Eiffage in metal move

Eiffage’s metal division is acquiring the main parts of the Dutch-based Smulders group, which it said would strengthen its presence in the offshore wind energy market.

Following a year of co-operation, the metal branch of Eiffage has signed – subject to a number of conditions – a contract for the acquisition of Smulders, Iemants, Willems and Spomasz.

Eiffage said these businesses would generate about €200 million of revenues for the full year of 2013. They have 770 employees located in Belgium, Netherlands and Poland.

Claiming this acquisition is its most important since 2008, Eiffage is strengthening its presence on the offshore energy market and, in particular, for wind power where Smulders is a key player.

Eiffage said the investment would allow the metal branch to develop its traditional businesses of offshore energy and complex metal-based constructions abroad, particularly in Northern Europe.

Eiffage is the sixth-largest company in the 2103 CE-100 list of European construction companies. The group's activities are organised as five business segments (construction, civil works, energy, metal and concessions with PPPs). It generated revenues of more than €14 billion in 2012, 15% of which were outside France. The metal branch generated about €900 million in revenues during 2012.