Sogea - 1999 annual report - Vinci

1999 ANNUAL REPORT

1999 ANNUAL REPORT 

EDITORIAL 2 

PROFILE 3 

KEY FIGURES 4 

HIGHLIGHTS 6 

HUMAN RESOURCES 8 

BUILDING 10 

CIVIL ENGINEERING 18 

HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING 26 

SERVICES 34 

ADDRESSES 42

2 

EDITORIAL 

In 1999, the substantial improvement in Sogea’s 

results in virtually all of its major operating areas 

was confirmed. The Group’s markets - building, 

civil engineering, hydraulic engineering and services - 

returned to growth, driven by private-sector 

investment in housing and industry in particular. 

Sogea’s organization, based on its dense network 

of specialized contractors linked together by its 

multidisciplinary regional Divisions, enabled the 

Group to make the most of the improved economic 

situation by pursuing selectivity of order-taking. 

The return to a sounder business situation gave 

Sogea the opportunity to select business in a more 

discriminating way, get to know its customers 

better, develop the training of its people, improve 

production and strengthen the added value of its 

business activity. 

This enabled the Group to take part in a number 

of high-profile projects. In France, the Adria Tower 

at La Défense, the Rauze and Verrières Viaducts, 

the re-routing of network systems as part of 

the Montpellier, Strasbourg and Orleans tramway 

projects, new maintenance contracts in the Paris area, 

and the private car parks built and operated by Sogea 

in Marseille and Nice are a few examples. 

On the international market, which accounts for half 

the Group’s net sales, Sogea’s strategy of putting down 

strong roots continued to bear fruit. The company 

recorded good results in the United Kingdom and is 

successfully pursuing its policy of expansion in Africa. 

Norwest Holst received its first PFI (Private Finance 

Initiative) contract in Wales, while Sogea and Satom 

were awarded major roadworks projects in Central 

Africa, various civil engineering projects in Morocco and 

several hydraulic engineering contracts in West Africa. 

International development, focused on hydraulic 

engineering, similarly chalked up significant successes 

in Palestine, Kosovo and Kazakhstan. In the Indian 

Ocean and the West Indies, the Group’s business was 

driven by major environmental engineering projects. 

The 1999 momentum at Sogea is expected to continue 

unabated in 2000. The Group intends to step up its 

sales policy based on customer responsiveness and 

local service and to pursue its strategy of profitability 

and selectivity by focusing on its high added value 

range of products and services. 

Sogea will be implementing this strategy on the basis of 

the synergies and development momentum provided by 

the now independent SGE Group, which is asserting its 

leading position on the European construction market. 

Xavier Huillard 

Chairman and CEO

Comprehensive expertise 

provided locally 

Sogea operates primarily in four 

main business sectors: building, civil 

engineering, hydraulic engineering 

and services. In 1999, with markets 

generally picking up and volumes 

recovering after the strong drop 

of previous years, Sogea posted net 

sales of 1,959 million euros, including 

609 million euros in Norwest Holst 

net sales. 

With 15,000 employees, Sogea is 

made up of multidisciplinary 

regional Departments which are 

structured as a particularly dense 

network of specialized, autonomous 

and decentralized agencies and 

subsidiaries. The company’s 

locations are first and foremost in 

mainland France, the French West 

Indies, the Indian Ocean, Africa, 

the Benelux countries and the 

United Kingdom. 

In mainland France, Sogea has a 

network of over 100 profit centres 

Board of Directors 

Serge Michel 

Honorary Chairman 

and Director 


Chairman of the Board 

located geographically close to their 

customers, and is one of the leading 

French construction companies and 

the third largest car park operator in 

France. 

With their operations going back 

more than half a century in the 

French West Indies and 35 years in 

the Indian Ocean, Sogea and its 

subsidiaries are among the leading 

building and civil engineering 

companies in the French overseas 

departments and territories. 

In Africa, where they have been 

operating for 70 years, Sogea and its 

subsidiary Satom have 26 agencies 

and are the leading building and civil 

engineering companies in western 

and central Africa. 

In Europe Sogea is more particularly 

represented in the Benelux countries 

by Denys and in the United Kingdom 

by Norwest Holst, one of the major 

construction companies in that country. 

Directors 

Gérard Billaud 

Michel Cambournac 

Bernard Huvelin 

Jean Malassigné 

Roger Martin 

Gérard Mohr 

Pierre Parisot 

Antoine Zacharias 

PROFILE 

Executive Committee 


Chairman and Chief Executive 

Officer 

Pierre-Michel Chaudru 

Deputy General Manager, 

Île-de-France 

Jean Rossi 


French Regions 

Philippe Ratynski 


International 

Finally, Sogea is present, on a caseby-case 

basis, in other geographic 

areas in its traditional hydraulic 

engineering business. 

Sogea is both a local company, 

thanks to its locations 

geographically close to its customers, 

and a global company thanks to its 

cohesion and size; it can therefore 

provide all its customers with 

high-level expertise in a partnership 

relationship which is further 

strengthened by Sogea’s mastery 

of the main stages of construction 

projects, from design to construction, 

financing and maintenance. 

John Stanion 

Chairman and Chief Executive 

Norwest Holst Group PLC 

Pierre Billon 

Financial Director 

Jérôme Benet 

Legal Director 

Hervé Meller 

Human Resources Director 

3

4 

Turnover by geographic area 

as percentage, in millions of FF 

and millions of Euros 

MFF Md % 

Île-de-France 1,548 236 23 

French Regions 2,284 

International 495 

United Kingdom 

Turnover building 

in millions of FF 


1997 

MFF 

6,364 

Md 

970 

1998 6,128 934 

1999 6,739 1 027 

KEY FIGURES 

BUILDING 

348 

75 

2,412 368 

34 

7 

36 

23 

34 

7 

36 

CIVIL 

ENGINEERING 




MFF Md % 

Île-de-France 81 12 2 

French Regions 635 

International 1,183 


Turnover civil engineering 



1997 

MFF 

3,246 

Md 

495 

1998 3,023 461 

1999 3,140 478 

97 

180 

1,241 189 

20 

38 

40 

2 

20 

38 

40 

HYDRAULIC 

ENGINEERING 




MFF Md % 





Turnover hydraulic engineering 



1997 

MFF 

2,724 

Md 

415 

1998 2,878 438 

1999 2,731 416 

176 

155 

342 52 

42 

37 

13 

8 

42 

37 

13

SERVICES 




MF Md % 


South 76 

North-West 19 

Turnover services 



1997 

MFF 

218 

Md 

33 

1998 234 35 

1999 247 38 

12 

30 

West 7 1 3 

South-East 19 3 

3 

8 

8 

51 

30 

3 

8 

8 

1997 

MFF 

12,552 

Md 

1,913 

1998 12,263 1,868 

1999 12,857 1,959 

TURNOVER 

in millions of FF and millions of Euros 

as percentage and number 

Engineers, Managerial 1,650 

Clerical, Technical and 

Supervisory 

11 

18 

71 

TURNOVER BY LINE 

OF BUSINESS 



EMPLOYEES TURNOVER BY 

GEOGRAPHIC AREA 

2,580 

Manual Workers 10,452 

MFF Md % 

Building 6,739 1,027 52 

Civil 

engineering 

Hydraulic 

engineering 

3,140 

Services 247 

478 



38 

25 

2,731 416 21 

MFF Md % 

Île-de-France 1,973 300 15 




640 

410 

3,995 609 

2 

33 

21 

31 

52 

25 

21 

2 

15 

33 

21 

31 

5

6 

HIGHLIGHTS 

JANUARY 

• Sobea Île-de-France is selected to 

operate the Mantes-la-Ville car 

park for a period of eighteen 

years. 

• Dodin wins the contract to build 

55 structures on the A89, A87 and 

A66 Motorways. 

• On the international market, 

Satom is awarded the contract to 

renovate the airport in Timbuktu, 

Mali, and Sogea inaugurates the 

Ermesinde waste water treatment 

plant in Portugal. 

FEBRUARY 

• Sicra is awarded works package 

6 at the Dupleix ZAC in Paris’s 

15th arrondissement, as well as a 

housing contract for Cogedim in 

Issy-les-Moulineaux (architects: 

Atrium Studio-P. and C. Vigneron 

et Partenaires-B & Architectes- 

D. Hertenberger-J. Vitry). 

• In Africa, Sogea, bidding in a 

consortium, is selected to build 

the Bertoua-Garoua-Boulaï road 

in Cameroun. 

MARCH 

• The cornerstone is laid for the 

Verrières Viaduct being built by 

Dodin on the A75 Motorway near 

Millau. • Caroni performs the civil 

engineering work on the new Astra 

plant in Dunkirk (architect: Jacobs 

Serete) and is awarded the construction 

contracts for the Raimes (architect: 

Parallèle 3) middle school in the 

Nord and the Université du Littoral 

in Calais (architect: cabinet 

G. Neveu). • Denys wins a contract 

for underground works as part 

of the construction of the Brussels- 

Amsterdam high speed rail line. 

MAY 

• The construction of a building 

for the Glaxo-Wellcome 

pharmaceuticals group is awarded 

to Sogea Nord-Ouest. 

• In Mayotte, the General Council 

taps Sogea to build the 

Mamoudzou waste water 

treatment plant and operate it for 

a period of two years. 

• In the French West Indies, 

Sogea wins the contracts for the 

Sainte-Anne and Sainte-Luce water 

treatment plants. 

1 2 

APRIL 

• Chanzy-Pardoux begins 

construction work on the Metz 

incineration plant (architects: 

Ch. Delfante-Cabinet Paulin and 

Mariotti). • In Gabon, the 

company wins three substantial 

contracts: Satom is awarded the 

civil engineering work on the 

Owendo conventional thermal 

power plant in Libreville; Sogea 

is the winner of the competitive 

bidding for the 57 km road 

between Lalara and Mitzic and 

obtains the contract to design and 

build two hospitals in Port-Gentil 

and Koulamoutou respectively 

(architects: Vamed Engineering). 

1. In fiscal 1999 there 

were numerous industrial 

sector successes, 

particularly in the 

pharmaceutical industry, 

an example of which is 

the Glaxo Wellcome project 

in Evreux shown here. 

2. Among the many 

contracts won by Sogea 

and its subsidiary Satom 

in Africa were two large 

roadworks projects 

in central Africa. 

3. The Sogea Sud 

hydraulic agency in 

Montpellier performed 

alterations on the sewage 

sea discharge system in 

the city of Sète. 

4. Sogea was awarded 

nearly 1,500 new parking 

spaces in France in 1999, 

located primarily in 

Marseille, Paris and Tours.

JUNE 

• Sicra wins the contract to build 

a housing complex for Meunier 

Promotion in the Avenue 

Napoléon-Bonaparte in Rueil- 

Malmaison. 

• Géfiparc wins the 15-year 

Anvers car park concession in 

Paris’s 9th arrondissement. 

• Inauguration of the composting 

unit at Champagne-sur-Oise built 

by Sicra and Sobea Île-de-France 

(architect: BBJ). 

JULY - AUGUST 

• Sicra Maintenance begins a 

maintenance contract for Generali 

Immobilier in the Avenue Hoche. 

• In Marseille, Sogea Sud-Est hands 

over the Bouchard clinic car park 

which it is to operate for twenty 

years, and wins the contract to 

enlarge and operate the Beauregard 

clinic car park. 

• Sogea Est is awarded the contract 

to build and operate the Maxéville 

water purification plant. 

• Norwest Holst is the lead company 

in a consortium which will regenerate 

the old industrial area in Cardiff Bay 

as a part of a PFI (Private Finance 

Initiative). 

SEPTEMBER 

• The President of France Télécom 

Communications inaugurates the 

B2 office building built by Sicra 

in the Nord ZAC in Montrouge 

(architects: DLM-Arte JM 

Charpentier & Associés). 

• In Montpellier, completion 

of the Valedeau drinking water 

reservoir with a capacity of 

28,000 m 3 . 

• Sogea Rhône-Alpes starts laying 

50 km of optical fibre north of 

Lyon. 

OCTOBER 

• The City of Vincennes awards 

to Sobea Île-de-France the contract 

to build and operate as a concession 

for a period of 30 years its “city 

centre” car park. 

• Sogea Sud-Ouest wins the 

contract to build the Toulouse 

courthouse (architects: P. Prunet- 

J. Munuez). Sogea receives the 

notification to proceed with 

construction of the Négril water 

treatment plant in Jamaica. 

NOVEMBER 

• Sicra, as part of a consortium, 

receives the works order for the 

T3 (Adria) tower in Courbevoie 

(architect: Conceptua). 

• On Reunion Island Sogea is 

asked to build 125 public housing 

units in Saint-Louis as part of the 

Café marron-Tan rouge project 

(architects: Marraud-Lehaye- 

Delpech). 

• Sogea provisionally wins the 

contract to lay 51 km of pipelines 

in Astana, Kazakhstan. 

3 4 

DECEMBER 

• Socogim, a subsidiary of Sogea 

specialized in project financing, 

is named lead company for the 

reconstruction of the Cèdres clinic 

in Brive-la-Gaillarde (architects: 

SCP Bernard and Trufier- 

SA Groupe 5). 

• Dodin wins the contract to build 

a composite 500 metre long, 

100 metre high viaduct on the 

A89 Motorway between Bordeaux 

and Clermont-Ferrand (architects: 

Lavigne-Montois). 

7

8 

HUMAN RESOURCES 

As part of the decentralization policy 

which Sogea embarked on two years 

ago, the Human Resources Department 

has taken a number of initiatives to increase 

the autonomy and accountability of employees 

working in the various profit centres. 

MOBILITY 

In May 1998 the Sogea Human 

Resources Manager set up an 

orientation program for young 

engineers and works managers. 

The approach is proactive and the 

focus is on inter-regional mobility 

and staff member exchanges. Each 

young person hired by a subsidiary 

will from now on take part in the 

9 month program, spending 

6 months on a construction site 

and 3 months in a design office, 

during which time he or she will 

be supported and tracked by a 

sponsor. 

Following the first 9 month 

period, new employees work with 

their HR manager and their 

sponsor to perform a first review. 

They are then required to move to 

another agency or region. Their 

new assignment is selected in 

accordance with Sogea’s in-house 

mobility rules and in coordination 

with the mobility Commission set 

up for this purpose. 

New employees then spend 

12 months in their new assignment. 

During a five year period, their 

career within the company is 

regularly monitored by their subsidiary 

with head office support.

TRAINING 

Starting in March 1999 and 

throughout 2000, entrepreneurial 

training courses are being held 

for heads of profit centres. 

This training is given by company 

staff and addresses such diverse 

issues as contract management, 

human resources, IT tools, 

communications, customer 

relations, financial management 

and accident prevention. 

Similar training is given to works 

managers and site managers. 

As of June 1999, they have also 

been receiving training to improve 

their technical skills and potential 

in the framework of an overall 

approach to production resource 

excellence. 

PREVENTION 

Sogea has assigned safety 

specialists to each of its regional 

offices and expanded its head 

office-based prevention and team 

networking structures. The 

company has embarked on a new 

approach to prevention based on 

an analysis of the health problems 

experienced by workers and on 

studies of accidents in which they 

were injured. This approach is 

based on regular meetings bringing 

together approximately 15 

workers and health and accident 

prevention specialists. The goal is 

to identify the behaviour of skilled 

workers in risk situations and 

to seek practical ways of raising 

awareness. 

In an approach similar to the one 

taken to quality, an international 

reference base on prevention and 

safety is currently under study. 

Sogea wishes to adopt this 

approach and is even anticipating 

the reference base by setting up 

a 12-point action plan listing 

concrete measures to be taken on 

construction sites. 

INTERNATIONAL 

In June 1998, the International 

Department introduced a training 

program for all its supervisory 

staff to provide them with the 

enhanced management and 

administrative skills they require 

for their jobs. Administration, 

management, human resources, 

negotiation, financing, contracts, 

prevention and quality are the 

major themes addressed. 

In Africa, activities to provide 

orientation, training, and mobility 

of local staff have been stepped up 

in order to achieve greater 

availability of local skills in all 

business lines. 

Finally, a study was conducted 

in 1999 on the implementation, 

from January 1, 2000, of uniform, 

updated expatriate staff regulations. 

9

BUILDING 

Sogea is today 

a leading 

operator in 

the building 

sector, in both 

new construction 

and renovation, 

public and 

private sector, 

functional 

and industrial 

buildings.

12 

BUILDING 

The French market is currently picking 

up in private housing, thanks to 

government measures providing tax 

incentives to rental housing, and in school 

facilities and the industrial, retail and service 

sectors thanks to ongoing investments. 

Sogea, which generates 50% of its net sales 

in building, is among the market leaders. 

1 

1. Sicra handed 

over the second phase 

of the Gobelins project 

in the Nord ZAC 

in Montrouge. 

Built as a co-development 

project by Sogam, 

its subsidiary specialized 

in project planning, 

the contract involved 

11,000 m 2 of office space 

which will be occupied by 

France Télécom. 

Profile 

In new buildings and in renovation, Sogea has 

continued to refocus its activity on private-sector 

customers. In housing, the company has actively 

pursued its partnerships with private developers. 

It has also expanded its project financing and 

planning activity. 

But it is primarily in the service, retail and industrial 

markets that Sogea, expanding its range, has 

developed a special working relationship with its 

customers. 

With its experience in project financing, its planning 

skills, its track record and its offer in the areas of 

maintenance and property management, Sogea is 

2

more than a builder: attuned as it is to its customers, 

the company can provide an overall response to all 

their expectations. 

In the United Kingdom where Norwest Holst 

generates a third of its business in the building sector, 

the company has continued its general contracting 

strategy and made the most of deregulation 

implemented in that country, more particularly the 

PFI (Private Finance Initiative) which encourages 

private-sector financing of public-sector projects. 

Norwest Holst has furthermore phased out its social 

housing activity. 

3 

4 

2. Caroni, a subsidiary 

of Sogea Nord, built 

the new pharmaceutical 

plant for Astra Zeneca 

in Dunkirk; the structural 

work was completed 

in 112 days. 

3. As the T2 “Egée“ Tower 

project was completed, 

Sari awarded to Sicra 

the contract to build 

its twin, the T3 “Adria“ 

Tower, at La Défense. 

The confirmed phase 

which has been signed 

covers 29 storeys. 

A conditional phase could 

raise that number to 42. 

4. Again at La Défense, 

Sicra also won the contract 

to do the structural work 

on the Sofitel Hotel 

in Courbevoie. 

Activity 

In the Île-de-France, Sicra has confirmed its rank as 

the second leading building company in the greater 

Paris area. It has reorganized into specialized 

departments: new works, renovation, project 

financing, planning, full-service maintenance and 

industrial customers. In the course of the fiscal year 

the company continued or began work on several 

projects at La Défense: the T2 towers, the Sofitel 

Hotel, the T3 Adria tower (architect: Conceptua), 

which it will be building in a consortium with 

Campenon Bernard Construction. Sicra also started 

large construction sites on the Quai du Point-du-Jour 

(architect: C. de Portzamparc) and in the Left Bank 

ZAC (architects: Arte J.-M. Charpentier & Associés- 

T3 C (Axe France)-Dusapin / Leclercq- 

B. Tournier-Lasserve). It is also building the Anatole- 

France middle school in Puteaux (architects: 

Guidicelli Architectes), the Baudelaire lycée in Evry 

(architect: L. Martel) and a shopping centre in Serris 

near Marne-la-Vallée. In 1999, Sicra also performed, 

in a REX (experimental construction) project, the 

structural renovation of the Quatre-Tours complex 

in Le Blanc-Mesnil as well as part of the last phase 

of the Nord ZAC in Montrouge (architects: Sopha 

Architectes and Arte & Charpentier) where the 

company is also the planner. The renovation market is 

no longer growing at its previous rate but it still makes 

up a third of Sicra’s activity. 

EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRUCTION 

Renovation and work site logistics 

At the end of February, 1999, Sicra completed renovation work 

on the Quatre-Tours complex in Blanc-Mesnil. Together with 

the Sogea Development-Marketing, France Department, 

Sicra carried out an experimental works (REX) approach on 

this project which involved worksite logistics and scheduling 

in the framework of sequential renovation. 

Two new REX projects to be conducted by Sicra in Meudon and 

Chelles (architects: Laumonnier and Meninger) aim to 

determine which procedures and methods are necessary to set 

up high-performance logistics systems on smaller work sites. 

13

14 

BUILDING 

In the French regions, Sogea’s building activity 

expanded and the company refocused on 

higher-added-value activities. In the north of France, 

in 1999, there was growth in industrial activity at 

Sogea and its subsidiary Caroni, in addition to their 

traditional activities in public buildings, particularly 

schools. Examples are a major project built for Astra 

in Dunkirk (architect: Jacobs Serete); the Guiscard 

middle school (architect: Bellière Manière) and the 

Avesnes-sur-Helpe lycée (architects: H. Gaillard- 

L.Corbeau); the Fiegnies middle school (architect: 

J. Corbeau) and the Caudry lycée (architects: 

Kroll-Nicol-Thelot). Sogea’s Northwest and West 

regions also experienced growth in activity. Sogea 

Nord-Ouest built three industrial buildings for 

Glaxo, Sidel and Enerflux Industrie, while Sogea 

Atlantique began construction of a cogeneration 

power station in Montoire-de-Bretagne. In the West, 

Sogea’s activity is also continuing apace in the housing, 

service and structural renovation sectors, a major 

example being the renovation of the Kastler-Guitton 

lycée in La Roche-sur-Yon. In the large South-West 

area Sogea has reorganized by setting up two regional 

departments. The first, Sogea Sud-Ouest, is located in 

Toulouse and manages the Midi-Pyrénées, Aquitaine 

and Limousin regions; its building activity 

experienced a major boost in Toulouse with the 

construction of the courthouse led by its subsidiary 

Croizet-Pourty (architects: P. Prunet-J. Munuez). 

The second regional department, Sogea Sud, is based 

in Montpellier and concentrates on the Languedoc- 

Roussillon and Aveyron regions. It has also recorded 

some successes, particularly in the housing and 

1 2 3

4 5 

1. Sogea Nord-Ouest 

completed the new plant 

of the Glaxo-Wellcome 

pharmaceutical 

company in Evreux; 

its sophisticated 

framework includes a 

large counterbalanced 

top which overhangs 

the building. 

2. The Vatry airport 

construction project, 

built by Sogea Est, was 

visited by the President 

of the Republic last 

September. Sogea is 

also building the Basel- 

Mulhouse airport. 

3. Sogea Sud-Ouest built 

the teaching facilities 

for the Murail University 

history sciences training 

and research centre 

in Toulouse. 

4. Sogea Sud-Ouest 

completed construction 

of a telecommunications 

building for SFR 

(Cegetel) in Toulouse. 

5. Sogea Nord-Ouest 

built the Rouen CES. 

industrial sectors: 100 housing units in Lunel 

(renovation architect: H. Zirah), 59 in Montpellier 

(renovation architect: H. Zirah), for the Arcade 

group; a cogeneration building for the Montpellier 

teaching hospital and Dalkia (renovation architect: 

J.-L. Michel). In the East, Sogea and its subsidiaries 

(Hallé, Chanzy-Pardoux, Urban and Sotram) did a 

brisk business related to the start of work on the 

Basel-Mulhouse and Vatry airports. Chanzy-Pardoux 

completed restoration of Meinsberg Castle (renovation 

architect: M. Goutal) and continued structural 

renovation of the European school in Luxembourg 

(architects: Cabinet Bauer) and restoration of 

Strasbourg Cathedral. 

In the Indian Ocean, Sogea continued its public 

housing and school building activity. In 1999 it won 

the contracts for construction of 125 housing units 

in Saint-Louis (architects: Marraud-Lehaye-Delpech), 

office space for the television station in Saint-Denis 

(DPV Architecture) and the structural work and 

sports facilities for the Saint-Benoît lycée (architect: 

Ph. Goetz). Meanwhile SBTPC, which celebrated its 

35th anniversary during the year, maintained its level 

of activity in housing and expanded in the industrial 

and service sectors. 

Sogea is also developing in Madagascar and Mayotte, 

examples being ongoing construction of the Pamadzi 

middle school (architect: D. Héricourt) and the 

INDUSTRIAL MARKETS 

Delivery times, service and dialogue 

In 1999, Sogea’s recognized expertise in the design and 

construction of industrial buildings was illustrated by the 

construction, by Caroni, of the Astra Zeneca plant in Dunkirk 

(architect: Jacobs Serete). In the field of industrial contracts, 

Sogea attempts at all times to meet three requirements. 

The first is stringent adherence to delivery times which are 

always very tight. The second requirement relates to the level 

of service expected by the customer. The third and final 

requirement is the need to maintain a constant dialogue with 

the client so as to adapt the project to the customer’s schedule 

and budget constraints. 

15

16 

1. Sogea Sud, 

as general contractor, 

built 41 public housing 

units at the Cres, 

near Montpellier, 

for the Arcade Group; 

this was an Experimental 

Works project using 

the Styltech (Usinor) 

process. 

2. As part of the 

Millenium festivities, 

Norwest Holst built 

the extension of 

the National Portrait 

Gallery in London. 

3. Norwest Holst 


of a 1,700 space capacity 

car park and a multiplex 

in the Oracle shopping 

centre in Berkshire. 

1 

2 

BUILDING 

company’s selection to do the structural work on 

the Majicavo Koropa school complex (Atelier 

d’architecture du Lagon-M. Villaume) and the 

municipal centre in Koungou (Mayotte architecture- 

M. Henion) in Mayotte. 

In the French West Indies, Dodin Guadeloupe is 

specialized in social housing. This year the company 

won the contract, for example, for construction of 

154 social housing units in Baie-Mahault (architects: 

Cirany-Houelche-Boucher) and 140 units in Morne-àl’Eau 

(architects: Mocka Célestine-Berthelot-Romney- 

Jalet). In Martinique, while Sogea was completing 

construction of the Schoelcher towers (architect: 

Montjoly) it was awarded the structural contract for 

274 studio apartments on the same campus (architects: 

Cabinet Fontes & Arnihac). Sogea Martinique was also 

the winner of the bidding for the structural work on 

96 housing units in Saint-Pierre. 

In Africa, Sogea won the contract to renovate the 

airport in Timbuktu, Mali, as well as to build two 

hospitals in Port-Gentil and Koulamoutou, Gabon. 

Finally, the company was awarded the contract to

uild a building at the fruit terminal at the port of 

Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and a plywood plant for Leroy 

in Gabon. 

In the United Kingdom the building market 

experienced strong growth. Norwest Holst, one of the 

country’s twenty leading construction firms, expanded 

its activities among private sector customers. Its major 

successes in this area include the Oracle car park and 

multiplex cinema (PDD Architects) for Hammerson; 

the Milton Keynes (Mosscrop Associates) and 

Uxbridge office complexes (Hamilton Associates); 

the Leicester warehouses built for Kingspark Prologis 

(Architects: Stephen George Partners) and the 

Southampton Magistrates Court (architects: 

Hampshire County Architects department). 

Norwest Holst is also specialized in engineering, 

fitting and finishing, and maintenance work and 

it completed several large projects in these areas 

in 1999 including office complexes for Daiwa 

(architects: Ove-Arup Partners), British Airways 

and Rabobank (architects: Verbeek-Bell) and storage 

platforms for Odebrecht Oil and Gas Services. 

3 

Outlook 

In coming years Sogea will focus on consolidating its 

growth in terms of earnings, continuing the efforts it 

has been making over the last several years to 

decentralize its organization, overhaul its marketing 

approach and perfect its production facilities and 

networking operations. 

The company’s development potential is connected to 

its ability to be attuned to its customers and adapt to 

its markets. For Sogea, the focus will be on providing 

the most comprehensive response possible to all the 

expectations of its public and private sector clients. 

Project financing, financial engineering, planning, 

design, building, maintenance, property 

management... all Sogea’s capabilities will be at the 

service of its customers. 

PROJECT STRUCTURING 

Successes in Toulouse and Limoges 

In 1999, Sogea developed the activities of Socogim, a subsidiary 

specialized in project structuring and pre-development. 

In Toulouse, Socogim won an assistance contract with the 

Immochan company. This contract provides that Socogim will 

control a 65 ha property on the edge of the city. The company 

will carry out development studies and identify operators, 

while Sogea will perform the work. 

In Limoges, a project structuring operation has been started 

for the design and construction of 17 luxury housing units 

in the city centre (architect: G. Valleron). Socogim will carry 

out the studies and be involved under a property development 

contract, signing a works contract with Sogea Sud-Ouest. 

The client is the owner of the land, a local industrialist. 

17

CIVIL ENGINEERING 

Sogea is present 

in all types of civil 

engineering: both in 

France and on the 

international market 

it provides 

engineering structures 

of all kinds, 

underground, 

maritime and inland 

waterway works, 

environmental 

engineering 

and industrial civil 

engineering; and 

in Africa it is active 

in the roadworks and 

earthmoving sectors.

20 


The market for major civil engineering 

projects, suffering from completion 

of large undertakings such as the TGV 

Méditerranée high speed rail line, has been 

in something of a slump in France. Sogea, 

whose business is primarily in medium-sized 

works, was not directly affected by the 

downturn. With its finely-meshed network of 

agencies and the expertise of its specialized 

subsidiary Dodin, the company held up 

relatively well, by comparison with the 

industry as a whole. In Africa, political 

instability in a number of areas together with 

the crisis in raw materials led to the shutdown 

of a number of large projects. After the record 

levels of business over the last couple of 

years, activity was marking time in 1999. 

1 

1. Dodin is currently 

working on several 

sites in the Toulon 

naval shipyards, in 

particular construction 

of the future berth 

for the aircraft carrier 

Charles-de-Gaulle. 

Profile 

Civil engineering at Sogea is basically in the hands of 

its subsidiary Dodin specialized in the construction of 

large engineering structures and also in maritime and 

inland waterway works. In fiscal year 1999, Dodin 

merged the activities of its two regional entities, 

Dodin Sud and Dodin Nord. 

With its specialized subsidiaries and agencies Sogea 

masters all the business lines in civil engineering: 

Structures of all types, underground works, maritime 

and inland waterway works, environmental 

engineering, cogeneration, telecommunications. Sogea 

also has a recognized capability in special projects 

through its subsidiaries Cofex Île-de-France and Cofex 

Littoral.

2 

2. Dodin completed 

construction of a second 

Saint-Denis Viaduct, 

near the Stade de France, 

in early 2000. 

3. Dodin is building 

the Rauze Viaduct on 

the A20 Motorway for 

the Autoroutes du Sud 

de la France. Composed 

of a single girder deck 

resting on piers which 

are more than 100 metres 

high, the structure will 

be 555 metres long and 

24 metres wide, with 

spans of 130 metres. 

4. Dodin is currently 

building 15 standard 

engineering structures 

on the A87 Motorway 

between Angers 

and la Roche-sur-Yon. 

In the overseas departments, Sogea is recognized 

today as one of the main civil engineering operators, 

particularly in the area of the environment. 

In Africa, where Sogea and its subsidiary Satom 

generate half their business in roadworks, the group 

is now also expanding onto the engineering structure 

market. 

In Europe, Norwest Holst is one of the major British 

earthmoving and environment-related civil 

engineering companies and it also builds engineering 

structures. Finally, Denys remains very active in high 

tech civil engineering (tunnel boring, microtunnelling, 

underground works). 

Activity 

In mainland France, after handing over the Tanus 

motorway viaduct (architect: Ph. Fraleu) and the 

Vernègues high speed rail viaduct (architect: Amadeo), 

Dodin began construction of the Verrières Viaduct 

(architect: Mascarelli) near Millau and la Rauze 

Viaduct (architect: Lavigne) in the Lot whose tallest 

piers reach a height of more than 140 m. 

The company also continued the expansion of the Saint- 

Denis Viaduct in the Paris area; several engineering 

structures on the A89 (Bordeaux-Clermont-Ferrand), 

A87 (Angers-La-Roche-sur-Yon), A66 (Toulouse- 

Pamiers) and A20 (Brive-Toulouse) Motorways; 

maritime works in the Toulon naval shipyard and the 

port of Saint-Nazaire. Finally, Dodin began work on 

3 4 

VAL DE RENNES 

A deck on crutches 

Sogea Bretagne has completed the construction of the North 

Viaduct of the future Val de Rennes, a 755 m long structure 

whose construction got underway in July 1998 (architect: 

Foster). The outstanding technical feature of this viaduct is 

that its deck rests on 17 metal crutches which are between 3.5 

and 4.5 metres high and weigh 30 tons each, a system which 

took several months to design. In addition, Sogea teams were 

forced to solve a difficulty related to the general profile of 

the structure and the slope of the deck which is 10% in some 

places. On both sides of the viaduct Sogea Bretagne also built 

the access ramps which are 100 m long and lead to cut and 

cover trenches for which Dodin was responsible. 

21

22 


the La Galaube dry stone revetement dam and 

construction of the Villeneuve-sur-Lot locks. In the 

South-West, Sogea and Croizet-Pourty completed the 

Bergères Viaduct (architects: Atelier 13-J.-P. Loupiac) 

on the A89 Motorway as well as a composite concretewooden 

bridge in Merle. 

In environmental engineering, Chanzy-Pardoux 

started construction of the Metz incineration plant 

(architects: Ch. Delfante-Cabinet Paulin and Mariotti) 

and Sogea Nord began work on the Noselles-sur-Lens 

incineration plant (architect: Delfante) while Sobea 

Île-de-France and Sicra handed over the Champagnesur-Oise 

composting unit (architect: BBJ). 

Throughout France, a number of regional departments 

of Sogea participated with GTIE in laying 120 km of 

channeling for optical fibre and Sogea Rhône-Alpes is 

now laying 50 km of it north of Lyon. 

In France and on the export market Dodin has 

contributed its know-how to a number of Sogea 

regional entities by participating in several work sites. 

In the French West Indies, the year’s highlight was 

the start of the incineration plant and energy 

production unit in the Centre of Martinique, work 

having started at the end of last year. Martinique also 

won the contract to build the Basse-Pointe bridge 

which is being built in an urban area. 

On Reunion Island, apart from the bridges with 

segments cast in place and launched which SBTPC 

and Dodin are now completing in Bras-Panon and 

Sainte-Marie (architects: Lavigne-Fraleu), Sogea’s 

subsidiaries won several contracts for structures and 

roadworks. 

2 

3

1. Sogea and its 

subsidiary Satom are 

completing construction 

of the rolled, compacted 

and moulded wall dam 

at Ziga, Burkina Faso. 

2. Sogea and its 

subsidiary Satom won 

two important contracts 

for roadworks in central 

Africa: construction of 

247 km of roads between 

Bertoua and Garoua-Boulaï 

in Cameroun and 54 km 

between Lalara and Mitzic 

in Gabon. 

3. Sogea Bretagne 


of the North Viaduct on 

the future Val de Rennes. 

This structure is 

755 metres long and rests 

on 17 metal stilts 

weighing 30 tons each. 

1 

In Africa the roadworks sector continued to grow. 

In 1999, Sogea and Satom won the contract to build 

150 km of road between Kayes and Yelimané in Mali, 

47 km between Djermaya and Massaguet in Chad, 

69 km between Notsé and Atakpamé in Togo and 

57 km between Lalara and Mitzic in Gabon. 

A major success was the construction contract for 

248 km of road between Bertoua and Garoua-Boulaï 

in Cameroun, won by Sogea and Satom coperating 

in a consortium. 

4. Sogea Maroc 

received the contract to 

build the supports 

for 84 wind generators 

in Tétouan (Tangiers) 

for the Compagnie 

éolienne du détroit 

(EDF). 

ENVIRONMENT 

An incineration plant in Martinique 

Following a call for tender based on performance, a consortium 

made up of SGE Environnement (SGE Group), CGEA-Onyx, 

CT Environment (Austrian Energy) and Sogea Martinique was 

awarded, at the end of 1998, the contract to design, build and 

operate the household waste incineration plant by the Syndicat 

intercommunal du centre de la Martinique (Sicem) which brings 

together the municipalities of Fort-de-France, Le Lamentin, 

Schoelcher and Saint-Joseph. Sogea Martinique began the civil 

engineering work in November, 1999. 

4 

23

24 


In civil engineering, Sogea continued construction of 

the Ziga dam in Burkina Faso and the Dapaong dam 

in Togo as well as the bridge over the Moulouya river 

in Morocco. The company completed the work of 

raising the Sadiola dam in Mali as well as extraction 

of uranium ore from the Mikouloungou mine in 

Gabon. In addition, Sogea won the contract to build 

the Owendo conventional thermal power plant 

in Libreville, Gabon. The company won contracts 

in Benin to renovate engineering structures and in 

partnership with Dodin it will be extending the port 

facilities in Cotonou; in Morocco, the construction of 

wind farms in Tétouan; in Gabon, several earthworks 

and civil engineering projects for the new Comilog 

ferro-manganese plant. 

In Europe, Norwest Holst has managed to increase 

its activity despite the lack of growth of the market. 

In 1999 the company had its first major success in the 

PFI sector with the construction of an avenue linking 

the Cardiff Bay with the city centre. It will be 

responsible for its maintenance for a period of 25 years. 

In addition, Norwest Holst obtained or continued 

several projects related to road and rail infrastructure: 

the A12-M11 road link, the railway station near 

Luton airport, earthmoving work on the M1 and A1 

Motorways. 

It is also building the Mid Kent section of the 

future London-Dover Channel Tunnel Rail Link and 

Hungerford Bridge in London. 

In the Benelux, Denys was awarded several projects 

on the Brussels-Antwerp high speed rail line. 

Outlook 

While continuing its customer and activity diversification 

so as to be independent of market cycles, Sogea will be 

stepping up its policy of working increasingly on a 

network basis and leveraging internal synergies so 

as to be able to innovate in the many projects it has 

identified for coming years. 

Sogea’s regional entities will thus be able to avail 

themselves to an even greater extent of the specialized 

subsidiaries within the company, Dodin and Cofex, 

as they did on a large number of occasions in 1999 

on both the French and export markets. 

The environment, industry and telecommunications 

markets should continue to grow and enable Sogea to 

consolidate its position. 

Despite the slowdown in activity in Africa, the main 

projects undertaken during the fiscal year and the 

company’s leading position should make it possible for 

it to withstand the slump better than its competitors. 

In the United Kingdom, finally, the development of 

the road and rail markets and the good order book 

at Norwest Holst should provide that company with 

good prospects for the year 2000.

2 

3 

1. Norwest Holst built 

two new symmetrical 

footbridges across 

the Thames in London 

as part of the 

“Hungerford Bridge 

Millennium Project“. 

2. Norwest Holst, 

through its subsidiary 

SGE Holst Investments, 

is the leader of 

a consortium in charge 

of renovating the old 

industrial quarters in 

Cardiff in the framework 

of a PFI. 

3. In 1999, Denys was 

awarded the contract 

to renovate existing 

pipelines and lay new 

ones as part of the 

Brussels-Amsterdam TGV 

high speed rail project. 

CENTRAL AFRICA 

300 km of roads in Cameroun and Gabon 

Sogea and its subsidiary Satom won two large roadworks 

contracts in central Africa in 1999. In Cameroun, the 

construction of 247 km of road between Bertoua and Garoua- 

Boulaï will start following completion of 4 million cubic 

metres of earthmoving; 1.9 million tons of gravel; 55,000 

cubic metres of concrete and 220,000 tons of bituminous mix. 

Duration of the work: 28 months. 

The other contract is for construction of 54 km of road between 

Lalara and Mitzic in Gabon. This road in bituminous mix 

(62,000 tons) will rest on a foundation of 45 cm of laterite 

cement and a base layer of 15 cm of crushed rock. The work is 

to be completed in 18 months. 

1 

25

HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING 

Sogea has 

recognized 

know-how in 

highly technical 

specialized 

hydraulic 

engineering. 

This expertise 

makes it the only 

company in France 

to provide such 

services as guided 

horizontal 

drilling and 

high-performance 

water purification 

processes.

28 


In metropolitan France, the hydraulic 

engineering market is made up 

primarily of small contracts which 

generate stable, repeat business. 

In the French West Indies and in the Indian 

Ocean major environmental capital 

investments have boosted the market for 

construction of water treatment and 

purification plants. 

In Benelux, despite a slump in the hydraulic 

engineering sector, the market for industrial 

pipelines with high technical value added 

has held up. 

In Africa water supply and irrigation works 

remain a source of buoyant business. 

In all of these sectors Sogea retained a special 

position throughout 1999 and it remains 

one of the main players on the market. 

Profile 

Historically, hydraulic engineering is the business line 

in which Sogea has very strong roots and the sector 

accounts for a quarter of the company’s overall 

activity and represents a major asset for it. The 

company covers all specialties related to hydraulic 

engineering: design and management of drinking 

water supply networks and treatment of rainwater 

and waste water; supply, laying, renovation and 

maintenance of pipeline networks for all fluids in all 

sizes and in all materials, with and without inspection 

facilities; design and construction of drinking water 

plants and purification plants; construction of 

pumping stations, overpressure stations, seawater 

desalination plants; horizontal drilling and guided 

drilling; pipe-jacking and laying of pipeline systems 

by means of microtunnelling equipment. 

The particularly fine-meshed network of local 

agencies which make up Sogea makes it possible for 

the company to respond to all contracting authorities 

within very short intervention and completion times 

which are guaranteed thanks to the Sogea teams’ 

excellent familiarity with the terrain.

CATCHMENT 

Activity 

2 3 

A mountain on the route 

In 1999 Sobea Île-de-France undertook work aimed at doubling 

the capacity of the pipeline system which catches water 

between the Vals de Seine and the Grande-Paroisse in the Seineet-Marne. 

This project includes the supply and trench laying 

of a sheetmetal-reinforced concrete pipe with a diameter of 

1,000 mm and a length of approximately 860 m. The route 

of the pipe crosses Tarpenton mountain with an altitude 

differential of 50 m and the laying of 15 pipes on a slope 

of up to 67%. In addition, work is being done to construct 

related civil engineering structures, a safety spillaway, 

a load-limiting structure and a gravel discharge structure. 

1 

In the Paris region, Sobea Île-de-France was awarded 

the contract in 1999 to build two large collectors: one 

in Paris’s 12th arrondissement, the other at the Porte 

de Sèvres. It also doubled the capacity of the large 

diameter pipe which provides drainage for the Vals 

de Seine and la Grande-Paroisse in the Seine-et-Marne. 

Finally, Sobea Île-de-France has developed a technique 

which is unique in France: guided horizontal drilling 

which it has used on a number of construction sites for 

the Paris Airports. 

In the French regions, hydraulic engineering 

experienced a good year in which it won a number 

of large contracts related to the Orleans, Montpellier, 

Nancy, Strasbourg and Nantes tramway systems. 

1. Sobea Île-de-France 

supplied and laid 

a 1,400 mm diameter 

pipe at the Porte 

de Sèvres, in Paris's 

15th arrondissement. 

2. Sogea received 

contracts in the course 

of the year to perform 

major network diversion 

projects as part 

of the Orleans, Nancy, 

Montpellier, Strasbourg 

and Lyon tramway 

system projects. 

3. Sogea completed 

construction of the 

Valedeau drinking water 

reservoir in Montpellier. 

This structure has a 

capacity of 28,000 m 3 and 

is made of two 53 m 

diameter cylindrical tanks 

which are nearly 8 m high. 

4. Sogea continues to be 

one of the specialists in 

large diameter pipe laying, 

as here, in Avignon. 

A project carried out by 

Sogea Sud-Est. 

4 

29

30 


Several contracts to build purification plants were also 

awarded to the company: in Boulogne, in Brittany, in 

Aujany (in the Isère), in Tarare, in Douai and on the 

island of Yeu. 

In the areas of sewage and drinking water supply 

systems the company has developed, particularly in 

the South-East and in the Rhône-Alpes regions (two 

regional locations which are almost exclusively focused 

on hydraulic engineering), new niche activities related 

to the industrial sector, particularly for Lafarge, Shell, 

BP and GDF. In the west of France, finally, Sogea 

acquired the SBTP company which is located in Saint- 

Nazaire and specializes in hydraulic engineering and 

road operations. 

In the West Indies, Sogea Martinique won the 

contracts to build several purification plants in Sainte- 

Luce, Sainte-Anne and Dillon. Dodin Guadeloupe also 

was awarded construction of the Saint-François 

purification plant. 

Finally, the award of the contract to build the Négril 

purification plant in Jamaica prompted the West Indies 

Department to set up a new branch office at the end 

of 1999, Sogea Jamaica. This new branch confirms the 

company’s determination to expand in the Caribbean as 

already demonstrated several years ago by the contracts 

won in Sainte-Lucie. 

1 

1. Sogea started 

works package 3 of 

the agricultural station 

at Doukkala, Morocco. 

2. Sogea Sud’s 

Hydraulique agency in 

Montpellier performed 

work to modify the sea 

treated water discharge 

system in Sète, 

involving the laying 

of a 3,000 m long, 

1,000 mm diameter pipe. 

In the Indian Ocean the development approach 

undertaken several years ago at Sogea is beginning 

to pay off, as witness the completion of a seawater 

desalination plant, the construction now underway 

of the Mamoudzou plant and the drinking water 

supply works in Dapani, Mayotte. In Madagascar 

the company won, among other things, the work 

on the Lake Alaotra agricultural project. 

On Reunion Island Sogea was awarded in 1999 

the contract to build the purification station for the 

municipalities of Le Port and La Possession (working 

with the Sogea Water Process Department) as well as 

the construction of a reservoir in Saint-Denis. 

On the African continent, hydraulic engineering 

accounts for nearly one-third of Sogea’s activity. 

1999 was a particularly good year: continuation of 

work on the Soukkala agricultural centre in Morocco; 

new projects for the Ké Macina and Molodo 

agricultural centres in Mali; water supply works for 

Elf in Congo. Sogea also recently won contracts 

to lay pipelines at Essouira and Agadir, Morocco. 

In Nigeria, Saton began the water supply works 

at Ibadan. Finally, SPC, a Sogea subsidiary in South 

Africa, was awarded a contract for the renovation 

of a 33 km long steel pipeline. 

2

4 

3. In July 1999, 

Aimé Césaire, Mayor 

of Fort-de-France, 

inaugurated the Dillon 

water treatment plant 

built by Sogea Martinique. 

4. Sobea Île-de-France 

built the second pipe to 

channel water between 

the Vals de Seine and 

the Grande-Paroisse, 

in the Seine-et-Marne. 

PROCESS WATER 

Successes overseas and in mainland France 

Sogea Process Water, associated with several Sogea regional 

departments, achieved several successes this summer in using 

innovative water purification and treatment technologies 

developed by US Filter Memcor. In the overseas departments and 

territories, Sogea’s Process Water department won two contracts 

on Reunion Island. The first relates to the construction of 

drinking water treatment plants in the Le Port and La Possession 

municipalities. The second contract, won with Sogea Réunion, 

relates to deodorizing through chemical scrubbing the facilities 

of the “La Jamaïque” purification plant. 

In mainland France, the company won the contract to build the 

Vaujany plant in the Isère (capacity: 70 l/s). A second contract, 

awarded to Sogea and its subsidiary Sogea Nord-Ouest, is for 

the supply of the process and the equipment for the Douai-Siado 

sludge drying unit. 

3 

31

32 


In the Benelux, activity for the industrial sector 

remained modest in 1999 but it should pick up in 

2000. In the field of pipe and oil and gas pipeline 

laying, Denys continues its partnership with GDF. 

The company recently signed a large contract with 

the latter for the reinforcement of its gas 

transportation network to the south of Europe. Denys 

also operates outside the Benelux, as witness its 

recent successes in the north of France. 

Finally, Socea, a Denys subsidiary specialized in the 

installation of concrete pipelines and a leader in the 

field, developed – for its 35th anniversary in 1999 – 

a new patent for the construction of very large 

diameter wells which are installed through kirving. 

In the United Kingdom Norwest Holst is currently 

completing the construction of a water treatment 

plant in Miworth for Severn Trent and it has just 

begun work on another at Birkenhead for North 

West Water. As part of its business diversification and 

building on its experience of more than 100 years in 

hydraulic engineering, Sogea began a few years ago to 

actively seek business in the export market beyond its 

traditional operating areas. This initiative has already 

led to several successes: in Palestine, the company 

has just completed work to improve the efficiency of 

the drinking water systems in Bethlehem and Hebron; 

in Portugal it handed over the Ermesinde purification 

plant in 1999; it is currently doing work in Kosovo 

together with teams from Générale des Eaux; and 

finally in Kazakhstan it has just been provisionally 

selected to lay 51 km of steel pipe in Astana. 

1. Denys has for many 

years been a master 

of advanced hydraulic 

engineering techniques, 

particularly drilling and 

micro-tunnelling. 

2. Denys built a 900 mm 

diameter siphon 

under the Escault at 

Antoing as part of 

the Western Hainaut 

drinking water 

supply project. 

1 

2

Outlook 

In its traditional operating zones Sogea will be 

maintaining and consolidating its position by 

leveraging the know-how acquired in maintenance 

and repair work and also in high-tech specialty areas 

such as guided horizontal drilling or construction of 

large diameter pipelines. 

The development of networking and synergies with 

specialized building and civil engineering entities, as 

well as project planning and pre-development should 

make it possible for Sogea to focus more on 

3 

operations with private-sector developers. 

Overseas, the outlook is also promising, particularly 

in the environmental sector where many new projects 

are expected to be coming on stream. 

On the international market Sogea has a position, 

a reputation and skills which should enable it to 

maintain its level of activity and even to win new 

contracts in its traditional zones of operation and 

beyond. 

Finally, in coming years Sogea will be looking 

into opportunities for acquisitions which will be 

particularly targeted on niche markets in the 

hydraulic engineering sector and on high-potential 

geographic regions in France and abroad. 

3. The SIVU water 

treatment plant of 

the Upper and Lower 

Goulaine, built by 

Sogea Atlantique, 

was acceptance 

tested in 1999. 

4. Sogea is today 

a specialist in large 

diameter pipe laying 

on both the French 

and international 

markets. 

NEAR EAST 

Efficiency doubled on networks 

In 1999, Sogea and its subsidiary WMI completed work to 

improve the efficiency of the drinking water systems in 

Bethlehem and Hebron in the Palestinian territories in the 

southern West Bank. 

For three years, Sogea and WMI teams updated the map 

of the systems of the two cities, detected and repaired leaks, 

organized water and billing management systems and trained 

the staff of the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA). 

The efficiency of these networks which in 1997 stood at only 

40 to 45% is now more than 80%. 

4 

33

SERVICES 

With more than 

40,000 parking 

spaces under 

management 

at 60 locations 

in 25 cities, Sogea 

is the third largest 

car park operator 

in France today. 

With its design, 

construction and 

operation capabilities 

Sogea is able to 

provide its customers 

with global solutions 

which meet all their 

needs.

36 

SERVICES 

Over the last couple of years the 

public authorities have been calling 

on the private sector to finance, 

develop, build and operate a number 

of facilities, particularly car parks. 

More recently private companies – hotels, 

clinics, property developers – have also 

begun to call on outside providers for 

financing, design, construction, operation 

and maintenance of their installations. 

Against this backdrop Sogea’s experience 

as a management company and the 

complementarity between that specialty 

and the building industry are advantages 

which the company has been able 

to capitalize on very successfully. 

Profile 

Sogea’s service activity is today primarily focused on 

parking and multi-service maintenance as well as the 

management of water treatment plants. 

Sogea is the third largest car park operator in France 

and has been active in the sector since 1970. Today it 

manages more than 40,000 parking spaces in more 

than 60 locations in nearly 25 cities. 

Its track record in consulting and engineering and 

also in design, construction, renovation, maintenance 

and operation of car parks makes it possible to 

provide both its public and private sector customers 

with customized solutions and comprehensive 

services. 

With the new label, called Vitamine, which it created 

in 1999, Sogea will from now on be guaranteeing 

to the users of its car parks total customer service 

quality and convenience. The granting of the right to 

use the label requires that the car park applying for 

it must increase their service in the areas of security, 

information, traffic – automobile and pedestrian – 

signing and related services. 

When it comes to multi-service maintenance, the 

experience of Sicra Maintenance in the Île-de-France 

for nearly 10 years now has enabled Sogea to begin 

to develop this activity in other regions. Sogea Ouest 

for example has set up MTI (Maintenance and 

Industrial works).

1 

1. Built in 1978, 

the Heurteloup 

automated car park 

in Tours is still one 

of the most modern 

in France. 

2. In the Île-de-France, 

Sogea manages nearly 

25,000 spaces through 

its three subsidiaries: 

Sobea Île-de-France, 

Effiparc and Gefiparc. 

Companies are increasingly tending to refocus on 

their core business and outsource "peripheral" work 

to specialized maintenance companies. The services 

provided by Sicra Maintenance Multiservices and by 

the new entities which Sogea has set up in the French 

regions include all the services which enable a 

building to work and endure: high and low voltage 

electricity systems, air conditioning, plumbing and 

architectural specialty services. 

Activity 

In the area of car parks, Sogea has won a number 

of local authority contracts. 

In Paris, Sobea and its subsidiaries Gefiparc and 

Effiparc were already managing the car parks at 

the Place de la Concorde, the Ecole de Médecine, 

Vincent-Auriol, Gaité-Montparnasse, Alhambra, 

Méridien-Etoile, Villette and Place des Fêtes with 

a combined total of more than 7,000 spaces. 

There are an additional 13 sites, including the Stade 

de France. Overall the company is managing more 

than 23,000 parking spaces in the greater Paris area. 

2 3 4 

3. Sogea operates the car park 

at the Méridien-Etoile hotel 

near the Porte Maillot in Paris. 

VITAMINE LABEL 

4. Sogea was awarded 

the contract to operate 

the Anvers car park in the 

9th arrondissement in Paris. 

Car parks with a difference 

In 1999, Sogea invented "Vitamine P". This label commits the 

company to high quality customer service, convenience and 

a variety of services in its car parks. Vitamine car parks offer 

their customers an area set aside for information and various 

other services. Customer service representatives in the car 

parks, an essential security factor, are part of the Vitamine 

charter. Second commitment: convenience. Automobile and 

pedestrian lanes will be better signed. Means of payment 

will be more efficient and innovative, the car parks better 

maintained and better lit. Finally, in its Vitamine car parks 

Sogea guarantees the provision of many different services 

such as car wash, cycle parking, routine car maintenance, 

electrical charging posts and relays of surface retail outlets. 

37

38 

SERVICES 

In 1999, Sogea’s position in the Île-de-France was 

further bolstered by four major successes. In January, 

Sobea Île-de-France won the contract to operate 

the car park in Mantes-la-Ville with a capacity of 

340 spaces for a period of 18 years. In July, the City 

of Paris awarded to Gefiparc the concession to 

modernize and operate the Anvers car park under 

the Square d’Anvers in the 9th arrondissement. 

This contract, with a duration of 15 and a half years, 

includes work to renovate and upgrade to standards 

which has been entrusted to Sobea Île-de-France 

(526 spaces after the work is completed). 

In September, Sobea won the contract to extend 

street parking in the city of Orsay (862 spaces). 

In November, finally, Sobea was awarded, in a public 

service delegation procedure, the 30 year concession 

for the car park which will be built as part of 

the “city centre” project in Vincennes (265 spaces). 

1 2 3 

4. Sogea operates 

and maintains 

the 6,000 parking 

spaces at the 

Stade de France. 

5. Sogea manages 

many surface 

and street parking 

spaces, particularly 

in the Paris region 

and in Saumur.

1. The results of a 

customer satisfaction 

survey carried out among 

users of the Saint-Marc 

car park show that 92% 

of customers are satisfied 

with the car park and 

even rank it first among 

the main car parks on 

the Right Bank in Rouen. 

2. Sogea has operated 

the Place de la Comédie 

car park in Montpellier 

for 25 years and will be 

performing renovation 

and service enhancement 

work on it during the 

course of the year 2000. 

3. In Marseille, 

Sogea handed over 

the Bouchard clinic 

car park which it is 

to operate for 20 years 

and was selected to 

expand and operate the 

Beauregard clinic car park. 

5 

4 

In the French regions, Sogea and its subsidiaries are 

currently operating more than 25 locations in Nantes, 

Nevers, Saumur, Tours, Vannes, Rouen, Béziers, 

Montpellier, Toulouse, Avignon and Marseille, with 

a total of 19,000 spaces. In 1999 construction was 

finished on the car parks at the Lenval clinic in Nice 

and Bouchard clinic in Marseille, the operation of 

which has been entrusted to Sogea Sud-Est. Again in 

that ancient city, Sogea Sud-Est has also been asked 

to perform the extension work and operate the car 

park at the Beauregard clinic (450 spaces). 

In the South Sogea has continued the renovation and 

modernization of the Jean-Jaurès car park in Béziers 

which it was already operating. 

In conjunction with the introduction of the Vitamine 

quality label, five car parks will be commencing work 

in the first quarter of 2000 to upgrade to the 

requirements of the agreement. These will be the 

Anvers and Vincennes facilities (Île-de-France), 

the Comédie car park in Montpellier, Jean-Jaurès in 

Béziers and Anatole-France in Tours for which Sogea 

has just been awarded the 35-year concession. 

The 35 sites for which Sicra Maintenance Multiservices 

performs maintenance include the Stade de France, 

the headquarters building of Arthur Andersen in 

Neuilly-sur-Seine, the corporate headquarters of the 

SGE Group in Rueil-Malmaison and the Dior LVMH 

building in the Avenue Montaigne in Paris. Sicra 

Maintenance Multiservices is also present in twelve 

high schools in the Île-de-France region. 

MAINTENANCE 

Double in the Île-de-France 

On 1 July, 1999 Sicra Maintenance started the maintenance 

contract for the common installations of the Generali 

Immobilier building in the Avenue Hoche in Paris. 

The company signed a similar contract with the Regus company, 

the only tenant in the building, to maintain the private areas, 

some 7,000 m 2 . 

39

40 

SERVICES 

1999 was the year in which the maintenance contract 

for the common facilities of the Generali Immobilier 

building in the Avenue Hoche in Paris began, on 

July 1. The company also signed a similar contract 

with the Regus company. 

In the United Kingdom Norwest Holst is also 

expanding into maintenance as part of the PFI 

contract which it was awarded in Cardiff. 

To underpin its commitment to this activity it set up 

a specialized subsidiary in 1999, SGE Holst Facilities 

Management. 

With regard to water treatment plant management, 

Sogea is today operating the Barberey plant in the 

Troyes area where Sogea is also responsible for 

the waste water and water distribution systems. 

The company is also managing the plants in Charleville, 

Maxéville, Persan-Beaumont, Douai, Clermont-Ferrand 

and Hasbruck as well as the salt water desalination 

plant in Mayotte, an island for which Sogea also 

handles water distribution. 

NEW CONTRACT 

Private-sector clinic car parks 

For the last two years Sogea has substantially expanded its 

private car park operation business. Following the contract with 

the Hotel Méridien-Etoile in Paris in 1997, Sogea was asked 

to build and operate three car parks for private clinics. 

The company handed over, in the summer of 1999, the 170-space 

car park of Marseille’s Bouchard clinic, which it will operate 

for 20 years. Sogea also inaugurated, at the end of the year, 

the car park at the Lenval clinic in Nice. Finally, Sogea won 

the contract to extend (from 250 to 450 spaces) and operate 

the car park at the Beauregard clinic in Marseille. 

2. Sicra Maintenance 

Multiservices provides 

multitechnique 

maintenance for 

the headquarters of SGE 

at Rueil 2000. 

2 

3 

3. In the Avenue 

Montaigne, LVMH-Dior 

has awarded the 

maintenance contract 

for its facilities to Sicra 

Maintenance Multiservices.

Outlook 

In car parks, the acquisition in July 1999 of the 

leading French company and European Number 2 

Sogeparc by the SGE Group should make it possible 

to leverage promising synergies as already 

demonstrated by a joint bid put in by Sogea and 

Sogeparc for the construction, renovation and 

operation of 5 car parks in Bordeaux. 

Sogea’s multidisciplinary teams, their comprehensive 

engineering, design, construction and operation 

capabilities, and their local roots are advantages on 

which the company can build, particularly in the private 

sector (hotels, clinics, developers) in a market whose 

potential Sogea’s recent successes clearly demonstrate. 

Interesting prospects for the company should also 

be developing soon, especially in the capital, when 

a number of large concessions run out. 

1 

The development of maintenance activity will be 

coming essentially from private-sector service 

companies. In France, the main Sogea subsidiary 

specialized in this line of business is Sicra 

Maintenance Multiservices which in 1996 was the 

first French company in this sector to receive ISO 

9002 certification. Its expertise should gradually 

extend to new regions such as the West and the 

South East where the service sector has expanded 

considerably over the last couple of years. 

In water treatment, Sogea transferred most of its 

contracts to Générale des Eaux over the last few 

years. However, its comprehensive capabilities 

(design, construction, operation) and its roots in 

local markets have enabled it to keep and develop 

its water treatment and purification activity. 

1. Sicra Maintenance 

Multiservices obtained 

the maintenance contract 

for the Tribunal de grande 

instance at Bobigny. 

4. Sogea operates 

several water treatment 

and purification units 

in mainland France and 

in the overseas territories. 

4 

41

42 

ADDRESSES 

Sogea 

9, place de l’Europe - BP 320 

92851 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex - France 

Tel.: + 33 1 47 16 40 00 

Fax: + 33 1 47 51 91 01 - www.sogea.fr 

ÎLE-DE-FRANCE 

Sicra 

36, rue du Séminaire - Centra 307 

Chevilly-Larue - 94586 Rungis Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 1 49 78 51 00 - Fax: + 33 1 45 60 90 42 

Sobea Île-de-France 

54, av. Victor Hugo - BP 234 

92504 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 1 55 94 02 00 - Fax: + 33 1 55 94 01 90 

FRENCH REGIONS 

East 

Sogea Est 

ZA Lesmenils - BP 69 

54703 Pont-à-Mousson Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 3 83 80 83 80 - Fax: + 33 3 83 81 29 89 

Chanzy-Pardoux 

Rue Costes-et-Bellonte - 57157 Marly, France 

Tel.: + 33 3 87 62 89 27 - Fax: + 33 3 87 65 39 48 

Urban 

19, route d’Eschau 

67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France 

Tel.: + 33 3 88 40 56 10 - Fax: + 33 3 88 67 26 70 

North 

Sogea Nord 

274, bd Clemenceau - BP 3019 

59703 Marcq-en-Barœul Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 3 20 99 25 50 - Fax: + 33 3 20 99 78 00 

Caroni Construction 

274, bd Clemenceau - BP 1029 

59701 Marcq-en-Barœul Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 3 20 99 78 78 - Fax: + 33 3 20 99 78 00 

North-West 

Sogea Nord-Ouest 

335, rue du Rouvray - BP 43 

76650 Petit-Couronne, France 

Tel.: + 33 2 32 11 46 79 - Fax: + 33 2 32 11 46 00 

West 

Sogea Atlantique 

213, route de Rennes - BP 39 

44701 Orvault Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 2 51 83 34 30 - Fax: + 33 2 51 83 34 49 

Sogea Bretagne 

ZI du Prat - Av. Paul-Duplex 

CP 3724 - 56037 Vannes Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 2 97 47 70 91 - Fax: + 33 2 97 68 84 56 

Heulin 

301, av. Bollée - BP 229 

72005 Le Mans Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 2 43 40 28 28 - Fax: + 33 2 43 40 28 29 

South-West 

Sogea Sud-Ouest 

60, bd de Thibaud - BP 1788 

31084 Toulouse Cedex 1, France 

Tel.: + 33 5 62 11 10 00 - Fax: + 33 5 62 11 10 34 

3, rue Gaspard-Monge 

ZAC de Pessac-Canéjan - BP 160 

33606 Pessac Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 5 56 46 68 22 - Fax: + 33 5 56 36 75 75 

Bourdarios 

ZI Les Ports 

82800 Nègrepelisse, France 

Tel.: + 33 5 63 64 21 21 - Fax: + 33 5 63 30 80 65 

Croizet-Pourty 

Servières-le-Château 

19220 Saint-Privat, France 

Tel.: + 33 5 55 28 26 05 - Fax: + 33 5 55 28 41 32 

South 

Sogea Sud 

381, av. du Mas-d’Argelliers 

34966 Montpellier Cedex 2, France 

Tel.: + 33 4 67 69 72 00 - Fax: + 33 4 67 69 72 99 

South-East and Rhône-Alpes 

Sogea Sud-Est 

Lotissement Plein Soleil 

13097 Aix-en-Provence Cedex 2, France 

Tel.: + 33 4 42 16 07 00 - Fax: + 33 4 42 24 00 52 

Sogea Rhône-Alpes 

12/14, route de Vienne - BP 7007 

69343 Lyon Cedex 07, France 

Tel.: + 33 4 72 80 12 80 - Fax: + 33 4 78 61 94 60 

SPECIALIZED SUBSIDIARY 

Dodin 

26, chemin de la Flambère - BP 3128 

31026 Toulouse Cedex, France 

Tel.: + 33 5 62 74 80 40 - Fax: + 33 5 61 49 20 87 

OVERSEAS DEPARTMENTS 

AND TERRITORIES 

French West Indies 

Sogea Martinique 

206, av. Maurice-Bishop - BP 485 

97241 Fort-de-France Cedex, France 

Tel.: (0 596) 73 19 00 - Fax: (0 596) 60 69 55 

Dodin Guadeloupe 

Impasse Émile-Dessout - ZI de Jarry - BP 2284 

97198 Jarry Cedex, France 

Tel.: (0 590) 26 84 85 - Fax: (0 590) 26 87 92 

Indian Ocean 

Sogea Réunion 

1, bd du Chaudron - BP 21 

97491 Sainte-Clotilde Cedex, France 

Tel.: (0 262) 48 39 00 - Fax: (0 262) 28 13 12 

SBTPC 

28, rue Jules-Verne - BP 2013 

97824 Le Port Cedex, France 

Tel.: (0 262) 42 45 00 - Fax: (0 262) 43 49 80 

Sogea Mayotte 

ZI de Kawéni - BP 22 

97600 Mamoudzou, France 

Tel.: (0 269) 61 11 42 - Fax: (0 269) 61 13 77 

Sogea Madagascar 

Anosizato Est - BP 517 - Antananarivo 101 

Tel.: (261) 20 22 695 95 

Fax: (261) 20 22 353 40 

AFRICA 

Benin 

Satom/Sogea 

BP 2190 - Quartier Akpakpa 

Rue de l’Hôtel Aledjo PLM - Cotonou 

Burkina Faso 

Satom/Sogea 

ZI Goughin - 01 BP 571 - Ouagadougou 01 

Cameroun 

Sogea/Satom 

Boulevard des Nations-Unies - BP 283 - Douala 

Central African Republic 

Satom 

Av. de l’Indépendance 

BP 1368 - Bangui 

Chad 

Satom 

Route de Farcha - BP 14 - N’Djamena

Congo 

SGE Congo 

120/121, boulevard Lyautey - BP 212 

Brazzaville 

Equatorial Guinea 

Chez Sogea Gabon 

BP 3936 - Boulevard Rémi Issembé 

ZI D’Oloumi - Libreville 

Gabon 

Sogea/Satom /Sobea 

BP 3936 - Boulevard Rémi-Issembé 

ZI D’Oloumi - Libreville 

Gambia 


PO Box 2230 - Serrekunda - Banjul 

Ghana 

Sogea/Satom Ghana Branch 

Airport Residential Area - Houses n° 3 and 5 

Ambassadorial Estate Extension 

PO Box C 754 Cantonments Roman 

Ridge-Accra 

Guinea 

Satom 

63, allée Ro - 408/82 Kaporo - BP 862 

Conakry 

Ivory Coast 


Immeuble Longchamp - Avenue Marchand 

BP 656 - Abidjan 01 Plateau 

Mali 

Satom 

Route des Abattoirs 

BP 77 - Bamako 

Mauritania 

Satom 

BP 5573 - Îlot A n° 0076 Tevragh Zeina 

Nouakchott 

Morocco 


165, av. Allal Ben Abdallah - BP 121 - Rabat 

Niger 

Satom 

ZI Route des Brasseries - BP 139 - Niamey 

São Tomé 

Satom 

BP 285 - São Tomé 

Senegal 


Dakar 

South Africa 

Southern Pipeline Contractors 

PO Box 61 - 1836 Kliprivier (Transvaal) 

Tanzania 

Sogea Tanzania Branch 

Chole Road - Plot n° 1401 E 

Massani Peninsula - Dar es-Salaam 

Togo 


BP 35 

Route d’Aneho - Lomé 

Uganda 


Tagore Crescent - Plot n° 11 

PO Box 6942 - Kampala 

PORTUGAL 

Sogea Portugal 

Edificio Montevideo 

Avenida Montevideo, 236 - 4150 Porto 

Tel.: 00 35 12 26 19 77 47 

Fax: 00 35 12 26 10 68 08 

BELGIUM 

Denys 

Industrieweg 124 

B-9032 Wondelgem Gent 

Belgium 

Tel.: (32) 9 254 01 11 

Fax: (32) 9 226 77 71 

Socea 

Vaartstraat 126 

B-2520 Oelegem / Ranst 

Belgium 

Tel.: (32) 3 475 00 08 

Fax: (32) 3 485 78 77 

UNITED KINGDOM 

Norwest Holst Group PLC 

Astral House, Imperial Way - Watford 

Hertfordshire WD2 4YX - Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 19 23 23 34 33 

Fax: (44) 19 23 25 64 81 

Construction 

Norwest Holst Construction Ltd 

Building division 

Astral House, Imperial Way 

Watford Hertfordshire WD2 4YZ 

Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 19 23 47 04 59 

Fax: (44) 19 23 21 26 07 

Civil engineering division 



Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 19 23 47 03 21 

Fax: (44) 19 23 21 02 97 

Netherton depot 

Wakefield road 

Bootle-Merseyside - Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 15 15 24 49 00 

Fax: (44) 15 15 25 31 39 

Rail division 



Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 19 23 47 02 32 

Fax: (44) 19 23 47 03 34 

John Jones (Excavation) Ltd 

Norjon House, Newby Road 

Hazel Grove, Stockport - Chershire SK7 5DU 

Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 16 14 83 93 16 

Fax: (44) 16 14 83 80 06 

Norwest Holst Soil Engineering Ltd 

Parkside Lane, Dewsbury Road 

Leeds LS11 5SX - Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 11 32 71 11 11 

Fax: (44) 11 32 76 04 72 

Engineering 

Rosser & Russell 

Building Services Ltd 

Orbit House, 1-6 Ritz Parade 

London W5 3RD - Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 18 19 82 22 22 

Fax: (44) 18 19 82 22 10 

Norwest Holst Engineering Ltd 


Watford Hertfordshire WD2 4YX 

Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 19 23 47 02 75 

Fax: (44) 19 23 47 02 64 

Manufacturing 

Conren Ltd 

Redwither Works, Wrexham 

Clwyd LL13 9RD - Great Britain 

Tel.: (44) 19 78 66 19 91 

Fax: (44) 19 78 66 11 20 

43

Photography credits: 

Y. Blond, J.-P. Bolle, A. Da Silva, H. Davidson, P. Demail, C. Gruner, Martineau, B. Pesle, PhotoDisc, 

D. Riffet, F. Vigouroux, photothèque Denys, photothèque Norwest Holst, photothèque Sogea, DR 

Design and production: Plan Créatif

9, place de l’Europe - BP 320 - 92851 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex - France 

Tel.: + 33 1 47 16 40 00 - Fax: + 33 1 47 51 91 01 - www.sogea.fr 

Sogea is a company of

Sogea - 1999 annual report - Vinci

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