both international expertise and value added through synergies
and premium quality. This positioning enables us to
be among the best in the competition, even in the increasingly
difficult economic climate. Furthermore, the fact that
we have focused intensively on fast-growing segments over
the last few years is also paying off. Our order backlog
reached a volume of almost EUR 31 billion in 2008 – yet
another excellent figure. This represents a forward order
book of almost one and a half years.
State economic measures focus on infrastructure
In many industrial nations, but also in emerging economies,
governments are pouring billions into economic
stimulus plans to prevent a sustained recession taking hold.
For example, the US administration is planning a total
package of around USD 800 billion, China has announced
a program of some USD 600 billion and the EU member
states intend to invest a total of approximately EUR 200
billion to support the economy. Germany's federal government
also wants to provide an additional EUR 50 billion for
a second economic stimulus package to overcome the
financial
crisis. A key element of these programs are infrastructure
projects, such as construction and refurbishment
in the education, health, transportation, energy and
telecommunications sectors. HOCHTIEF has international
experience and success in managing complex projects and
hence sees great opportunities for itself in these government
stimulus programs. In the USA, for instance, HOCHTIEF is
very well placed to exploit opportunities for growth in the
building construction and civil engineering sectors with its
subsidiaries Turner and Flatiron.
Public-private partnerships
In connection with efficient use of public resources, we
believe there are plenty of opportunities for the public-private
partnership (PPP) model to become more prevalent and
thus for the private sector to play a greater role in public infrastructure
projects. As a proficient company with international
experience, HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions could not
be better positioned for the growing PPP markets. The
North American market presents ideal opportunities for
HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions North America to employ our
international PPP expertise. The company can also draw
on the expertise of Flatiron and Turner.
Green building
Considerable opportunities for the expansion of HOCHTIEF's
business also exist in the growing market for green building:
In light of rising energy prices, there is increasing recognition
that investment in resource-friendly and environmentally-
friendly buildings pays off. This requires early,
holistic planning for the entire life cycle of the property
based on ecological factors. HOCHTIEF identified the trend
toward sustainable construction early on and has played a
decisive role in shaping this movement. We are driving forward
the development of sustainable construction and
management models and all modules in our product range
cover this market segment. With this expertise, HOCHTIEF
is excellently positioned to exploit opportunities in this market
which is growing, particularly in the USA.
Energy efficiency and renewable energies
HOCHTIEF is well poised internationally to help realize climate
protection targets. For example, we provide services
that help in this aim for development, construction, revitalization
and the management of projects. In this way,
HOCHTIEF Energy Management improves the energy efficiency
of buildings, for instance, with innovative offers for
energy contracting. Through our commitment to geothermal
energy and offshore wind energy, we are also active in
the growth market for renewable energies. HOCHTIEF will
