal partition walls. Structural
components can be combined
and configured like modules. There
are no limits to the building’s uses.
LCT ONE in Dornbirn is used mainly
as an office block and will serve as
an international hub, showroom and
museum for sustainable solutions.
Christina Mathis
generated surprise among some of
the citizens and the regional media,
while highlighting the current facts on
resource consumption and population
problems on our planet. In the
course of the promotion, Cree set up
a market stall in Dornbirn and held a
lottery, in which birdboxes hand-made
by a charitable organisation found
new owners among the stall visitors,
electric bikes were raffled and huge
quantities of facts and figures on the
subject of sustainability made known.
Thanks to the captivating campaign,
media coverage and discussions
among the wider public, we succeeded
in raising the profile of
LCT ONE and Cree, particularly
Possible facade design for LCT ONE.
Digital rendering of the external view at night of
LCT ONE in Dornbirn, Austria.
in Dornbirn, LCT ONE’s home town.
The Cree team found fun and excitement
in a campaign that showed how
to raise a great deal of awareness at
very little expense.
Deck construction: timber-hybrid deck
with integrated building services.
Birdboxes on in Dornbirn market place. Interior view of the LCT ONE
entrance foyer.
Green light
for the prototype LCT ONE
“The timber hybrid
tower is designed to
incorporate Passivhaus
technology and
provide a working
centre and platform for companies
with a wish to set standards in the
fields of sustainability and energy
efficiency.”
Michael Zangerl
“Because of the
potential of the
research project, it
has already set new
standards for green
buildings and aroused a lively international
reaction. The construction
of the first LifeCycle Tower is creating
international interest among
construction professionals and
specialist journals, and accelerating
the success of our forward-looking
construction system.”
Jakob Bonomo
“After intensive
cooperation with
engineers, research
institutes and authorities,
and several
informative fire tests, we were
satisfied that the timber and concrete
construction system reached our
anticipated stage of development. In
the future, we also intend to bundle
the skills of a wide range of experts
and integrate development partners
into our projects.”
Ulrich Forster
“The advantages of
the innovative system
building method,
such as cost certainty,
minimised sources
of error on site and shorter construction
times, mean the LifeCycle Tower
concept offers great opportunities for
everyone involved in its construction.”
Christian Standl
“A worldwide first are
the structural timber
elements, which, in
contrast to earlier
timber buildings, are
left unclad. The exposed, unencapsulated
timber loadbearing structure
makes best use of the advantages
of the material and is an important
part of the fire safety concept. The
exposed timber composite ribbed
deck suppresses the spread of fire in
a real fire event because the timber
beams are not directly connected to
one another.”
Niklas Gfrerer
“The construction
permit allowing
us to construct an
eight-storey timberhybrid
building is a
milestone for Cree GmbH and the
whole Rhomberg Group. It is also
the result of intensive discussions
with the various authorities, whose
support we have now secured. In the
development phase, a team of leading
experts (architecture, fire safety,
structural timber design, building
physics, building services, etc.) was
already working hand-in-hand on
the realisation of a sustainable and
market-ready building system.”
Rainer Strauch
“Our LifeCycle Tower
focuses not only on
the least possible
use of resources but
also and primarily on
a life-cycle-oriented concept – from
production to use and final demolition.
The modular system and repetitive
manufacture reduce life cycle
costs from the production phase.”
Andreas Völlenkle
28 NEW DIMENSIONS | CREE CREE | NEW DIMENSIONS 29
© designed by Hermann Kaufmann
© designed by Hermann Kaufmann

Kim Hörtdörfer is responsible for the
development of the Rhomberg Academy.
Every Apprentices Day provides different exciting
themes for apprentices and instructors.
Committed to Rhomberg employees
New strategy in Human Resources, with leadership at its focus
PERSONNEL STRATEGY
Over recent months the group’s personnel service has been
redesigning its strategy to satisfy future demands in the
Rhomberg Group’s construction and railway technology
business fields. The project team studied many challenging
issues in detail, such as demographic change, work-life
balance, skill shortages, globalisation, as well as the general
appeal and profile of our company. The study identified
important instruments, such as leadership, personnel development
and globalisation. These form the main themes of
the new strategy.
NEW TEAM ESTABLISHED
In May 2011, Kim Hörtdörfer transferred her previous duties
in quality management to Elisabeth Immler and now devotes
30 hours a week to the Personnel Team. She has taken
over the responsibility for the operative development of the
Rhomberg Academy from Sandra Stadelmann. She will use
the additional capacity to strengthen personnel recruitment.
Part-time employee Susanne Morscher is currently assisting
our Payroll Section. We will further strengthen the team in
2012 with an HR business partner and a personnel development
manager.
A MORE TRANSPARENT SALARY SYSTEM
The introduction of a new salary system for some staff –
beginning with those at Vorarlberg – is scheduled to be
complete by the end of 2011. The system places employees
into clearly defined salary classes based on their skills
and capabilities. In addition, the system suggests possibilities
for employee development in the form of future career
and training paths. The demand for vocational and personal
development is covered by the Rhomberg Academy and
external seminar providers.
The seminar “Management turned upside down”
revealed new perspectives to all participants.
NEW SYSTEM FOR EFFICIENT PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT
In the course of 2011, the Rhomberg Group bucked the
trend in Austria and Switzerland by appointing 114 new
members of staff, 37 of whom were non-office employees.
The workforce now totals about 2,700 (at November 2011).
“Perbit”, a new personnel information system, has been
introduced to improve the management within the company
of the job application and appointment process. In addition
to job application management, it also provides support
for seminar and employee management, and is capable of
producing a wide range of statistics and indices.
APPRENTICE DAY:
A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT WORKING DAY
As part of our cooperation with the Vorarlberger Kinderdorf
children and family welfare organisation, we also held several
exciting apprentice events in 2011. The first Apprentice
Day was launched with the slogan: “Money makes the world
go round!” With help of experts we led exercises on the
themes of savings, debt and budgeting.
The theme on the second Apprentice Day was “Authority –
or is there another way?!”. An opportunity was provided to
put questions directly to the police and various counsellors.
The effects and consequences of brushes with authority
were discussed.
“Speaking with one another – the way to better self-awareness”
was the theme of Apprentice Camp 2011, where we
concentrated on the apprentices’ need for personal and
social skills.
Getting to know one another is an important aspect of all
the events and enjoying fun with colleagues and trainees,
something we don’t do enough of.
Six managers from the Rhomberg Group took part in this special seminar with 34 young people from Stiftung Jupident and organised a small jobs fair.
MANAGEMENT TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
Three and a half days, 34 young people and a project
title that speaks for itself. In 2011 six managers from the
Rhomberg Group attended a seminar of a special kind.
At “Management turned upside down” the participants
worked on a joint presentation with the young people from
the Stiftung Jupident, who played the roles of employees.
During four workshop days in 2011, the management team
put together and held a job fair in which the young people
could bring their individual strengths to the fore and present
them to companies from the region.
The planning of the event took place in joint management
conferences in the mornings. The workshop leader Matthias
Klein (Questo Prosulting) set no predefined structures or
procedures – the seminar participants were encouraged to
take responsibility for organising and managing the seminar
in an open, constructive atmosphere.
The managers were was also asked on two afternoons to
work out the programme for the jobs fair with the young
people. The greatest challenge was to get the agreement of
the young people to the objective and to motivate them to
take part – in the end the “employees” made their contributions
without formal working structures or promises of
remuneration. The managers of course were expected to
react to direct feedback such as “I’m bored”.
On the third day: in front of the invited companies and
representatives from the press, the young people and their
advisors presented a lively programme of dance, theatre,
video, cooking and workpiece exhibitions. The small jobs
fair launched under the slogan “Win what you can” was a
great success and the perfect way to end the project for all
participants.
SUCCESSFUL START TO MASTER’S DEGREE IN LIFE
CYCLE MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION
In February 2011, a milestone was set with the start of the
first Master’s Degree in Life Cycle Management Construction.
The course, which was initiated largely by Rhomberg,
provides students with the knowledge and skills to carry out
sustainable construction project management. This forwardlooking
course is available thanks to cooperation of Danube
University Krems, Bundesinnung Bau and the State of
Vorarlberg.
The 20 modules of the extra-occupational course cover all
the important issues that construction project management
will have to take account of in the future. The key elements
are a life-cycle approach, green building and resource
management, but the course also involves project, cost, programme
and risk management, contract administration and
award as well as strategic claim management. Further focus
is placed on the students’ managerial skills: team building,
negotiation, communication, innovation management, leadership
and management. The four-semester course finishes
off with a master’s thesis, a scientific work with high practical
relevance.
30 NEW DIMENSIONS | HUMAN RESOURCES
HUMAN RESOURCES | NEW DIMENSIONS 31
Karin Hubalek
I have been a construction site manager
in Conversion & Modernisation for three
years now. Prior to this I learned about
construction by working my way up from
the bottom. The LCM course allows me
to broaden my practical know-how, keep up to date and
extend my knowledge of life cycle management.
René Knapp
I have worked for several years in Facility
Management and am very interested in
life cycle management, resource conservation
and the early linking of the design
and construction processes. As well as
continuing my professional education and the stimulating
discussions between the participants, I expect the course
to allow me to build up a network of contacts to call upon
when necessary in my career.
Lucia Mündle

Rhomberg Rail Consult travels around the world
Prestigious consultancy contracts for metro construction
The Rhomberg Rail Consult’s knowledge and systems
are in demand all over the world.
In many countries, the underground railway systems of
major metropolitan areas are reaching the end of their
useful lives. As a consequence, renovation or the building
of new metros is taking place in the centres of many major
cities. This work is performed at night during the brief
metro shutdown periods, on operating lines or on already
overloaded infrastructure and requires special know-how
and suitable systems. Rhomberg Rail Consult notched
up a number of big successes in 2011: the company was
commissioned to provide consultancy services and systems
for the modifications to the Tube in London/UK, the Metro
in Thessalonica/GR and the renovation of the New York
Subway/US. Further projects have taken Rhomberg Rail
Consult to Switzerland, Russia, Germany, Mexico and India.
The team is eagerly looking forward to more challenges on
the international stage.
Stefan Knittel
Energy boost for RTE Salzburg
Concentration and staying power for new system and track surveying technology
The business year of year 2011/12 began for RTE with a
move into new offices at Salzburg’s main railway station.
The space in the new offices can be flexibly divided to suit
the various functions. Being directly adjacent to the railway,
the new base offers a central transport connection for staff
and customers as well as a good view of the rails that mean
Uwe Döring of RTE Salzburg tests the latest chord-measuring system.
so much to railway technology. The time spent working
intensively at the beginning of the business year had its
own reward in the summer with several new systems
ordered.
The new workplace infrastructure increases staff motivation
and the enjoyment of work by all employees. An unbelievably
large amount of effort is required to bring the various
development projects to fruition. All staff involved must
make their individual contributions to see an innovative
process through to the last nut and bolt and piece of software
code. Whether it is a detail on slab track, the mechanism
for precise track alignment or the cabling for the various
sensors – all the systems RTE deals with are complex.
These challenges are overcome through teamwork and the
collective effort of a range of experts. Mutual cooperation is
the name of the game in the Salzburg office.
Helge Grafinger
New subsidiary RK safetec GmbH
For safety underground and on major construction sites
RK safetec GmbH relies on the ZOKA system for safety alarms in tunnels.
At the end of 2008, the contract for
the temporary site infrastructure for
Lot A1 Brenner Northern Approach
Line specified the principal requirements
for the electrical engineering
infrastructure. RK safetec GmbH
emerged from this first contract and
the good working relationship with
our former consortium and now
business partner, KEM Montage
GmbH.
The first enquiries for other projects
came in during the completion of Lot
A1 in mid-2009. The second contract
followed in early 2010 for the safety
and security equipment on the Sillschlucht/Ahrental
pilot tunnel section
of the Brenner Base Tunnel.
The flood of further enquiries and calls
for tenders since then confirms that
the field of temporary site infrastructure
(medium and low voltage site
power supplies, lighting systems)
and safety and security technology
is a market for the future.
The combined know-how in the
fields of site development, electrical
engineering, communications, data
processing and electronics gives us
a great advantage over our competitors,
who are usually only active in one
specific field.
RK safetec offers its customers a
modular system capable of being easily
extended or expanded should, for
example, the safety requirements be
raised or the project scope increased.
ZOKA is a German acronym standing
for access, positioning, communications
and alarm system. During the
course of the works, we use this system
to create a data network capable
of a multitude of additional other uses.
This network consists of optical cable
ring circuits with regularly arranged
access points. Normally these access
points are made of an industrial switch
as a connection element, an on-off
module, an independent power supply
and a housing. Depending on the configuration,
the system may also have
an emergency telephone and alarm
unit with rotating light, audible signal
device and alarm button.
The system can integrate additional
devices for the following requirements:
• RFID receivers for the localisation of
people and vehicles
• Access control system with CCTV
monitoring
• Theft protection with automatic alarm
• Various radio communication systems
• Fire detection systems
• Air quality monitoring
• Control and monitoring of site fans,
pumps and much more
All data from the installation are transmitted
to a central control room, where
the operators use the information to
monitor and control events.
Stephan Ottersbach
32 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG RAIL CONSULT, RTE SALZBURG
RK SAFETEC | NEW DIMENSIONS 33

Successful German market entry
RBT GmbH makes positive start in electrical engineering
Cologne-Holweide Station shines after a lighting upgrade.
With the formation of Rhomberg Bahntechnik
GmbH in Oberhausen at the beginning of 2011,
a further milestone was set on the way to a more prominent
market presence of the Rhomberg Bahntechnik Group in
Germany. RBT GmbH Deutschland is mainly active in the
field of 50-Hertz technology for Deutsche Bahn. Its working
area covers the whole of North-Rhine Westphalia. We
established a strong team to be able to offer our customers
a “complete peace of mind” package. As part of this package,
the team must be on standby for rapid deployment at
any time, day or night and in emergencies.
Included in a series of measures to boost the economy, the
lighting, energy distribution and underground cabling were
upgraded or modified at several stations. The lighting was
completely renewed and energy-saving lights installed at
Cologne Messe/Deutz, Essen-West, Cologne-Holweide
and at some stations in Düsseldorf.
A further core area of business for RBT Deutschland is
the upgrading and replacement of transformer stations. In
Cologne-Deutzerfeld, we replaced a complete transformer
station in a spectacular operation with the help of a 500tonne
mobile crane. This example illustrates how RBT
Deutschland is always prepared to use unconventional
means to deliver the best possible result for everyone
involved in the project. We view the future very positively
and are confident that we will continue to impress our
clients.
Kai Ziegler
The 500-tonne mobile crane lifting in the new transformer station at
Cologne-Deutzerfeld.
The Rhomberg Bahntechnik railway undertaking (RU)
is a private service provider of goods transport
Goods transport by Rhomberg Bahntechnik
We are now a railway undertaking (RU) for goods transport
In the strategic plan for 2008, it was decided to extend the range of services provided by our rail sector to include transport
and logistics. The licences required to operate in the liberalised goods transport market were obtained from the authorities
in the form of safety certificates for Austria and Germany in autumn 2010 and May 2011.
After intensive approval and permit application procedures,
the Rhomberg Group rail subsidiary can now officially
describe itself as a private railway undertaking (RU) for
goods transport in Austria. In addition to the Europe-wide
transport licence, the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation
and Technology issued Rhomberg Bahntechnik with a
safety certificate for Austria. A further intensive approval
procedure was successful in obtaining a safety certificate
from the Federal Railway Authority for Germany. Thus
Rhomberg became one of the first private RUs to have all
the required licences to transport goods over the whole
federal railway networks in Austria (ÖBB) and Germany
(DB) as well as on the Austrian Montafonerbahn railway.
Track renewal in the UK
Rhomberg Rail UK prepares for great challenges
Across the UK the face of
railway is changing. Railway
lines that are more than 100 years old
are reaching the end of their working
life. Due to the existing traffic and the
essential importance of railway and
commuter trains in the urban areas,
improvements have to be undertaken
in very short closures or construction
times. Especially in the field of commuter
trains and tramways, Rhomberg
Rail UK will put their experience to
use on these demanding projects.
Opportunities present on the larger
railway Network Rail projects both
underway and in early formulation.
These are the projects that Rhomberg
Rail UK will also put it‘s energy into
winning, particularly on projects where
This expanded capability opens up new opportunities in our
development as a full-service provider in the railway and
track construction sector. The Rhomberg Bahntechnik RU
is a private service provider – with a role beyond that of a
pure rail transport operator.
The company provides tailor-made logistics solutions from
simple site materials supply and disposal to the complex
organisation and management of transport for customers
with rail sidings. As well as companies within the Rhomberg
Group, our customers also include logistics and freight companies
who require railway transport services.
Christian Schreiber
special track know-how and high
quality are required.
Ian Knowles, General Manager for
Rhomberg Rail UK sums up the planning
“We see the upcoming projects
and the logistic challenges as our core
business and we are determined that
Rhomberg will be undertaking a large
portion of special track work in the
UK”.
In the last year the name of Rhomberg
became well known in the railway
business and we are glad that there
is vast experience and knowledge
we can call on to solve often difficult
issues.
We are looking forward to future
developments in the UK – where
The RU provides shunting as well as project and whole
train transport services.
RHOMBERG
RAIL UK
Rhomberg will gain more and more
importance in the railway business.
34 NEW DIMENSIONS | XXX RAILWAY ENGINEERING GERMANY
RU, RHOMBERG RAIL UK | NEW DIMENSIONS 35
Ian Knowles
Rhomberg Rail UK completes challenging projects
with specialist knowledge and experience.

An operations building in Fiecht.
The Brenner North Approach Line
has eight such centres, which are
absolutely key to the project.
Milestone for Rhomberg Bahntechnik
The new subsidiary’s first major project set for success
Rhomberg Bahntechnik has been
planning the installation works for
the signalling, telecommunications
and energy supply systems on the
Brenner North Approach Line in the
Lower Inn Valley since January 2010.
The official start to construction followed
in September 2010 and six
months later power was connected
to the first operations building, which
opened the way to the switching on
and initial commissioning of the section
that links back into the existing
tracks at Stans. This was followed by
the commissioning of the works on
the existing line by the ÖBB in August
2011.
The works to be performed on the
Brenner North Approach Line extend
over 13 sections. The works were
organised for practical purposes into
those below ground between the east
and west sections and those above
ground between each structure. The
installation of the equipment in the tunnel
and structures must be completed
in a very short 21-month period and
presents the maximum 140-strong
team with a real challenge in terms of
meeting quality, programme, safety and
budget requirements.
Key to the project are eight operations
buildings, which have equipment
rooms between 160 m² to 330 m²
in area. There are also 33 shafthead
buildings with a floor area of 87 m²
The approach line has 74 electrical,
communications and signalling installations.
Some of the project team.
to 162 m², twelve portals, 16 cross
passageways, access ramp enclosures,
ventilation buildings and rescue areas.
A total of 74 structures need to be
fitted with electrical, communications
and signalling equipment.
The scope of work in the power supply
part of the project includes all systems
required for the 50-Hertz energy
supply to the new line and the adjustments
to the existing and provision
of temporary infrastructure, including
cabling.
All systems on the section of line require
a 50-Hertz energy supply.
SCOPE OF POWER SUPPLY WORKS
• Outgoing feeder panel for RU feeds
• Transformer stations and equipment for
25(30)/10 kV, 10 kV/690 V and 690/400 V
systems
• Power supplies for alternative power from
motor-generator set
• Cabling systems
• Earthing systems, external lightning arrester
and internal overvoltage protection
• Switchgear and distribution systems
• Uninterruptible power supplies for orientation
lighting, telecommunications and remotecontrol
equipment
• Main and group battery systems for supplying
escape and rescue routes and safety lighting
• Electrical installations for energy consumers
in buildings, switchgear houses and tunnel
• Lighting systems for buildings, switchgear
houses, rescue areas, tunnels and other
galleries or areas
• Connection to transmit all remote-control data
to the existing ÖBB control centre
570 kilometres of cable installed
in the works.
In addition to the installation, the
Rhomberg Bahntechnik team also
provides the following services as
part of project management: quality
control, programme coordination,
documentation, contract submission,
interface, amendment and drawing
management, and the training of the
later operators (ÖBB) of the systems
installed by Rhomberg.
On this project, it is the first time
Rhomberg Bahntechnik has been
responsible for the commissioning
and bringing into use of all the
installed systems. The systems are
then operated periodically for six
months until handover to the ÖBB.
Commercial operation of the line
commences at the start of December
2012. The interim operational management
requires a complete project
maintenance manual with a servicing
and spare parts inventory concept.
Rhomberg Bahntechnik is also responsible
for the complete commissioning.
That means: coordination of all the
systems installed at the same time on
the various lots. The team certifies that
all the installed systems and those in
the other lots are working properly.
SCOPE OF
TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKS
• Copper cable systems
• Fibre-optic cable systems (local and wide
area network cables)
• GSM-R (900 MHz replacement train radio,
operational radio)
• GSM public
• TETRA (rescue services)
• Respirator radio (fire brigade)
• AWS equipment
• Tunnel radio systems
• Data systems, tunnel network
• Remote control
• Business, emergency and VOIP telephone
systems
• Fire detection systems
• Power supply 48 V and 24 V
• Access control systems
• Communications engineering
• Hot axle box and blocked brake detection
system
• Earthing telecommunications systems
• Air-conditioning systems
PROJECT DATA & FACTS
Client ÖBB Infrastruktur AG
Project value EUR 40 million net
EXCERPT FROM THE SCOPE OF WORKS
• 5 No. 30 kV high voltage systems
• 21 No. 10 kV medium voltage systems
• 124 No. low voltage main and secondary
distribution boards
• 78 No. coupling, network and low-voltage
transformers
• 54 No. UPS systems
• 3,500 m2 fire protection cladding
• 70 km handrail
• 570 km cabling
• 71 No. fire detectors
• 71 No. access controls
• 500 No. electrical power feeder pillars
• 2,300 No. waterproof lights
36 NEW DIMENSIONS | XXX RAILWAY ENGINEERING INFRASTRUCTURE
RAILWAY ENGINEERING INFRASTRUCTURE | NEW DIMENSIONS 37
Andreas Förster
The installation of local and wide area
communications network cables requires
attention to detail.
The excellent team at ARGE Alptransit Energie
was rewarded for their hard work with a party.
The FIST patching tray helps to organise and manage optical fibre connections.

Celebration for the opening of the new Rhomberg Rail Australia
headquarters in 2011.
News from Down Under
Improvements for offices, resources and communications
FANTASTIC START IN PRIVATE RAIL
MAINTENANCE SECTOR
Rhomberg Rail Australia (RRA) won the contract to
maintain Pacific National’s (PN) railway infrastructure in
August 2011. The client is Australia’s largest private rail
freight services provider and operates 38 workshops and
private sidings in New South Wales and North Victoria,
which were all included in the new service contract.
RRA is completely responsible for the inspection and
maintenance of over 100 km of track and 270 switch
points. In addition, the company’s experts will also have
the opportunity of bringing their extensive know-how to
bear on everything from the planning to the execution of
general upgrading and expansion projects.
This is a fantastic start in the private sector for the maintenance
company. The greatest challenge is the long distances
between the workshops, which spread themselves
over the whole of New South Wales and North Victoria, an
area almost ten times that of Austria or more than three
times that of the UK. Our Manager Client Infrastructure
Tim Horan is the project manager for this contract.
RELOCATING TO A LARGER HQ
The rapid growth of Rhomberg Rail Australia made a move
of HQ to the Regents Park Business Park necessary. The
new office is in the geographic centre of Sydney and in
2011 already required one of the larger units available in
Regents Park. This was split into 800 m 2 of office space
and 420 m 2 of storage.
The Rhomberg team are delighted about moving
into the company’s new building in Sydney.
PERSONNEL AND COMMUNICATIONS
NEW OPERATING AGREEMENT
Company management and staff have developed a new
operating agreement for the employees. In accordance
with Australian legislation, the new operating agreement
had to have the approval of the staff: it was approved with
an overwhelming majority of 98.33 %. The Rail Tram & Bus
Industry Union and the Amalgamated Metal Workers Union
participated in the development of the operating agreement,
which is valid for the next three years. Finally, the consent of
the regulatory authority, Fair Work Australia, had be sought
for the operating agreement. The company is delighted
with the very high level of approval and sees a positive year
ahead thanks to the admirable restraint shown by staff.
CERTIFIED RAILWAY UNDERTAKING
Rhomberg Rail Australia has been certified by the the
Independent Transport Regulator (ITSR) under the National
Model for Rail Safety. Managing Director Gerfried Thuer
accepted the certificate on behalf of the company and is
proud that RRA has been able to call itself an accredited
railway undertaking from 4 th August 2011.
“We started the certification process over
a year ago. Intensive study of the relevant
legislation, internal risk management
workshops and implementation of the new
safety manual and its procedures were
all on the agenda. With the issuing of the ITSR certificate,
the process comes to a successful conclusion. The
company’s thanks are due in particular to Michael Match,
whose great commitment was the driving force behind
achieving certification. David Madlener and the mechanised
track construction team, who operate major plant
and perform mechanised rail-bound track construction and
maintenance, provided valuable assistance throughout the
whole process and demonstrated the excellence of their
outstanding safety culture, which was one of our greatest
strengths in the audit.”
Gerfried Thuer
The newly completed waterway crossing, total length
125 m and designed for low-maintenance.
TOOTOOL UNDERBRIDGE REPLACEMENT
BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
Our engineers and project partners were praised for the
successful replacement of an old railway bridge in southwest
New South Wales, which they completed six days
ahead of the programmed date.
The Rhomberg Structures team headed by Dennis Bebber
and working with other Rhomberg track construction
specialists built a new 125-m-long structure with greater
hydraulic capacity in place of the old timber bridge in
Tootool.
“The project suffered delays in March and
April due to floods. In May, one day before
the line was due to be closed, the area
was transformed into a mudhole by a
40 mm downpour. But after we had dried
out the site, we demolished the old timber bridge and
replaced it with a new, low-maintenance multispan culvert.
Sixteen days were allowed for the operation, but we were
able to complete the work six days quicker than planned.
This is an impressive example of what our track specialists
can do: the project was not just to programme, it also
met budget and quality requirements. We would like to
thank everyone involved with the project!”
Dennis Bebber
EXPANSION OF MACHINE FLEET
This year the mechanised track construction machines
and therefore the scope of services provided by Rhomberg
Rail Australia were expanded by two new maintenance
machines: a 09-3X Dynamic integrated tamping and aligning
machine and an SSP305 ballast levelling machine.
With this acquisition, the existing fleet gained two highperformance
machines and RRA further consolidated its
leading market position in mechanised track maintenance
in Australia.
Last year’s Australian winter set some severe challenges
for the team, who are more used to working in sunshine.
BLAYNEY SEALINK
SIDING COMPLETED
The end of September saw the successful completion
of the Blayney SeaLink Intermodal rail sidings. After the
design team had finished designing this new piece of
railway infrastructure, RRA won the construction contract,
which contained all the civil engineering and track construction
works. The siding is used by Melbourne-based
Newcrest Mine Pty. Ltd. This company operates Australia’s
second-biggest opencut gold and copper mine, about four
hours’ drive west of Sydney.
Poor weather conditions over the Australian winter, with
temperatures below zero at times, heavy rain, strong icecold
winds and snow, provided the team led by Claudio
Takataka and Stan Alipate with some additional challenges.
In less than four months, RRA constructed and installed
3,000 m of track and concrete sleepers, two new turnouts
and six upgraded switch points for connecting the sidings
to the main line to Sydney.
The connection to the main line was carried out within a
36-hour track possession over a weekend. At the same
time, a subgrade remediation was completed over a
50 metre length of the main western line for the Australian
Rail Track Corporation. At the end of the job, Project
Manager Hannes Mathis handed over a rail model to the
proud owners of the new private sidings as a memento of
a successful project completed to the fullest satisfaction of
everyone involved.
NEW NEWSLETTER
With the first issue of “Teamwork” in August 2011, we now
have a new way of letting everyone know the very latest
about new projects, personnel changes and the company
network. The newsletter is intended for employees as well
as customers and network partners.
38 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG RAIL AUSTRALIA RHOMBERG RAIL AUSTRALIA | NEW DIMENSIONS 39
Gerfried Thuer

Rhomberg-Kalebozan
Rail construction company consolidates market position in Turkey
Rhomberg-Kalebozan has
been successfully maintaining
the Ankara – Eskis¸ehir high-speed
line as well as conventional lines in
Turkey with a mechanical track maintenance
machine since May 2009. This
year, for the first time, the Turkish staff
performed the winter repairs on the
various components of the mechanical
maintenance train, with the support of
Bahnbau Wels GmbH.
In spite of the increasing competition,
Rhomberg-Kalebozan is well-placed
in the Turkish market. This is due not
least to Rhomberg-Kalebozan operating
the Stopfexpress 09-3X, the only track
tamping machine of its kind in Turkey.
From 2012, Valentina
Kumpusch and her
10-strong team, become responsible
for developing the potential future
market for rail engineering in Switzerland
and the completion of the two
ongoing major projects, Durchmesserlinie
Zurich and the refurbishment of
the Simplon Tunnel.
After studying civil engineering at ETH
Zurich, Valentina worked in leading
positions on a series of high-profile
major projects, such as ARGE Alp-
Transit Brenner. Now she and her
very experienced track construction
team are taking on a new challenge:
the relaunch of the business field in
Switzerland, this time specialising on
niches in the Swiss market. The objective
of the new business field manager
is to consolidate existing customers
in special fields such as rack railways
with continuously improved services
The use of the Stopfexpress machine
greatly increases the daily output –
which is also evident in the currently
ongoing final tamping of the conventional
Turkish State Railway (TCDD) line
between Edirne and Çerkezköy.
At the end of August 2011, a cleaning
machine and Unimat 08-275/3S
switch tamping machine were added to
the machine fleet in Turkey. Based on
the outstanding quality of Rhomberg-
Kalebozan’s previous work, the TCDD
awarded the company the contract to
complete the final tamping using the
mechanical maintenance train and
the Unimat on the already refurbished
section of line between Denizli and
and gradually win over new customers.
The team has a couple of exciting
challenges on its hands with its current
projects. The focus for Durchmesserlinie
Zurich is on the logistics of
the installation work, which must
be performed without interrupting
the running of one of Switzerland’s
most heavily used stations. With the
refurbishment of the Simplon Tunnel,
Project Manager Christian Schreiber
has to concentrate in the optimisation
of the rail-bound logistics.
Success for the new team in the eyes
of Valentina Kumpusch would be to
complete the project in accordance with
the processes in the project manual
using strategies developed with her
team to meet the defined objectives.
Combining the roles of manager and
mother is another challenge for the new
business field manager. How does she
do it? “… through the flexibility of my
The Stopfexpress 09-3X in action in Turkey.
Sandiklider. A very satisfied major
customer – Turkey’s national railway
authority – and the highest quality
of workmanship are two key aspects
marking Rhomberg-Kalebozan entry
into the Turkish railway market.
Andreas Kiesenhofer
New manager for Switzerland
Valentina Kumpusch becomes new business field head in St. Gallen
Valentina Kumpusch with her three-and-a-halfyear-old
eldest son Sebastian.
employer, the support of my husband,
work colleagues and family and with
sport to complete the work-life balance,”
says Valentina and adds: “… and of
course the fun of a fresh challenge!”
Gabi Schnell
New office building
Relocation and change of company headquarters
Bahnbau Wels GmbH (BBW) is continuously
growing. Over recent years,
BBW has strengthened its team with
more technical and administration staff
to be able to cover a wider range of
activities and improve the service it
provides customers. Space in the old
office block was starting to become
tight. The company had been on the
look out for a plot of land for a new
administration building for several
years. When a neighbouring haulier
moved out it its offices, the vacant
site became of immediate interest.
In June 2011 the situation was: BBW
had acquired the ground and building
and received the keys. Following
adaptation of the premises to suit
the requirements of the BBW team,
For decades, Bahnbau Wels GmbH
has been one of the most renowned
companies on the railway market. To
keep pace with increasing customer
demands and to remain competitive in
foreign markets, BBW invests regularly
in its machine fleet. The expansion of
the crane fleet by a Kirow MT 1200
railway crane at the end of the business
year not only brought the fleet
up to date, but also provided it with
the additional flexibility demanded by
the customer. Since its acquisition, the
new crane has been deployed with the
Kirow KRC 1200 and the Gottwald
GS 150.14 TR on the Austrian railway
network. The Kirow MT 1200 has the
greatest lifting capacity of any crane
currently in use in Austria. The vehicle
is a railway crane with a telescopic
boom and counterweight that shortens
construction times and is particularly
useful where space is tight, thanks
to its extremely practical and timesaving
method of operation. The new
staff were able to move into the new
office building during July 2011. Even
during the three weeks it took to
move offices, staff maintained normal
customer services and kept operations
running as smoothly as possibly. The
move into the new premises also
signalled the relocation of the headquarters
of Bahnbau Wels GmbH,
Bittner Bahn- und Gleisbau GmbH
and BBW Vermietung von Bahnbaumaschinen
GmbH from Grünbachplatz
to Haidestrasse 53, 4600 Wels.
Barbara Zeilinger
Expansion of machine fleet
Kirow MT 1200 railway crane makes its début
Kirow MT 1200 railway crane can be
used for anything from the installation
or removal of switch points and their
components, track panels, the lifting in
and out of bridges, the assembly/disassembly
of shunting and safety infrastructure
to the loading and unloading
on site of prefabricated concrete units
etc. Further uses include salvage or
rescue at accident or damage incidents
and various tasks on building or
civil engineering works near the track
at stations or elsewhere. The acquisition
of the Kirow MT 1200 by BBW
took into account rising customer
demand.
Barbara Zeilinger
New HQ for Bahnbau Wels GmbH, Bittner
Bahn- und Gleisbau GmbH and BBW
Vermietung von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH.
NEW COMPANY ADDRESS
Bahnbau Wels GmbH
Haidestrasse 53, 4600 Wels
Tel.: +43 7242 47045-0
Fax: +43 7242 47045-1 or 40
Bittner Bahn- und Gleisbau GmbH
Haidestrasse 53, 4600 Wels
Tel.: +43 7242 58401-0
Fax: +43 7242 47045-40
BBW Vermietung von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
Haidestrasse 53, 4600 Wels
Tel.: +43 7242 47045-0
Fax: +43 7242 47045-1 or 40
e-mail: office@bbw.at
www.bbw.at
The new BBW Kirow MT 1200 railway crane.
TECHNICAL DATA
• 150-tonne track and bridge construction
crane
• 40-tonne load capacity 21 m cantilevered
in front of buffers
• Maximum unloading distance in front of
buffers 21 m (with lifting jib 26 m)
• Maximal lifting height 24 m
• Working range 360 degrees
40 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG-KALEBOZAN, RAIL ENGINEERING SWITZERLAND
BAHNBAU WELS | NEW DIMENSIONS 41

On this job, Menegola AG had to connect to an inspection manhole 16 m away, a task it achieved with absolute precision.
New works
Blood Donation Centre, St. Gallen
Menegola AG won the contract for making the
sewer connection for the new blood donation
centre in St. Gallen. Following discussions with the client,
the connection to the existing foul sewer was made by
press boring from an excavated pit to the existing inspection
manhole in the heavily trafficked Splügenstrasse. Using
a conventional trench in this motorway feeder road, even
with flow-responsive traffic lights, would have meant huge
queues and waiting times.
In this special situation, Menegola AG was able to propose
a solution based on its experienced employees, the appropriate
plant and extensive technical know-how.
Pipe bursting: Old pipes up to 70 cm diameter can be replaced
using this technique. The process is gaining in popularity.
Pipe ramming: This trenchless technique can install pipes
up to two metres diameter.
The specification requirements for the direction and fall of
this steel sleeve pipe were very tight but, with the right technical
equipment in the hands of a greatly experienced workforce,
they were complied with precision. The plastic pipe
was later inserted without difficulty. Fixing the actual plastic
sewer pipe in position with sliding collars and the filling of
the annular void with flowing grout presented no problems.
Over the short time the job took to complete, hardly anyone
noticed, no damage was caused to the road construction, no
costly surface reinstatement work was necessary and no accidents
occurred during the period of these challenging works.
Paul Müller
Press boring: A steel pipe is pressed into the soil. With enough pressure,
pipes up to 120 cm diameter can be installed.
Earth hammer: House connections for gas, water and electricity
are pulled into position by the movement of the earth hammer.
“Stahl” Business Centre opens
Celebration for over 70 invited guests, all project partners and employees
The new “Stahl” Business Centre has five storeys and enough room
for the new members of staff.
The Swiss headquarters
of Rhomberg Bau AG has
recently been established in the newly
constructed “Stahl” Business Centre
at Feldlistrasse 2 in St. Gallen. The
Rhomberg Group has been able to
implement its corporate philosophy
in the completion of this modern,
five-storey rhomboid office block.
The consideration and optimisation
of the whole life cycle cost of a building
in the early design stage is one of
Rhomberg’s core business objectives
and was realised in the course of this
project. The key criteria are: resource
conservation, optimised operating
costs, reduced material flows and
waste.
At the opening celebration in the
“Stahl” Business Centre, the Managing
Director of Rhomberg Bau AG
Switzerland, Marcel Maier, explained
the corporate strategy: Rhomberg Bau
employees number over 100 members
of staff and the growth trend is rising
rapidly. The core business activities
are construction (WestSide) and rail
engineering (Lötschberg). Currently
Rhomberg Bau AG has three offices
in Switzerland. In addition to the HQ
in St. Gallen, there are branches in
Bern and Aarau, with plans for more in
Chur and Basle. At the same time, the
project development, cost accounting
and business development departments
were strengthened. Project
Development is currently working on
projects with an infrastructure value of
over CHF 200 million.
42 NEW DIMENSIONS | MENEGOLA
RHOMBERG BAU SWITZERLAND | NEW DIMENSIONS 43
Marcel Maier
The Managing Director of Rhomberg Bau AG
Switzerland, Marcel Maier, sets out the company
strategy at the opening celebration.
KEY DATA
“STAHL” BUSINESS CENTRE ST. GALLEN/CH
Client ARGE KIMO/Rhomberg Bau AG
Architect Bollhalder Eberle Architekten,
St. Gallen/CH
Project Manager Steffen Stappenbeck
Contractual role Prime contractor
Cost CHF 8.3 million
Construction October 2009 to March 2011
Use 2150 m 2 office and commercial space

Two penthouse apartments, each with a 90 m 2 panorama-terrace are the highlight of the “Solitar”, a modern residential and commercial block in Aarau. In June 2011 after a construction period of 19 months, Project Lineaar was handed over on time to ASGA Pensionskasse Genossenschaft.
Modern living in the city of Aarau
Residential and commercial block with penthouse apartments and panorama-terrace
The noticeable features of
the “Solitar” in the middle
of Aarau are its modern high-quality
exposed concrete facade and clear
linear structure. The ground floor is
intended to be for commercial use and
a parking garage is planned for the
basement. The upper floors have 14
attractive city apartments of various
sizes. Architectural consultant Frei
Architekten AG Aarau created the
design. The Minergie ® standard applied
to the project. All the apartments
have controlled ventilation and can be
heated by heat pump. The 2 ½ to 4 ½
roomed apartments have net usable
floor areas of between 75 and 140 m 2 .
The star attractions are the two penthouse
apartments, each with a 90 m 2
panorama-terrace. An underground car
park provides space for the residents’
vehicles.
All the apartments were sold before
construction began. The owners can
expect to move into their bright, modern
homes after an 18-month construction
phase.
Andreas Bauer
Modernisation on Hummelbergstrasse
New contract for modernisation and renovation
At the beginning of July
2011, the Anlagestiftung
der UBS für Personalvorsorge awarded
Rhomberg Bau AG the contract for the
complete refurbishment of the housing
development on Hummelbergstrasse
in Rapperswil. The two housing blocks
have a total of 36 units, which will be
given an energy upgrade, brought up
to modern living standards and modified
to suit the requirements of the
tenants. As part of the project, all the
kitchens and bathrooms, including all
the technical services installations,
are renewed and the floor and wall
coverings completely replaced. While
this is going on, the complete facade
will be given additional insulation and
the windows replaced to improve its
thermal performance. The apartments
are unoccupied throughout the entire
refurbishment phase to allow the
works to proceed more efficiently
and quicker.
Reinhard Moosmann
KEY DATA “SOLITAR” RESIDENTIAL AND
COMMERCIAL BLOCK, AARAU/CH
Client Solitar AG, Aarau
Architect Frei Architekten AG, Aarau
General contractor Rhomberg Bau AG,
St. Gallen/CH
Project Manager Andreas Bauer
Construction July 2011 to December 2012
Contract value CHF 7.68 million
Site Manager Andreas Ditte
Use 14 freehold apartments, office and
commercial space
KEY DATA HUMMELBERGSTRASSE,
RAPPERSWIL/CH
Client Anlagestiftung der UBS für
Personalvorsorge
General contractor Rhomberg Bau AG,
St. Gallen/CH
Project Manager Reinhard Moosmann
Contract value CHF 5.6 million
Contractual role General contractor
Construction October 2011 to April 2012
Site Managers Bruno Haltiner and Volker Franke
Use 36 apartments
Handover of Project Lineaar
Successful project shows a modern elegance
The new housing and
commercial centre with 48
rented apartments, 1,130 m 2 shops
and 1,150 m 2 offices, as well as a
station hall for AAR Bus + Bahn, was
completed on site in only 19 months.
At the time of handover, all the housing
units and almost all the offices were
already leased.
The construction and logistics challenges
arising from the local constraints
on space were met in an exemplary
fashion by Rhomberg Bau AG. June
2011 marked the handover on time to
ASGA Pensionskasse Genossenschaft
in St. Gallen, which was represented
during the construction phase by
Qualicasa (Real Estate Controlling).
Rhomberg Bau AG
designed a modern and
attractive residential complex in the
Bornfeld area of Olten on a plot of
8,350 m 2 . The complex is part of a
more extensive project identified in the
Bornfeld housing development plan.
To arrive at the best implementation,
four firms of architects were invited
to submit their ideas for the complex
in a design competition. The objective
of the competition was to develop a
modern, attractive housing concept
within the context of the overall housing
development plan, which would be
equally suitable for rented and freehold
residential units. In addition, the
architecture would integrate into its
surrounding redeveloped area.
Project Lineaar, in Aarau’s Gais district,
makes a considerable contribution to
the further development and modernisation
of the city. These modern
apartments, with abundant natural light
and a harmonious materials concept,
excite the enthusiasm of tenants and
owners alike. The happy expressions
on the faces of the AAR Bus + Bahn
staff were a delight to see when they
were given the go-ahead to move into
their new offices.
44 NEW DIMENSIONS | RHOMBERG CONSTRUCTION SWITZERLAND
RHOMBERG BAU SWITZERLAND | NEW DIMENSIONS 45
Andreas Bauer
Architectural competition for Bornfeld
A high-quality, efficient residential complex provides the template
The winner of the competition was
Aarau-based Lämmli Architektur AG,
who the jury felt had submitted a
design with clear lines and a functional
layout that would best exploit the available
sunlight and visual relationships
of the site. The Minergie ® -P standard
applies to the project. Rhomberg Bau
places great emphasis on the use of
efficient, high-quality and sustainable
construction methods: the entire heat
energy required for later space and
water heating for the complex should
come from the newly constructed
heating plant on plot D1 in the
Bornfeld district heating system.
Siegfried Frank
KEY DATA FOR LINEAAR DEVELOPMENT,
AARAU/CH
Client ASGA Pension Fund,
St. Gallen/Switzerland
Architect Dietrich Untertrifaller Stäheli
Architekten
Prime contractor Rhomberg Bau AG,
St. Gallen/CH
Project Manager Andreas Bauer
Construction period October 2009 to May 2011
Contract value CHF 28 million
Site Managers Andreas Ditte, Volker Franke
Contractual role Prime contractor
Use 2,280 m 2 office and commercial space
KEY DATA BORNFELD ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGN COMPETITION, OLTEN/CH
Project development Rhomberg Bau AG
Project Development Siegfried Frank
Building application End 2011
Realisation 2012 to 2013
Contract value CHF 20 million
Use 40 rented and freehold apartments

Madeleine Sargant hands a V-card to
the first prize winner Hester De Villiers.
A sense of achievement: Mobility Action 2011
10 tonnes CO 2 saved – best result since 2008
The Mobility Action* campaign took
place at Rhomberg again this year.
Over the four months of the campaign,
employees collected a mobility stamp
for each day they came to work by
alternative means.
The encouraging result: the 42 participants
covered over 62,676 kilometres
using environmentally compatible
modes of transport. This 538 kilometres
per day equates to a CO 2 -saving
of almost 10 tonnes. The result once
more underlines our resolve to treat
the earth’s natural resources more
responsibly. The participants contributed
an average saving of 1,089
kilometres. It is notable that in 2008,
58 employees helped create the
previous record. And our company
transport unit was proud to contribute
13,440 kilometres to the eco-account.
Our colleagues in Salzburg, almost
all of whom come to work everyday
on public transport, by foot or bicycle,
have also made a big difference to the
admirable end result.
In the light of the record result, “Mobi-
Man”, your new travelling companion
for the Mobility Action campaign,
turned up in celebratory mood and
decided there and then to award a
few modest but relevant prizes to the
contributors, including those who took
part in the cycling competition.
Dr. Agnes Thurnher hands Patrick Kammerer
the second prize.
Hester De Villiers and Patrick Kammerer
gleefully took first place. Second place
went to a delighted Madeleine Sargant
and Philipp Nachbaur. Sebastian Irmler
and Michaela Mölgg secured third
place to earn their vouchers. Dr. Agnes
Thurnher had the happy task of distributing
the prizes to the winners.
Madeleine Sargant
* The Mobility Action campaign is held every summer. Employees who make their way to
work using alternative means (public transport, car sharing arrangements, by foot or by
bicycle) receive a stamp for that day. Twenty stamps earn them a voucher for twenty euro,
made available for the campaign by regional partners such as the Vorarlberg public transport
consortium (VVV).
Top up your energy and keep mobile
Full tables for Mobility Breakfast
Mobility and energy are closely related
and can be viewed from many angles.
The Rhomberg corporate philosophy
firmly believes that employees are
one of our most valuable resources.
Therefore one of the company’s great
concerns is to foster the mobility of
our employees. We care about forms
of transport as much as we care about
the maintenance and promotion of
health.
ENERGY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Working closely with our company physician,
Dr. Agnes Thurnher, we introduced
the Mobility Breakfast. Since
2010, this has been the concluding
event to Mobility Action*, which takes
place in the summer months. Interested
employees meet once a year
in a relaxed atmosphere for a buffet
breakfast, with delicious “Keimkraft”
(sprouted wheat) croissants and fresh
fruit, and to receive advice on health
matters. Under the motto “Fit for the
day”, information is available on health,
vitality, a balanced diet and much more.
In 2011, the approaching cold winter
months were a “hot” topic. For questions
like “What’s best for a cold?” or
“How can I get fit during the winter?”
there were helpful tips from Dr. Agnes
Thurnher.
HEALTH TO GO
At the information stand, visitors could
pick up and take away interesting
literature and countless trial samples
of vitamin C, magnesium, heating plasters,
bath salts for relaxing or alleviating
a cold, solar protection and much
more. The selection was huge and had
something for everyone.
Madeleine Sargant
The organising team, Dr. Agnes Thurnher and Madeleine Sargant (left bottom), ensured a good
atmosphere for the Mobiliy Breakfast and an abundant supply of free samples.
“I really enjoyed the
Mobility Breakfast.
It was super that
the company physician
made herself
available for questions. The sample
packs were interesting too. Good
idea!”
Marjeta Ulmer
“I have been delighted
by the enthusiastic
participation and the
huge interest shown.
Many people used
the opportunity to ask questions.
For me it has been a really fantastic
campaign. Mobility can be considered
from a number of angles: Keeping fit
keeps you mobile. Exercising your
body boosts its natural resistance and
vitality. A balanced diet supports us in
this aim.”
Dr. Agnes Thurnher
46 NEW DIMENSIONS | XXX MOBILITY
MOBILITY | NEW DIMENSIONS 47

On the track of the brand ambassador
Making strong brands is part of their job, but who exactly are these brand ambassadors?
How do you recognise them? And how do they increase the value of a brand?
The most effective brand ambassadors for a company are its motivated employees.
All questions we may have asked
ourselves from time to time in the past
– perhaps only because we latched
onto the term “brand ambassador”
in a conversation somewhere.
The most effective brand ambassadors
for a company are its motivated
employees. The performance of every
individual shapes the internal and
external image of an organisation. Not
only the high requirements relating to
the quality of a person’s work, but also
the commitment and positive energy
perceived by customers, suppliers,
neighbours, stakeholders or colleagues
in their relationship with that person
make a huge difference to a brand’s
status.
In the ideal situation, employees
are the guarantors of the fulfilment
of brand promises and contribute
considerably to building the brand.
Employees who believe in the brand
strategy and the culture of the company
play an important role as brand
ambassadors. They act as multipliers
– advocating the brand among family
members, friends and acquaintances.
And it gets better still: when customers
come into contact with a highly
motivated employee, they automatically
associate this engagement with
the company brand – and may even
go on to become brand ambassadors
themselves.
Brand ambassadors are fans of a
brand. They speak positively about a
product, company or service. By their
contact with people outside the company,
they can also provide significant
input to the further development of the
brand.
The effect of brand ambassadors,
particularly in the field of social media*,
has grown rapidly in importance in
recent years. People communicate
interactively, post, blog and tweet on
these virtual platforms. Themes very
quickly integrate to form a community
of fans. Social media offer a great
opportunity to companies: users are
no longer there just for the news. A
dialogue arises in the form of direct
feedback on a brand ambassador’s
comments, which reflects the external
perception of the brand, product or
service.
Being a brand ambassador is an
exciting and responsible job that all
employees perform, whether or not
they are actually aware of doing it.
Gabi Schnell
*Social media is the term applied to social networks used for the mutual exchange of opinions and media content. A wide range of
content, including videos, photographs, text and audio files, can be exchanged, consumed and presented. Users can also network
with one another and communicate through their virtual profile. The best-known of these social media websites are YouTube,
Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia.
NEW OPPORTUNITY-RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM
FOR RHOMBERG GROUP
Dealing with opportunities and risks in the Rhomberg
Group has long been identified as an important factor
in success. External bodies, such as banks and financial
auditors, have become increasingly interested in this subject
over recent years.
This has prompted us to create a new opportunity and
risk database based on the existing reporting tools. A
significant step forward and a development that puts
the previous Excel solutions in the shade. We can now
model the full scope of all risks and opportunities at every
organisational level and link them to the available financial
information. Great emphasis was placed on the design of
a user-friendly and self-explanatory software interface.
Legal advice on
major projects
A strategy for all eventualities
Major projects are special in as far as they involve a large
number of goods and services providers, are subject to
many changes and as a result have to be continuously
modified. All this requires a sophisticated organisation to
ensure that a basis for the project can be created within the
prevailing economic, legal, technical and temporal boundary
conditions. Without this basis, the project may not be
completed to the satisfaction of the client, contractor and
subcontractors. An important component is the provision of
legal advice from the very start of the project.
Experienced legal advice along with strategic planning
helps to establish the principles of the project, analyse the
opportunities and problems as well as formulate strategies
for their resolution. By bringing legal know-how into
the contract negotiations, the scope of risk and opportunity
analyses are considerably widened. Risks can be minimised,
opportunities recognised and identified, even at the early
stages of drawing up the contract. In the realisation phase
of the project, the on-going provision of legal advice, continuous
exchange with the senior site staff and knowledge
of the site itself, ensure that any emerging legal issues can
be quickly and expertly clarified.
The Opportunity-Risk Management Team
The new tool also offers a choice of different graphics
for visualising opportunity-risk analyses.
There are many advantages for the Rhomberg Group.
Firstly, we obtain better terms from banks because they
can take these soft facts into consideration. Secondly,
risk opportunity analysis strengthens management and
advisory boards in their decisions to take on new risks
and opportunities.
Hubert Greber and Markus Eder
Opportunity-risk management, strategy and legal advice help
Rhomberg to optimally implement major projects.
“Bringing Opportunity-Risk Management
Team members into a project from the
beginning of the contract negotiations,
the support they have given us over more
than three years now and their weekly
visits to site strengthens our strategic and operational
processes and helps ensure the rapid and efficient realisation
of the project.”
Ing. Gernot Gassner, Deputy Project Manager Alpine Bau GmbH
“You can rely on the negotiating expertise
and know-how of the Opportunity-Risk
Management Team not only in matters
of dispute, but also in acquisition, sales
and general contract negotiations. From
the beginning of any project development concept, the
Opportunity-Risk Management Team is one of our most
important partners and provides considerable support in
the successful implementation of a project.”
Tobias Kiechle, Rhomberg Bau GmbH
48 NEW DIMENSIONS | XXX MARKETING
OPPORTUNITY-RISK MANAGEMENT | NEW DIMENSIONS 49

2011 saw new firms gaining accreditation under our group certifications and successes in some completely new certification systems.
New firms and new certifications
ISO certification for three firms in the Rhomberg Group
The three latest subsidiaries in the
Rhomberg Group – Rhomberg Rail
UK Limited, Rhomberg Bahntechnik
Deutschland GmbH and RK safetec
GmbH – were included in the group
certification for the Rhomberg Group.
The award of the certificate followed a
successful external audit. Certification
provides evidence that the company
fulfils the requirements and demands
of quality management standard EN
ISO 9001:2008. ISO 9001 is an
international standard for quality management
systems and defines eight
principles of quality management.
In spite of a tight schedule, the firms,
actively supported by Integrated Management
System (IMS) staff, successfully
completed the initial certification
without deviations or adverse findings
by TÜV Austria.
The customer is the focus for every
company in the Rhomberg Group. To
acquire, keep and satisfy new customers,
our services and products must
meet the needs of the customer. ISO
standard 9001 provides a framework
of rules for a systematic method of
working within the Rhomberg Group
that contributes to the differentiation
of the company above its competitors
in the market.
EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF ISO 9001
• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Involvement of people
• Process approach
• Systems approach to management
• Continual improvement
• Factual approach to decision making
• Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
NEW CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS
AT RHOMBERG BAHNTECHNIK
GMBH AND RHOMBERG
STEINBRUCH GMBH
Rhomberg Bahntechnik GmbH has
been certified in accordance with
ISO 9001 Quality Management,
ISO 1400 Environmental Management
and OHSAS 18001 Occupational
Health and Safety Management.
With these certificates, Rhomberg
Bahntechnik GmbH shows its inten-
tion to be equipped for expanding its
activities on the international market
and positioning itself as an innovative
company with a responsible approach
to sustainability.
Rhomberg Steinbruch GmbH urgently
required to become a certified waste
disposal company (EFB) for a major
contract with Deutsche Bahn. EFB
certification has been developed
nationally to comply with the provisions
of the German Regulation on Waste
Disposal Companies (EfbV). The
EFB system was specially developed
for the waste disposal industry and
incorporates all the industry’s characteristic
features. It sets the standard
in the recycling industry. The company
achieved certification in 2011 without
deviations or adverse findings.
With the award of this certificate, 24
firms in the Rhomberg Group are now
certified to ISO or other standards.
Osman Kabaetli
Health and safety
management
OHSAS 18001 in the Rhomberg Group
With our compact safety management system, we can detect and
rectify situations where accidents are likely to happen or health is
in danger. This in turn results in less downtime and interruptions to
operations. Most accidents on site are caused by unwise behaviour
or poor organisation. In the office, our muscular-skeletal systems are
damaged by long periods of sitting down, unhealthy diets and lack of
exercise, all of which lead to so-called lifestyle diseases.
In the last ten years, our construction workforce has increased by 30
percent and office-based staff by 60 percent. Yet the number of accidents
at work remained more or less unchanged over the same period.
This is due to the preventative measures introduced by our Safety
Officer Hubertus Thurnher and company physician Dr. Agnes Thurnher,
as well as our employees’ increased awareness of the dangers of
construction sites. The objective is to bring all the companies in the
Rhomberg Group into the green zone of the chart with our health and
safety management system.
Jürgen Koblinger
The number of employees
has risen sharply in the
last ten years. The number
of accidents at work has
remained more or less
unchanged.
The objective of the
Rhomberg Group is to
bring all companies into
the green zone.
“Our employees’ quality
of life is very important
to us. We have embedded
this moral value
in our management
principles and corporate strategy. By
doing this we create the conditions for
increasing safety at work in our company
and support our employees through
active health management.”
Ernst Thurnher, Managing Director
Rhomberg Holding GmbH
“Statutory requirements
are continuously updated,
recorded in the
IMS and implemented
by managers. The annual
meeting of the occupational safety
committee sets the overall policies. Our
environmental teams analyse the issues
raised, such as personal protective
equipment, accidents and health, then
define local procedures and implement
them.”
Jürgen Koblinger, IMS Safety Coordinator
“We go to great lengths
to avoid accidents. This
shows in the trends
over recent years at
Rhomberg Bau. Safety
at work demands time and patience,
self-control and taking responsibility for
our own actions. At Rhomberg Bau we
are well on the way. But there is still a
lot to do.”
Hubertus Thurnher, Safety Officer
“Our preventative measures
include workplace
training, site inspections,
sight and blood tests
as part of a preventative
programme, and advice about working
at PCs. Consultation hours provide
time for curative treatment or advice.
The objective of my health concept is to
promote and preserve good health into
old age.”
Dr. Agnes Thurnher, Occupational Physician
50 NEW DIMENSIONS | IMS – INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
IMS – INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM | NEW DIMENSIONS 51

Social engagement with a different twist
After-Work Parties at Rhomberg
The After-Work Party (AWP) tradition has been around for seven years at Rhomberg. The idea is
simple: a convivial gathering after work with a drink to have fun and chat. Set up in the beginning
by a committee, the event is now traditionally organised by a different department every year.
We would like to tell you about two quite different kinds of After-Work Party here, as both reflect
our commitment to social engagement.
FIRST AFTER-WORK PARTY WITH LIVE MUSIC
Using the slogan “Raise cash and rock with the beancounters”,
the Accounts Department invited all business
partners, site staff, friends and acquaintances to the year’s
first After-Work Party on 3 rd March 2011. The whole
evening in the foyer of the Rhomberg office in Bregenz
was used for the charitable event in aid of a Wolfurt family
who had been dealt a severe blow by fate. All the income
from the party was earmarked for vital medical treatment.
The sentiment behind the slogan was that both the socialising
and the dancing would serve a good cause. Herbert
Mittringer and his band (www.cometogether-band.at) performed
for no fee. Hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s kept the
mood on a high. And the guests’ refreshment needs were
well catered for.
Elisabeth Frener
Plenty of guests accepted the Accounts Department’s invitation
and the party aided a good cause.
IT’S TAPPED!
AFTER-WORK OCTOBERFEST PARTY
Our Building Solutions Department invited everyone to a
rousing After-Work Party in the events tent in front of the
Bregenz offices. As you would suspect from its title, the
“Octoberfest” AWP offered guests not only the traditional
local delicacies and liquid refreshments, but also a range
of seasonal activities, such as barrel-opening ceremonies,
roasted chickens, gingerbread hearts, amusement rides, as
well as beer-supporting and nail-hammering competitions.
As with the real Octoberfest, guests could also reserve a
table. Those who came appropriately dressed for the occasion
were welcomed with a free drink. 450 people accepted
the invitation and partied into the early hours of the morning.
Elisabeth Frener
The entire profits from the Octoberfest
AWP went to a needy family in Bregenz.
The Ai Weiwei exhibition in the Bregenz Art
Gallery stirred up a lot of positive interest.
Art & architecture
Rhomberg staff visit Ai Weiwei exhibition
In September 2011, Rhomberg directors
invited staff to take part in a
comments during guided tour through
an art & architecture exhibition in the
Bregenz Art Gallery. A large number
of employees accepted the invitation,
including a group of colleagues from
Rhomberg Bau AG in St. Gallen,
Switzerland. With good reason: Ai
Weiwei’s examination of the social
Former building yard manager Bernhard
Flatz, works committee member Gerd
Opriessnig and two former Rhomberg
employees Asim Sisic and Hrncic Mujo
set off on a journey with a “special mission”.
From 28 th September to 2 nd October
2011, they travelled 1,300 km
to Cazin in Bosnia to visit 16 retired
Rhomberg employees in their home
surroundings.
Bernhard Flatz had the idea three years
earlier. As an expression of the firm’s
gratitude, retired Rhomberg employees
are invited to the annual Christmas
party and summer fair every year. As
the Bosnian pensioners are not able
to travel to these events in Vorarlberg,
visiting them like this was a way of
expressing the company’s thanks.
Christoph Jungblut explains on a guided tour
through the exhibition.
and political situation in communist
China, the structural and urbanistic
problems of its society – above all in
urban areas – fired up the enthusiasm
of the team. Christoph Jungblut, an
official gallery guide, gave an expert
explanation of the mixture of art and
architecture and provided interesting
insights into Ai Weiwei’s background.
Particularly enthralling was the exhibit
Pensioners’ visit to Bosnia
Rhomberg employees’ journey awakes media interest
Rhomberg jackets and T-shirts were
presented over an evening meal
while memories were recalled and
exchanged. During the course of the
evening, we also heard that Smail
Begic would have to lose a leg as a
result of serious diabetes. The management
of the Rhomberg Group
decided without any hesitation to
send him a wheelchair.
The first Bosnian visit in 2008 drew
the interest of the media. This time the
coverage could not have been more
complete: not only in the newspapers
and on the radio, the local television
station also reported on the visit of the
Rhomberg employees from Austria.
by the “Ordos 100” architectural cooperative.
The contributions of 100 fledgling
architectural practices from all over
the world invited three years ago by Ai
Weiwei to design single-family dwellings
in the Mongolian Steppe – produced
some quite diverse treatments
of the theme by the young architects.
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Elisabeth Frener
After the tour, the evening continued in the cosy
atmosphere of the nearby Kornmesser Hotel.
Laura Schmidt
Rhomberg staff recall old times over dinner
in Cazin, Bosnia.

We look back...
...over a very eventful, interesting 2011
Business Breakfast
The Bregenz Business Breakfast has been a favourite fixed
point on the Bregenz entrepreneurs’ calendar over recent
years. The event generally has a main topic of interest to
everyone and there are high quality contributions from the external
speakers. The relaxed breakfast atmosphere offers the
space for exchanges of views, meeting people and networking.
Among the 340 guests who accepted Rhomberg’s invitation
to attend the event on 27 th January 2011 was Markus
Linhart, the Mayor of Bregenz. The main speaker, top-trainer
Dr. Roman Szeliga, delivered his presentation “New tools
for more enthusiasm in business” with lots of enthusiasm
of his own.
p ARGE Alptransit Brenner:
Site open day
On 9 th December 2012, regular rail services are due to
commence on the Lower Inn Valley Railway. Those who
could not wait had the opportunity to get an impression
of the works on 29 th May 2011. The tickets to ride
the new section of line on an Austrian Railways special
train were in great demand. This excursion and other
attractions created a lot of excitement among the 10,000
visitors. Some were suspended 50 metres above ground
with a crane, where they had a good view across the
site. Wearing stout shoes, others were allowed to walk
through the tunnel. And the day was not complete without
the unmissable presentations by railway and tunnel
experts.
Company celebration instead of working day:
Summer Fair 2011
Many employees and their families came together on
1 st July 2011 in the railway engineering hall in Dornbirn
to take part in the traditional Rhomberg summer fair.
The relaxed atmosphere provided the ideal opportunity
to get to know one another better away from work. The
attractions were mobbed by visitors, large and small.
And of course there was no shortage of refreshments.
Of particular mention was the exemplary commitment
of our Managing Director, who manned the grill and
opened barrel after barrel until late in the evening.
All in all: a successful summer fair with super attractions,
lots of guests and many happy faces.
p Look back: End-of-year celebration 2010/2011
It is traditional that the Rhomberg Group comes together for an end-ofyear
celebration on the last day of the year. Rhomberg family members,
group coordinators and staff met on the 31 st March 2011 in the foyer of
the Bregenz Office. Ernst Thurnher gave a summary of the business year
as well as the outlook for the coming year. Like last year, the Rhomberg
Group is a course of growth. The importance of project management was
emphasised once more. During the end-of-year celebration, the results of
the internal competition to come up with ideas for new products, processes
or other improvements were announced. Both hosts and guests
concluded the evening with various culinary delights.
p Industry Day:
Rhomberg opens to the public!
Under the slogan “Our industry. Our future.”, the Vorarlberg
Industrialists Association held a regional “Industry Day” on
1 st July 2011. 16 local companies opened their doors to
the public. The Rhomberg Group used the opportunity to
present a series of talks to the wider public. The citizens of
Vorarlberger were invited to discover the quality and diversity
of the services provided by their regional companies. In addition
to having open access to educational establishments
and technical offices, many of the 19,000 visitors were
allowed to experience close up the action on the production
floor and choose from a lively range of other activities.
Visitors could also find out about current projects and job
vacancies over a snack.
t IUT – Innovation below ground
IUT 2011 is the world’s first trade fair held underground. Tunnelbuilding
professionals of all kinds attended the event in the
Hagerbach Pilot Tunnel (VSH) near Sargans in Switzerland to
discuss and find out about the latest trends and technologies.
The trade fair on the 14 th and 15 th September 2011 provided
the ideal setting for the RK safetec team to introduce its services,
such as site access control and safety alarm systems, to
a host of international visitors. With a length of more than 5 km,
the tunnel system is perfect for presenting products in realistic
surroundings. As well as the exhibition in the tunnel, trade fair
guests could attend an interesting specialist seminar on “Tunnel
renovation, repair and renewal”.
t Company trip: We’re off to the Tirol!
70 employees took part in a visit on 13 th and 14 th May 2011 to the ARGE Alptransit
Brenner project in Terfens. As appropriate for a visit to the Brenner Base Tunnel
Approach Line, we travelled by train and used the journey time for a cosy chat.
Our men on site – Robert Kumpusch, Christian Schreiber and Andreas Förster –
were waiting for us with some interesting presentations. On the next day, we went
underground. In a convoy of minibuses, we were driven to the main rail tunnel
through the rescue tunnel. The visiting Rhomberg staff viewed the ongoing work
of their com mitted colleagues with great interest and endless questions.
p Visit of the Wallonian Prime Minister
On 31 st May 2011, we welcomed the Prime Minister of
Wallonia in Belgium, Rudy Demotte, to our offices. He was
accompanied by 35 high-ranking colleagues, civil servants,
journalists and experts on a fact-finding trip built around
the themes of regional development and ecological construction.
The invitation was issued through the famous
French architecture critic Dominique Gauzin-Müller, who
has been a friend of the PM for years. A joint paper by
Hubert Rhomberg, architect Wolfgang Ritsch and Martin
Summer speaking on the concept of “Including living” and
the Sandgrubenweg housing development captured the
interest of the visitors. The site visit allowed the guests
to appreciate the high quality and sustainability of the
construction. The delegation appeared very impressed by
the concept and the project. Thanks to the spontaneous
generosity of the Fleisch family, the visitors were able to
see first hand how attractive an occupied apartment looks
and obtain a direct impression of the high living quality.
The hosts did not let anything stop them from serving
schnaps to the visiting group. Even the Prime Minister
was persuaded to have a “nip”.
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